Madrid tastes better on foot. On this walk, I love the 12+ tastings across nine family-run spots and the chance to compare classics like chocolate and vermouth in the places Madrileños actually use. The drawback is obvious: it’s a moderate walking tour, so bring comfy shoes and know it won’t work for wheelchairs or strollers.

Guides such as Flo and David make the food stories stick, especially the real origins of chocolate behind the churros obsession. Just watch the timing: morning churros are swapped for tapas at 5 pm.

Key Things I’d Book This For

• 12+ tastings across nine family-run eateries with a guide who connects food to real local habits
• Mercado de Antón Martín market time for olives, cured meats, produce, and extra virgin olive oil
• Red vermouth explained, with when to drink it (and why it’s a lot more than a mixer)
• A cheese-and-wine stop with history at Casa González, tied to clandestine meetings in the 1930s
• A time-based swap: morning gets churros and chocolate; 5 pm pivots to a tapas bar with beer
• A sweet finish at an 1855 pastry shop (El Riojano) with dessert plus coffee or tea

Getting Oriented at Plaza Santa Ana, then Eating Your Way In

Your tour starts at the statue of Calderón de la Barca at Plaza Santa Ana, in front of the big white hotel. Arrive about 15 minutes early so you’re not rushing to find the guide holding a red Devour Tours tote bag or sign.

This is a true walking food tour, not a sit-down meal with a few samples. You’ll be moving through central Madrid at a steady pace, which is great because the tastings land in context, street by street.

Chocolate Madrid: How Churros and Chocolate Get Rewritten by Reality

One of the best parts is that the tour starts with a food idea most people think they already understand. At Chocolate Madrid, you’ll get the story behind churros and the real origins of chocolate, served in a neighborhood café setting that feels like it belongs to locals, not tourists.

I like how this stop resets your expectations. If your mental image of churros is just a carnival snack, you’ll leave with a clearer sense of where the obsession comes from and why the chocolate matters.

Important timing note: churros are only for morning tours. If you pick the 5 pm departure, this slot changes into a tapas-bar experience with two local tapas and a beer, so your “sweet start” becomes savory and drink-forward instead.

MOEGA Empanadas and Pan Gallego: Bread Here Actually Has a Point

After chocolate, you switch gears to something Madrileños do every day: buy bread. You’ll visit a tiny storefront run by a young baker from northern Spain, and you’ll learn why truly great bread in Madrid can be surprisingly hard to find.

Then comes the real teacher: tasting their homemade roll filled with chorizo. The point isn’t just that it’s delicious (it is), but that it shows how bread is part of how people eat here—fast, practical, and built for flavor.

This is also a good moment to take a small breath. By then you’ve moved past the idea of “tasting tour snacks” and you’re eating the kinds of things you’d actually see locals grabbing between errands.

Mercado de Antón Martín: Olives, Olive Oil, and Vermouth With a Purpose

Next you head into Mercado de Antón Martín, where you’ll see grocery shopping done the way it’s meant to be done. Locals from different walks of life pop in for staples, chat, and choose what looks best that day.

Along the route through stalls, you’ll sample top-quality products like olives, cured meats, locally sourced produce, and extra virgin olive oil. This is one of the most useful sections of the tour because you don’t just taste—your guide explains what you’re looking for, so you can buy smarter later.

You also sip red vermouth and learn what makes it special and when people drink it. This matters because vermouth often gets treated like a background drink, but here it’s treated like a ritual. If you’ve never had vermouth in the context Madrid gives it, this stop changes how you order it back on your own.

Casa González: The Deli With 1930s Secret Meetings and a Real Cheese Lesson

After the market, you go to Casa González, a neighborhood deli with an unexpected past. The story is tied to the owner’s father, who held clandestine meetings in the 1930s to plot against Spain’s newly established dictatorship.

Today, that same space becomes a mini tasting focused on cheese, paired with two different wines. I like this stop because it turns a hidden backstory into something you can taste, which is how food history should work: not as trivia, but as a reason to pay attention.

If you’re the type who wants to understand how Spain’s regions show up on your plate, this is the part that delivers. You’ll start recognizing how cheese styles and wine choices reflect tradition, not just flavor.

Near Plaza Mayor: The Calamari Sandwich and the Pleasure of Eating Standing Up

Around Plaza Mayor, the tour guides you toward a very specific kind of meal: a calamari sandwich. The key detail here is the texture—calamari rings cooked in a light, crunchy batter—served so you can eat quickly and keep moving.

You’ll enjoy it standing outside the bar, which sounds small until you realize why it’s so perfect. Madrid has a lot of food culture that happens on your feet: grab it, eat it, and let the street do the rest.

This segment also helps you understand pacing. You’re getting a substantial bite without turning the tour into a long restaurant day, so you still feel hungry for the next tastings.

Casa Revuelta and Bar La Campana: Short Stops That Keep the Tour Fun

Between the big “set pieces,” you’ll have two additional tasting stops that stay quick and focused. Casa Revuelta is a short tasting moment, and Bar La Campana gives you another bite-and-drink experience to keep the afternoon from dragging.

These stops are worth it because they fill in the gaps you’d miss if you only followed the most famous food names. The goal isn’t a single monumental dish—it’s seeing how Madrid snacks, pours, and sweets itself throughout the day.

If you like variety, this is where the tour feels most practical. You’re not stuck waiting for one long meal, and you’re still learning what locals choose when they don’t want to overthink it.

El Riojano: An 1855 Pastry Shop Finale With Coffee or Tea

The tour ends at El Riojano with a sweet send-off. This pastry shop has been going strong since 1855, and it was opened by the Spanish queen’s personal pastry chef, which explains the old-school polish you’ll notice as soon as you step in.

You’ll try a classic Spanish dessert with your choice of coffee or tea. This is a satisfying close because the tour has already shown you the salty, savory side of Madrid, and now it balances with something that feels like a tradition you could repeat for years.

By this point, the tastings have added up in a way that doesn’t feel like a stunt. You usually leave full, not stuffed, and that matters when you still have the rest of Madrid to enjoy.

Price and Value: What $90 Buys You (and Why It Adds Up)

At $90 per person for about 3.5 hours, you’re paying for more than food. You’re paying for guided access to family-run places you might not find on your own, plus an expert who connects what you taste to how locals actually eat.

The tour includes 12+ tastings plus three drink moments, and it spreads them across the day’s flow: sweet, savory, market staples, and a pastry finish. When you price out market items, multiple small meals, and a dessert stop all separately, this starts to look like good value fast—especially because you’re not just “sampling”—you’re learning what to look for.

Also, you’ll save time. A guided walk through central Madrid with stops planned by local habits means you spend your effort on eating, not hunting down the next place.

Who This Tour Fits Best (and Who Should Skip It)

This tour suits you if you want a food-first introduction to Madrid with real neighborhood stops and a guide who explains the why behind the flavor. It’s especially good if you enjoy market culture and want to understand olive oil, cured meats, and vermouth in a practical way.

It’s also a strong option for people who like structure. The pacing is steady, and you’re moving from café to bakery to market to deli to bars, so you don’t get stuck in one long scene.

On the other hand, it’s not suitable for everyone. It’s not for vegans and it’s not suitable for celiac disease; gluten-free options exist but are not for celiacs. It also isn’t suitable for mobility impairments, wheelchairs, or strollers, since it’s a walking route with moderate pacing.

Best Tips Before You Go

Wear shoes you trust. This is a walking tour, and you’ll want comfort from the first minute to the last dessert bite.

Come ready to eat. The tastings are built to add up, so you’ll get more out of the tour if you don’t show up overly full.

If you have dietary needs, use the guide’s adaptability options carefully. The tour can adapt for vegetarians, pescatarians, gluten free (not celiacs), dairy free, non-alcoholic options, and pregnant women, but you may not have a replacement food option at every stop. If you have serious food allergies, contact the provider so ingredients can be arranged.

Should You Book This Madrid Food Tour?

Yes, if you want a guided, local-feeling way to learn Madrid through food. The combination of market tastings, vermouth context, a wine-and-cheese lesson at Casa González, and a pastry finish at an 1855 institution makes it more than a checklist of tapas.

Book it especially if you’re the type who likes to return to a city and order smarter. This tour gives you names, styles, and small habits you can use immediately when you’re back on your own.

Skip it if walking is a problem, or if you need vegan or celiac-safe options, since those aren’t supported here. If your main goal is convenience over learning, you might prefer a shorter food stop instead of this walking route.

FAQ

How long is the Madrid Ultimate Food Tour of Local Markets & Tapas?

It lasts about 3.5 hours.

Where does the tour meet?

Meet at Plaza Santa Ana at the statue of Calderón de la Barca, in front of the big white hotel. The guide will be waiting with a red Devour Tours tote bag or sign.

Is the tour in English?

Yes. It’s a live tour guide in English.

How many tastings and drinks are included?

You get 6 tasting stops with 12+ tastes and 3 drinks included.

What’s the difference between the morning tour and the 5 pm tour?

Churros are only available on morning tours. If you book the 5 pm tour, you’ll instead visit a popular tapas bar for two local tapas and a beer.

Is hotel pickup included?

No. Hotel pickup and drop-off are not included.

Is this tour suitable for vegans or people with celiac disease?

No. It isn’t suitable for vegans or for those with celiac disease.

Can the tour accommodate dietary restrictions like vegetarian or dairy-free?

Yes, it can be adapted for vegetarians, pescatarians, gluten free (not celiacs), dairy free, non-alcoholic options, and pregnant women. Note that you may not have a replacement food option at every stop.

What should I bring?

Wear comfortable shoes.

Is the tour wheelchair accessible or stroller-friendly?

No. It isn’t suitable for mobility impairments, wheelchair users, or strollers.

Can I cancel for a full refund?

Yes. You can cancel up to 24 hours in advance for a full refund.