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This lively Asturian tavern serves regional specialities such as bean soup (fabada ) and sausages in cider (chorizo a la sidra ).

The hurdy-gurdy by the door plays a version of the chotis , a traditional dance still performed by madrileños at the San Isidro festival. Order a plate of snails (caracoles ) and a glass of beer. The dining room also serves other typical Madrid fare (see El Oso y El Madroño).

Located in the trendy Malasaña district, this café and bar is decorated in belle époque style and is one of the oldest cafés in the area. On offer are home-made cakes and a wide choice of coffee. Come early evening for hot drinks or sip one of El Parnasillo’s famous cocktails later on. Snacks are also available.

Cocktails are the speciality of this Malasaña bar.

These are pastries usually with tuna and tomato or meat fillings.

Shrimps are grilled in their shells (a la plancha ) or peeled and then fried in oil and garlic (al ajillo ).

On the fringes of the Lavapiés district, this café-bar is an ideal place to relax with a drink while chatting with friends and listening to good music. Cosy ambience.

This popular watering hole has a pedigree going back more than 200 years – Goya sold some of his paintings here. The pub was given a makeover in the 1980s and the owner claims it was the first bar in Madrid to celebrate St Patrick’s night. That was when they started serving Guinness and home-made tortilla , one of the mainstays of an enticing tapas menu. The subdued lighting, mellow music and amiable clientele create an addictive ambience (see La Ardosa).

This cosy taberna ’s best-known customer was the painter Francisco de Goya. Guinness on tap, as well as excellent and imaginative tapas . Try the fabada (bean and squid stew) (see La Ardosa)