We've covered what to order at a Galician tavern and in the Basque Country. Madrid sits in the middle of the country, and many of the dishes most tied to the city are hearty inland cooking: stews, offal, fried eggs and potatoes, and churros.
Here are the dishes you're most likely to see on a menu that calls itself Madrid-style, and what to expect when you order them.
Cocido madrileño
Cocido madrileño is a chickpea stew cooked with several meats and vegetables. It is traditionally served in stages, called vuelcos. First comes the broth, usually with thin noodles. Then the chickpeas and vegetables, then the meats.
It is a big meal, normally eaten at lunch. If you see it on a menu, check whether it is a daily or weekly special, and come hungry.
Callos a la madrileña
Callos is tripe stewed slowly in a sauce that usually includes chorizo, morcilla and paprika. It is rich and sticky, and often served as a small plate rather than a main. If you're unsure about tripe, a shared tapa-sized portion is the low-risk way to try it.
Huevos rotos
Huevos rotos means "broken eggs". Fried eggs go on top of fried potatoes and are broken at the table, so the yolk coats the potatoes. Common toppings are jamón or chorizo. It is a simple dish, and the yolks should still be runny when it reaches you.
Bocadillo de calamares and other bar food
A bocadillo de calamares is fried squid rings in a bread roll, and it is closely associated with Madrid. Our calamares page covers the fried squid itself. On a cold day, sopa de ajo, a Castilian garlic and bread soup, is another one to look for.
Churros con chocolate
Churros with a cup of thick hot chocolate for dipping are a Madrid classic, eaten for breakfast or late at night. Some places also serve porras, a thicker churro. The chocolate is meant for dipping, so it is much thicker than a drinking chocolate.
Where to try it
These restaurants in our directory mention Madrid or these dishes in their own listings:
- Little Madrid Tapas Café in Chicago: opened in January 2020 in Andersonville, named after the owner's hometown and serving recipes taught to Bolaños by his grandmother.
- El Chipirón in Vienna: led by chef Raquel García Sánchez, who is from Madrid, serving classic tapas, seafood and Spanish wines.
- Bellota in Beijing: lists callos on its menu alongside gazpacho, paella and garlic shrimp.
- Little Spain in Hua Hin: its signature is huevos rotos with jamón ibérico de bellota.
- Mercado 505 in Shanghai: churros y chocolate are on its menu.
