On Cava Baja, the tavern street of La Latina, the day of the week matters as much as the menu. Txakolina at number 26 serves dinner only from Monday to Thursday, Casa Lucas at number 30 skips Wednesday lunch, and Casa Lucio at number 35 closes for all of August. At Casa Lucas and Casa Lucio food runs from 1pm to 4pm and again from 8pm, which is late by British or American standards; Txakolina opens for dinner at 7pm and cooks non-stop at weekends. The prices printed online are Txakolina’s, with broken eggs at €15.90, and Casa Lucio’s, with its fried eggs at €16.50 plus €2.50 for bread.
Cava Baja is a narrow street in La Latina, about a 300-metre walk from La Latina Metro on line 5, with three of its best-known bars within 50 metres of each other.
Where should you go for tapas on Cava Baja in Madrid? On Cava Baja in La Latina, go to Casa Lucas for croquettes and wine by the glass, open daily except Wednesday lunch; to Txakolina for broken eggs at €15.90, dinner only Monday to Thursday; and to Casa Lucio for a sit-down plate of huevos estrellados at €16.50. Casa Lucas and Casa Lucio serve 1pm to 4pm and from 8pm, and Casa Lucio closes all of August.
How does a tapas crawl on Cava Baja work?
A crawl here means a drink and one or two plates at each stop, standing at the bar, then moving a few doors down. Madrid eats later than most visitors expect, with lunch around 2pm and dinner around 9pm, and the kitchens here are built around that.
- Start at Casa Lucas, which, according to Casa Lucas, serves hot and cold pinchos and wine by the glass at the bar or at a table.
- Move on to Txakolina, a few doors away, if you want to see the price before you order.
- Finish sitting down at Casa Lucio across the street, or walk about 270 metres to Taberna Almendro 13 on the parallel street.
- Free tapa? A bar may put a small bite down with a drink, but nothing obliges it to, as set out in what a Madrid bar owes you with a drink.
- Tipping is optional and prices include VAT; the details are in tipping in Madrid.
Which bar suits what you want to eat?
Pick by what you want on the plate and whether you want to stand or sit. Two of the four bars print prices online.
| If you want | Go to | Price |
|---|---|---|
| Wine by the glass and croquettes at the bar | Casa Lucas, Cava Baja 30 | Ask at the bar |
| Broken eggs with ham, priced upfront | Txakolina, Cava Baja 26 | €15.90 |
| Oxtail tacos or paella for one | Txakolina, Cava Baja 26 | €16.90 for the tacos |
| A sit-down lunch with tablecloths | Casa Lucio, Cava Baja 35 | €16.50 fried eggs, €2.50 bread |
| An old-school bar off the main street | Taberna Almendro 13, Calle del Almendro 13 | Ask at the bar |
Casa Lucio charges €20.50 for its callos and €2.50 a croquette, with VAT included according to Casa Lucio. Txakolina advertises 15% off if you arrive as each service opens; that is a promotion with conditions, not the menu price. Almendro 13 has been open since 1993, lists no hours online and answers on 91 365 42 52. If broken eggs are the whole point of the trip, where to eat huevos rotos in Madrid compares Casa Lucio with houses elsewhere in the city.
Which day works, from Rastro Sunday to a Monday night?
- Sunday. All three serve lunch, Txakolina from noon and non-stop until 10.30pm, and the flea market packs up at 3pm, so Cava Baja is the natural next stop after the Rastro flea market.
- Monday to Thursday lunchtime. Txakolina opens only at 7pm, so start at Casa Lucas or Casa Lucio.
- Wednesday lunchtime. Casa Lucas opens only at 8pm, so Casa Lucio is the only lunch.
- August. Casa Lucio closes for the month, and also on the evenings of 24, 25 and 31 December and 1 January.
On a weeknight, a quieter alternative with a local crowd is Calle Ponzano in Chamberí.
On a Monday, the Huertas bars around Plaza de Santa Ana are the other option, set out in Huertas tapas in the Barrio de las Letras.
How do you get to Cava Baja, and do you need to book?
Take Metro line 5 to La Latina and leave by the Plaza de la Cebada exit; Casa Lucas is about 300 metres on foot.
A single Metro ticket costs €1.50 to €2.00 depending on the number of stations, and a trip from Barajas adds a €3 airport supplement, explained in the Madrid airport Metro supplement. The rest of the area, from the churches to the flamenco tablaos, is in the La Latina neighbourhood guide.
You do not need to book for the bar; for a table at peak hours, you should. Casa Lucas takes online bookings only for 1pm and 8pm, holds the table for 5 minutes, and books other times in person. Txakolina takes bookings on its website, and Casa Lucio answers on 91 365 82 17. Before dinner, the English bookshop Desperate Literature is at number 8 on the same street; see bookshops in Madrid.
Frequently asked questions about Cava Baja tapas
What should I order on Cava Baja?
Ham and boletus croquettes or oxtail at Casa Lucas, broken eggs with ham at Txakolina for €15.90, huevos estrellados at Casa Lucio for €16.50, and fried aubergine with salmorejo at Taberna Almendro 13.
What time do tapas bars on Cava Baja serve food?
Casa Lucas and Casa Lucio serve lunch from 1pm to 4pm and dinner from 8pm, so between 4pm and 8pm they serve no food. Txakolina serves dinner only from Monday to Thursday, from 7pm, and cooks non-stop from Friday to Sunday. Casa Lucio closes for the whole of August.
Is Cava Baja good after the Rastro?
Yes. On Sundays Casa Lucas and Casa Lucio serve lunch from 1pm to 4pm and Txakolina cooks from noon to 10.30pm, and the Rastro flea market packs up at 3pm, so a late lunch on Cava Baja fits straight after it.
Do you tip at tapas bars in Madrid?
No law requires a tip and the menu price already includes VAT. What can appear on the bill is a charge the menu shows, such as the €2.50 bread per person at Casa Lucio.
Check the day first, arrive at 1pm or after 8pm, and Cava Baja does the rest.