Dobleve

We find ourselves in Madrid frequently, but since we don’t live there we found ourselves struggling to find good places to eat for quite a while. We’re getting better at it. Madrid has an insane number of restaurants, from our experience many are average; randomly picking them has not worked out well for us.

When looking for a place, a few helpful rules of thumb we all know but often forget can serve you well in Madrid.

• Are there other people there?
• Do those people seem to be enjoying themselves?
• Is the menu in Spanish?

Here are some places where we like to go.

• Cafe Oliver – C/Almirante 12. 915 21 73 79, near metro stop Chueca. You probably want to make reservations for the Fri & Sat nights. The food here is what I’d call french-inspired, from both france and north africa. The food is tasty and its easy to order too much, we generally share a couple starters and one entree. We’ve also had lunch here and enjoyed it too. Expect to spend 30-50 euros for 2 plus drinks.
• Casa Lucas – Cava Baja 30. Located 3-4 blocks from Plaza Mayor this is one of our favorite places for lunch or lunch-time tapas. The food is excellent – try the cariñena (pork on carmelized onions) and the alaella (chicken with polenta), two of our favorites – but you really can’t go wrong with anything on the menu. They are also a wine bar and have a great but often expensive selection, you can easily pay 8€ for a glass if you aren’t paying attention. Don’t be afraid to order a beer if you’re not in the mood for wine.
• El Brillante – Atocha 122. If you find yourself waiting for a train at the Atocha station I’d recommend a quick trip across the street to El Brillante for a quick coffee or snack. The food is good but not fancy and includes just about anything you can fry as well as sandwiches. The counter staff is always friendly and the food often hits the spot for us when we’re waiting for a train.
• Antojos – Alamo 3. Near metro Plaza de España. Antojos serves wonderful Columbian food in a homey atmosphere. The staff is friendly and the restaurant can feel like you’re in the owners living room watching TV with them (if you come at the right time that is exactly what will be happening).
• Balzac – Moreto 7. Located near the Prado and metro Banco de España, Balzac is purportedly one of the finest (and priciest) restaurants in town. We wouldn’t know for sure, we’ve only been to the bar/cafe part in the front. We found the food and service to be excellent, with the tapas artfully placed on the plates. You won’t break the bank in the café but we think you’ll have a great lunch!
• Yataki – Hortaleza 72. In the Chueca neighborhood near metro Alonso Martinez. If you’re in the mood for sushi go here. The restaurant has a front and back room, if you look in and it seems full try walking past the bar into the back room to find a table.