Madrid is my all-time favorite city in Europe for so many reasons, but its delicious food, restaurants, and markets really take the cake!
Madrid is overflowing with amazing food options. Every time I visit, I have such fantastic experiences that leave me wanting more.
Out of everything that I’ve had and frequented, my all time favorite place to go and eat out in is Mercado de San Anton.
Madrid has a number of mercados, or indoor food markets, but in my opinion, Mercado de San Anton is the best. Going to one of these covered markets is definitely a must-do on your Madrid bucket list!
When you walk in from the street, before you go up the escalator, there is a very yummy ice cream stand. After a good meal inside the market, it is a nice stop on the way out for something cold and sweet as you walk to your next destination in the summer heat.
After you go up the escalator, you will arrive on the first floor of the market. My first couple of visits, there was a fruit stall just across the way where you could buy individual fruits or customize your own fruit cups. I got orange slices, mango, and kiwi, with some blueberries and raspberries on top which was so refreshing. My latest visit, the stand wasn’t there anymore, and was replaced with a lovely flower shop.
As you walk around the rest of the first floor, you’ll see stands for fresh meats and fish, as well as a couple spots to sit down and have a drink.
Behind the escalators that lead up to the second floor, there was an amazing stall called AKMA MIX, which sold Korean dishes. Their shrimp dumplings were delicious, but they had also been replaced on my last trip to the market. This one was a bit crushing because I had been craving their dumplings for three years. I believe they have moved elsewhere in the city, so I will be hunting them down on my next visit!
Once you take the escalator up to the second floor, you will find about ten food stalls of different cultures from all around the world.
My two favorites on this floor, that have been there every time I’ve visited, are Spanish Tapa and The House of Cod, which are directly across from you as you step off the escalator. Spanish Tapa sells yummy patatas bravas, or potatoes in an aioli sauce, as well as many other Spanish staples. A stall down, The House of Cod sells different fish appetizers. My favorites are the little toasts with anchovies & roasted red peppers and with pickled herring & a dollop of creamy sauce. Both toasts looked so appealing and this stall actually made me finally like anchovies!
At the end of the row of stalls on the right, there is a really nice bar to grab a drink at. I always liked to practice my Spanish here and ordered, “Uno cerveza por favor!” This got me one beer from their tap.
On the third floor of the market, there’s a restaurant and rooftop bar, but I have never been to either. It seems to be very popular however, and I plan to try it out whenever I am able to go back to Madrid next!
A bit of a warning if you do want to visit Mercado de San Anton, I would not go in a big group because it might be difficult to find seating. It is quite limited and a lot of the table top seating is for two or four people max.
A very popular way to eat your dinner in Madrid is in the form of tapas. These are small plates, which you will pick a handful of to share with family and friends. A quick Google Maps search will show you the many options for tapas restaurants that are always nearby.
One of my favorite tapas restaurants is Tapa Tapa, off of the Puerta del Sol at C. del Arenal, 15, Centro, 28013. Some of my must-haves dishes are the patatas bravas, the croquettes, the Jamón ibérico, and the Padrón peppers.
Another very popular kind of tapas is an empanada. I had great empanadas at the Mercado de San Miguel with ground beef, caramelized onions, and golden raisins, as well as shrimp, corn, and cheese. There are so many different varieties of empanadas; there is one suited for every person!
Mercado de San Miguel is another great covered market that is close to the Plaza Mayor. It has beautiful iron work on the outside and is full of delicious stalls. This market has little to no seating, so be prepared to eat your food standing or as you walk around. This market is often even more crowded than San Anton due to its central location, so you might be bumping shoulders with people as you walk around; I certainly was!
A Spanish dish that is world renowned is paella and can be found all throughout Madrid. Most, if not all, Spanish style restaurants will have a paella option. It is definitely a good idea to get one to share with a group of people. Paella typically comes in a giant pot, with many, many servings.
Spain also has some great options for those of us with a sweet tooth!
A Spanish must-have is a chocolate churro. Chocolatería San Ginés is a famous spot in Madrid and the perfect place to go for churros. You can get a cup of molten chocolate and a bag of churros to dip. If you want to go yourself, be careful because it can be really busy with long lines. What a lot of people don’t realize is that there is a sister shop just around the corner that is take away only and always quiet. I’ve only been to the smaller shop, often getting some to split with friends and sitting out in the sun in Plaza Mayor to people watch.
A great bakery that I went to is La Mallorquina in the Puerta del Sol. When you come out of the west exit of the subway station, you are right in front of the bakery. This bakery gets very busy, so you may have to wait in line outside for a little bit, or be prepared to shove shoulders with strangers inside. I can highly recommend the palmeras de chocolate, or the chocolate covered palm trees. If chocolate isn’t your thing, there is a plain option too!
My favorite cookie shop in Madrid is La Cure Gourmande, a chain that can be found around Europe. It is located right off of the Plaza Mayor. They have a large selection of chocolates, candies, and marzipan, but their staple is their cookies. They have a create your own tin option where you get a beautiful metal box and customize what cookies go inside. I highly recommend the apricot jam cookies, the lemon cookies, the orange blossom cookies, and the raspberry jam cookies. I’ve bought a selection for family members each visit, and they were always a hit. These tins can get very heavy (if you pick a lot of cookies like me) so if you need to take them long distances and have a weight restriction, you have to be careful how many cookies you get! I did end up learning this the hard way…
If eating out doesn’t always suit you, my favorite supermarket is Carrefour, a chain with locations all over Madrid (and Europe). This can definitely be the cheaper option, especially if you are staying in an AirBnB with a kitchen. Prices for food are pretty cheap in Spain (at least compared to back home for me). In Carrefour, you can get a bag of four freshly baked bread rolls for just one euro!
Each time I visit Madrid, I stay in Vrbo apartments in Lavapies, my favorite neighborhood in the city. My local Carrefour there is the absolute best. It is two floors and packed with anything you could ever need. It was so easy to pick up supplies for dinner and packed lunches when I was going to the ballet studios for classes or exploring the city.
If you're looking for a fun place to have a drink, the rooftop bar that I always frequent is the Azotea del Circulo. I have taken everyone there with me, from ballet friends at my summer intensives, to my mom and sister, and my cousin that I was traveling Europe with. Every person who's visited loved it as well! There are amazing views over Madrid and lots of comfy seating. The only downside is you have to pay €5 to go up. Drinks-wise, I definitely recommend the Tom Collins, either the normal, the strawberry, or the raspberry. One of my favorite cocktails ever!
No matter where your personal tastes may lead you, there is something delicious for everyone in Madrid!
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