Your go-to guide for hipster coffee to go in Madrid

Coffee, oh delicious coffee. You love it, I love it, we both probably drink too much of it. Almost 12 years deep into my love affair with Madrid, coffee has saved the relationship more than once by taking the edge off a particularly bad hangover. You haven’t really experienced Madrid until you’ve gulped down a scalding hot café con leche served in a caña glass in a bar de toda la vida. Even Ana Botella pointed out that Madrid is a great place for “a relaxing cup of café con leche” in that horrible speech of hers.

Recently however, I’ve been taking advantage of the hipster coffee places that have sprung up all over the city centre and ordering coffee to go. Why not order in and enjoy a coffee whilst playing a round of hipster-coffee-point-grab? (Marks for each of the following: unfinished walls, stadium seating, Edison lightbulbs, weird plants, funny hair cuts, anything vegan, fixie in the corner, tables that look like a bunch of random boards nailed together).

Well, maybe you’re out early walking your dog. Or perhaps you are, once again, walking directly from the bar to work and need a little pick-me-up. Or, maybe you’re a sleep-deprived parent of a newborn who refuses to sleep unless strapped to you whilst you pound the city streets to the soothing sounds of traffic, jackhammers and circular saws. For example.

Whatever your reasons, the following spots are all set up to serve you as much tasty takeaway coffee as you desire (in a paper cup hand-stamped with their logo, naturally). If you’re reading this, chances are you already know about coffee, so I’m not going to waste your time trying to describe subtle flavour variations – these places all made the list because they serve coffee which is hot, caffeinated and delicious. I ordered a flat white at each to compare prices.

1. Acid Cafe

Best for: Minimalists. With their sleek interior and pared-down menu, these guys are no-nonsense. Also great for indecisive types like myself.

Instagram, Facebook

Address: Calle Verónica 9

Flat white: €3

2. Boconó

Best for: People fed up with digital nomads – this place has a no laptops policy.

Website, Instagram, Facebook

Address: Calle Embajadores 3

Metro: La Latina/Tirso de Molina

Flat white: €2.50

3. Coffee and Kicks

Best for: Pretending you’re in Brooklyn.

Instagram, Facebook

Address: Calle Navas de Tolosa 6

Metro: Callao

Flat white: €2.20

4. Faraday

(1)

Best for: Hangover purposes. It doesn’t open until midday – perfect for when you’ve slept in.

Website, Instagram, Facebook

Address: Calle San Lucas 9

Metro: Chueca

Flat white: €3

5. Federal Café

Best for: The volumetrically-minded. Not the cheapest on the list but definitely the most bang for your buck.

Website, Instagram, Facebook

Address: Plaza Comendadoras 9 and Plaza Conde de Barajas 3

Metros: Noviciado/San Bernardo and Sol/Ópera

Flat white: €2.20

6. HanSo Café

Best for: Funny hair cuts. Plus there’s almost always a queue as the coffee is gooood.

Instagram, Facebook

Address: Calle Pez 20

Metro: Noviciado

Flat white: €2.70

7. Hola Coffee

Best for: A scenic stroll afterwards. This café is on one of the coolest streets in Lavapiés.

Website, Instagram, Facebook

Address: Calle Doctor Forquet 33

Flat white: €2.50

8. Misión Café

(1)

Best for: People who like futuristic coffee machines set into the counters. So future!

Instagram, Facebook

Address: Calle Reyes 5

Metros: Plaza de España/Noviciado

Flat white: €2.50

9. Mistura Ice Cream

Best for: If you’re broke. Great ice-cream place that also does great, affordable coffee. Also, they’re in muchos locations.

Website, Instagram, Facebook

Addresses: Calle Ciudad Rodrigo 6, Plaza Ángel 2, Cale Toledo 71, Calle Augusto Figueroa 5, Calle Goya 50

Flat white: €2.10

10. Ruda Café

Best for: Cuteness. Small but perfectly formed.

Website, Instagram, Facebook

Address: Calle Ruda 11

Metro: La Latina

Flat white: €2.30

11. Toma Café

Best for: The most avant-garde ordering and paying set-up (in the Malasaña branch). Coffee is on point though.

Website, Instagram, Facebook

Address: Calle Palma 49 and Calle Santa Feliciana 5

Metros: Tribunal/Noviciado and Iglesia

Flat white: €2.50

*All images are from each establishment’s respective social media accounts. Feature image belongs to Toma Café.
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Casa Jaguar: a jungle paradise in central Madrid

After a long, hot summer, Madrid is starting to wake up again as people slowly trickle back from their holidays. If you’ve recently returned and the thought of going back to work or school is getting you down, then do not despair! There’s a fabulous new restaurant in town called Casa Jaguar and it’s the perfect antidote to those post-holiday blues.

Casa Jaguar

Tucked away on a side street near Ópera, Casa Jaguar opened just before the summer. It’s owned by four business partners, one of whom is also the owner of Camoatí (another of my favourite restaurants in Madrid, you must try it if you haven’t already!). Walk through the door and you feel like you could be in another country. The huge Rousseau-inspired jungle mural, wicker chairs, wooden tables and palette of browns and greens blend perfectly to create an ambience that is both exotic and cosy.

The large, wooden-topped bar is the perfect place to sit and have a drink whilst chatting to the lovely Fabian (another of the owners). He’ll whip you up a delicious cocktail, or you can choose from the large variety of Latin American beers and carefully curated wine list.

Casa Jaguar

And that’s before I even get started on the food. My goodness, the food! I’ve visited Casa Jaguar for both lunch and dinner, and everything I’ve tried has been exquisite. From Tuesday to Friday they offer a menú del día for the bargainous price of 12 euros, which includes a starter, a choice of two mains (one is always a veggie option) and dessert or coffee. Best of all, the menu changes every day so there’s never a chance to get bored!

Casa Jaguar

I went for dinner the other evening with a couple of friends and the food was even tastier. We ordered a starter of roasted potato and yucca wedges with guacamole and a Peruvian spicy cheese sauce, which we managed to polish off in about 30 seconds.

Casa Jaguar

For my main course, I decided to stick with the vegetarian theme and ordered beetroot and sweetcorn risotto with spinach, sun-dried tomatoes and goat’s cheese – absolutely divine.

Casa Jaguar

Cat (a die-hard carnivore) opted for the beer and honey braised pork with sweet potato mash. This got a big thumbs-up from her.

Casa Jaguar

Ella went for the tropical shrimp with pineapple, coconut milk and rum, with coriander rice on crunchy green banana. As delicious as it sounds (so delicious that she snaffled a piece of pineapple before I could take a photo!).

Casa Jaguar

The whole menu is awash with delicious Latin American ingredients and flavours. The desserts looked amazing too, although we were all too full to try them! Everything is very reasonably priced and the service is fantastic. Jaguar you? After my visits to Casa Jaguar, very happy!

Casa Jaguar

Info

  • Casa Jaguar WebsiteFacebook and Instagram
  • Address: Calle de los Caños del Peral 9
  • Metro: Ópera, Callao, Santo Domingo
  • Telephone: 910 245 712
  • Opening hours: Tuesday-Thursday 13h-16:30h, 21h-00h, Friday-Saturday 13h-16:30h, 21h-01h, Closed Sunday and Monday (Currently closed for lunch in August but full opening hours resuming 6th Sept onwards)

(First photo courtesy of Casa Jaguar’s Facebook page)




La Virgen brewery – worth the trip out to Las Rozas

As you might imagine, dragging myself out of bed and going to work on a Saturday morning is not really my idea of a good time, especially when it involves getting on a bus and schlepping all the way to Las Rozas. Ok, so it’s not really THAT far (about 20 minutes on the bus from Moncloa) but since I was making the effort to get out there, why not aprovechar and visit Cervezas La Virgen brewery and tap room afterwards?

Cervezas La Virgen

I’m sure most of you have tried one of the delicious artisan beers made by La Virgen, or at least seen them around at events like MadrEat. At their brewery in Las Rozas they offer tours (on Wednesdays only), tastings and, most importantly, a tap room where you can sample all of their tasty beverages. After I was done with work on Saturday, I toddled off to meet my friends there for some lunch and a few beers in the sunshine.

A pint of the good stuff

The brewery is located on an estate called Európolis, which perhaps isn’t the most picturesque corner of Madrid, although there was a nice yard full of cherry pickers across the road, plus the shop next door was called Bebépolis (sadly just full of baby stuff, not another place to drink at).

The beers on offer

We tried the Madrid 360 beer and a tasty IPA called Esperanza (they’d run out of the Veraniega) and both were excellent.

Bar food

They also serve a variety of bar food, including burgers, hotdogs and plates to share such as potato wedges and pinchos morunos. Again, all very tasty.

The outdoor terrace

It’s a popular spot for a Saturday afternoon, so all of the long tables inside were heaving with punters eating, drinking and making merry. We managed to grab a table outside on the terrace, which was very pleasant in the sunshine and afforded us the excellent view of the aforementioned cherry pickers. The whole place really had the feel of an American brew pub about it.

La Virgen

La Virgen isn’t exactly in the most convenient of spots, so the easiest way to get there is probably by car. However, if the car isn’t an option or no one fancies being the designated driver, there are plenty of buses from Moncloa to Las Rozas, and it’s a short(ish) walk to the brewery from there. The tap room is open every day from 12:30-16:30 and from 18:30-00:00, except for Sunday afternoons and Mondays. And for those of you who just can’t get enough, they also do beer to take away!

Cerveza para llevar

Info

Where: Parque Európolis nave A, Calle Turín, 13, 28232 Las Rozas, Madrid

Phone: +34 910 804 742

Website, Facebook and Twitter

Book tour here




Restaurante Badila, you need this place in your life

Restaurante Badila is my number one. My favourite place to eat in Madrid. I’ve flirted with other restaurants during the years I’ve lived here but I keep coming back to this one, it’s just SO good. I’ve dragged pretty much all of my visitors here (some of them multiple times) and Badila never fails to disappoint. It’s really only taken me so long to write a post about it because I was wrestling with the idea of whether to share Madrid’s best-kept secret, but here we go. The secret is out.

This gem of a restaurant is tucked away behind Plaza Tirso de Molina, on the corner of Calle Cabeza with Calle San Pedro Mártir. Its interior is light and airy, with simple decor and a host of delicious wines on display. There’s only room to squeeze in about ten tables, so the atmosphere is informal and unpretentious, with lovely owner Miguel waiting on tables himself. But the real star of the show here is, of course, the food. Oh, the food.

The menu consists of updated versions of Spanish classics, with a smattering of international dishes, all based on the tried-and-tested formula: simple, home-cooked fare prepared with the freshest ingredients. Miguel shops around for the best stuff on offer each morning, so the menu changes from day to day and from season to season. It’s a menú del día format for both lunch and dinner, with around six or seven options for primeros and the same for segundos – far too much choice for someone as indecisive as me!

Goat's cheese and raspberry salad
On our most recent visit, my boyfriend ordered the ensalada mixta con frambuesas y queso de cabra (mixed salad with goat’s cheese and raspberries) to start, whereas I opted for the salteado de espárragos con carabinero y crema de lechuga (a divine concoction of asparagus, red shrimp and lettuce – it needs to be tasted to be believed!).

Asparagus, red shrimp and lettuce

For my second course, I went with my old favourite: escalopines al cabrales (pork fillet with cabrales cheese sauce). I must have ordered this dish over a dozen times at Badila but I can’t help myself, it’s just so damn tasty.

Pork fillet with cabrales cheese sauce

My boyfriend chose the redondo de ternera a la austriaca (stumped on how to translate this one, very tender veal in a delicious sauce?!) which he hadn’t tried before. Initially I told him off for ordering something fairly unphotogenic but quickly forgave him because it tasted absolutely amazing and I ended up stealing half of it.

Redondo de ternera

Naturally, we managed to squeeze in dessert. I had a slice of wonderfully gooey chocolate cake and my boyfriend went for his favourite cuajada de queso (describing this as milk curd just doesn’t do it justice) which I didn’t even manage to get a photo of because he ate it so quickly.

Chocolate cake

The menú del día costs just under 14 euros per person and is worth every penny. The portions are very generous and everything is well thought-out and unbelievably tasty. Even the bread here is delicious, unlike in many Spanish restaurants. The price of the lunchtime menu goes up to just under 18 euros at weekends and the evening menu is slightly more expensive at around 20 euros.

Badila is open every day for lunch from 14:00 – 16:30 and on Friday and Saturday evenings for dinner from 21:00 – 00:00. They only take reservations for dinner, so if you go at lunchtime I’d recommend either going early or going late otherwise you might have to wait for a table. As you’d expect, a place this good does get pretty busy!

Info

  • Facebook
  • Address: Calle de la Cabeza 7
  • Metro: Tirso de Molina
  • Telephone: 914 29 76 51



Let’s hit the slopes! Ski and snowboard in Madrid

Yep, that’s right. Just when you thought Madrid couldn’t get any better, that it was a city purely of terrazas, tapas, cañas and sunshine, winter rolls around and you discover it has yet more to offer. What’s not to love about a place where you can soak up the sun by the pool in the summer, then ski the hell out of some mountains in the winter? After an unseasonably warm start to the season, it looks like we’re finally in for some snow, so get your gear on and let’s go!

 

Where?

There are three ski areas near the capital:

Puerto de Navacerrada

Puerto de Navacerrada is the closest ski area to Madrid, around 65km away, but it’s also the smallest. You can download the piste map here.

 

Valdesquí

Valdesquí is around 75km from Madrid, in the next valley over from Puerto de Navacerrada. Although it’s a little further away, it’s worth the extra mileage as it’s a lot bigger than its neighbour (see the piste map here). However, its proximity to the capital means it can get very busy.

 

La Pinilla 

La Pinilla is located just over the border in Castilla y León and is the furthest ski area from the capital, around 120km away. It also covers a fairly large area (piste map here) but there are usually fewer people, due to its more remote location. Most of the people I know who ski or snowboard in Madrid say this is the best area to go to.

 

How do I get there?

I’m not going to lie, the easiest way to get to all three areas is by car, particularly if you’re taking ski or snowboard equipment with you. If you haven’t got a car, you could rent one, persuade a nice friend with a car to take you or use a service like BlaBlaCar. Or steal one if you have to. Seriously though, it is possible to get there on public transport but it takes a while and the buses and trains aren’t at the most convenient times, especially at weekends. You can get the Cercanías Line C8b to Cercedilla then jump on line C9, getting off at the Puerto de Navacerrada stop or the Cotos stop for Valdesquí, but you still have to take a taxi or a shuttle bus to get to the actual ski areas. Bus 691 from Moncloa is also an option but takes about 90 minutes and only goes once an hour at weekends. La Pinilla is even harder to get to on public transport, with just a few Alsa buses going to Riaza, a nearby village. However, there is a company which runs a shuttle bus at weekends from Atocha and Plaza de Castilla. More info here.

 

When can I go?

All the ski areas are now open and will be every day until March or whenever the snow disappears, maybe April if we’re lucky. However, they’re sometimes forced to close due to strong winds or other adverse weather conditions, so make sure you check the website or ring beforehand. Whether you’re going by car or by public transport, and I can’t stress this enough, get there AS EARLY AS YOU CAN. Although the ski areas don’t open until 9am, I wouldn’t recommend leaving Madrid any later than 7am. Once the car parks are full, they stop letting people in and you’ll be going home disappointed. Some of my friends like to head up even earlier and enjoy a leisurely breakfast there, thereby avoiding queues and stress.

 

What facilities do the ski areas have?

All the ski areas have all the normal facilities you’d expect: ski and snowboard rental, restaurants, bars, hotels, etc. You might want to consider renting equipment in Madrid before you go, as the official rental places in the ski areas can have pretty long queues and some of the other non-official places, although quicker, often don’t have such good equipment. Another option would be to go up the day before, sort out equipment rental and ski passes in the afternoon and stay the night in a hotel, meaning you’re all ready to catch that first chairlift in the morning!

 

How much does it cost?

The price of ski passes, or forfaits, varies depending on the ski area and how many days you want to go for, but the usual cost is around 30-40 euros per day. Food and drink are typically expensive at the ski areas, so take your own if you want to save money.

 

Other options

Madrid SnowZone at Xanadú

Of course, you don’t have to limit yourself to skiing in the winter. At Madrid SnowZone in the Xanadú shopping centre you can ski and snowboard all year round if you want. It’s not quite the same as being in the great outdoors surrounded by snow-capped mountains, but it’s great for learning to ski or just practising your technique. You can get there on buses 528, 534 and 539 from Príncipe Pío. Check out their website for offers, classes and more.

 

Club Amistad

Madrid’s oldest and largest ski club organises buses to the ski areas, classes and equipment rental, amongst other things. They also organise trips to ski areas in other parts of Spain and abroad. Check out their website for details.

 

Further afield

While the ski areas in Madrid aren’t bad for a day trip, they can get extremely busy and the snow isn’t always the best. There are ski areas all over Spain, so if you have a weekend or a few days to spare, I’d recommend going to one of the following:

 

Sierra Nevada (Andalucía)

The big daddy of southern Spain, Sierra Nevada is a massive ski area just outside Granada (see piste map here). It often has sunny weather and is very popular with Spaniards, with a fantastic après-ski scene. They get a lot of snow but because of the temperature cycles it can quickly get icy. Not the best place if you’re looking for powder.

 

Formigal (Aragón)

Formigal
Formigal is the biggest ski area in Spain and generally has more reliable and better-quality snow than the south. Your forfait also includes the neighbouring resort of Panticosa, so when everything is open that’s 176km of skiable terrain (see piste map here). The nearby village of Formigal is pretty small so it can get booked up quickly. The same company also owns another great resort called Cerler, which more difficult to get to but generally has better snow and fewer people.

 

Astún (Aragón)

Astún

Powder day in Astún!

Smaller than Formigal and less crowded, if you get Astún on the right day the snow can be incredible (see piste map here). You can stay in the town of Jaca and get a bus, so it’s perhaps slightly easier for a last-minute trip than Formigal. There’s another resort right next to Astún called Candanchú which is also excellent, although the terrain is considerably more challenging.

 

Even further afield…

Of course, you don’t have to stop there! There are plenty of resorts in Catalonia (Baqueira/Beret is the most famous one) and Andorra has some fantastic areas such as Grand Valira.

 

See you on the slopes!

 




An insider’s guide to Sol: avoid the tourist traps and beat the Christmas crowds

Madrid is a fantastic place to be at Christmas and nowhere is more festive, and more popular, than the area around Puerta del Sol, Ópera and Plaza Mayor. As well as the usual hordes of foreign tourists, Spaniards from all over Madrid and beyond flock to the city centre to see the Christmas lights, queue up at Doña Manolita for their lottery tickets, shop for nativity supplies in Plaza Mayor and take in the spectacle of Cortylandia.

If you plan on doing any of these things, my top piece of advice would be avoid going at the weekends, as the whole centre is utter chaos. During last year’s December puente they even had to temporarily suspend metro services to Sol and make people get off at neighbouring stations, due to the sheer volume of people already in the plaza and surrounding streets.

Whatever day you embark upon your festive jaunt, you’ll no doubt be in need of a break and some refreshment after a while. Christmas shopping can be thirsty work! Many of the bars and restaurants around Puerta del Sol are incredibly touristy or incredibly busy (or both!), so how do you find a decent spot?

Read on for our insider’s guide to the hidden gems of the Madrid’s centre.

If you want breakfast…

Churros for breakfast at San Ginés

You’ll need a decent desayuno to set you up for a busy day of shopping and sightseeing, and in time-honoured tradition you might head to San Ginés (Pasadizo de San Ginés 5) or Valor (Calle Postigo de San Martín 7) for some chocolate con churros. Go early if you do, and certainly don’t visit at merienda time as the queues are out of the door. Alternatively, you could try one of these lesser-known spots for breakfast:
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Ferpal (Calle Arenal 7)

Ferpal
Many tourists eye up the delicious meats, cheeses and other treats in the windows of this top-quailty delicatessan, but few realise there’s also a bar inside. They serve delicious coffee, croissants, bocatas and sandwiches, all for only a couple of euros. Kill two birds with one stone and pick up a few tasty Christmas presents while you’re here. They normally close on Sundays but will be open over the festive season.
– 

El Riojano (Calle Mayor 10)

El Riojano
Ok, so it’s not exactly a hidden gem, but did you know that this famous pastry shop has a secret tea room in the back? If you have a sweet tooth and you fancy a more relaxing experience than the scrum at La Mallorquina (another must-see, although perhaps at a quieter time of year!), then this is most definitely your place. Read Laura’s more detailed post on El Riojano here.
– 

If you fancy a drink…

Battling your way to the front of the Cortylandia crowd on a Saturday afternoon is enough to make anyone need an alcoholic beverage! (If you’ve never heard of Cortylandia I won’t go into details other than that it’s one of those Spanish traditions that you probably need to see for yourselves. Oh, and this year, it’s penguins.) Here are a couple of my favourite places:

La Torre del Oro (Plaza Mayor 26)

La Torre del Oro
If you’ve been shopping for your Christmas tree or the moss for your nativity, then this bar is extremely handy for a quick beer. The terraza outside is like any other, you need to go inside for the decor that makes this bar special. The waiters are all extremely jolly and dish out tasty tapas with every drink. An Andalusian classic hidden slap-bang in the centre of Madrid.

Matador (Calle de la Cruz 39)

Matador
Another bull-themed bar with interesting stuff on the walls, I love this place for its cosy atmosphere, great-value drinks and generous tapas. Its cave-like interior is pretty small so it can get crowded, but if you’re lucky enough to grab a stool you might end up forgetting the shopping and spending all afternoon here!
– 

If you’re hungry…

There are times when tapas just won’t do and you need something more substantial. Try one of these spots for some tasty grub:

El Ñeru (Calle Bordadores 5)

El cachopo. Image from https://www.facebook.com/nerumadrid

Cachopo at El Ñeru. Image from El Ñeru’s Facebook

There are plenty of Asturian restaurants around this area but this one is my favourite. You can stand at the bar upstairs and gorge yourself on free tapas (try the cabrales cheese one) and dishes such as their magnificent cachopo, or you can take the weight off your feet and dine in the cavernous restaurant downstairs. It isn’t the cheapest but it’s worth it for the exquisite (and extremely filling!) food and excellent service.

Bar Lambuzo (Calle de las Conchas 9)

Image from www.barlambuzo.com

Image from Lambuzo’s Web

If you fancy something a little lighter, stop by this delightful restaurant run by a family from Cadiz. From salmorejo to croquetas to a whole array of pescadito frito, everything on the menu is absolutely delicious, extremely reasonably-priced and will inject a little ray of Andalusian sunshine into even the darkest winter day. Check out Daphne’s post for more information on Bar Lambuzo.
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If you need to get away from it all…

Even for the most die-hard Christmas fans, the crowds can sometimes get a bit much. All of these bars are just a short walk from Puerta del Sol and each provides a much-needed oasis of tranquility away from the masses.

Anticafe (Calle Unión 2)

Tucked away on a quiet street near Ópera, Anticafe is a great place to chill out with a coffee, caña or cocktail. The music is great and the decor wonderfully quirky, so just sink into one of their mismatched armchairs, put your feet up and forget all about your festive to-do list.
– 

Casa Pueblo (Calle León 3)

This cosy bar is the perfect antidote to the madness of the Christmas crowds. Let the friendly staff whip you up one of their delicious mojitos or order a tasty slice of cake if you’re in need of some sugar. If you’re lucky you might catch one of their live jazz sessions too.
– 

Plaza Menor (Calle Gómez de Mora 3)

Plaza Menor
 Head to this fantastic little drinking den nestled right behind Plaza Mayor for a cocktail, a copa or just a cup of tea. The interior is a maze of low-roofed caves so grab a spot and maybe some of their yummy carrot cake and lose yourself for a couple of hours.

Know of any other hidden gems in the centre of Madrid? Let us know!




Tacos, tamales and tequila: the best Mexican joints in Madrid

If you had to eat just one type of cuisine for the rest of your life, what would you choose? For me, Mexican food wins hands down every time. I could happily munch on chilaquiles for breakfast, enchiladas for lunch, pozole for dinner and still have room for a few tacos al pastor or some juicy tamales…all washed down with several delicious micheladas of course. I spent a year working in Mexico after I finished university and it wasn’t nearly long enough to sample all the delicious treats on offer, although I did manage to squeeze in tequila ice cream, grasshoppers and mezcal with worm salt, amongst other things!

So where can you get your Mexican fix in Madrid? Avoid the expensive chain restaurants and the Tex-Mex joints, and instead try one of these gems:

Taquería Mi Ciudad (Calle Hileras 5 and Calle Fuentes 11 <m> Sol/Ópera)

The infamous Gringa at Taquería Mi Ciudad

As the name suggests, tacos are the star of the show here: pastor, cochinita pibil, tinga, carnitas…they’ve got them all, as well as the usual staples like guacamole, quesadillas and frijoles. My personal favourite is the Gringa, a heavenly combination of carne al pastor, cheese and pineapple sandwiched between two flour tortillas…it needs to be eaten to be believed! If you sit at the bar you can watch the taco man work his magic, although there are plenty of tables for larger groups. Alternatively, you could hop one street over to the original restaurant on Calle Fuentes, which has standing room for about 10.

La Malinche (Calle Torija 10 <m> Santo Domingo)

Image from www.facebook.com/lamalinche.madrid

Image from www.facebook.com/lamalinche.madrid

This place is the real deal, a Spanish-Mexican husband and wife dream team. He concocts delicious micheladas and margaritas at the bar upstairs, whilst she rustles up delicious sopes, huaraches and all other manner of delights in the kitchen below. Even the tortillas are homemade. The portions are very generous so make sure you go with an empty belly! Great value for money.

Antigua Taquería (Calle Cabestreros <m> La Latina/Tirso de Molina/Lavapiés and Calle Áncora 19 <m> Palos de la Frontera)

Antigua Taquería

An amazing hybrid of traditional bar de toda la vida and Mexican hipster joint. The menu here is limited – just tacos, nachos and quesadillas – but everything on it is absolutely divine. I have a particular weakness for their quesadillas and always end up ordering the huitlacoche one…it translates as corn smut which sounds grim, but don’t knock it until you’ve tried it. Heap some of their delicious salsas on top and you’re good to go…just watch out for the red one! Luckily they also make a mean margarita for you to wash it all down with.

Tepic (Calle Pelayo 4 <m> Chueca)

Image from www.facebook.com/restauranteTEPIC

Image from www.facebook.com/restauranteTEPIC

I had my first ride in a pick-up truck, learned to dance to banda and tried ceviche for the first time in the Mexican state of Tepic, so I’ll always think of it fondly. Tepic in Chueca doesn’t disappoint either, with its varied menu of tacos, flautas, enchiladas and other tasty treats. They even have soups, salads and vegetarian options, just make sure you leave room for one of their delicious desserts! If you’re looking for a more upmarket meal in a swanky restaurant which manages to avoid all the usual Mexican clichés whilst still being thoroughly Mexican, this is your place.

For more on Tepic, check out our friends post here with mouth-watering photos.