La Mina Madrid

La Mina opened in Madrid in 1949, and some years ago the first owner's grandson took it over and renovated it while remaining true to the original spirit of the place. It was looking a little tired; now it’s stunning! Shiny black and white tiles and bare brick walls, vermouth barrels and retro touches, as well as a beautiful terraza on the tree-lined street in front.

The very first word I learned in Madrid was "caña", which is a small glass of tap beer. I was so shy speaking Spanish when I first got here, but I managed that word - can-ya! It's such a good word to know in Madrid, especially in the summer, when what you really want is a nice cold beer! They have excellent cañas in La Mina, wine by the glass from a good selection, as well as the ubiquitous vermut.

Back in 1990 I used to come to La Mina for their speciality - grilled prawns. I was delighted to see after the re-opening that prawns are still on the menu, as well as pincho morunos (grilled marinated pork on a skewer), tostas and conserved seafood. So make sure you don’t miss this Madrid old-school classic!