Mercado de San Miguel

The Mercado de San Miguel was built in 1916 as a neighbourhood produce market in cast iron and glass, one of the few of its kind left in Madrid, and by the 2000s it was failing. A private consortium restored it and reopened it in 2009 as a gourmet market: around thirty stalls selling tapas, oysters, jamon, croquetas, vermouth, cheese and wine to eat standing at counters and shared tables rather than to take home. The model has since been copied across Spain and beyond. It works as a first stop for visitors wanting to try many things quickly, and it is packed most evenings; Madrid residents generally regard it as a tourist venue and eat elsewhere.

What you actually see

• The 1916 ironwork - a restored cast iron and glass market hall.
• The tapas counters - around thirty stalls serving small plates.
• The standing tables - shared surfaces rather than seated dining.
• The produce stalls - a smaller remaining component of fresh goods.

When to go

Year-round; it opens from mid-morning to late and is busiest from early evening onward. Weekday lunchtimes are the calmest. It stays open later than most Spanish markets, until midnight or after at weekends.

Honest expectations

Prices are considerably higher than in ordinary Madrid bars for comparable food. It is extremely crowded and finding space at a counter takes patience. Locals largely avoid it, so it is not a place to see how Madrid eats.

Nearby

Plaza Mayor is next door; La Latina's tapas streets are a few minutes south.