Must-visit mercados in Madrid
Booked a city trip to Madrid? These are the mercados you shouldn’t miss when you’re in the Spanish capital.
The best tortilla in Spain
The place to eat the ultimate tortilla—and not the Dutchified version—is Casa Dani, right in the middle of Mercado de la Paz, where not a tourist is to be found. This is where the Madrileños queue up. Understandably, because this tortilla was voted the best tortilla in Spain as recently as May this year. Four elderly Spanish women work like a well-oiled machine, baking tortilla nonstop. For just a few euros, you get a generous piece of creamy tortilla served with a piece of bread. Here, you’re actually expected to order the tortilla to go and eat it at the bar. The tables are reserved for people who want a more substantial meal—which I only found out after the waitress was somewhat annoyed when taking my order of tortilla as my only order, by the way. Don’t be put off if you have to wait ten minutes; just join the queue, it’s more than worth it. Promise!
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Rooftop bar
With three floors, Mercado San Antón is entirely dedicated to food and drink. Start on the ground floor. Here you’ll find various stalls selling fresh vegetables, meat and fish. Would you like to get some vitamin C during your weekend trip? Definitely buy your fruit here, because the quality is much better than at the supermercado. On the second floor, you’ll find dozens of stalls offering all kinds of delicious food. You can easily spend the entire afternoon sampling typical Spanish tapas and international delicacies. An extra plus: the rooftop bar. A great place to digest with a glass of tinto de verano.
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A food hall as we know it
Mercado San Ildefonso is a true urban food hall. Think of the food halls in Amsterdam or Rotterdam, but in a Spanish version. The focus here is on street food. The Spanish croquetas and South American arepas in particular are impossible to resist. In addition, the various bars—one on each floor—make this the perfect place to have a drink and unwind after a day of wandering around. San Ildefonso differs from San Antón and De la Paz because of its many seats and two relaxed indoor terraces. Amid all the hustle and bustle of the city, the atmosphere here is wonderfully friendly and relaxed, exactly as we’re used to from this Mediterranean country.
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