Madrid Ultimate Spanish Cuisine Tour

Enjoy a delicious initiation to Spanish cuisine at the small, family-owned eateries Madrid locals know and love best. 

• Enjoy 12+ delicious tastes at 9 family-run eateries.
• Try top-quality products from a typical local market.
• Taste the bites you can't leave Madrid without trying.
• Eat among locals in central Madrid.
• Step into cafes, bars, pastry shops, delis, and more.

Get a crash course in Spanish food and culture as you taste your way through the market stalls, pastry shops, and eateries of central Madrid’s most charming neighborhoods. Your expert local guide (and new foodie friend) will take you inside the decades-old establishments that define Madrid. Savor Spanish classics like hand-sliced Iberian ham and incredible freshly baked chorizo rolls. Navigate a traditional market like a local to sample seasonal produce, and bite into only-in-Madrid specialties such as a fried calamari sandwich. This Madrid food tour is your ultimate introduction to the city’s most unmissable bites. By the time you say goodbye to your guide and small group, you'll be ready to take on Madrid's food scene with confidence during the rest of your trip.

First up on your Madrid food tour, you’ll unlearn everything you thought you knew about churros—and discover the real origins of chocolate—at a beloved neighborhood café serving up the best version of both in all of Madrid. 

(Note: Churros stop only available on morning tours. If you select the 5 pm tour, you'll instead visit a popular tapas bar to try two beloved local tapas and a beer.)
  
Next, you’ll set off on an essential part of many madrileños' daily routines: buying freshly baked bread. At a tiny storefront managed by a passionate young baker from northern Spain, you’ll learn why good bread in Madrid can be surprisingly hard to come by—and taste for yourself why this spot is the exception, in the form of their delicious homemade chorizo-stuffed rolls.   
  
From there, it’s off to the market! You’ll explore the vibrant Mercado de Antón Martín as locals from all walks of life do their daily grocery shopping. Along the way, you’ll stop at a variety of stalls to taste their finest products: flavorsome olives, cured meats, locally sourced produce, and Spain’s very own liquid gold: extra virgin olive oil. You'll also sip Spain's favorite aperitif red vermouth and learn why it's special and when to drink it. This is an experience most visitors to Madrid will never have, and a fascinating way to experience local life.
  
After tasting your way around the market, you’ll make your way to an unassuming neighborhood deli with a surprising past. It was here that the owner’s father held clandestine meetings to plot against Spain’s newly established dictatorship in the 1930s! Today, that same space is where you’ll sit down for a mini tasting of cheeses from around Spain paired with two different wines.  
 
The only thing you should eat around Plaza Mayor is your next bite: a calamari sandwich. You can find it almost anywhere in the surrounding area, but today you're trying the best one around, with calamari rings cooked to perfection in light, crunchy batter. Enjoy it standing outside the bar, just like the locals do.   
  
Finally, you’ll finish your Madrid food tour on a sweet note at a pastry shop that’s been going strong since 1855. Opened by the Spanish queen’s own personal pastry chef, this incredible spot is seemingly hidden in plain sight. You might recognize this elegant shop from Spanish-American chef Jose Andrés' travel show, but we've known about this hidden gem for years! Here you’ll try a classic Spanish dessert with your choice of coffee or tea.

• Plaza Mayor, Plaza Mayor, Madrid, Spain
• Mercado Antón Martín, Calle de Santa Isabel, Madrid, Spain

Before you travel, please read the "Know Before You Go" section for essential information, requirements, and possible disruptions regarding your tour.

Before you travel, please read the "Know Before You Go" section for essential information, requirements, and possible disruptions regarding your tour.