Having vermouth on Sunday with an aperitif on a terrace in the sun (don’t try it in summer) is a very Madrilenian ritual that has not lost any steam. The taverns and bars the early twentieth century it was placed on its facade as a claim and a century and a bit later it is still working.
Vermouth, which can also be written vermouth (which is how it is pronounced in Madrid), is, in essence, wine macerated with herbs such as wormwood, which is what gives it its name, because this plant in German is called wemut. Although there are records of this type of preparations since before Ancient Greece.
1. Camacho House
Casa Camacho is the living history of tapas and vermouth in Madrid. It is located in Malasaña since the 1920s, and retains visible reminiscences of that past, as can be seen in its decoration or in the taps of the typical taverns of Madrid.
It is impossible to talk about it without referring to its “yayos”: its own elaboration based on soda, vermouth and gin, which can be accompanied by any of its tapas and portions. A good night out in the neighborhood starts (or ends) here.
Calle de San Andrés, 4 (Malasaña)
2. Taberna la Elisa
La Elisa is the tavern in which the group TriCiclo wanted to bring out its most traditional side. They serve bar classics, which is the essence of any good bar in Madrid, but they don’t stop there. There are also sweetbreads, judión de la Granja and asadillo Manchego and, of course, as in any tavern with patina, vermouth on tap.
Calle de Santa María, 42 (Las Letras)
3. La Colmada
A few meters from Casa Camacho we continue with the route of the Madrilenian vermouth in La Colmada. Half bar, half store, this wine bar with the spirit of an old grocery store is the perfect place for an aperitif in Malasaña. It is the closest thing to a neighborhood bar, but with the filter of Malasaña.
The preserves decorate and accompany the vermouths, although the portions of cold meats and cheeses that they serve (and that they also sell by weight) are also very good products.
Calle Espíritu Santo, 19 (Malasaña)
4. Vermouth Time
La Hora del Vermut is one of the traditional safeguards in the Mercado de San Miguel, as touristy as it is beautiful. Nothing confuses with the name of this post. Madrid vermouth is guaranteed in all its colors and barrels. You can accompany it with a tapa of pickles, which are as good a dance partner as wine and cheese. If you want to learn more about this macerated wine, they do tastings here.
San Miguel Market (Pl. de San Miguel, Stalls 22-25).
5. Vinegar Brothers
It is difficult to renew what has been working well for decades, but Hermanos Vinagre manages to appropriate the phrase “bar of a lifetime” by being one of the youngest on the list.
What survives and distinguishes this neo-tavern from the new openings is its commitment to the bar culture, the pickles – hence the vinegar – the quality of the well-pulled beer, no longer so easy to find, and the Zarro vermouth on tap as a flagship. All wrapped in an updated decor in which there is no shortage of modern versions of the tile.
26 Cardenal Cisneros St. (Chamberí); 58 Narváez St. (Ibiza) and 17 Gravina St. (Chueca)
6. Angel Sierra Tavern
La Taberna de Ángel Sierra has moved to the club of centennial bars of Madrid in 2017. Its walls of Cuban wood and tile from the Cartuja de Sevilla, covered with old bottles and barrels everywhere, are proof that renovation is not always a good idea. People have been coming here to drink vermouth on tap since 1907 when Ángel Sierra decided to convert the old bodega into a tavern.
In case you are familiar with its interior: Pedro Almodóvar shot some scenes here for the 1995 film La flor de mi secreto (The flower of my secret).
Calle de Gravina, 11 (Chueca)
8. La Ardosa Winery
A la Ardosa de Malasaña is a place to eat tortilla, but that does not mean that they do not do justice to the advertisements of their centennial facade the vermouth on tap goes well with the tapa.
It is called a winery because its founder, Rafael Fernández Bagena, created the chain to market his wines in Madrid, as he was the owner of the wine region called “La Ardosa” located in Toledo. In 1970 it was acquired by the butcher Gregorio Monje, and it was his wife who made his exquisite tortillas known by winning several competitions. Their pints are also well known, so much so that they have the oldest beer tap in Guinness.
Calle de Colón, 13 (Malasaña).
9. La Violeta
La Violeta in Madrid is not only the typical candy nor the most traditional cuplé, it is also a vermutería of Chamberí. At La Violeta they serve more than 30 types of vermouth, but every month there is a special one. The traditional is not just a poster on the wall (which abound), but an intention that is materialized in the forms: the wines are served in flat glasses and the tapas are served in stainless steel trays.
62 Vallehermoso Street, Chamberí (Chamberí)
Bonus Track: Plan of vermouth with skewers at VinoPremier
A seamless plan: two vermouths and two appetizers for €8 per person to enjoy any day of the week, except Sunday, in a place dedicated, with care, to spirits. VinoPremier, in the heart of the Salamanca district, takes care of a tremendous collection of wines, beers and, of course, vermouths. And among the appetizers of this plan you can choose between the mixed chorizo and salami, the hummus appetizer or the olive appetizer.
📍 Calle de Francisco Silvela, 25 (Salamanca neighborhood)
💸 Two vermouths and two appetizers for 8€