Madrid Wine Bars
NOTE: Updated on January 15, 2024
Madrid is known for its museums, the Royal Palace and the Plaza Mayor, its traditional neighborhoods, its tapas bars and innovative restaurants. For wine lovers or wine-curious travelers Madrid’s selection of wine bars is a reason to spend time in Madrid. These wine spots–ranging from casual to white tablecloth–give you the chance to taste wines from across Spain. If you’re traveling to a wine region after your time in Madrid, you can start your wine immersion in Madrid.
The Best Place in Spain to Drink Wine
Madrid, Spain’s sprawling, cosmopolitan capital, happens to be the best place in the country to drink wine. Just as Madrid’s cuisine brings together influences from all over Spain, Madrid wine lists feature the best wines from every corner of the country. When you’re in Spanish wine country, be it La Rioja, Rias Baixas, Priorat or Jerez, you can dive deep into the local wine scene, trying wines from local producers. Madrid is like all the wine regions’ wine bars together in one place. You can try everything from everywhere. Liquid tourism in the capital. Of course there are many restaurants with memorable wine lists, but for an immediate deep dive into Spanish wine head to one of Madrid’s many wine bars.
Wine and Tapas in Madrid
Madrid wine bars range from historic taverns to impeccable modern wine temples; there’s a place for every occasion. Most of the wine bars highlight the city’s love of great food and wine, serving tapas or shared plates to accompany glasses and bottles. In fact, some of the best wine bars in the city are as beloved by locals for their food as for their wine. You might stop in at one place for a quick glass, but if you want to settle in for a night of wine exploration you can do it with excellent food.
Wines From Madrid
In Madrid you’ll find wines from all over Spain and other countries on wine lists, but make sure to try at least one of the stellar wines from the Vinos de Madrid region, located just outside of the city. Many of the wines from the Madrid region are made from high-altitude old-vine Garnacha, garnering them cult status.
The wine bars we’ve included here are spread around the city: Chueca, Gran Vía, Salamanca, Lavapiés, Letras. But don’t worry, these are all central districts walkable or a short taxi ride. Some take reservations and others are first come first served. If you want to eat, make sure and reserve or get there early.
Contact us for a private wine tasting in Madrid. We’d love to show you why we love Spanish wine–and Madrid!
Alimentación Quiroga
On a busy narrow artery of the Letras district, with a corner location and plate glass windows, Alimentación Quiroga is an old-school Madrid spot for wine and tapas. The name “alimentación” has been preserved from the bar’s former life as a gourmet food store. With time, Quiroga became a store-bar where customers could try the products, and eventually a full-fledged tapas bar. Eating at Quiroga is like eating in a classy European store with great wines by the glass.
Today you can enjoy cooked tapas alongside the products from the deli counter like Iberian ham, charcuterie, and a wide range of Spanish and imported cheeses. The food would be enough to make Quiroga worth a stop, but what makes it a destination is the liquid part of the experience. You’ll find a diverse selection of Spanish wines by the glass, alongside numerous vermouths and the requisite Spanish beer. If you decide to enjoy a bottle of wine, you can choose one from the display in the center of the room. Pick your bottle, paying a nominal corkage fee. The prices are right, the food and wine selections respectable and the vibe is casual. It doesn’t take long to grasp why this is a place that fills up with locals night after night.
Angelita
Right behind Madrid’s Gran Vía is a temple to good wine– Angelita–where enthusiasts from the city and around the world gather and taste. An elegant bar draws the eye to the back of a modern, comfortable space dotted with tables. Brothers David and Mario maintain a wide range of wines by the glass here, with a focus on rare wines from cult producers and with a balance of Spanish and foreign wine. You’ll find glasses here that are hard to find even by the bottle, and the option to order half glasses makes it even more incredible. The selection by the bottle stretches into the hundreds, the perfect option if you decide to sit at one of the tables and enjoy the impeccable cuisine that forms the second pillar of Angelita’s fame. Using fresh produce from their parents’ garden alongside carefully sourced and prepared product from elsewhere, Angelita offers subtle, honest, seasonal dishes that would be exceptional on their own but shine bright accompanied by the staff’s wine selections. Downstairs you’ll find one of Madrid’s great cocktail bars, perfect for if you want to extend your experience here, with a combination of classic and creative drinks, cozy decor, and a selection of spirits on a par with the wine list upstairs.
Batch
The Vallhermoso market is one of Madrid’s under the radar eating destinations, a place where creative cuisine from all over the world finds an enthusiastic and loyal audience. Wine enthusiasts who finds themselves there might want to stop by Batch, a shop and bar selling natural wine and fermented food products. The bottles in the case will be unfamiliar to many and bear labels reminiscent of craft beers, but you will find a selection of Spanish and international natural wines here that includes some of the most sought-after selections from talented producers. Talk to the passionate staff for guidance, or let the chips fall where they may. It’s a great excuse to head out of the center and discover an exciting side to Madrid’s food and wine scene.
Berria
Berria is the new definition of a luxury wine experience in Madrid. At the edge of the glamorous Salamanca neighborhood Berria has an enviable outdoor terrace looking out over the Puerta de Alcalá and an impeccably designed interior. As soon as you enter the bar you realize this is no ordinary wine bar. Custom wine cellar cases line the walls of the space, filled with bottles that draw the eye. The team here will greet you quickly with impeccable service that hints at their past lives at the best restaurants in Spain. Settle in and you’ll see the wine list here is equal to the environment: dozens of the finest wines from Spain and beyond are available by the glass, each served in a Riedel or Zalto glass chosen to maximize its expression. There are great drinkable selections from boutique producers, classic bottles, and extremely rare wines that are rarely served by the glass anywhere. If you look into the bottle list, you’ll find one of the most extensive cellars anywhere in the city. The greatest wines from countries around the world, selected by the expert sommelier team, are stored and served perfectly. It would be easy to be overwhelmed, but the staff can help guide you towards the right wine for the moment. Berria hasn’t limited itself to wine, offering a simple menu that highlights the absolute best products in Spain, from iberian ham and varied delicious cheeses to meat and fish sourced from around Spain. If you want to experience the most elevated wine experience in Madrid, Berria offers it.
Casa González
Step into the lovely yesteryear Casa González (founded in 1931 by owner Paco’s grandfather). They have a knockout wine cellar with over 45 wines available by the glass. The food available includes a great selection of Spanish cheeses and charcuterie and select dishes cooked each day.
Dis Tinto
In a half basement near the popular tapas area of Calle Jesús, where beer washes down traditional dishes day and night, Dis Tinto offers a different experience: elegantly updated tapas and a killer wine selection. Step inside and you’ll immediately notice the wine botles covering the bar and the walls. You’ll find a few dozen by the glass, plus a few dozen more sherries and Champagnes.
Sherry is one of the specialties of the owners, but the remarkable feature of Dis Tinto is its Champagne selection. You’ll find reasonably priced glasses from small growers alongside bottles at very reasonable prices. The extensive list of conventional wines helps make clear why this is a popular hangout for Madrid sommeliers. The food here equals the wine, making for a perfect match. Creative but respectful versions of Madrid classics like tortilla and ensaladilla exist alongside modern preparations influenced by Japanese and other cuisines. Get a few plates to share and some wine and enjoy a true gourmet food and wine experience right in the heart of Madrid.
Ganz Wine Bar
A postpandemic addition to Madrid’s already impressive wine bar scene, Ganz occupies a cozy space tucked away in the Barrio de las Letras. Light washes across checkerboard tiles and ornate details, comfortable tables and modern artwork. Founder Fernando spent years deepening his knowledge of wine before embarking on this project, and that experience shows in the menu and the wine list. Carefully chosen wines from small producers of all sorts are available by the glass along with a superb selection by the bottle. The food includes wine bar essentials like cheese and charcuterie platters alongside a creative menu that highlights quality products and provides plenty of opportunities for intriguing wine pairings. Whether for a leisurely lunch or a glass or two, Ganz is a great new option in central Madrid.
La Consentida de Doré
This tiny stall across from the entrance to the Antón Martín market is a great place to stop for a glass of wine or vermouth and a tapa away from the bustle of Calle Atocha. Sit down at one of the barrels in front or stand at the bar. You’ll find a case full of delicious salty gildas, cold skewers combining olives, pickles, cured fish, and the occasional hot pepper. To wash it down, a selection of good value red and white wines is available, but the most popular choice is a glass of vermouth on ice. You’ll find a selection of delicious vermouths from around Spain, from sweet and easy-drinking to spicy and complex.
La Fisna
Of all the places to drink wine in Madrid, La Fisna may be the favorite among the city’s wine professionals. In the central working neighborhood of Lavapiés, where artists mix with immigrants in retro bars and historic cafés, La Fisna’s exterior doesn’t look like much. Step inside, and you’ll be greeted by bottles of great wine. They cover the walls behind the tables and behind the bar, in addition to resting comfortably on happy clients’ tables. The partners behind La Fisna began distributing and selling rare and interesting wines before opening the bar, and La Fisna continues to have a wine store within it where you can buy bottles to take home. Most come to drink in though, for a few reasons. The environment is cozy and comfortable, a small taberna full of fellow wine lovers. The staff are wine experts who can guide you capably towards an interesting glass or bottle. You’ll find dozens of wines by the glass or half glass, including small Spanish producers, rarities from other countries (especially France and Italy), and great selections of sparkling and fortified wines by the glass. The prices are fair; they are beyond fair if you order a bottle. Every bottle at La Fisna is sold at store price, with a small corkage fee, so you can comfortably enjoy any of the hundreds of bottles available here. If you consider that there’s an extensive food menu which ranges from cheese and charcuterie to delicious specialties using seasonal ingredients that pair perfectly with fine wine, La Fisna becomes an obvious choice for any wine lover in Madrid.
La Venencia
It may not quite be the oldest bar in Madrid, but La Venencia is certainly one of the most traditional places in the city. Stepping through the door is to engage in time travel–to Andalusia. The interior seems (and seriously may be) untouched since the bar’s creation in 1928. The products on offer are simple. As the word venencia, a tool for serving sherry from the barrel, might imply, this is a sherry taberna of the sort rarely seen anymore and even less so outside Andalusia. Sherry wine straight from the barrel, sourced from the best wineries of Jerez and Sanlúcar, is the only drink. It’s served in the traditional small catavino glasses and the bill is tracked in chalk on the long wooden bar. The decor is dark wood and old posters for bygone bullifights and old bottles from disappeared sherry titans of Jerez who live on in the memories of sherry fans. Any regular at La Venencia will remind you of the most important rule: No photos allowed, you’ll have to remember your experience here the old fashioned way. To accompany your sherry, there’s quality charcuterie and cured fish available, but this is strictly a bar, not a restaurant. Gabriel, a young and motivated member of the family that owns La Venencia, has opened a special section of the bar in the basement which takes the secrecy of the bar to a new level. Head down a narrow set of stairs and you’re surrounded by more bottles of sherry and greeted by low tables surrounded by barrels. Gabriel’s passion for quality sherry drove him to open this section where some of the finest bottled sherries are available to those who want to taste sherry at its absolute best. Both parts of the bar are mandatory stops for wine and sherry lovers in the Spanish capital.