Madrid

Courtesy of NH Hotel

Meals throughout Spain are eaten much later than in other European countries. Lunch begins around 2 p.m., and most Spaniards don’t sit down to dinner before 10 p.m. A good restaurant won’t really start to fill until 11 p.m. on a weekend night. Any eatery serving dinner at the more American hour of 8 p.m. is a tourist trap. If hunger strikes at an earlier hour, stop your stomach from rumbling with some tapas and a drink. Also, keep in mind that Spaniards tend to dress more formally, and T-shirts will look out of place even at casual spots. For an abbreviated list of restaurants, read Top Tables Madrid.