Eating in Madrid
Restaurants
In Madrid there are restaurants of all categories to be found.
From simple bars to exclusive gourmet restaurants, the budget
range is very broad. Cuisine here is very international, it
is possible to find dishes from almost every area of the world
and the possibilities continue to grow. Asian, South American
and African cuisine is slowly but surely taking hold in Madrid.
However Asian restaurants are still fairly expensive and going
to a Mexican or Italian restaurant will go easier on the wallet.
Those seeking experiences that are out of the ordinary should
go to Botín Restaurant, which exists since 1725 and
is recorded in the Guinness Book of Records as the oldest
restaurant. The gastronomic experience which took off here
in the seventies has seen restaurants sprout up around the
city. Going to a restaurant with a Flamenco dinner show makes
for a great outing.
Small Snacks
Tapas bars are to be found all over town. A well-know chain
of tapas bars in Madrid is Museo de Jamón. The name
“museum” most likely comes from the fact that
many dried legs of ham hang from the ceiling. Of course you
will also come across more international chains of fast-food
restaurants in Madrid. When going out for tapas, be sure to
distinguish between “raciones” a whole plate and
the smaller portions referred to as “pinchos”.
If you order a “bocadillo” you’ll get an
open sandwich.
Cafes and Bars
Madrid is full of all kinds of cafes. Theatrical and literary
cafes, cafes inside stores and traditional coffee houses in
Belle Époque style are often meeting places for artists.
They are generally open all day long and if you get the chance
to stop over for a relaxing cup of coffee, they provide a
great retreat from hectic city life for a while. Usually nothing
happens in bars until after 11 PM and it isn’t until
well into the night, around 3 AM, that they begin to really
fill up.
Etiquette in Restaurants
As was mentioned earlier, going out for a meal here is an
important affair. When entering a restaurant, you should wait
for the head waiter to direct you to your seat. It is considered
very impolite to simply sit at another patron’s table.
It is best to ask the waiter if a table will be free soon
or go and try out another restaurant.
In Spain people don’t tend to split the check and you
may find that the waiter refuses to charge you separately.
When tipping, it is not customary to simply round up the total
sum of the bill you pay. Rather, before leaving the restaurant,
leave a few notes behind on the table. Generally 5% is left
as a tip.
While in Frankfurt
taking a German Language Course try out the different
eateries around town and decide which you like best.
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