{"id":1995,"date":"2020-09-22T10:21:33","date_gmt":"2020-09-22T09:21:33","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/blog.esmadrid.com\/blog\/en\/?p=1995"},"modified":"2020-09-22T10:21:33","modified_gmt":"2020-09-22T09:21:33","slug":"come-back-to-the-city-centre","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/blog.esmadrid.com\/blog\/en\/2020\/09\/22\/come-back-to-the-city-centre\/","title":{"rendered":"Come back to the city centre!"},"content":{"rendered":"
\"Restaurante

Restaurante Bot\u00edn (\u00a9\u00c1lvaro L\u00f3pez del Cerro).<\/p><\/div>\n

Some opened their doors centuries ago, while others are new arrivals. But they all have something in common: their location. They\u2019re all in the vicinity of Plaza Mayor and Puerta del Sol.<\/strong>\u00a0This area is full of bars and restaurants<\/strong> waiting to be discovered. You\u2019ll find some of them on the illustrated Map of Century-Old Restaurants & Tabernas available at all of the city\u2019s tourist information points. You can also download<\/a> the map.\u00a0<\/p>\n

\"\u00a9

\u00a9 \u00c1lvaro L\u00f3pez del Cerro<\/p><\/div>\n

RESTAURANTE BOT\u00cdN<\/strong><\/a><\/p>\n

Cuchilleros, 17. Tel: 91 366 42 17 \/ 91 366 30 26<\/p>\n

Metro: TIRSO DE MOLINA \/ LA LATINA<\/p>\n

Ernest Hemingway<\/strong> said it in\u00a0The Sun Also Rises<\/em>: this is one of the best restaurants in the world. It\u2019s also one of the oldest<\/strong>, a fact corroborated by the 1987 edition of the Guinness Book of Records. What\u2019s more, Francisco de Goya worked here as a dish washer. Founded as an inn in 1725 by the nephew of the wife of a French chef named Jean Botin, today it is unarguably one of Madrid\u2019s top restaurants for traditional cuisine. House specialities include roast suckling pig<\/strong> and Castilian-style lamb roasted in a holm oak-fired oven that\u2019s as old as the restaurant. You can also find other dishes, however, such as tasty line-caught hake, fresh sole, and clams in a very original sauce. The restaurant has four floors, all of which retain the ambience of years gone by.<\/p>\n

\"\u00a9

\u00a9 \u00c1lvaro L\u00f3pez del Cerro<\/p><\/div>\n

BODEGAS RICLA<\/strong><\/strong><\/p>\n

Cuchilleros, 8. Tel: 91 365 20 69<\/p>\n

Metro: LA LATINA<\/p>\n

This wine bar<\/strong> is named after the Aragonese home town of its founders, who settled in Madrid in the late 19th century. They mainly sold wines from their birthplace, but little by little they began to broaden their gastronomic horizons. The vermouth on tap and well-poured\u00a0ca\u00f1as<\/em>, or glasses of beer, are accompanied by marvellous tapas and\u00a0raciones<\/em>\u00a0(small platters) and the atmosphere is utterly traditional<\/strong>. Any guesses as to the food?\u00a0Anchovies marinated in vinegar, cured beef from Le\u00f3n, delicious tripe with a hint of heat, and slices of bread topped with cod and olive oil. A truly classic institution.<\/p>\n

\"\u00a9

\u00a9 \u00c1lvaro L\u00f3pez del Cerro<\/p><\/div>\n

MERCADO DE SAN MIGUEL<\/strong><\/a><\/strong><\/p>\n

Plaza de San Miguel, s\/n<\/p>\n

Metro: \u00d3PERA \/ SOL<\/p>\n

Built between 1913 and 1916,<\/strong> this former market turned gourmet food mecca is a prime example of the city’s cast-iron architecture.<\/strong> Inside, you\u2019ll find stalls, bars… and all sorts of options to choose from! Maybe you\u2019ll fancy the ice cream by Jordi Roca at Rocambolesc, the Mexican delights by Roberto Ruiz at Tacos, Margaritas y Punto, paella from Rodrigo de la Calle, croquettes from Arz\u00e1bal or scallops from the historic restaurant Lhardy (no. 8 Carrera de San Jer\u00f3nimo), which also has a branch here.<\/p>\n

\"\"<\/strong><\/a><\/p>\n

LOS GALAYOS<\/strong><\/a><\/strong><\/p>\n

Botoneras, 5. Tel: 91 366 30 28<\/p>\n

Metro: SOL \/ \u00d3PERA<\/p>\n

With two outdoor seating areas<\/strong>, one of them in Plaza Mayor, and multiple dining rooms inside, this restaurant over a century old is an institution in the city centre. Its speciality is suckling pig, slow-roasted in the oven to a succulent, crispy finish. But then again, who can resist its calamari sandwich<\/strong>?<\/p>\n

\"\"<\/strong><\/a><\/p>\n

ARRABAL MADRID<\/strong><\/a><\/strong><\/p>\n

Plaza Mayor, 23. Tel: 918 629 489\/ 648 26 26 90<\/p>\n

Metro: \u00d3PERA \/ SOL<\/p>\n

The name of this restaurant, which serves Spanish cuisine<\/strong> with a modern flair, reminds us that Plaza Mayor used to be called Plaza del Arrabal. The menu has a bit of everything: from\u00a0churros<\/em>\u00a0and hot chocolate for breakfast to homemade croquettes to suckling pig and potato mousse.<\/p>\n

\"\u00a9

\u00a9 \u00c1lvaro L\u00f3pez del Cerro<\/p><\/div>\n

GUSTOS MADRID<\/strong><\/a><\/strong><\/p>\n

Plaza Mayor, 8. Tel: 91 366 40 30<\/p>\n

Metro: \u00d3PERA \/ SOL<\/p>\n

This restaurant is in the square\u2019s south-west corner, next to the Arco de Cuchilleros<\/strong> arch. You can eat inside in one of the caves or sit outside on the lovely terrace. The house speciality is paella. Options include vegetable paella, seafood paella and \u201cblack rice\u201d (from squid ink) with artichokes. The tapas menu is extensive:\u00a0patatas bravas\u00a0<\/em><\/strong>(diced potatoes in a spicy paprika sauce), Galician-style octopus, garlic prawns, etc.<\/p>\n

\"\"<\/strong><\/a><\/p>\n

DCORAZ\u00d3N<\/strong><\/a><\/strong><\/p>\n

Plaza Mayor, 30. Tel: 91 069 57 43<\/p>\n

Metro: SOL \/ \u00d3PERA<\/p>\n

The owners decided to convert the family\u2019s old wool storage<\/strong> facility into a restaurant whose interior retains some 16th century caves that make it well worth reserving a table The Iberian pork ribs are the signature dish, but make sure to leave room for dessert. We recommend the cheesecake: it’s soft, creamy and topped with red berry\u00a0coulis<\/em>.<\/p>\n

\"\u00a9

\u00a9 \u00c1lvaro L\u00f3pez del Cerro<\/p><\/div>\n

EL SOPORTAL<\/strong><\/a><\/p>\n

Plaza Mayor, 33. Tel: 91 366 39 66<\/p>\n

Metro: SOL \/ \u00d3PERA<\/p>\n

The extensive menu offers traditional cuisine<\/strong> made with top-quality ingredients, although innovation also has a place in dishes like the oxtail\u00a0bao<\/em>\u00a0buns with\u00a0kimchee<\/em>\u00a0sauce and mint leaves. The outdoor dining area is always very crowded.<\/p>\n

\"\"<\/a><\/strong><\/p>\n

DNORTE<\/strong><\/a><\/p>\n

<\/strong>Mesonero Romanos, 8. Tel: 91 110 13 24<\/p>\n

Metro: CALLAO \/ SOL<\/p>\n

This is a more casual venture by renowned restaurant Villoldo. The menu is fun, simple and perfect for sharing and snacking<\/strong> from midday until well into the night.\u00a0\u00a0Customer favourites include\u00a0patatas bravas<\/em>\u00a0with a light garlic mayonnaise spiced up by\u00a0\u00f1ora<\/em>,\u00a0choricero<\/em>\u00a0and chili peppers, grilled\u00a0chipirones<\/em>\u00a0(baby squid) with crunchy\u00a0oreja<\/em>\u00a0(pig’s ear), and\u00a0rabas de pelud\u00edn<\/em>\u00a0(battered strips of giant squid) just like the ones served in Santander.<\/p>\n

\"\u00a9

\u00a9 \u00c1lvaro L\u00f3pez del Cerro<\/p><\/div>\n

CASA LABRA<\/strong><\/a><\/p>\n

Tetu\u00e1n, 12. Tel: 91 531 00 81<\/p>\n

Metro: SOL<\/p>\n

Cod dishe<\/strong>s are very typical of Madrid\u2019s cuisine, and this pub over one hundred years old, founded in 1860 right next to Puerta del Sol, is the perfect place to try some. Its\u00a0soldaditos de Pav\u00eda<\/em>\u00a0<\/strong>(battered cod strips) and its croquettes are utterly tempting. The small outdoor dining area is always in high demand.<\/p>\n

\"\"<\/a><\/strong><\/p>\n

PUERTALSOL BY CHICOTE<\/strong><\/a><\/strong><\/p>\n

Puerta del Sol, 10. Tel: 91 487 36 85<\/p>\n

Metro: SOL<\/p>\n

This gastro-space owned by charismatic TV chef Alberto Chicote<\/strong> is on the top floor of El Corte Ingl\u00e9s, right in Puerta del Sol, and has a terrace with views of the famous clock tower<\/strong> in front of which the Madrile\u00f1os ring in the New Year. The menu includes rice dishes cooked over charcoal, prawn, tuna belly and potato salad served with thin, crispy flatbread, Iberian pork cheeks with truffled mashed potatoes and bluefin tuna\u00a0tataki<\/em>\u00a0in a soy and\u00a0ajoblanco<\/em>(cold garlic soup) sauce.<\/p>\n

\"\u00a9

\u00a9 \u00c1lvaro L\u00f3pez del Cerro<\/p><\/div>\n

LA CASA DE LAS TORRIJAS<\/strong><\/p>\n

Paz, 4. Tel: 91 025 29 02<\/p>\n

Metro: SOL<\/p>\n

A bar with an old, familiar feel where you can eat an old, familiar treat:\u00a0torrijas<\/em>\u00a0(Spain\u2019s answer to French toast). They\u2019re a traditional Easter sweet, but here they’re served all year round.<\/strong> The establishment is over one hundred years old and tradition reigns supreme, in the kitchen as well as in the decor, which is a blend of tile and wood.<\/p>\n

\"\u00a9

\u00a9 \u00c1lvaro L\u00f3pez del Cerro<\/p><\/div>\n

LHARDY<\/strong><\/a><\/p>\n

Carrea de San Jer\u00f3nimo, 8. Tel: 91 521 33 85<\/p>\n

Metro: SEVILLA \/ SOL<\/p>\n

This historic Madrid establishment<\/strong> with literary ties\u00a0has taken pains to successfully preserve the courtly, aristocratic ambience of 20th century Madrid. It has a main dining room, Sal\u00f3n Isabelino, as well as five private dining rooms. Its\u00a0cocido<\/em><\/strong>\u00a0(chickpea stew), served in two\u00a0vuelcos<\/em>\u00a0(courses), is legendary.<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

Some opened their doors centuries ago, while others are new arrivals. But they all have something in common: their location. They\u2019re all in the vicinity of Plaza Mayor and Puerta del Sol.\u00a0This area is full of bars and restaurants waiting to be discovered. You\u2019ll find some of them on the illustrated Map of Century-Old Restaurants […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":6,"featured_media":2013,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":[],"categories":[1],"tags":[150,269,32],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/blog.esmadrid.com\/blog\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/1995"}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/blog.esmadrid.com\/blog\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/blog.esmadrid.com\/blog\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/blog.esmadrid.com\/blog\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/6"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/blog.esmadrid.com\/blog\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=1995"}],"version-history":[{"count":8,"href":"https:\/\/blog.esmadrid.com\/blog\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/1995\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":2018,"href":"https:\/\/blog.esmadrid.com\/blog\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/1995\/revisions\/2018"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/blog.esmadrid.com\/blog\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/2013"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/blog.esmadrid.com\/blog\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=1995"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/blog.esmadrid.com\/blog\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=1995"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/blog.esmadrid.com\/blog\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=1995"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}