Vinícola Mentridana
A lot of people come to Madrid to see the history and not just to go to the bars. In Vinícola Mentridana you can actually do both at the same time. That’s right, the high vaulted ceilings lined with dusty bottles of wine is enough history for me, no need to visit the museums. If you must go to the Museums this place is actually pretty close to both the Prado and Reina Sofía. Despite this it's anything but touristy as it’s a located on a bit of a backstreet.
Vinícola Mentridana completes it’s historic feel with old wooden floors and wall panelings. There are large french windows opening on the street that are perfect for a summer day of people watching. For a bar they have a very large selection of wines and even do a hot mulled wine in the winter which is really hard to find in Madrid.
In terms of food they have a few main dishes but mainly serve “raciones” and “tostas” but the the portions are quite large. For something very Spanish you could try a tosta with “sobrasada” which is like a spreadable sausage. It’s a great place to come in a group and get a few different things to pick at while experimenting with all the different wines. Vinícola Mentridana is an untacky kind of place with a great atmosphere. It would be great if Spain was more famous for this kind of place and less famous for sangria and flamenco.