Madrid, Shortlisted
Hi all,
I hope you’re having a lovely month so far. Earlier this spring, I popped over to Madrid for a few sun / jamón / tortilla / tinto de verano-soaked days and promptly remembered why I love this capital city so much. From the reservation I would make if I only had one meal in the city to the best spot to pop in for a vermouth + standing room-only croqueta to the bookstore I could spend half a day in, see below for the places to shop / eat / stay / wander / caffeinate and more to add to your next trip.
Thank you, as always, for being here. If you’re not a paid subscriber, get access to our full city shortlists every month by subscribing here. If you are, thank you thank you thank you for your support.
Have a wonderful rest of your May and see you in June!
xR
PS in case you missed it, the latest Short Stay came out at the start of this month and features one of my favorite seaside breaks from Nice (or Marseille or Paris)
[restaurants | wine bars]
La Capa | Hands down my favorite meal in Madrid. It’s south of the city center in the Carabanchel district and you definitely need to make a reservation well in advance. Do it. While you’re there, ask for drink recommendations (the natural wine list is stunning — as is the sherry selection), be sure to order the anchovies + the “La Capa” con pimientos confitados + whatever else looks good to you. Also get the insanely good ice cream sandwich for dessert. If you want to linger in the neighborhood, head to Bar Luz Verde for a glass after (or before!)
Bodegas Alfaro | this is where these (perfect) gildas served on top of a bed of potato chips are from. The vibe is lively + you can stand at the bar or try to snag one of the small tables and stay a while
La Alquimia | they have two locations and whichever you choose, time your arrival to opening as they fill up quickly and it’s walk ins only. At the Calle San Lucas location, try to snag the tiny table tucked into the window on the side as it’s a dreamy spot to watch the room. The wine selection is truly excellent as is the matrimonio (see the bottom of this list to make your own at home!) + the gildas + a made-to-order tortilla de patatas