3 Top Spots in the Opera Barrio – Gourmet&Tips

Ópera. At the plush slippered feet of Madrid’s Royal Palace, this amorphous neighbourhood is a heady blend of stately squares, narrow, winding streets, and very old money. I remember when I first moved to Madrid, I didn’t really think of Ópera in gastronomic terms. It all seemed a bit bland. Well, times have changed, and there’s now plenty going on amid those blue blooded lanes. In my latest gastro guide in conjunction with Bodegas Montecillo, I check out 150-year-old Madrid institution La Bola, brand-spanking-new seafood bar La Lonja del Mar (Madrid has the second-largest seafood market in the world!) and finally, the classic and, I find, underrated by locals, Mercado de San Miguel. A spot we couldn’t squeeze into the video, but I would also suggest checking out is La Candela Restó – the best Michelin-star meal you’ll have this year at a restaurant without a Michelin star.

Enjoy!