Mercado de San Ildefonso

What to expect

The Mercado de San Ildefonso is a street-food hall at Calle de Fuencarral 57, on the border of Malasaña and Chueca. It stands a few metres from where Madrid's first covered food market, built in 1835, stood until it was demolished in 1970.

The present market has three floors, 16 specialised food stalls, a bar on each floor and two semi-covered terraces. It follows the model of street-food markets in cities such as London, New York, Singapore and Bangkok, and it is a place for leisure and socialising as much as for eating. Locals use it for after-work meetings or a drink before dinner, and it also hosts book presentations, fashion shows and pop-up dining.

Don't miss

• 16 specialised food stalls
• A bar on each of the three floors
• The two semi-covered terraces
• Events such as book presentations and pop-up dining

Tips for your visit

• Chueca, Gran Vía and Tribunal are the nearest metro stations.
• Order from several stalls and share, rather than one full plate each.
• Pair it with a walk along Calle de Fuencarral and the Museo de Historia de Madrid at number 78.
• The market is busy after work and at weekends, so go earlier in the day for more space.