The capital city of Europe’s most passionate country is a feast of music, food and culture, full of energy and colour, welcoming and captivating. Spain has evolved into one of the most gastronomically important countries in the world, and Madrid has its own fair share of excellent restaurants as well as outstanding tapas bars, not too mention great food markets.
Spain’s cuisine has been influenced by the proximity of North-Africa and the country’s Iberian and Roman past as well as trade with America.
In the 11th century Spain was known as Al-Andalus, also Muslim Spain or Islamic Iberia, and was Muslim territory. Until then the typical cuisine in Madrid was much the same as the rest of Al Andalus, but this changed when King Alfonso VI of Castile seized Toledo, a city in central Spain, known as the ‘Imperial City’ where Charles I held court.
Local cuisine was varied and full of flavour, using ingredients like milk, honey, dates, semolina and couscous from North Africa, as well as others that were a direct legacy of the region’s Iberian and Roman past.
Until now the Moors had reigned for centuries and to this day they have had the biggest influence on Spanish gastronomy with the introduction of rice, fruits and spices such as saffron, cinnamon, and nutmeg.
The way in which they combined meals; fruit and nuts meat and fish, also had a big impact. Even the classic Spanish tomato based cold soup gazpacho comes straight from the Moorish culture.
Medieval Spain became the scene of almost constant warfare between Muslims and Christians and with this gradual changes seeped into the traditional kitchen. But it was not until the discovery of the Americas by Christopher Columbus in his 1492 voyage that more important and still current elements were added to the history of Spanish food with tomatoes, vanilla, chocolate, beans, potatoes and grains arriving from overseas.
Then, in 1561, King Philip II moved the capital of the Kingdom of Spain to Madrid, attracting a major population influx from people from all parts of the Spanish Empire. As trade flourished across the Atlantic between Spain and the Americas, the country enjoyed a cultural golden age in the 16th and 17th centuries. The nobility enjoyed an increasingly lavish lifestyle whilst the growing and diverse population of Madrid also re-shaped local gastronomy, dividing it into two independent branches: popular (humble) and aristocratic cuisine. This remained so for the next 4 centuries.
By the 19th century these inequalities fortunately began to even out and there emerged fondas or inns and taverns as well as the first restaurants.
Typical Madrid food of this period included cocido de tres vuelcos (chickpea stew), soldaditos de Pavía (fried cod), besugo a la madrileña (red bream Madrid-style), potaje de vigilia (cod stew) and bartolillos (cream-filled pastries) of which many – though often enhanced with new flavours and reinvented by creative chefs- are still served in one way or another in the Spanish capital.
A sample of the city’s best places to eat (and drink):
The classics
Lhardy, opened in 1839 initially as a bakery and whose famous broth has been served from silver samovars since 1885. Lhardy still exists and today has a classy tapas bar, deli and takeaway service on the ground floor and a culinary restaurant on the first floor.
Restaurant Botin, founded in 1725 in Madrid, is the world’s oldest restaurant and thus has quite a story to tell! This is an amazing place to enjoy true Castilian cuisine, with fantastic service, in a history-filled environment. In 1590 the building which today hosts Botin was first built, near the now famous Plaza Mayor , already then the main commercial enclave in the city with shoemakers, tanners, cutlers, braziers, and blacksmiths. In 1725 French cook Jean Botin opened a small inn and the rest is history.
Listed by Guinness World Records as the world’s oldest restaurant, and on the Forbes list of as one of 10 of the world’s classic restaurants, Botin has been turning out impeccably roasted meats from its original Castilian-style cast iron wood-burning oven for nearly three centuries. Guests have ranged from Hemingway to the painter Goya to countless European royalty, and it remains very popular with visitors, locals and especially Spanish politicians.
Some places to visit for a bite to eat in traditional but top quality Madrid-style are El Lando and Casa Lucio. El Lando is a prestigious establishment frequented by celebrities, run by Lucio Blázquez, also owner of the famous Casa Lucia. Managed by Ángel González, Lucio”s brother-in-law, El Landó serves delicious international Castilian cuisine.
Casa Lucio is a restaurant located in a narrow historic street in Madrid decorated in nineteenth-century Castilian style by its owner Lucio Blázquez. The enduring success of this place can be credited to Blazquez’s charismatic personality, and even more so to his typically Castilian cuisine. Dozens of cured hams hang from hand-hewn beams above the well-oiled bar. Among the clientele is a stable of well-known public figures including royalty.
Haute and innovative cuisine
Diverxo, one of tv personality, chef and writer Anthony Bourdain’s favourites, serves sublime Spanish-Asian fusion food from young genius chef David Muñoz who has perfected his oriental kitchen techniques at Nobu and Hakkasan in London and has successfully applied them to revisit Spanish classics, garnering himself three Michelin stars in the process.
Unlike more extravert Madrid hotspots, the main attraction here really is the food, so come here to have a top culinary experience rather than a people-spotting outing.
Dstage is a two Michelin star restaurant housed in a red brick former brewery which has an urban and industrial look yet relaxed feel reflecting chef Diego Guerrero’s personality. His philosophy ‘Days to Smell Taste Amaze Grow & Enjoy’ applies to a cuisine that brings disparate cultures, ingredients and flavours together from Spain, Mexico and Japan. The tasting menu includes hors d’oeuvres at the open kitchen bar continued at the table with a suite of delectable dishes.
Tapas and Bars
Museo del Jamon is a unique place and one of Madrid’s local landmarks; a big bar with hundreds of hams hanging from the ceiling, famous for being used as a location in Pedro Almodóvar’s 1997 film Carne Trémula (Live Flesh), and also perhaps a tourist trap but absolutely worth visiting for the quality tapas and very reasonable prices.
Food markets
Madrid’s food markets are plenty and as popular with the city’s residents as foreign visitors. One typical Spanish market is Mercado de San Miguel, Madrid’s most inspiring and vibrant sprawling traditional food market in a building on the Plaza San Miguel that dates back to 1916. This market offers just about anything Spanish and more, and you can also eat almost anything such as top class paella, hams, cheese, caviar, tapas and churros, or visit the sushi bars, juice bars, oyster bars and coffee bars, or stock up on cookbooks or cooking utensils. After hours, the crowd shifts focus to beers and tapas; the frutería closes and a wine bar draws many a contented shopper or hungry visitor.
The art nouveau Mercado de la Paz, located in the upscale Salamanca neighbourhood, was built in 1879 and is one of Madrid’s oldest markets. The stall owners have been there for generations, selling fish, charcuterie and cheeseas well as a huge selection of gourmet products, such as a Spanish favourite salted cod and croquetas. There are restaurants and bars to take a break and try some more local cuisine with some of Spain’s excellent wine or beer.
A more recent new modern gourmet market is the Mercado de las Ventas, bringing the traditional market into the 21st century with modern and accessible facilities boasting a 4,500 square meter gym and 70 booths selling food and the art of gastronomy are perfectly combined. You can taste some of the best dishes of the different cuisines of the world, by, among others chef Sergio Fernández, television chef and collaborator of the project. A great variety of food and ingredients is on offer and there are two areas of show-cooking, 8 ‘World Cuisine’ venues, a space with vegan and vegetarian food and more.
Next: Culinary Madrid part 2