Flamenco dress shop photograph by Kristen Vallow
My sister Kristen and our friend Eugenia were both working in Madrid this summer. These are their stories.
EL BOCAITO CALLE LIBERTAD
http://bocaito.com 00 34 91 5321219
A great tapas places to start the day, in the CHUECA part of town . The tiny fried squid (chopitos), and fried anchovies, steak that you finish cooking in a red hot sandstone. More than 130 tapas on the menu, 15 to 20 types of tostas (toast topped with prawns, egg and garlic, pâté with caviar, cockles, and so on), and the best pescaito frito (deep-fried whitebait).
EL CISNE AZUL
00 34 91 521 37 99 gravina 19 (angle with Calle libertad )
On the same street from El Bocato is an amazing place, very small, 5 tables, which serves grilled mushrooms of many species, fried egg on top and fabulous lamb chops, all cooked on the fire in front of you. Or a plate of boletus con yema (porcini mushrooms topped with a cracked egg) or chanterelles quick fried in olive oil with salt. Opens for lunch at 1, go early or you will have to wait for ages
MUSEO del la RADIO
calle de Santa Ana, 8
On Calle Santa Ana is a funky bar decorated with old wireless sets and tiny Wendy house chairs. Have a post-market caña of beer or a vermut del grifo (sweet red vermouth served from the tap). There is no space left on the walls without a radio hanging from it, some still work with current frequencies.
EL MERCADO SAN MIGUEL
Dates from 1916, now a gourmet market along the lines of Barcelona’s famous La Boqueria. Eat the oysters and buy a bottle of red wine at one of the stands and walk around with it, tasting from counter to counter or get a glass and do the same thing….walk around with it. Do not go during rush hours ( 1 to 3  and 7 to 12 pm), It’s open until 2AM.
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The  market on PLAZA del la CEBEDA in La Latina for bargain ham and cheeses to take home. For a bottle of rioja or cava, LAVINIA on CALLE ORTEGA y GASSET in the Salamanca neighbourhood stocks 4,500 wines and has expert staff to guide you. There are gourmet food stands serving the best tapas and wines.
JULIAN DE TOLOSA
00 34 91 365 8210 Â Â cava baja 18 http://www.casajuliandetolosa.com/
In the old part of town….An exceptional place to eat meat. It is always full..very well known. Huge steaks cooked on the wood fire and a small menu with 10 things, all exceptional.
EL LANDO
00 34 91 3667681 Plaza Gabriel Miro 8
A must is dinner at El Lando. In the old part of town, owned by the same people that own the famous Casa Lucio, but it is better food and no tourists. For walking around the old part of town after dinner there, …lots of noisy fun bars and people drinking on the streets. Even perfect for tapas. from 7 pm onwards…any place on that street is great. Try: CAVA BAJA , PLAZA DE LA CEBADA and PLAZA SANTA ANA.
Also great for strolling is the area called LAS LETRAS which goes from the Plaza Santa Ana down to the Prado...lots of small streets , bars etc The gay/trendy area is called CHUECA it’s ugly but has cool shops and bars. For breakfast in Chueca, try:
MAMA INES
Hortaleza, 22; 91 523 2333 Â – Try the tostadas spread with tomato, garlic and scrambled egg
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CAFE OLIVER
Almirante, 12; 91 521 7379 For an extensive brunch every Sunday
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RIBEIRA do MINO
Olivar, 3; 91 369 083 C/ Santa Brigida, 1 Â – 28004
http://www.marisqueriaribeiradomino.com/es/estaticas/index.asp?wm=752&id=255 -Â For Galician seafood.
CASA LASTRA SIDRERIA
Calle Olivar 3 (tel. 91-369-08-37). casalastra.com
Hearty Asturian bean stew, tangy blue cabrales cheese. great Asturian fish – try the fine hake in cider and wash it down with luscious cider brand.
La PAELLA de la REINA
Reina, 39; 91 531 1885 http://www.lapaelladelareina.com/ for Valenican paella.
COCIDO MADRILENO
For a typical Spanish dish, you must eat here. The most celebrated dish is cocido Madrileno, a stew that mates chickpeas, potatoes and other vegetables with chicken, pork cuts, and beef.Cocido is poor farmers’ food in that it economically produces several courses, starting with its broth an culminating in the meats. A close second is callos, in which a tripe casserole with chorizo and chillies.
LA BOLA
915476930/5417164Â calle bola 5 http://www.labola.es/
On Sunday morning go to the flea market , EL RASTRO, small and fun. Does not open til 11 am…beware of pick pockets. walk down the Ronda De Curtidores, where the leather and horse shops are.
CASA PATAS
Casa Patas C/Cañizares,  913 690 496 http://www.casapatas.com/
Do one Flamenco night, where you can also have dinner, Friday or Saturday
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Museums : Â the CENTRO REINA SOFIA AND PRADO
The Prado is nearly an all day…it is VAST In front of the Prado are the botanical gardens..Los Jardines Botanicos...very beautiful…must walk around them . And during the week only, walk on the RETIRO Park, weekends it is too crowded. Walking around the little streets around the Plaza Mayor, full of great old shops, espadrilles, leathers etc If you are in the chic part of town ( Callejon Gorge Juan, Goya, Velzaquez, etc ) you must check out the food marquet..el Mercado De La Paz, it is on the Hermosilla street entrance…it is beautiful food and stands
LA TRAINERA
Calle Lagasca 60 Â tel 00 34 91 576 8035 http://www.latrainera.es/
For Sunday lunch in the area where you will be shopping , one of the two best fish restaurants in madrid, oceanic-themed, old fashioned and amazing.
SOBRINO de BOTIN
Cuchilleros, 17; 91 366 4217 http://www.gomadrid.com/rest/botin.html
Guinness World Records-affirmed as oldest restaurant in the world, amazing very Spanish food. Original wood-fired oven.
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An equally substantial rival  and with fewer less tourists is:
CASA LUCIA
Cava Baja, 35; 91 365 3252 Bill Clinton ate here. Book late if you can, it gets very crowded.
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CHOCOLATERIA SAN GINES
Pasadizo de San Gines, 11; 91 365 6546
Your night should properly be topped off with thick hot chocolate and churros . Best for this ritual is the chocolate brought over from the Americas, this is one more deceptive ‘pure Spanish’ tradition to be enjoyed. Can be touristy. Open until 7am.
Breakfasts are 8am and 11am (many office workers take both); the substantial lunches are taken between 2pm and 4.30pm (during which most shops close); the equally substantial dinner won’t start before 9pm; but tapas can fill any spaces in between. When indulging in the latter, be warned that three measures exist, with the basic tapa complemented by the smaller pinch and the larger racio. Beware that everything closes between 2 and 5 and then stay open until 8, but you want to have a siesta during that time in grueling, hot Summer.
Some particularly alluring pictures taken by my sister:
Maty
Marzipan Fruits
La Violetta
Casa Hernanadez (espadrilles shop)
Caramellos Paco (candy shop)
Cherries at Mercado de San Miguel
Olive store