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Known as the food capital of Mediterranean, Madrid Eating Out gives you the utmost fulfillment of your gastronomic cravings. Madrid offers a variety of foods of Spanish origin as well as a host of fusion cuisines.

History

Madrid was the capital city of Spain during the reign of King Felipe II. After that, a lot of people from outside flocked to this city, bringing with them unique cooking styles, flavors and dishes which became amalgamated over the centuries. Thus, what we see as Madrid dishes today are actually a blend of many different cuisines. Madrid restaurants like Viena Capellanes and Lhardy have been cooking up this food since the early 19th century, and are still running strong with classic menus today.

Specialties

Madrid offers the best of Mediterranean delicacies. Olive oil is the base for almost all types of cooking, and is also used for garnishing. Most of the dishes have large quantities of potatoes, tomatoes, and white and green asparagus. Soups and stews are the two main specialties of Spanish food. Roast suckling pig, beef or lamb is also unique to this part of the world.

Tapas

King Alfonso X recovered from a terminal illness by drinking wine and small dishes between meals. This tradition of eating small dishes still continues in Madrid, and is known as "tapas." "Tapas," meaning "small appetizers" are often used as snacks or starters coupled with wine or other beverages. These starters are often served with strong flavors like garlic, chilies, cumin, pepper, and saffron, and are usually prepared with a plentiful amount of olive oil. Seafood tapas include anchovies, sardines or mackerel in olive oil or a tomato-based sauce. Different types of breads are available with sauce-based tapas. Tapas usually cost from $1 to $4 for each small dish.

Restaurants

If you want to experience the best of traditional Spanish food, then you must visit Botin near Plaza Mayor. Established in 1725, it is the oldest restaurant still operating in the whole world. Yes, it is a tourist attraction, but it also happens to have amazing food. Plus, you can enjoy your entree even more watching group of students perform classical songs while dressed in traditional Spanish costumes.

Casa Lucio, located at 35 Calle Cava Baja, offers an excellent baked delight called "merluza de la casa," while Tabern la Bola is best suited if you want to have a taste of the Castilian dishes like pepitorias de gallina or stuffed partridge. The current trend in the Madrid restaurants is to bring the Catalan taste into the existing foods. This mix of Catalan food with the traditional dishes has made Madrid the seafood heaven of the world. El Pescador, Bajamar, Ribeira Do Miño, La Ola del Cantábrico, and Bermeo are some of the preeminent restaurants that specialize in fusion seafood specialties.