Cava Baja at a glance
Cava Baja links plaza de Puerta Cerrada to plaza del Humilladero. Its former inns have become tapas bars and traditional restaurants. The parallel street, Cava Alta, is quieter. The area is described in our La Latina page: it is the heart of the "tapeo", the bar crawl.
Three established addresses
| Address | Where | Why go |
|---|---|---|
| Casa Lucio | Cava Baja 35 | The "huevos rotos", fried eggs broken over potatoes, since 1974. Book: the house mostly takes bookings by phone |
| Casa Revuelta | calle Latoneros 3 | Stand-up bar known for fried salt cod (tajadas) and croquettes, near plaza de Puerta Cerrada |
| Juana la Loca | plaza Puerta de Moros 4 | Tapas bar on the square; the bar needs no booking, the dining room should be booked a few days ahead |
Opening hours change from one house to another: check before you go. To understand the dishes, read our guide to where to eat in Madrid.
Sunday after the Rastro
The Rastro runs every Sunday and public holiday, from 9:00 to 15:00. Its plaza de Cascorro is a few minutes from Cava Baja. The classic plan: browse in the morning, then arrive in La Latina around 13:00 for a vermouth. After 14:00 the bars are full and you may stand in the street with your glass. Our page on Sundays in Madrid recalls what is open that day.
How to do the crawl
- Order a drink and one tapa per bar, not a full meal.
- Stay forty minutes at most, then move on.
- Look at the counter: bars full of locals are a good sign.
- If your group is more than four, split up: counters are narrow.
- For the cod, croquettes and tortilla, simply ask for the house speciality.
When to eat
In Madrid, lunch is around 14:00 and dinner from 21:00. On Cava Baja, tapas are eaten a little earlier, from 13:00 to 16:00 and 20:00 to 23:00. The detail is in our guide to mealtimes.
Other ideas nearby
The Cebada market is close: it is a stop to see the food shops, even if you do not eat there. In the afternoon, plaza de la Paja or the San Francisco el Grande basilica make a digestive walk. For a different dinner, the San Miguel market is ten minutes on foot.
Traps
- On Saturday evening and Sunday lunchtime the street is packed: arrive early or wait until late afternoon.
- Avoid terrace tables that show no drink prices.
- Check the price of a "ración" before ordering, especially for ham.
- Pickpockets target the Rastro and bar crowds: keep your bag in front of you, as in our guide to scams to avoid in Madrid.
