Madrid - Dining

The oldest flamenco show restaurant in Madrid was the Corral de la Moreria which was inaugurated on May 25th, 1957. The original owner Manuel del Rey was determined to offer his guests the best chefs and most distinguished artists such as Antonio Gades and Mario Maya. This restaurant offers the best in customer service which makes it one of the best restaurants in Spain.

The Corral de la Moreria is a nice air conditioned place that can seat at most 150 people. For a dinner plus a show it costs 29 euros per person, tax included. If you want a show plus a drink it is 32 euros.

If you want to enjoy fresh seafood, or marisco you will find it widely available in Madrid. The best place to go is El Pescador where you will find fresh seafood arriving daily from Spain’s coasts. A recommended dish is the salpicon de mariscos which is a seafood salad that includes mussels, lobster, shrimp, onions, and vinaigrette. The house specialty is the lenguado Evaristo which is a grilled sole named after the owner.

One of Madrid’s oldest taverns is the Las Cuevas de Luis Candelas which means the cave of Luis Candelas. This is named after a famous bandit who is represented outside at all times by a dressed doorman who comes complete with a pistol. The legend is similar to that of a Spanish Robin Hood and is said that he stored his treasures in the cellars walls in the south-west corner of Plaza Mayor called Cuchilleros.

As you enter at the steps around the corner you will find a doorman which stands guard. You can hang out here at the bar and enjoy a sangria, beer, or wine prior to entering the archway into an area of low wooden benches and tabled. They offer a specialty of roasts, garlic shrimp, and cured ham.