Mercado de San Miguel

The Mercado de San Miguel is a covered market beside the Plaza de San Miguel, a short walk from the Plaza Mayor in the old centre of Madrid. The building was constructed in the early twentieth century, and opened in 1916, to a design by the architect Alfonso Dubé y Díez. Its cast-iron structure and large glass panels follow the style of the great market halls of the nineteenth century, such as Les Halles in Paris, and it is one of the few Madrid markets of its type that survived. For decades it served as a neighbourhood food market, where residents bought fruit, fish, meat and vegetables.

As eating habits changed and neighbourhood markets lost customers, the building declined. In the early twenty-first century, a private group took over the building, restored it and, after reopening in 2009, turned it into a gourmet food market. The change was controversial, since the stalls now serve prepared dishes and drinks as well as ingredients, and prices are higher than in a traditional market. But the approach saved the building, and it has become one of the most visited sites in the city centre.

Inside, stalls are arranged in rows under the iron roof, and each offers a different speciality: oysters and other shellfish, cured ham sliced by hand, croquettes, tortilla, olives, cheeses, pastries, fresh fruit and wines and vermouth. The idea is to wander, choose small portions from several stalls and eat at the counters or at the shared tables, so you can sample a wide range of Spanish flavours in an hour. The atmosphere is lively and sometimes crowded, particularly at weekends and in the evening, when the market is full of both visitors and locals.

The market is a good stop before or after sightseeing. It sits within easy reach of the Plaza Mayor, the Puerta del Sol and the Royal Palace of Madrid, and the nearby streets are full of old taverns and tapas bars. For a quieter visit, go in the morning or at a weekday off-peak hour, and be ready to wait for a place at the counter in the evening.

It suits food lovers, groups wanting to share small plates and those curious about Madrid's food culture. Prices are on the high side, so it works as a tasting stop rather than an everyday lunch.