Madrid’s classic cuisine incorporates the basic elements of the Mediterranean tradition, such as large amounts of fresh potatoes, tomatoes and white and green asparagus. Specialties originating from the Spanish capital mostly include thick soups and stews, highly popular throughout the region of Castile, the country's central plain. Classics also include roast suckling pig and lamb, as well as beef from Ávila and Sierra de Guadarrama.

To sample all of the aforementioned traditional delights from Madrid at their best, visit Botín near Plaza Mayor. It was established in 1725, and according to the Guinness Book of World Records, it's the oldest restaurant in the world. Goya is said to have worked here before he became a painter; the restaurant was also one of the favourite spots of Hemingway. Some claim that today the restaurant is more of a tourist attraction than an actual eatery, but one can't deny that the food is still excellent. Don't be surprised if you're serenaded by a tuna, one of the traditional musical groups of students dressed in Medieval clothing and performing traditional songs. Casa Lucio and Viejo Madrid, facing each other, offer absolutely fantastic versions of classic delights, as well as their own special baked hake, merluza de la casa. All of the traditional Castilian dishes can be sampled at Taberna La Bola, boasting a reputation for preparing the best cocido in town.

Many of Madrid's top restaurants specialise in Basque cuisine and contemporary interpretations of dishes from Catalonia. That makes this city in the heart of the mainland a genuine seafood haven. Anyone getting up early in the morning will surely notice trucks unloading huge amounts of fresh fish, prawns and oysters delivered straight from the Mediterranean and Atlantic coasts. Some of the most famous establishments serving these delights include El Pescador, Bajamar, Ribeira Do Miño, La Ola del Cantábrico and Bermeo.