Taberna Casa de Las Tostas

I won’t even post this as a review, it’s a downright challenge: if you can find a better tostas bar than Taberna La Casa de Las Tostas, send us the address and we will personally check it out.

Many think that a tosta is bite-sized piece of bread topped by heart-clogging chorizo or a larger piece of tomato-shmeared bread with a bit of jamon – these people have been sadly deceived. A proper tosta can be a meal in itself often served on slab of bread large enough to cover the plate. They can come in a variety of styles ranging from finger-licking good all the way up to hoity-toity.

Taberna Casa de las Tostas, located on Argumosa street just down from the Lavapies metro station, is a modest looking establishment – the untrained eye might even confuse it for a run-of-the-mill old-man bar. The interior, with exposed brick and sepia-tinted photos of old Madrid, has a subtle charm but nothing that draws the attention of some of the more stylish bars on the street. However, once you sample the food, you’ll realize that what the bar lacks in flashiness it more than makes up for with its menu.

The menu doesn’t bother with other types of fair – the folks here do one thing and they do it well. You should be able to find something to suit every taste: salmon with cheese of Burgos, caviar and capers; a scramble with mushroom and shrimp; or goat’s cheese with caramelized onion just to mention a few. All of the tostas go well with beer or wine of which they have plenty. The best news is that everything on the menu has the same price – only *6.75 euro. Without a doubt the best time to visit this taberna is during “terraza season” (usually May to September) when you can enjoy summer weather and watch all the funky people in this thriving neighborhood.

*A small charge is usually added for sitting on the terraza.

Taberna Casa de Las Tostas

91 527 08 42

Calle Argumosa, 29

Daily from 13:00 to 16:00 and 18:30 to 1:00

For a complete list of restaurants and tapas spots in Madrid click here

AP