What to Do and Eat in Madrid

Cannibal Raw Bar – This was our first dinner in Madrid and my favorite! We felt like we were in the center of all the stylish people of Madrid who were either out with their families or had just gotten off of work. Everyone here wears navy work pants with a light blue button down, which is way better than the athleisure that seems to be here to stay in Austin. We walked right up to two bar seats and looked around in awe at all the diners and gorgeous black and white floor tiles. This is the best Tuna Tartare I’ve ever had in my life. I had no idea I could find tuna this good in Spain, and I ultimately found it many more times during our trip. I loved the fresh Spinach Salad with Avocado, Tomato, Honey, and Mustard, and believe it or not, the Chaufa Rice with Peking Duck and Prawns was the best rice dish (including paella) that we devoured across our entire trip.

Casa Salesas – We dipped in here for a late lunch, but you’d probably want to reserve this for dinner if you have more days as they have hi-fi sound and incredible neon and designs throughout the restaurant. That being said, this was my favorite Spanish Tortilla as the yolk ran as soon as you cut into the eggs, the potato and egg were sliced just thin enough, and the fluffy eggs encapsulated the runnyness perfectly. I didn’t need anything else here!

Charrúa – If you prefer to visit restaurants across all different neighborhoods, then I’ll let you know that this is right across the street from Raw Cannibal. However, it’s a Uruguayan steakhouse experience where you can watch the coals from your seat, and the candlesticks melt before your eyes right by the counter where the chefs are cooking. Everywhere in Spain serves the best tomatoes, but the cold appetizer ones here were the best all trip. Skip the cherry tomatoes from the grill! Order everything else from their oven, and let me know how the Clay Oven Empanadas are! We tried the Artichokes, Turbot, and 1200-day Dry Aged Bone in Ribeye topped with flaky sea salt.

Casa Benigna – A recommendation from locals and other friends because of their six paella options. The homey atmosphere is good for groups, and the staff are a delight. I loved the Tomato Salad with tuna belly, avocado, and pickles, and the Hot Smoked Salmon to start. We were instructed to come here for the three paellas that we ordered: the Chicken Paella, Fideuá, and the Black Squid Ink. I didn’t love them as much as I love El Raval’s paella in Austin (see it here!) as I’ve gotten spoiled working with Chef Laila, who learned how to make paella in Valencia.

Alduccio Restaurant & Bar – Since we went up to see Real Madrid’s Bernabéu Stadium, we popped in for an Italian lunch here. This restaurant opened in 1962, and it felt like the type of place where guests have a standing lunch with their cronies at the same table everyday. I loved the crowd, and I also LOVED the Steak Tartare and off-menu Shrimp Tagliatelle with red sauce that Ryan somehow knew we needed to order at a place we had never heard of.

Thyssen-Bornemisza National Museum – This was my favorite museum because I loved the building and the story behind the Thyssen family. Several different types of art exist here, and while it feels more modern, you’ll only see a few familiar artists, such as Monet, Chagall, Degas, Kandinsky, Dalí, and some incredible photorealistic paintings by Richard Estes that will stop you in your tracks. You must see these. I also loved The Great Portuguese piece from the museum’s permanent collection.

El Retiro Park: This park covers approximately 350 acres, making it one of the biggest parks in Madrid. There is a huge water and boat area that reminds me of Central Park, and it’s just fun to wind through the mazes of the park. Don’t miss the rose garden, but FYI, it closes at 8 p.m. in the spring and summer, and 6 p.m. in the fall and winter.

Prado Museum – The main Spanish art museum in the country, the Prado holds European art dating all the way back to the 1200s. The museum is home to the largest collections of works by Bosch, Titian, El Greco, Rubens, Velázquez, and Goya. Entry is free for the final two hours every day (which means 6 to 8 p.m. Monday through Saturday and 4 to 7 p.m. Sundays). We went right before they closed for free and were amazed by how much we found.