Bars

If there is one thing that Madrid cannot boast about it’s their beer, we have to admit that for hard core beer fans, Madrid’s most popular brands are pretty wimpy beers. For ages, there has been a void of high quality craft beer and it seems that void has finally been filled.

Fabrica Maravillas is the first brew pub to open in Madrid (downtown), conveniently located in the Malasaña area of Madrid. The installations were clean cut and from the in-house taps to the stainless steel tanks and kettles in the back where the brewing processing is happening I felt like I was on to something unique.

Like in most craft breweries, they specialize in a short and well thought range of beers, from a blond ale, to a bold malty stout. I found the names used to identify each beer was well associated with the neighborhood and the location in which it is in, and honestly how can you resist an American Indian Pale Ale (IPA) with a name like “fl-ipa”, a term used in Spanish to define something awesome, astonishing or “to flip out”.

It really gets my two thumbs up, not only for adventuring into a segment that was absolutely necessary to cover, but also for doing it with style. After trying out one of their brews, I am happy to say that Madrid finally has a brew house for locals to hang out and have a proper brewskie.

If there is one thing I love about Madrid it’s going out for tapas. Now there are different forms of tapa-ing, first you have the general idea of ordering small dishes at a small or reduced price, and then you have the form, which I like best, which is going up to the counter, ordering a drink and getting a small dish or snack to accompany your drink for free.

Most foreigners are astonished when you say “for free” and ask how. But truthfully the tapa is generally included in the price of your drink and you will notice that in some places the fluctuation in prices depends on the quality or quantity of your freebie.

Regarding the how, the real answer is “where”, you need to know where to go for generous portions of free tapas with every drink. One place is La Petisqueria, I love coming here, ordering a glass of wine or a beer, and getting a generous plate of roasted potatoes, chorizo, and other finger foods to accompany my drink.

When I am not in the mood for a full on meal or just like to hang out and socialize with my friends in a relaxed atmosphere, I always end up here. We know that with a round of drinks we’re not going to go hungry any time soon.  It’s one of those places that us locals like to say, “you eat just with a drink”.

Just the place to go to have great cocktails and cool music! You can find many different types of people, from Cirque du Soleil actors to writers.

You can grab a bite while listening how the DJ Jaimote puts a record on… The “croquetas” are really yummy, you can have meals or grab a bite if you want.

The place is great to have an after work or after dinner drink, especially a mojito or a glass of champagne, and to enjoy a relaxing conversation with good music.

Gin & Tonics today have evolved into a chic fashionable drink. In Madrid’s busy nightlight gin & tonics have a reputation, not just because they are fine cocktails, but also because they are a wonder to see how they are prepared by masterful barmen.

El mentidero de la Villa, has two entrances, one on Almagro 20 that directs you to the restaurant, and the other around the corner on Zurbano 17 that leads you to their direct access to the cocktail bar on the bottom floor, and that’s where we want to go for a good gin and tonic.

Once you’ve reached the bar area, you’ll see trays and dishes containing dozens of different herbs, spices and fruits, ingredients such as juniper seeds, peppercorns, mint, anise and wild berries which are used to come up with some of the most incredible creative gin & tonics that I have had the chance to try.

Select your price range, and inform the bartender what type of flavor you are looking for, peppery, fruity, minty etc, from the moment he begins to twirl the ice cubes to cool the glass, to the last stage of crushing a lime peel to release the final fragrance you’ll be in awe when you realize that this is so much more than what you had hoped for. 

After you watched the bartender do his magic, find a nice comfortable sofa in the back, sit down, sip away and enjoy.

I’m almost afraid to post my secret jamón supply online, but jamón is for sharing, so here goes.

Deep in the center of Madrid, El Rincón Iberico has some of the best Extremaduran ham, cheese and wine at very reasonable prices. The place itself doesn’t look like much and it can fill up with a crowd if there is a big show at Sala El Sol next door, but most of the time it’s pretty mellow.

The lunch specials are a good deal for enjoying at one of the few tables in the cramped dining area, but my favorite jamón de bellota (ham made from pigs that have only eaten acorns) is amazing and goes well with a glass of red wine – and it’s all priced very reasonably. Also check out their small store on the same block.