On one of Madrid’s most historic streets, Cava Baja, you will find restaurant Schotis. Since Medieval times Cava Baja used to be the place where travellers to Madrid would arrive on horse or by coach and it was lined with ‘posadas’ and taverns. Today it is quite a vibrant street with many bars and good quality restaurants.

El Schotis is at the beginning of the street, as you come from Plaza Mayor. The bar in the front of the restaurant, from where you can eat great tapas, disguises the restaurant in the back, where you will find traditional Castilian fare which includes roast lamb, steaks, hake ‘Cocido’ (stew made with chick peas, chorizo and meat) and home-made desserts. On the walls of the restaurant you will find paintings by the Spanish artist Eduardo Vicente. El Schotis is thought of as the first restaurant of its kind in this street.

Address: Cava Baja, 11.
Metro: Latina

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The restaurant Botín is located just off Madrid’s Plaza Mayor in calle Cuchilleros (knife makers street). Botín is written of in Hemingway’s ‘The Sun Also Rises’ and was one of his favourite restaurants, hence its popularity amongst tourists. The Guinness Book of records lists it as the oldest restaurant in the world (1725, the building dates from 1590) and it is said that the painter Goya actually worked as a dishwasher here. The restaurant is renowned for its suckling pig and roasted lamb and serves typical Castilian food. It has 4 floors and the woodfire oven is said to be the original from the 18th century. Prices are not cheap but it’s not every day that you eat at the oldest restaurant in the world.

Address: c/Cuchilleros, 17-19
Metro: Tirso de Molina or Puerta del Sol

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Just behind the Spanish parliament, and often frequented by politicians, is a German restaurant called Edelweiss, which has been open since 1939. The inside of the restauarant is very plain, yet the food certainly is not. Specialities include codillo (pig’s knuckle), served with sauerkraut and mashed potatoes. As a starter I would recommend the pickled herrings and to finish home made apple tart. As befits a good Spanish restaurant, they also offer a fine selection of wines. Should you wish to dine on your own, you can book one of their private rooms – as some politicians do. Prices are also very reasonable at this restaurant.

Address: Jovellanos, 7
Metro: Banco de España or Puerta del Sol

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‘El Cuchi’ is a Mexican restaurant situated just off the south side of the Plaza Mayor, in c/ Cuchilleros. Great Mexican food in this busy place where ‘Hemimgway never ate’ – a dig at all the bars around the Plaza which say that Hemingway did eat there!. Novelties include having your bread placed not on the table but in a basket above your head and a waitress who walks around the restaurant serving shots from a ‘holster’!
Metro: Puerta del Sol (lines 1, 2 and 3)
Address: c/ Cuchilleros, 3 Tel: 913 664 424

My wife and I just love going to this place. It sells quality food from the Galician area of Spain. Along the walls of the restaurant/bar you will see a large display of photos, paintings and mementoes relating to the ‘Camino de Santiago’. My particular favourites are ‘pimientos de padrón (small green peppers which occasionally ‘bite’!), cecina de león (strips of dried beef accompanied by fresh tomato), pulpo (octopus) and pimientos rellenos (stuffed red peppers). They also offer a good wine selection – try the Galician wine Albariño. The restaurant is located close to Metro: Goya (line 2)
c/ General Pardiñas, 26 TEL. 915 782 370.