MADRID - CASA LABRA

CASA LABRA

It is said history was made at this bar on the 2nd of May 1879 with the formation of the PSOE (Spanish socialist party), and on walking in, it appears you could still be back in 1879 as nothing seems to have changed since then!

It is an excellent traditional bar.

and is famous for its croquetas de bacalao.

Some of the best in Madrid.

The tajadas de bacalao are pieces of cod deep-fried in batter until crispy.

They are served with wooden cocktail sticks or eaten with your fingers, costing €1.75 each.

They are great value at that price, and the crispy cod in the batter is similar to the best English cod.

They are best eaten with a caña or a Spanish wine selection from the barrel. In addition to the bar area, there is a small room in the back for more varied meals served at your table.

This is not a place for fine dining. It is an old, unpretentious, and much-respected traditional tapas bar, although its menu is limited. You go for the bacalao. Both locals and tourists frequent it. It is a place to pop in for a beer and tapas for an hour or so and then move on. It is rightly respected as a gem in Madrid.