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Cava Baja 35 Madrid
34-91-365-3252
In business since 1974, this revered tavern near the Plaza Mayor draws a regular crowd of locals and the occasional visit from royalty and visiting dignitaries. Although the bar, hung with drying ham hocks, is a fun place for an aperitif, the elegant cuisine served in the traditional dining rooms is the real draw. In the upstairs and downstairs spaces, beamed ceilings, whitewashed walls and tiled floors combine with formal tablecloths and heavy silver to create a cozy yet refined atmosphere, comfortable for lunch with friends but also appropriate for a business meal. Attentive tuxedo-clad waiters help newbies navigate the menu, but your best guide may be the well-coiffed matrons, who trot out their best jewels to enjoy a midday bottle of Rioja and the house specialty huevos estrellados – eggs served over fried potatoes and tender solomillo steak. The chefs at Casa Lucio make an art form of this rustic dish, and no visitor to Madrid should miss it.
Written by Henley Vazquez