If you're a regular reader of this blog you'll know that I love city breaks. You'll probably also know that my favourite activities to partake in on city breaks include eating alllll the yummy food and drinking alllll the rooftop cocktails. I'm happy to tell you that our recent trip to Madrid ticked the boxes on both of those fronts which made me fall for the city even more than I akready had. I know that you guys appreciate some good brunch and an Insta-worthy bar as much as I do, so I thought it was only fair for me to share my recommendations with you all. Here's my guide on where to eat and drink in Madrid...

The Ultimate Madrid Food and Drink Guide

Food

Mercado de San Miguel

So no Madrid food and drink guide would be complete without a mention of Mercado de San Miguel. As well as serving up some of the freshest food in the city, this covered market is also a beauty to look at, with 20th century glass walls and plenty of original features. You'll be hit by the smells and the colours as soon as you walk in - I recommend finding a spot at one of the walk up bars and eating your way around the food stalls, ideally accompanied by a cold bottle of Mahou.

HanSo

The way our trip fell meant that we only had one brunch opportunity while we were in the city (sad face), but thankfully we made a really great choice with the opportunity we did have! I can't take any credit for this recommendation as Sam stumbled upon it during a search for Madrid's best coffee, and it did not disappoint. Not only was the coffee great, but we also enjoyed some yummy Spanish tomato bread - it was served "build your own" style and it was just what we needed to set us up for a full day of exploring.

La Musa

A couple of you recommended this restaurant to us and it did not disappoint! Located on a busy square in the Latin quarter, this hip eatery serves up tapas with a twist. We enjoyed a feast of fresh guacamole and chips, dumplings, croquettes and tacos, and every single dish was bursting with flavour. The best bit was that our whole dinner plus a couple of Aperol spritzes cost us less than 30 euros - you'd be hard pushed to find food that yum for such a good price in other major European cities.

Bosco de Lobos

This trendy restaurant was recommended in the Madrid Wallpaper Guide and we were totally sold by the combination of Italian comfort food and super cool interiors. Bosco de Lobos is hard to find - tucked just off a busy street and hidden by another building, but you'll know it as soon as you see it. Picture floor to ceiling glass walls, beautiful lighting and a gorgeous terrace filled with people enjoying an aperitif. The food was great too - we enjoyed steak tartaglia and calzone and both were delicious. This is definitely the place for you if you're looking for a chic dinner spot off the beaten track.

Mercado de San Anton

This lesser known food market is less bustling and busy than Mercado de San Miguel, but it's still worth a visit nonetheless. There's several floors in the building, with one for fresh produce, one for cooked food and a lovely little rooftop bar/restaurant too. We had some drinks on the roof before enjoying a tapas lunch from a couple of the stalls and it was an absolutely perfect way to spend an afternoon (even if I did feel like I was going to burst from fullness by the time we left!).

Drinks

The Hat

The Hat is a hip little hostel near the latin quarter and it just happens to have a lovely little bar nestled on it's rooftop - think pretty fairy lights, plants and an epic drinks menu. This place seemed to be jam-packed full of locals catching up over a beer after work and I just loved the whole vibe. Perhaps the best thing though was the yummy cocktails that were served in bags - yes, you read that right, bags! - it was kinda difficult to keep them standing up, but they looked so cool!

Azotea at Círculo de Bellas Artes

Every guide we read before we got to Madrid highlighted this spot as the best place to watch the sunset over the city and they weren't wrong! This huge terrace is situated on the roof of the Círculo de Bellas Artes building and has views that span the golden city in it's entirety. The drinks are well made (we tried the sangria which was lush) and the music and laidback seating areas make for a really great atmosphere. You have to pay 4 euros to get up to the rooftop so I'd recommend getting there early and settling in to watch as the city turns from day to night.

Hotel NH Collection Madrid Suecia

This rooftop bar is situated in the hotel next door to Círculo de Bellas Artes, so it's a great place to go if the queues are too long there or if you just fancy another drink before dinner. You don't get the same panoramic views from up here but we found the bar to be a lot quieter and more relaxed. Plus, it's an Instagram dream with pink sofas, festoon lights and a dreamy bar set up. Apparently they also show movies on the roof during the summer, so worth keeping your eyes peeled for that.