"Madrid is full of mercados where you'll have to jostle through giant tour groups competing to take photos of dangling legs of jamón or buckets of olives, which is why we embrace Mercado de la Cebada. It's a more laid-back, local-centric spot in La Latina that dates back more than a century, but a recent renovation left the space cleaner, newer, and easier to navigate. It’s still home to many of its historic food and drink stalls, like Costa Gallega, a stand that sells seafood on weekdays but offers clandestine tastings of fresh pulpo and mussels on Saturdays (and former opening hours—it continues to close on Sundays and midday). While Cebada is renewed, it still feels traditional: those small bars where you can eat cocido for lunch or order vermouth with tapas or some Spanish potato chips remain busy. " - lori zaino
