The best menú del día in Madrid
What to order, where to go and the little things worth knowing.
- 01
La Sanabresa
Fluorescent-lit casa de comidas by Antón Martín with one of the cheapest honest menús in the centre.
OrderThe menú del día: look for garbanzos guisados or ternera guisada on that day's list; flan to finish.
- 02
Casa Dani
Bar-restaurant inside Mercado de la Paz with a tortilla that keeps topping Madrid's best-of lists.
OrderA pincho of tortilla first, then the weekday menú del día from the chalkboard: starter, main, dessert, drink.
- 03
Patacón Pisao
A Colombian veteran near Atocha where the bandeja paisa makes ambitious dinner plans look rather optimistic.
OrderPatacón de carne mechada, bandeja paisa and jugo de lulo en agua.
- 04
El Rincón Asturiano
A big Asturian appetite near Atocha: fabada, serious cachopos and dining rooms built for family lunches.
OrderFabada asturiana, cachopo asturiano tradicional and arroz con leche caramelizado.
- 05
El Horóscopo
A family dining room serving the barrio since 1970, with game dishes that deserve a look beyond the daily menú.
OrderCiervo marinado en aceite de orégano, callos a la madrileña and ragout de ciervo.
- 06
Bar Toboggan
A plaza terrace near Matadero for vermut de grifo and torreznos, with a €15 weekday menú del día.
OrderVermut de grifo, torreznos fritos de la casa and oreja a la plancha.
- 07
Buenas y Santas
An Argentine neighbourhood kitchen for oven-gratinated milanesas and a proper dulce de leche finish.
OrderMilanesa napolitana and panqueque argentino de dulce de leche.
- 08
Restaurante Oviedo
An Asturian dining room by Madrid Río, with serious cachopos and a weekday menú that keeps the bill sensible.
OrderCachopo de ternera con cecina y queso Vidiago, fabada asturiana and arroz con leche.
- 09
El Secreto de Dora
A big taberna beside the arena, useful for generous shared raciones and a terrace table with the whole family.
OrderCallos a la madrileña, lacón a la gallega and calamares a la romana.
- 10
Devinums
A roomy local vinoteca for weekday lunch, family rice feasts and the sort of terrace meal that swallows an afternoon.
OrderArroz caldoso con bogavante, setas empanadas con paletilla ibérica and huevos estrellados con jamón ibérico.
- 11
Pulpería Botafumeiro
A Galician neighbourhood dining room near Oporto where the caldo, pulpo and filloas make an excellent family outing.
OrderCaldo gallego, pulpo a la gallega and filloas flambeadas.
- 12
Huacatay
A straightforward Peruvian neighbourhood restaurant where ceviche and lomo saltado do the talking.
OrderCeviche de pescado, lomo saltado and chicha morada.
- 13
Asturianos
Asturian stews, a glorious flan and a wine list far grander than this little dining room lets on.
OrderFabada, patatas al cabrales and flan de queso.
- 14
Bar Restaurante Ponzano
A proper casa de comidas where Wednesday cocido starts with a hot mollete de pringá.
OrderCocido madrileño with its mollete de pringá on Wednesdays; callos a la madrileña if you go à la carte.
- 15
Los Arcos de Ponzano
Segovian roasts in a restaurant that was feeding Ponzano long before anyone came here for cocktails.
OrderCochinillo asado, cordero lechal asado or the Wednesday cocido madrileño; bring a proper appetite.
- 16
El Bierzo
Chueca's lunch stalwart has been serving proper home cooking since 1971, with riñones proudly on the menu.
OrderAcelgas al ajoarriero and riñones al jerez.
- 17
Hot Now
Pistachio pesto and spicy honey make this communal-table pizzeria a good excuse to abandon your usual order.
OrderPizza Pistacho, pizza Pepperoni and a caña.
- 18
Sapore di Sicilia
Carmelo's little Sicilian café makes the weekday lunch break an excuse for arancini and tiramisú.
OrderArancini de espinacas, rigatoni con emperador and tiramisú.
- 19
Río Miño
A proper Galician lunch house on Limón, with a weekday menú and seafood worth assembling a table for.
OrderPulpo a la gallega, lacón con grelos and tarta de orujo.
- 20
O Potiño III Casa Lelo
The dependable Galician bar opposite the barracks, where a caña can grow into pulpo and a long lunch.
OrderPulpo a la gallega and lacón a la gallega.
- 21
Con 2 Fogones
A colourful neighbourhood dining room that puts rabo de toro in dim sum and keeps weekday lunch affordable.
OrderCausa Mad-Limeña, quesadillas de pulpo a la gallega and dimsum de rabo de toro.
- 22
Alfredo's Barbacoa
Madrid burger history with barbecue sauce on its chin, still going strong in its original Lagasca home.
OrderHamburguesa Alfredo's Classic, chile con carne and ensalada de col.
- 23
Magasand
Sandwiches, design magazines and a picnic escape route into the Retiro, just off the expensive shopping streets.
OrderSándwich Hot Vegas and sándwich El Currito, with pollo al curry.
- 24
Alcaravea
A useful Castelló regular for weekday menú and vegetables given the full cheese-and-sauce treatment.
OrderAlcachofas fritas con gorgonzola, puerro confitado con Idiazábal and tocinillo del cielo.
- 25
Casa Doli
A San Diego institution where anchovies and proper fish make a long lunch worth planning.
OrderAnchoas artesanas, flor de alcachofa con foie y jamón, and tronco de bacalao al ajillo.
- 26
Puerta Bisagra
Three-course cocido and a proper neighbourhood dining room give chilly days in Numancia a purpose.
OrderCocido madrileño en tres vuelcos, or callos a la madrileña and croquetas de jamón.
- 27
Las 3 RRR
A small Vallecas dining room for arroz con bogavante, lamb chops and a slice of tarta de Santiago.
OrderArroz con bogavante or chuletillas de lechal, followed by tarta de Santiago.
- 28
Las Costillas
A family grill serving Vallecas since 1994, with ribs that make the restaurant's name a useful instruction.
OrderCostillas a la parrilla, chorizo criollo and flan de queso.
- 29
Achuri
A neighbourhood co-operative with a daily menú, serious croquetas and its politics on the walls.
OrderBerenjenas andalusí, milanesa napolitana and flan de coco, when they appear on the menú del día.
- 30
Los Chuchis
British home cooking in a tiny Lavapiés dining room; the roast pork makes a persuasive case for staying.
OrderCerdo asado con manzanas, piel de patata con crema agria y salsa picante, and paté casero con pepinillos.
- 31
La Oveja Negra - Taberna Vegana
A queer vegan cooperative that takes the neighbourhood taberna seriously, right down to Friday cocido.
OrderChorivegano a la sidra, tacos de jackfruit a la barbacoa and tinto de veganx.
- 32
Viva Chapata
A vegan neighbourhood taberna where stuffed chapatas share the billing with a proper three-course cocido.
OrderChapata Nueva Natacha, croquetas del Viva de boletus and no calamares.
- 33
El Imparcial
The former newspaper premises give this dining room enough occasion for a date, even over the weekday lunch menu.
OrderTortilla vaga de gamba roja, chipirones con puré de coliflor al curry and falso risotto de setas.
- 34
Casa Fidel
A neighbourhood casa de comidas where chipirones and croquetas beat another fashionable lunch.
OrderChipirones en su tinta, croquetas de jamón and callos a la madrileña.
- 35
Circo de las Tapas
Shared tapas, a courtyard and a tortilla made with crisps: a useful Corredera lunch that has a playful streak.
OrderTortilla Lay’s con cebolla caramelizada y parmesano, maxi papas dos salsas and tarta tatin de manzana.
- 36
Casa Macareno
A tiled taberna where croquetas de ibérico y trufa and huevos rotos deserve more than a quick aperitivo.
OrderCroquetas de jamón ibérico y trufa, ensaladilla Macareno con bonito en escabeche and huevos rotos con gambones al ajillo.
- 37
Restaurante Manolo 1934
Argüelles still eats proper stews here, with a busy bar out front and old-school dining rooms behind.
OrderCallos a la madrileña, calamares en su tinta and tarta de queso.
- 38
Puerto Rico
An unshowy Spanish dining room near Carmen for a filling lunch without the central-Madrid ceremony.
OrderTernera asada en su jugo and arroz con leche.
- 39
Artemisa - Gran Vía
A dependable vegetarian dining room near Carmen, with a daily menu and a fondness for stuffed aubergines.
OrderCroquetas veganas en tempura de garbanzos and berenjena Artemisa.
- 40
Museo del Jamón
The ham-hung Madrid institution in its Mayor branch: a busy counter downstairs and dining rooms above.
OrderBocadillo de jamón ibérico de bellota and a ración de queso curado.
- 41
Mesón Ondiñas do Mendo
A noisy Galician mesón where a round of cañas can seriously interfere with your dinner plans.
OrderZamburiñas, pulpo a la gallega con cachelos and Ribeiro de la casa.
- 42
Casa Ramona Taberna Manchega
Manchegan comfort food, village-house furniture and a weekday menú that remembers neighbourhood budgets.
OrderGachas, patatas revolconas con torreznos and tarta de queso.
- 43
El Fogón de Usera
A family dining room by Usera market where generous stews give the menú del día its appeal.
OrderJudías pintas, pimientos del piquillo rellenos de bacalao and solomillo de cerdo al roquefort, when on the daily menu.
- 44
La Bolera
A neighbourhood lunch by the Cantabrian bowling lanes, with a weekday menú and a famous teja of eggs and jamón.
OrderTeja ibérica and torreznos to share; cocido madrileño on Wednesdays.
- 45
Cervecería Montemayor
Quintana's useful lunch address: proper stews, a terrace and a full menú you can also take home.
OrderPote gallego and pechuga de pavo a la naranja, when they appear on the daily menú.
- 46
La Cañada
A Galician lunch stop by El Carmen where even pulpo comes with the practical comforts of a set menú.
OrderCaldo gallego when it's on, then pulpo a la gallega in the special menú.
- 47
Las Jarritas
An Orense lunch counter where office workers still get proper braises for everyday money.
OrderCocido completo or carrilleras al vino tinto, according to the day's menú.
- 48
Bicai
Azca's office lunch with more choice than the usual grilled chicken and a daily menú worth finding.
OrderSalmorejo cordobés and empanada de setas, bacon y queso ahumado, when they're on the daily list.
- 49
BMV
An Azca lunch room with a €14.50 menú and roast chicken that leaves room in the budget for tomorrow.
OrderSalmorejo cordobés, pollo asado de la casa con patatas and flan casero, when listed.
- 50
Donate
Almansa lunches with two terraces, a weekday menú and croquetas de chipirones when you fancy sharing.
OrderCroquetas caseras de chipirones en su tinta and ensaladilla rusa de la abuela, from the carta.
- 51
El Tera
Sanabria roots and proper home cooking keep this Argüelles lunch room useful long after the fashions move on.
OrderCroquetas caseras de jamón y pollo or solomillo en salsa de setas, then flan, when on the menú.
- 52
Cervecería El Muro
Comillas neighbours come upstairs for a proper lunch; the cocido is the reason to ask what's cooking.
OrderCocido madrileño when it's on the menú; ensaladilla rusa and tortilla vaga con alcachofa from the carta.
- 53
Casa Longinos
Almagro's lunch queue pays off in honest stews and a menú priced for people who eat out every working day.
OrderCocido madrileño on Wednesdays; pollo a la sidra or merluza a la romana when they appear on the menú.
- 54
Casa Pachuco
A tiny Lavapiés lunch room where the daily board takes cheerful detours through Asia without inflating the bill.
OrderEscabeche filipino de berenjenas and curry panang de albóndigas de ternera, as the menu rotates.
- 55
Rambal
A long lunch over shared soperas, with proper stews and permission to have seconds.
OrderEnsalada de la casa con papada curada and lentejas estofadas, when that's the day's guiso.