The best tapas dishes in Madrid and where to find them

Tapas culture in the Spanish capital is more than just about munching bite-sized plates, it’s a social ritual that involves sharing a variety of dishes, usually in a lively atmosphere of taverns and bars. Traditionally enjoyed as a pre-dinner aperitif – with dinner in Spain typically starting later than in most other countries – snacking on small plates helps tide you over and sparks conversation, especially when paired with a good glass of wine or vermút, Madrid’s ubiquitous drink of choice. 

Personally, I enjoy mixing it up by frequenting Madrid’s historic taverns – some of which go back centuries – then hopping to one of the city’s more modern haunts. So while you can still savor classics such as jamón iberico (Iberian ham), and croquetas (bite-sized stuffed fried balls filled with a creamy béchamel base), new twists to traditional plates are now on the menu (truffle and brie tortilla anyone?). 

Here’s a rundown of some of my favorite tapas spots and their specialties. ¡A tapear!

Neighborhood: Centro

Casa Toni

Painted ceramic tiles, scarves of local football clubs draped on the shelves and a gallery wall showcasing vintage photographs of famous bullfighters – you can’t get any more castizo (traditionally Spanish) than this tavern in Madrid’s central district. 

Over an open grill, a cook fires up homemade dishes like fried calamares (squid), garlic mushrooms, orejas (pig’s ears) and morcilla (blood sausage). But if there’s one thing I come here for again and again – it's gambas al ajillo, or sizzling shrimps cooked in olive oil, garlic, parsley and chili. It’s served with a piece of bread to mop up the delicious juices after. 

While this place gets packed with both regulars and tourists, the turnover is quite fast, and there are more tables on the upstairs floor. Casa Toni also has some of the most friendly bar staff in the city, who speak a decent level of English to make tourists feel welcome.  

Opening hours: 12:20pm to 4pm; 7:30pm to 11:30pm, daily except Tuesdays. 

Bar El Brilliante

At Bar El Brilliante waiters sing out orders while fried squid sandwiches - bocadillos de calamares - are served at the long bar. Lightly crispy on the outside with a batter made from Andalusian flour and fried in extra virgin olive oil, the calamares take on a light yellow color. Served on fresh bread, this simple sandwich is more than just a snack; it's an institution, drawing locals and tourists alike to this historic bar (opened in 1952) just minutes from Atocha Station. El Brilliante serves between 1000 and 3000 sandwiches daily, alongside traditional dishes, including tripe and pig's ear.

Opening hours: 7.30am - 11.30pm, Mondays-Thursdays and Sundays; 7.30am-12am Fridays & Saturdays. 

Neighborhood: La Latina

Casa Amadeo Los Caracoles

The specialty here is in its name – caracoles (snails). The gourmet gastropods are cooked in a sumptuous house sauce mixed with slices of chorizo (cured sausage), garlic and paprika. Founded in 1942, this popular tavern gets elbow-to-elbow crowded, especially on Sundays when the El Rastro flea market is on, so it’s a good idea to come before noon if you want a pre-lunch mollusk fix. They’ve also expanded to a second branch right beside the original establishment, which is slightly less crowded. Savor the snails like a local and pair them with a caña (small beer on tap) or vermút.

Opening hours: 10am to midnight, daily.

La Taberna Errante

This popular all-female-run tavern serves a delectable menu of family recipes. A few steps away from the La Latina neighborhood’s historic Real Basílica de San Francisco El Grande. This two-story establishment has a bar festooned with a hodgepodge of random memorabilia (a framed black and white photograph of a smiling GK Chesterton is the centerpiece), plus an outdoor terrace and indoor dining areas. 

While this is a great place to try a variety of traditional Spanish dishes like callos de madrileña (stewed tripe), their star dish is the ensalada rusa (Olivier salad), a cold salad of mixed potatoes, tuna, mixed veggies and mayonnaise. This dish is so popular among locals that the co-owners Jopi and Elena recently opened a small venue serving just this specialty, in Calle Mira el Río Baja 21, open only Sundays from 11am to 4pm, coinciding with the El Rastro market hours. 

Opening hours: 7:30pm to 12:30am Thu; 1:30pm to 5pm, 7:30pm to 12:30am Fri and Sat; 1:30pm to 5pm Sun

Bar Cruz

Established in 1970, this institution is also known as 'La Casa de las navajas' or house of razor clams, their specialty. Despite the no-fanfare, cold lit atmosphere, this bar is always packed with regulars enjoying their perfectly seasoned grilled clams, finished off with a drizzle of freshly squeezed lemon. Other delectable seafood items on the menu are zamburiñas (fresh scallops) and fried chopitos, or baby squid. 

Opening hours: 9am to 11pm Tue to Sat, 9am to 5pm Sun, closed Mondays.

Neighborhood: Malasaña

Pez Tortilla

At almost any time of the day, this space gets packed but for a good reason: their delectably runny tortilla de patata (potato omelette). It's a generous slice, served with bread and enjoyed with any of the wide selection of craft beers on tap. You can try a classic version of the Spanish staple, but don’t leave without tasting their more creative combinations like brie, truffle and ham tortilla, or an Italian-influenced variant with parmesan cheese, basil and sundried tomatoes. 

This place took its name from the street, Calle Pez, where the original establishment first set up shop, but they’ve mushroomed into other areas around the city, such as La Latina on the popular Cava Baja, Barrio Chamberi and Centro.

Opening hours: noon to midnight Sun, Mon to Wed; noon to 1am Thu to Sat; 11am to 1am Sat

Neighborhood: Chueca

Sidrería El Tigre 

Great for budget-conscious travelers, this casual, no-frills cider house is one of the most popular tapas bars in Madrid’s LGBTQI-friendly Chueca district. For every drink order, you’ll get an overflowing plate of tapas, which can be a mix of ham and cheese, fried chicken wings, croquetas or patatas bravas (crispy-fried potato chunks served with a smoky paprika sauce and garlic aioli). This is one of the few diners in Madrid open all day, all week, until after midnight.

Opening hours: 7:30pm to midnight Mon to Fri; 7:30pm to 2am Sat to Sun

Neighborhood: Lavapiés 

Taberna Antonio Sanchez 

Stepping into this tavern is like entering a time machine. You'll be transported back to an 18th-century tavern and all its trappings, including an antique cash register, gilded bar taps and bull's heads peering out of dark wood panels. Established in 1787, this historic tavern was once a meeting ground of intellectual heavyweights in literature, art and tauromachy (bullfighting). 

Classic Madrileño tapas are on the menu, such as callos, huevos rotos ('broken eggs' served with fried potatoes and ham), and pimientos de padrón (grilled herbón peppers). Little-known insider tip: head downstairs to their wine cellar, which still houses massive clay vats that wine back in the day.

Opening hours: 1pm to midnight Mon to Sat; noon to 5pm Sun

Melo's

Melo's is a bar in Lavapies that isn't exactly winning awards for its decor, it's remained more or less unchanged since the 1970s with its stainless steel countertops and walls, but it's famous for its croquetas, which are generous in every sense of the word. In a neighborhood that's becoming increasingly gentrified, this no-frills tapas spot feels firmly rooted in no-nonsense, old-school charm. No matter when you go, it's always packed with locals, filling the tables for Galician-style tapas at reasonable prices like their signature zapatillas, a thick sandwich filled with smoked Galician ham and melted Tetilla cheese.

Opening hours: 1pm to 4pm; 7:30pm to 11pm, daily 

Neighborhood: Barrio Salamanca

Cañadio 

Barrio Salamanca, Madrid’s most upscale district may be known more for fine dining establishments than casual tapas haunts, but this Michelin-approved, Cantabrian restaurant in the neighborhood’s 'Golden Triangle' zone offers guests a special pre-dinner pintxos bar. 

Literally meaning 'spear', pintxos are bite-sized snacks skewered with a toothpick, usually on a piece of bread, typical fare offered in the northern regions of Spain. The sumptuous skewers are displayed on a bar by the entrance, and you can pick from a variety of snack-sized charcuterie, seafood and tortillas, which the affable bar staff heat and serve at your table. This is a great option if you’d like to avoid typically crowded tapas bars and relax on a covered outdoor terrace or sit inside in a formal, white tablecloth setting.  

Opening hours: 8am to midnight Mon to Fri, 9:30am to 1am Sat; 9.30am to midnight Sun. Kitchen opening hours: 1pm to 4pm, 8pm to 11pm.