Any fine dining experience in Madrid has to start in the heart of the city, a few steps away from Plaza Mayor, where the market of San Miguel and dozens of booths offer the most complete overview of prized local ingredients. The market is also the ideal place in which to enact the ritual of the tapeo, which means tasting the variegated offering of tapas.
But before you start, here is a mini guide to gourmet venues in Madrid, comprising an exclusive terrace and a restaurant you probably thought was beyond reach.
From 0 to 25 Euros
In Madrid, the art of cake and pastry making dates back hundreds of years so be sure not to leave without tasting a slice of frambuesa, raspberry cake, at the cake shop of La Mallorquina, the oldest in the city. The Antigua Pastelería del Pozo, close to Puerta del Sol, offers excellent white or dark chocolate palmeras while, at Mama Framboise in the Chamberi barrio, you can order almond or raspberry croissants. On this budget you can afford to try all three.