Eat and Drink like the locals in Madrid
If you really want to experience traditional Madrid life, then you must eat and drink as they do. This article is aimed to give you a few hints and tips to get you on your way.
Eating and drinking in Madrid
Lunch is never served before 2pm, and often they eat lunch later than that. Restaurants often don’t finish the lunch shift until 4.30pm. Consequently, don’t expect to find anywhere to eat your evening meal before 9 or 10pm. If you are wanting to eat earlier then you will have to eat in a more touristy restaurant which of course won’t be as nice.
So dinner from 10pm. Here you can choose a restaurant and enjoy a couple of courses, or you duck into a lively tapas bar (to be found throughout Spain) and join in with the locals. This is always good fun and the tapas bars tend to always have the best atmosphere. The area around the Plaza de la Paja is a good place to find a lively tapas bars full of locals enjoying themselves.
What about drinks in Spain? Sherry of course is native to Spain is popular amongst the locals. There are a variety of different sherries to choose from. For a good aperitif try fino which is dry or if you want a stronger variety then amontilado is the one to choose. There are also plenty of wines produced in Spain, red and white. Red wine is called rioja. If you ask for vino tinto, you may be given a tinto verano which is a twist on the well known Sangria drink, a mixture of red wine and lemonade. Spanish beer is served in small glasses generally known as a cana. A large beer is called a jarra. Coffee lovers should go for a cafe solo which is a very strong expresso served in a small glass.
You can never get bored of the food and drinks of Madrid. The tapas culture allows you to sample anything and everything in small quantities and it can all be washed down with a delicious drink of your choice.
Susana Herrero