Why go

The Mercado de San Miguel is one of Madrid’s most photographed buildings and its most famous place to graze. The iron-framed hall, with its glass walls and green ironwork, has stood just west of Plaza Mayor for more than 100 years. It opened as a wholesale food market and has been reinvented as a gourmet food hall, where more than 20 stands sell tapas, seafood, ham, cheese, wine, vermouth and sweets under one roof. The market says it welcomes more than seven million visitors a year.

It is not where locals do their weekly shopping, and prices are higher than in most bars, but as a place to sample many Spanish specialities in one stop, in a beautiful setting, it is hard to beat.

What to eat and drink

  • Jamón. Hand-carved Iberian ham, sold by the plate or paper cone.
  • Seafood. Oysters, prawns and seafood tapas, often eaten standing at the counter with a glass of white wine.
  • Croquetas and pintxos. Classic bar snacks, with many fillings to choose from.
  • Cheese. Spanish cheeses such as Manchego, sold by the portion.
  • Vermouth. Madrid’s favourite aperitif, on tap at several stalls.
  • Something sweet. Pastries and desserts to finish.

Plan your visit

The market opens every day from 10am. From Sunday to Thursday it closes at midnight, and on Friday, Saturday and the eve of public holidays at 1am. Entry is free. Each stall takes its own payment, so you buy a plate here and a glass there and find a space at the shared standing tables or the counters.

The hall gets very busy in the evenings, at weekends and around lunchtime, when it can be hard to move. For a more relaxed visit, go mid-morning or in the middle of the afternoon on a weekday. Portions are small, so the best approach is to share several dishes from different stalls. Allow 45 minutes to an hour and a half.

Because of the crowds, keep bags closed and phones out of back pockets. There are few seats, so this is a place to stand, chat and move on rather than settle in for a long meal; if you want to sit down, the bars around the market and in La Latina offer tables and better value.

Getting there

The market is on the Plaza de San Miguel, at the western corner of Plaza Mayor. Ópera Metro station (lines 2 and 5) is about five minutes’ walk, and Sol (lines 1, 2 and 3, plus Cercanías) about seven.

Make an evening of it

The Mercado de San Miguel works well as an aperitivo stop before dinner in La Latina, a few minutes south, where Cava Baja and Calle de la Cava Alta are lined with tapas bars and old taverns. On Sunday mornings, the Rastro flea market fills the streets of La Latina and Embajadores, and the area is busy with locals going for a vermouth afterwards.

Nearby

Plaza Mayor is through the arch next door, the Royal Palace and Almudena Cathedral are about eight minutes west along Calle Mayor, and Puerta del Sol is five minutes east.