Days of vermouth and tapas

Whether at midday or in the evening, in a traditional bar or a gourmet market, tapas options are on the rise across Madrid.

On the list of cities where bars give you a free snack (or tapas) with every drink, Madrid may not be as famous as Granada or Segovia, for example, but it is nevertheless common practice for every round to be accompanied by at least some crisps or olives on the house. However, word soon gets around about establishments where the tapas are more generous and include traditional and more filling dishes such as paella, sausages and whitebait. El Respiro, Los Crustáceos, El Tigre, El Rincón Abulense and Entre Cáceres y Badajoz are a few examples, though here the server will normally decide what you get, so forget about requests.

Locals usually wash down their tapas with a nice cold beer or a glass of wine. Now, however, the custom of having a vermouth on Sundays is making a comeback. These drinks range from the traditional vermouth on tap to alternatives prepared with bottled vermouths of various origins. As they have a higher alcohol content, you need to have a more elaborate(or at least more hearty) tapa to go with them. Basque-style pintxo bars, where you can usually help yourself, are not very usual in Madrid, although some bars do prepare their tapas in advance.

They say that traditional bars have given way to gastro bars, and many restaurants provide customers with the option of sharing dishes at the bar or at high tables. But whether classic soldaditos de Pavía (fried cod with red peppers), patatas bravas, croquettes or fried squid or more elaborate dishes are ordered, the custom of going to La Latina, Plaza de Santa Ana or the area around Plaza Mayor has not been lost.

In recent years, the variety of food on offer in Madrid has expanded and become more international. The best chefs use oriental or American techniques and produce, and fusion cuisine has taken over the city. It’s not surprising that the first Mexican restaurant to earn a Michelin star in Europe, Punto MX, is in Madrid. This diversity has been accompanied by a boom in a new form of eatery: gourmet markets. San Miguel Market was the pioneer, and it’s still one of the busiest due to its location and impressive iron architecture. The format was copied in other areas of Madrid by the San Antón, Torrijos, San Ildefonso and Moncloa markets, to name a few examples of the popular places that share the same philosophy. In a building with several storeys, a number of different eateries and traditional stalls sell food to take home or enjoy in the market at the bar. Alternatively, you can also choose what you like best from several establishments and then sit at the shared tables.

Quality products and a meticulous interior decoration further underline the calibre of this off-street food. As the idea has been so successful, chefs have not wanted to miss out on the opportunity of offering mouthfuls of their cuisine in a relaxed atmosphere to passers-by. The Gourmet Experience area in El Corte Inglés in Serrano combines the Asian fusion of David Muñoz, the only three-Michelin-starred chef in Madrid, the Mexican delights of Punto MX and ice creams by Joan Roca, one of the owners of El Celler de Can Roca, the best restaurant worldwide in 2015. And in Platea Madrid tapas are served alongside cocktails and puddings designed by Ramón Freixa, Paco Roncero, Pepe Solla, Marcos Morán, Alejandro Montes and Diego Cabrera.

Platea Madrid, a theatre of tapas

What makes Platea so original is that the restaurants, bars and cocktail bars are all in an old refurbished cinema that has kept the stage, stalls and balconies for music performances and screenings. In this culinary space you can try the food of several nationalities, classic Spanish dishes, and enjoy the cocktail and restaurant area. The ambience is more refined than other gastro markets in the capital. Located in the Colón area between Calle Serrano and the Paseo de la Castellana, the emphasis is on delicatessen products, including the pastry and fruit shops you can see from the street.

San Ildefonso Market, for the younger crowd

The most alternative tapas option under cover is found in the popular Calle de Fuencarral between Chueca and Malasaña. The food on offer includes omelettes, fried platters, hamburgers, cheese, skewers, shellfish and sausages, among other options that you can take to your table, or, if you’re lucky, to either of its two terraces. It’s known for its industrial appearance and street-market inspiration. It’s usually quite crowded and noisy.