Delicooks

In the early eighteenth century, the inn Casa Pascuala first opened its doors, catering to herdsmen, farmers and weary travelers coming in and out of Madrid. The year was 1702 and the inn soon became one of the most renowned restaurants in the city. In 1940 it was renamed Casa Pedro (Ntra. Sra. de Valverde, 119). To this day it continues to specialize in Castilian cuisine, serving up remarkable roast lamb and suckling pig, lamb sweetbreads with onion, lamb brains a la plancha and fried eggs with Iberian ham.

In 1725, one of the world’s oldest restaurants, Casa Botin (Cuchilleros, 17) set up shop and to this day, it still has the air of a coach house. The menu continues to serve up time-honored  dishes, including excellent hake and roast baked lamb.

The name Lhardy (Carrera de San Jerónimo, 8) has been inseparable from Madrid’s political, social and cultural scene since the 1839's when it took its place among the great restaurants in the capital. With more than 160 years of history behind it, it has successfully maintained its romantic atmosphere while at the same time constantly updating old favorites. Queen Isabel II was a fan of its Cocido Madrileño stew, the house specialty; other memorable dishes include wild duck perfumed with orange, pheasant with green grape juice, Madrid-style tripe, sirloin and roast beef.

The restaurant tavern Oliveros (San Millán, 4) dates from 1857 and still looks much as it would have then. The typical Madrid tavern front from the late nineteenth century gives way to a beautifully tiled interior, and the house slogan reads: "To eat well and cheap San Millan 4." Famed for its pates, tuna belly with roast peppers and chorizo in cider.

Casa Labra (Tetuan, 12), opened its doors in 1870 and has been serving up its two main specialties, cod croquettes – prepared in eight different ways – and the renowned Soldiers of Pavia. On May 2, 1878 Pablo Iglesias founded the Spanish Socialist Party (PSOE) here, an event commemorated by a bronze plaque set into the facade.

La Bola (La Bola, 5) started out in 1802 as a liquor store, became the restaurant La Rayúa in 1870 and later adopted its current name. In the early nineteenth century they offered three types of stew: a noon stew (1.15 pesetas) for workers, one in the afternoon (1.25 pesetas) with chicken for students, and from 2pm on, a beef and bacon stew, popular with journalists and senators. Even today the family tradition continues, with Cocido Madridleño stew cooked in individual earthenware pots and cooked over charcoal. Other house specialties include lamb.

Café Gijón (Paseo Recoletos, 21) first opened in 1888 amid the new craze for cafes sweeping the city. It soon became the favored haunt of Madrid intellectuals and writers, such as Ramon y Cajal, Pio Baroja, Pérez Galdós, Valle-Inclan and Gomez de la Serna. The menu has a modern twist but you can still find old favorites such as roasted lamb shoulder, beans with clams or caramelized pineapple with whipped cream.

Traditional tavern Bodega de la Ardosa (Colón, 13), dates from 1892 and started out as a wine merchants for Toledo’s Ardosa wines. Here you can enjoy one of the best tortillas in Madrid and their cañas of beer, which flow from the oldest tap in the city, are justly famous.

Casa Ciriaco (Calle Mayor, 84), from 1887, is one of the best restaurants for traditional Madrid fare. A favorite of the writer and journalist Julio Camba, the restaurant still serves up the dish that made them famous: chicken fricassee. House specials include cocido stew, served on Tuesdays, partridge with beans and homemade egg custard with caramel.

Founded in 1894, Los Galayos (Botoneras, 5), near Plaza Mayor, manages to combine the traditional and modern. It boasts a tapas bar, where you can enjoy a varied menu of tapas and brochetas. The menu offers a variety of Castilian and Spanish dishes and an extensive wine list.

Restaurant and tavern Malacatin (La Ruda, 5) opened in 1895 without electricity or gas. At that time it was a small wine shop, with oil lamps, supplying local construction workers and bakers with herb and lemon aguardiente. It soon earned a reputation for its stews and became popular with toreros and matadors – even today the walls are covered in bullfighting posters. Try the chorizo (chorizo de cantimpalos), ratatouille (pisto manchego), eggs (Huevos en compañía), the morcilla from León with eggs, house Pringá and Cocido madrileño.

Opened in 1906, La Casa del Abuelo (Victoria, 12), is a traditional tavern that has introduced countless Spaniards and foreigners to tapa culture. They’re said to have the best shrimp and prawns and the best sweet wine in Madrid. Located in the center of town, it is a meeting place for people of all ages.

Founded in 1927 Casa Alberto (Huertas, 18) is in the same building where Cervantes lived and wrote his two masterpieces: the second part of Don Quixote and Los trabajos de Persiles y Segismundo. It still has its Cervantes and bullfighting memorabilia hanging on its walls, its zinc-top bar with its attractive onyx and wood, soda water taps, and most importantly, mouth-watering tapas and dishes made with carefully selected ingredients and spices. Check out the tripe, anchovies, Rabo de Toro meatballs and Madrid cod.

These 12 friendly, lively restaurants reflect the culinary traditions of Madrid and all are easy to find in the old heart of the city.