The Route of Tapas; Madrid, La Latina

One of the most well known neighbourhoods in Madrid is without any doubt the barrio de La Latina! Famous for its nightlife, its tap beers and its traditional “Spanish-style” restaurants (tapas), la Latina is a place totally worth visiting while traveling in Madrid.

La Latina is synonymous with going out for beers in Madrid. Weekends mean trying to get an elbow in to order at a bar, and booking in advance or arriving early for a table in a restaurant. At the same time, you may find great bars for getting the drinks in, and venues where you can enjoy good music!

So it’s about time to talk about food!If you’ve ever travelled in Spain I’m pretty sure you’ve heard people praising their famous local delicacies and in this case their ham croquettes, their callos, their famous huevos rotos con jamon y patatas and of course the ultimate typical Spanish breakfast, the tortilla de patata or simply, the spanish omelette. According to the experts in the field, the best spanish tapas should have a good texture and shape, good flavor and above all, should be all fried in Spanish olive oil. 

Feeling hungry yet? Here’s a list with the top 3 spanish delicacies and where to find them while in the neighbourhood of La Latina! Of course, the list that follows include my personal favourite restaurants, so feel welcome to comment at the bottom of this article on your personal suggestions! Enjoy! 

Huevos Rotos con Patatas

Well, let me start from the beginning by defining the Spanish term used above; huevos rotos con patatas is actually being literally translated as broken/smashed eggs on potatoes (therefore it’s not exactly an omelette but I guess we can say that it’s a type of it). Huevos rotos are one of those Spanish dishes that seem so simple and basic–borderline boring even– that it is a shock to the system when you realize how amazingly delicious they really are. They are traditionally served over homemade french fries which are fried in Spanish olive oil and tossed with sea salt. The trick to these eggs is to fry them only until perfectly over easy and to break the yolk with the tip of a knife just before eating. "Casa Lucio" is said to be La Latina’s most iconic restaurant** where you’ll no doubt taste the best huevos rotos in town! 

Tortilla de Patata 

Known as the “Spanish omelette”  in English, la tortilla de patata is a typical, traditional dish, playing a major role in the Spanish cuisine. Tortillas de patatas can be found almost everywhere while in Spain. There are so many different types and so many different ways of cooking it. Of course, each person with their preferences and particular culinary tastes, likes it in a totally different way: with onion or without onion, rather juicy or just soft, sometimes with garlic, with lots of eggs or not etc. Here’s where to find La Latina’s best tortilla! Make sure you bring your friends along; the tortilla is just massive! Definitely not recommended for one person- but in any case it's worth trying it there! 

Callos a la Madrileña

Callos a la Madrileña, or Madrid-style tripe is a Spanish dish with humble origins, like so many, as tripe it's always been an inexpensive ingredient. We know that it's been consumed since the 15th century, based on the so called "wastes" of beef. This typical Spanish dish is served in many bars and restaurants of Madrid and is normally accompanied by chorizo and blood sausage (morcilla) . Despite being a very simple recipe, it is still highly revered while  many restaurants claim to have the best recipe. Here’s the restaurant considered the “locals’ favourite” for eating Callos while in La Latina! 

PS. Keep in mind that our favourite spanish tapas, such as the bocadillo de jamon, chorizo, cheese etc, can all be found in the restaurants mentioned above!  Bon Appetit!