How to eat out in Madrid Without Breaking the Bank

Madrid is full of great culture and food making it a perfect tourist destination. Trying to do and see everything can definitely get a bit pricey, but that doesn’t mean you should have to miss out on anything! You can still enjoy the local cuisine while on a budget if you do a bit of research before your trip. Lucky for you, I’ve got you covered. These suggestions will let you taste all Madrid has to offer without spending all your savings.

Takos Al Pastor is well known for having great tacos, so don’t be surprised if you arrive to find a long queue coming out of the front door. Trust me though, these tacos are worth the wait. Not only are they tasty but they’re only 1 euro each. What a steal!    

It’s hard to spend a day in Madrid without coming across a 100 Montaditos and if it happens to be on a Wednesday or Sunday then you’re in luck. Every single Wednesday and Sunday this chain restaurant has a promotion where almost every single menu item is 1 euro. Their menu has 100 different bite sized sandwiches, called ‘montaditos’, to choose from. If you’re in the mood for just a snack then I recommend trying one or two montaditos. On the other hand, if you’re looking for more of a meal then add on some other tapas and a glass of tinto de verano!

Finally, what a lot of tourists don’t know is that most restaurants throughout Spain offer a ‘menú del día’, which is a special lunch menu offered on weekdays for a fixed price. Menú del día typically includes a soup or salad to start, a choice of two or three options for the main meal, a small desert and a beverage of your choice. Considering you get all of this for around 10-15 euros, it’s a pretty great deal!

Traveling on a budget doesn’t have to mean eating at McDonalds for all your meals. Hopefully these cost-effective options will let you experience authentic Spanish cuisine and culture while still having some change left over. Happy travels!