Where to eat in Sol & Royal Palace
The historic centre has both Madrid’s most famous classics and its worst tourist traps. The rule is simple: skip the terraces on the main squares and menus with photos, and look for bars on the side streets and around La Latina.
Between Puerta del Sol and the Royal Palace you can have churros for breakfast, cocido for lunch in a century-old dining room and tapas on Cava Baja for dinner without taking the metro.
What to order
- A squid sandwich (with a caña).
- Churros or porras with chocolate at San Ginés.
- Battered salt cod at Casa Labra.
- Cocido at La Bola or Lhardy (lunchtime).
- Huevos rotos or estrellados on Cava Baja.
Streets and places
Around Plaza Mayor
Calle Botoneras, Cuchilleros and Cava de San Miguel have squid-sandwich bars and taverns beneath the square.
Calle Arenal and San Ginés
Chocolatería San Ginés and bars for a coffee before the palace.
Cava Baja and Cava Alta (La Latina)
Dozens of taverns and tapas bars. On Sundays, after El Rastro, the buzz spills over to Plaza de la Paja and Plaza de los Carros.
Mercado de San Miguel
For quality nibbles (oysters, ham, croquetas) in a beautiful building; expensive for a full meal.
Well-known places are mentioned for information only; we have no commercial relationship with them. Businesses change, so check opening hours before you go.
Prices
Squid sandwich: €4–7. Churros with chocolate: €5–8. Full cocido: €25–35. Roast at Botín: menu around €50.
Tips
- Terraces on Plaza Mayor charge double for the same thing.
- Book ahead for Botín and the cocido restaurants.
- Many Cava Baja bars close their kitchens between 4:30 and 8 pm.
Exploring the area? Read our neighborhood guide to Sol & Royal Palace or the Madrid food guide.