I just read there is a partial rail strike on the day we are supposed to go to Toledo. It says partial strikes are from 6.00 am to 9.00 am, 2.00 pm to 5.00 pm, and 9.00 pm to 11.00 pm. If we are planning to take the 10:15 am train to Toledo, and the 5:23 pm train back, does that mean our trains will go for sure? or is it likely to be delayed? Just trying to understand what partial strike really means.
@Maribel Let us know if you try Alto Bardero. I was reading good reviews for Bardero in Arganzuela, and the menu looks interesting so I’m hoping Alto Bardero might be good too.
Have been lurking this thread and picked up a lot of great tips. Thanks!
I’ll be in Madrid for the first time in a few weeks and have to organise a Sunday lunch for 4 people. Was planning on a few tapas and vermouths on Cava Baja but first before a sit down later lunch. My options were El Lando, Casa Lucio or Botin (which I gather could be very touristy but happy to do that if it’s worth it). Vibes and food equally important. Any thoughts or other recommendations? Thanks for your input!
@krystle920
I haven’t yet tried Alto Bardero in La Latina (in the former space of Juana la Loca). It’s on my very, very long list of new openings to try.
@marksound,
I would not organize a lunch at Botín, as it is indeed very touristy. You won’t see many locals at Botín except perhaps for business types entertaining their visiting clients.
If you need for some reason to stay in the La Latina neighborhood rather than branching out,
I’d suggest the new-ish Barmitón on Cava Alta, the parallel street to Cava Baja.
I haven’t been to El Landó in years, Casa Lucio’s “cousin”, but it’s very popular among elite, older madrileños and visiting celebrities whose photos adorn its walls.
Go to El Landó if you wish to have a very traditional meal, such as their tomato salad, Iberian ham, the famous Lucio “broken eggs”, a steak or grilled fish or the cocido madrileño (the classic Madrid stew).
It’s tucked away in Las Vistillas, away from the Cava Baja tapas crawl crowd.
I do like the atmosphere----very, very old school madrileño, which your party of 4 would probably enjoy.
Mark are you set on eating in that neighborhood? Would you consider venturing elsewhere in the city?
@marksound
If you can branch out, there are many, many excellent lunch spots for very memorable dining in other parts of the city, especially the Retiro district and the Salamanca district, where I now do my own dining. The possibilities there are many and varied, where you will see mostly Spaniards, not tourists.
I assumed that you wanted to stay in the La Latina area for some particular reason, which is why I suggested the contemporary Barmitón that several HO posters have enjoyed
or for something very traditional and old school madrileño, the El Landó.
It would help to know your budget and the style you prefer.
Hope this isn’t piling on but one strategy might be a drinks at an atmospheric place in La Latina and a late lunch (which in Spain would be 3 or 3:30) in another district where the dining options are a bit better.
And Barmitón in La Latina has an excellent wine and cocktails list.
Hey Krystle! We are leaving for Madrid next week and have similar tastes and budget! We are 4 (2 kids in their 20s). Wondering from your list, what you would end up prioritizing as we are there for 5 nights and 6 days. Any insights and recommendations would be super appreciated! Hope you guys had a fantastic trip!
Thank you very much for the replies! Ideally we would like to stay in La Latina/Cava Baja area that day as we have dinners and lunches planned in other areas on different days. Thinking of cancelling Botin and trying either El Lando/Casa Lucio or Casa Julian for a steak.
Any tips for a nice long boozy lunch on a Saturday in the Salamanca area? Doesn’t need to be fine dining but a ‘nicer’ restaurant with good food and a buzzy atmosphere. Some ones I had thought of were Canadio, La Maruca, Taberna Pedraza. Are they any good? Open to any hot tips! Another options was heading up to Sacha but hear mixed things.
Saturday evening we will be hitting the Ibiza/Retiro area restaurants like Monteria, Catapa, Castela etc…
How about Lakasa…not Salamanca ( I don’t think) but it’s within walking distance. It’s such a solid place, really comfortable with a long menu.
Sacha can be difficult to book.
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Sacha was excellent, but it can be a difficult booking. Ask your hotel’s concierge if they can help.
I’d go back just for this!
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@erica1 @PedroPero - I had come across Lakasa actually and sounded great but unfortunately closed on Saturdays. I also just realised Sacha is closed weekends too! Back to the drawing board…
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Oh that’s too bad. Is that a seasonal schedule for Sacha?
Not sure! Just tried to make a reservation and closed Saturday and Sundays. Google says the same too.
Peter: I’d return to Sacha for that dish and I cannot even tell what it is!! (??)
Mark, I’ve not been to Hevia, upscale, long-running, traditional and I do not think it gets many tourists. It’s on my list and open Saturday night…AND they begin dinner service very early.
It’s their famous “lazy omelet “
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Lakasa is not near the Salamanca area, not within easy walking distance of Salamanca. it’s in a square off the “restaurant/bar” row of Calle Ponzano in Chamberí. We love it but yes, it’s closed on Sat/Sun.
Thanks mark sound for giving us more information about your dining plans.
Since you have lunches and dinners planned in other areas and you prefer to stay on that day in La Latina, I would prioritize BARMITON for drinks and if you want a Basque steak, go to JULIAN DE TOLOSA. It´s the original “Casa Julián” in Madrid run by a son (a newer one is found on Calle Ibiza in Retiro) and is, the sibling of the legendary mothership asador, Casa Julián de Tolosa in Gipuzkoa, Basque Country.
For a “nice, long boozy lunch on a Saturday in the Salamanca area”, the food loving and drinking “in the know” Madrid crowd goes to Calle Jorge Juan. It’s the Salamanca district’s high end restaurant row and extremely lively on Saturdays with locals enjoying a long, boozy lunch, but…
the dining there at Dani García’s Lobito de Mar, La Bien Aparecida or El Paraguas is pricey.
We go to La Máquina on Jorge Juan on Saturdays for an aperitivo of shellfish or ensaladilla rusa and drinks at the always crowded circular bar (it opened at 12:30) before lunch. It’s great people watching as well.
Of the several Dani García’s places in Salamanca, the most “affordable” and the newest is the Andalusian TRAGABUCHES on elegant Ortega & Gasset. We like it for its more moderate prices and Andalusian dishes.
On that street, you also have the very affordable and new but tiny MENUDEO, also serving superb Andalusian dishes (must reserve). The professional food critics love MENUDEO and its “parent” across the street, COLOSIMO, which serves one of the best tortillas españolas in town.
On Ortega / Gasset you also have ROCACHO PLAZA on the beautiful Marqués de Salamanca square for excellent grilled meats and at the bar, they serve individual rice dishes.
All 4 establishments have both bars and dining rooms. Here on OyG you could have a moveable feast of sorts, with drinks at 2 or 3 and a long, leisurely lunch at the 4th.
Reservations for sit down dining here in Madrid are absolutely essential on weekends, even Thursday, now the new Friday. And all of the above draw in a quite interesting local crowd.
https://restaurantecolosimo.com
And if you’re a chocolate lover, on Ortega & Gasset, Oriol Balaguera has a beautiful jewel box of a chocolate shop at number 44.
Yep, his famous tortilla vaga, that many chefs have copied. Arzak, strangely enough didn’t like it but he’s apparently the only one! Sacha was named “tabernero mayor” at SS Gastronomika for his long and distinguished trajectory as a taberna owner.
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@marksound,
Another fine restaurant on tony Ortega & Gasset, with a bar, is the seafood temple, EL PESCADOR, owned by the finest seafood-shellfish purveyors in Spain, Pescaderias Coruñesas. Another place to add to your Salamanca quarter moveable feast, down the same street.
It comes Repsol and Macarfi guide recommended.
