Malasaña Tapas & Drinks Tour: 8 Tastes with Time Out's Guide
Taste old and new Madrid in one afternoon, one neighborhood, one guide who knows why it matters
A three-hour food tour of Madrid's Malasaña neighborhood led by a local English-speaking guide, featuring eight food tastings and four drinks at four handpicked venues. You start at Plaza del Dos de Mayo, the historic square that sparked both Madrid's uprising and its modern creative movement, then move through a century-old vermouth bar, a family-run birria taquería, a former tobacco shop now serving two-day croquetas, and a natural wine bar. The guide connects each bite to the people and cultural shifts that shaped the neighborhood.
Step-by-step itinerary
Explore Malasaña food and drink scene
- Meet guide at Plaza del Dos de Mayo
- Visit bar for vermouth and tapas
- Taste birria and tequila at taquería
- Enjoy croquetas with Spanish white wine
- End at wine bar with cava and cheese
What’s included
- Eight food tastings and four drinks across four Malasaña venues.
- food and drink selections curated with Time Out's local editorial team.
- a local expert English-speaking guide.
- a guided walking tour of the neighborhood.
- Tuesday to Saturday 18:30
Information
Walk Malasaña with a Time Out–curated guide, tasting 8 dishes and 4 drinks across four neighborhood bars.
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The experience
What makes Malasaña worth eating through instead of just walking past? The answer is in the four stops themselves. You begin at Plaza del Dos de Mayo, the square named for Madrid's 1808 uprising, which later became the epicenter of the creative movement that rewired the neighborhood's entire identity. From there, the tour moves through a vermouth bar that has poured from the barrel since the late 1920s: a place where the local ritual of meeting over a drink before dinner still holds. This is not a museum. It is a working bar where you taste how old Madrid actually tastes.
The second half of the tour is where Malasaña's transformation becomes tangible. At a specialist birria taquería run by a mother and daughter, you taste a family recipe built on three chilies and 20 spices, paired with tequila, while the guide explains how new arrivals and independent businesses have rewritten what eating in Malasaña means. Then comes croquetas, not from a chain, but from a former state-run tobacco shop whose original counter and cabinetry are still in place. The croquetas are prepared over two days and paired with Spanish white wine. The final stop is a natural wine bar where cava and Spanish cheese bring the tour's old-and-new story together in one relaxed moment.
The guide is the thread connecting all of this. A local English speaker, they do not just name the dishes. They explain how Malasaña evolved from a working-class barrio into one of Madrid's most exciting food neighborhoods, and why each place matters to that story. Eight tastings and four drinks across three hours means you are eating and drinking steadily, not rushing between stops or sitting through long waits. The pace is built for walking and tasting, not for standing still.
Top questions
Can children come?
Yes. Ticket types: Child (2 to 14 years); Infant (under 2): free.
What is Plaza del Dos de Mayo and why does the tour start there?
Plaza del Dos de Mayo is the historic square at the heart of Malasaña, named for Madrid's famous 1808 uprising. It later became the focal point of the creative movement that reshaped the neighborhood's food, music, nightlife and culture. The tour begins there so you understand the square's role in both Madrid's history and the barrio's modern identity.
Can I do this tour if I'm vegetarian or have other dietary restrictions?
The tour is adaptable for vegetarians, pescatarians, gluten-free diets (not celiac disease), dairy-free, non-alcoholic options, and pregnant women. However, you may not have a replacement food option at every stop. If you have dietary restrictions or food allergies, email the Guest Experience team through the booking platform after booking so they can arrange your ingredients at each venue.
How much walking is involved?
This is a walking tour through Malasaña, and you should be able to walk at a moderate pace without difficulty. The tour is not suitable for guests with mobility impairments, wheelchairs, or strollers due to the nature of the neighborhood and the stops involved.
What does the vermouth bar serve, and how old is it?
The vermouth bar has poured vermouth from the barrel since the late 1920s. You taste its signature vermouth cocktail paired with traditional tapas while the guide introduces the local ritual of meeting over a drink before dinner: a custom that still defines how Madrileños socialize before eating.
What is birria and why is the taquería special?
Birria is a slow-cooked stew traditionally from Mexico, and Madrid's first specialist birria taquería serves a family recipe built on three chilies and 20 spices. It is run by a mother and daughter, and the tour stops there to show how new arrivals and independent businesses are changing what it means to eat in Malasaña.
How long is the tour and what time does it start?
The tour runs for three hours. Check the booking page for available departure times and to confirm the exact start time at Plaza del Dos de Mayo.
Operated by Devour Madrid Food Tours. Explorevia does not run this tour: we compare it with similar options, and you book it with our booking partner.
Prices and times updated today
Malasaña Tapas & Drinks Tour: 8 Tastes with Time Out's Guide
3h · EN
from € 99 per person
≈ US$ 111 in your currency
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