From the outside, Melos can trick you, you could pass by without noticing it and you could miss the biggest sandwich in Madrid inside this apparently typical Galician bar in Lavapiés.

Don’t let its small menu trick you either, Melos is the best example of “keep it simple, but with great quality ingredients, and you will succeed”. The star plate is Zapatilla a very big loaf bread sandwich with lacón (Galician cured ham) and tetilla cheese. They also have huge croquetas (crunchy on the outside, almost liquid on the inside), exquisite empanadillas (tuna fried dumplings), and pimientos de Padrón (spicy fried peppers).

Melos can get very crowded so my advice is to go early, as soon as they open, so you can find a free spot and if you are lucky even a seat! If you can’t make it on time, be patient and brave and experience this bar like a true “Madrileño”, raise your voice and order your “Zapatilla”, you will forget about the crowd at the first bite.