La Manduca

Once a haunt for bullfight spectators (it’s near the Las Ventas bullring), today La Manduca draws crowds to its outdoor terrace that's one of the largest in Madrid. Though lodged between densely-packed apartment towers in a random concrete square, it still feels like an oasis where you can easily spend hours.

This bar’s claim to fame are its crispy, perfectly-cooked patatas bravas. Double dip with the patatas mixtas: one half is drenched in a mildly spicy bravas sauce, the other soaked in extra-garlicky alioli. Another popular order is a long baguette smothered in brie and topped with grilled steak or smoked salmon (while both are great, we happen to favor the former).