Vermouth in Madrid is a midday ritual, not a cocktail-hour drink, and the best place to try it is a tavern that has poured it from a tap for a century. Bodega de La Ardosa on Calle de Colón 13 opens at 9am, Taberna Ángel Sierra sits on Plaza de Chueca, and Bodegas Alfaro in Lavapiés stays open until 10pm on Sunday. All three are open seven days a week. Casa Alberto on Calle de las Huertas makes its own vermouth and sells it at €13.50 a bottle. It shuts on Mondays, and Casa Camacho, home of the yayo, shuts on Sundays.
Where should I drink vermouth on tap in Madrid? At La Ardosa (Calle de Colón 13, from 9am) or Casa Camacho in Malasaña, Ángel Sierra in Chueca, Casa Alberto in Barrio de las Letras, which makes its own, or Bodegas Alfaro and El Boquerón in Lavapiés. La Ardosa, Ángel Sierra and Alfaro open every day; Casa Camacho closes on Sunday and Casa Alberto on Monday.
What is the vermouth hour, and how do you order it?
La hora del vermut is the drink before lunch. Lunch in Madrid starts at around 2pm, so the vermouth hour runs from midday until then, and on Sundays it follows the Rastro, which runs from 9am to 3pm (what to know before the Rastro).
- At the bar, ask for «un vermut de grifo», vermouth from the tap. It is usually the red, sweet kind.
- Order a tapa with it. Some bars add a small one with the drink, which is custom rather than an obligation, as explained in whether tapas are free in Madrid.
- Pay at the end, at the bar, and ask the price first if you want to know it.
Which vermouth tavern is open on the day you go?
Monday is the tricky day: Casa Alberto, Bodegas Rosell and Hermanos Vinagre are closed. On Tuesday, Ricla and El Anciano Rey de los Vinos close, and on Wednesday it is El Boquerón. With one free morning and no time to check, go to La Ardosa, Ángel Sierra or Alfaro.
After the Rastro on Sunday
From Ribera de Curtidores you can walk to three taverns:
- Bodegas Alfaro, Calle del Ave María 10: Sunday 1pm to 10pm, mackerel with peppers, smoked sardine and salmorejo. Antón Martín Metro (Line 1) about 150 m.
- El Boquerón, Calle de Valencia 14: Sunday noon to 4pm, cheap seafood, grilled prawns and anchovies in vinegar. Lavapiés Metro (Line 3) about 100 m.
- Bodegas Ricla, Calle de Cuchilleros 6 by Plaza Mayor: Sunday 1.30pm to 6pm, standing room only, tinned seafood and callos. Cava Baja, the tapas street, is five minutes away (Cava Baja tapas).
Where to go by neighbourhood
Malasaña. La Ardosa dates from 1892 and serves tuna mojama, tortilla and anchovies; it fills early at weekends. Casa Camacho, 250 m away, is the place for a yayo. More on the area in the Malasaña guide.
Chueca. Ángel Sierra opened in 1908 right on Plaza de Chueca, with a carved wooden bar and tiles from La Cartuja in Seville. Chueca Metro (Line 5) is about 50 m away.
Barrio de las Letras. Casa Alberto, founded in 1827, holds a Sol Repsol for 2026. Bar tapas start at €5.50, and half a portion of callos is €17.00 (callos in Madrid).
Lavapiés and Atocha. Alfaro and El Boquerón are the neighbourhood picks (Lavapiés guide). Bodegas Rosell, on Calle del General Lacy 14 behind Atocha station, does salt cod and croquetas.
Map of the vermouth taverns
What you might not like
- Small and crowded. Ricla is standing room only, and La Ardosa fills up early at weekends.
- Split hours. Ricla, El Boquerón, Rosell and Alfaro close in the afternoon on weekdays, so a 5pm vermouth needs the chart above.
- The yayo packs a punch. It mixes vermouth, gin and soda water, so order food with it.
FAQ about vermouth in Madrid
What is la hora del vermut in Madrid?
It is the pre-lunch drink: a glass of vermouth, usually red and poured from a tap, with something salty, taken from around midday before lunch, which in Madrid starts at about 2pm. On Sundays it follows the Rastro flea market, which runs from 9am to 3pm.
Where can I drink vermouth on tap in Madrid on a Sunday?
La Ardosa, Ángel Sierra, Bodegas Alfaro, El Anciano Rey de los Vinos and Hermanos Vinagre are open all day on Sunday. Casa Alberto, El Boquerón and Bodegas Rosell open from noon to 4pm only, and Ricla from 1.30pm to 6pm. Casa Camacho is closed.
What is a yayo?
The house drink at Casa Camacho in Malasaña: vermouth topped with gin and fizzy lemonade, served at the bar since the 1920s. It is stronger than plain vermouth, so order one and eat something with it.
Can I buy Madrid vermouth to take home?
Yes, at Casa Alberto, which makes its own. A 0.75-litre bottle costs €13.50, the 12-month aged version €16.00 and a 3-litre box with its own tap €36.00, sold at the tavern on Calle de las Huertas 18 and in its online shop.
Pick the tavern by the day of the week, then order the house vermouth on tap with a tapa.