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Restaurants

Tapas is one of Madrid's top draws, and no visit would be complete without spending at least an evening bar hopping while sampling small-plate delicacies. Otherwise, the city's gastronomy is quite varied and your dining experiences here can extend to high-end restaurants, affordable neighborhood joints, taverns offering substantial regional cuisine, and eateries with internationally-flavored menus. The most important meal of the day here, as elsewhere in Spain, is lunch, which traditionally served between 2pm and 4pm and, of course, followed by a siesta. Look out for the great-value menús del día (set menus), served in most restaurants for lunch and sometimes dinner. Dinner, generally a less-important affair, is served late – if you want to blend in with the locals, don't show up at a restaurant before 9pm. Below is our selection of Madrid's favorite and famous dining spots.

Our favorite picks among the city's most expensive restaurants all require reservations (unless, of course, you want to dine at 8pm). Dating back to 1725, Botín (Calle Cuchilleros 17; 091/366-4217), near Puerta del Sol, is, according to the Guinness Book of Records, the oldest restaurant in the world; its succulent roast suckling pig was favored by Hemingway back in his day. Some of Madrid's most applauded gastronomic concoctions can be had at Michelin-rated La Terraza Restaurant (Calle Alcalá 15; 091/532-1275; www.casinodemadrid.com) where mouthwatering culinary combos and a regularly-changing menu are concocted in the strict-dress-code setting of the grand Casino de Madrid. Ritzy Club 31 (Calle Alcalá 58; 091/531-0092; www.club31.net), in the elegant Retiro district, is one of Madrid's top restaurants, with beautifully executed classics like steak tartar and Crepes Suzette presented with an innovative touch and unparalleled service. Worth a taxi ride to the Chamartín area is the award-winning El Chaflán (Avenida Pío XII 34; 091/350-6193; www.elchaflan.com) where Mediterranean-inspired fare is prepared with fresh market goods and served in a chic, sky-lit space.

But you can also eat well in Madrid on a moderate budget. If you're willing to wait in line for a Mediterranean feast at mild prices, head to La Finca de Susana (Calle Arlaban 4; 091/369-3557). For flavorful and healthy food, make your way to one of two branches of Fast Good (Calle Padre Damián 23; 091/343-0655; Juan Bravo 3c, 091/577-4151; www.fast-good.com). Both locales of La Musa Latina (Manuela de Malasaña 18; 091/448-7558; Costanilla de San Andrés 12; 091/354-0255; www.lamusalatina.com) are immensely popular for their imaginative tapas-inspired meals and trendy settings. Home-cooking from Spain's province of Castilla y Leon is best sampled at atmospheric Viuda de Vacas (Calle Cava Alta 23; 091/366-5847) where we dare you to try their specialty – bull's tail – served on wooden tables amidst azulejo tiles.

For the best traditional tapas, the standing-room-only La Casa del Abuelo (Calle Victoria 12; 091/521-2319) is your best bet, especially for its ambience and wonderful shrimp (order it a la plancha – grilled - or al ajillo – fried in garlic and oil). Also a must are the cod croquettes (bacalao) at Casa Labra (Calle Tetúan 12; 091/532-1405; www.casalabra.es) which also offers more substantial sit-down Madrileño meals in its backroom restaurant. Carnivores will delight in the delicious ham served up at the restaurant chain known as Museo del Jamón (091/431-7296; www.museodeljamon.es); even the hordes of tourists at the so-called "museum of ham" won't detract from the chorizo and Serrano ham. For Basque tapas like chipirones en su tinta (baby squid in their own ink), don't miss Carmencita in Chueca (Calle Libertad 16; 091/531-6612).