Taberna La Bola

I finally had the opportunity to go to one of the most traditional restaurants in Madrid. It is one of the places I had never been too despite living here. The restaurant is quite affordable (a set meal for some 20€ very nourishing).

It is located right in the center of Madrid, in La Bola street, more precisely. And it is a a magnificent restaurant. A unique place where you can enjoy in a very special way the most relevant traditional dish in Madrid: the cocido (stew with various types of meat, vegetables, potato, legumes... typical in Madrid).

It is a restaurant where the familiar aspect has been preserved. We could even go into the kitchen to see how they make, all week long, the delicious dish, in the most traditional way as they can.

I want to tell you about this excellent gastronomical spot in Madrid, which is going to surprise you and I am sure it will leave your palate and stomach satisfied with some extra kilos! It is located in the center. You take the subway and go out in Santo Domingo station. There you ask for La Bola street. On their website 'https://www.labola.es' you have a map with the exact location, apart from the information on specialties, history, etc.

It is a very typical and old place of Madrid. It dates back to 1870. The owners are the Verdasco family, yes the tennis-player's, who has been taking care of it for generations.

It is a family tavern, open for 140 years. Their specialty is the cocido (stew of different meats and vegetables) cooked in a clay pot over oak charcoal. Also very good is the baby lamb roast, the house hake and all the desserts.

It is the restaurant that I most recommend to my acquaintances, an iconic site in Madrid gastronomy. It’s really good for taking your family from other parts of Spain, for them to try the best of our cuisine.

The price is not excessive and the quality is a ten. It gives you the chance to try a cocido (stew) cooked in a firewood oven, that is quite different to those made at home... it’s a small place so reservations are required and payments are to be made in cash. Those are the only drawbacks, trivial when compared to the satisfaction of tasting their dishes and being served with such

I use that word because I think it describes just how well we ate. Everything we ordered was exquisite and the service friendly and prompt. They even made a special treat for my young daughter. The price, while definitely not cheap, is acceptable, especially if you consider the portions and quality of the food. If I must point-out a drawback, it’d be that they don’t accept credit cards, but they do warn you of this when you make a reservation. I definitely recommend it for those ve want to eat like a true señor.