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Café
del Círculo de Bellas Artes
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Price:
€20. Wine: €7 |
| In
its heyday during the 1920s, the Café
del Círculo de Bellas Artes was the
haunt of Madrid’s leading intellectuals. Designed
by Antonio Palacios, the spacious salon, decorated with
classical pillars, chandeliers and an enormous painted
ceiling, is known as the goldfish bowl, as it outlooks
onto Calle Alcalá. The menu is wide ranging and
includes everything from cakes, baguettes and ices to
smoked salmon and roast beef. The terrace is a great
place for one to watch the world go by. |
Calle Marqués
de Casa Riera 2
Telephone number: (91) 360 5400. |
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La
Galette
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Price:
€18. Wine: €8. |
| One
of the best things about this well-established vegetarian
restaurant is that carnivores are catered for too. From
the extensive list of imaginatively prepared vegetable,
pasta dishes and rice. One might single out the delicious
tartar de chicle (cauliflower cheese with a dusting
of fresh herbs), followed by apple croquettes. Diners
sit elbow-to-elbow in the two small rooms, decked out
in an appealing country-kitchen style. |
Calle Conde de Aranda 11
Telephone number: (91) 576 0641 |
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Taberna
Carmencita
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Price:
€20. Wine: €7. |
| Once
the haunt of artists, bullfighters and soldiers, this
rambling inn has been around since 1850. The original
hand-painted tiles and the check tablecloths create
a lovely homely ambience, appropriate to the Madrileño
cooking. Croquettes, meatballs, stuffed peppers, fillet
steak, tripe, eggs and the hotpot known as cocido are
the mainstays. While eating à la carte is not
especially cheap, the set menu at €9 is good value.
It is a pity about the brusque service. |
Calle Libertad
16
Telephone number: (91) 531 6612 |
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Vips
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Price:
€10. Wine: €7. |
| This
branch of the well-known newsagent and restaurant chain
has a great location, close to the Prado and the Thyssen-Bornemisza
museums. Open seven days a week until the early hours
of the morning, it is nearly always full, on account
of the reasonable prices and the diverse menu, everything
from ham and eggs to pizzas and bowls of tacos. The
atmosphere is busy and bustling and the decor modern
and functional. Breakfasts (American, English and continental)
are served until midday. |
Plaza de las Cortes 7
Telephone number: (91) 429 4234. |
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Viuda
de Vacas
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Price:
€15. Wine: €6. |
| The
name The Widow Vacas alludes to the
Cánovas Vacas family from Segovia, who founded
the restaurant over a century ago. This homely taberna,
mainly patronised by young locals, preserves its faded
wall tiles, marble-top tables and a spiral staircase
leading to the upper floor. The menu, inspired by the
Castillian countryside, is only available in Spanish
– recommended are berenjenas (eggplants stuffed
with breadcrumbs in a cream sauce), jamon al horno (roast
pork), gallina en pepitoria (chicken in egg and almond
sauce) and merluza (hake). |
Calle Cava Alta 23
Telephone number: (91) 366 5847 |
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