
LA BOLA
A Madrid institution since 1870, La Bola is renowned for its traditional cocido madrileño, slow-cooked in clay pots over wood fire.

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LA BOLA

Highlights
Must-see attractions
A Madrid institution since 1870, La Bola is renowned for its traditional cocido madrileño, slow-cooked in clay pots over wood fire.
"The best cocido madrileño we had while staying in Madrid."
Reservations Essential
Book your table in advance, especially on weekends, as this popular spot fills up quickly.
Generous Portions
The cocido madrileño is hearty; one portion can easily satisfy two people. Come with a big appetite!

Quick Facts
Cuisine
Madrilian, Spanish
Price
Mid-range
Highlights
Discover the most iconic attractions and experiences

Cocido Madrileño
Experience the authentic, hearty cocido madrileño, slow-cooked in traditional clay pots over a wood fire. A culinary institution.

Historic Ambiance
Dine in a century-old restaurant with a charming, wood-paneled dining room that evokes a sense of history and tradition.

Exceptional Service
Enjoy the warm welcome and attentive service that makes diners feel at home, even with a walk-in reservation.
Plans like a pro.
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Insider Tips
from TikTok, Instagram & Reddit
Reservations Essential
Book your table in advance, especially on weekends, as this popular spot fills up quickly.
Generous Portions
The cocido madrileño is hearty; one portion can easily satisfy two people. Come with a big appetite!
Traditional Cooking
Savor dishes cooked traditionally over a wood fire, a hallmark of La Bola's century-old recipes.
Tips
from all over the internet
Reservations Essential
Book your table in advance, especially on weekends, as this popular spot fills up quickly.
Generous Portions
The cocido madrileño is hearty; one portion can easily satisfy two people. Come with a big appetite!
Traditional Cooking
Savor dishes cooked traditionally over a wood fire, a hallmark of La Bola's century-old recipes.
What Travellers Say
Reviews Summary
La Bola is celebrated for its authentic, century-old cocido madrileño, cooked traditionally and served in hearty portions. Diners often praise the historic ambiance and the exceptional service that makes them feel welcome. While the food is generally highly regarded, some find the flavors to be an acquired taste, and a few have noted less-than-ideal service experiences.
"Strongly recommend. Very good food especially their stew. One portion is good for 2 people. Reservation is a must. Lamb is excellent. A reminder: keep a copy of your reservation email because they missed our reservation at our arrival."
Alan Siu Kuen Wong
"This is a traditional restaurant with over a century of history, specializing in stewed pot dishes. To be honest, as a foreign traveler, I found the flavors a bit difficult to get used to. However, this is purely a matter of personal taste and has nothing to do with the restaurant itself. Still, I made an effort to finish everything out of respect for the chef and the food. I believe that part of the joy of traveling is experiencing local cuisine at long-established, traditional restaurants."
Jin
"Waiter's attitude was terribly not nice, they did not offer wine menu at all. One of the waiter, tall and without glasses was having an attitude problem with several tables. When other table said no need wine, he was laughing out loud and making fun of what the customer said.
Food was not okay, we barely finish half. We would rather spend the money at other restaurants with better service and food quality."
Judith Poon
What People Like
What People Dislike
Frequently Asked Questions
La Bola is most famous for its cocido madrileño, a traditional chickpea-based stew cooked for hours over a wood fire in individual clay pots.
Yes, reservations are highly recommended, especially during peak hours and weekends, as the restaurant is very popular.
The portions, particularly the cocido madrileño, are very generous and can often be shared between two people.
While La Bola offers an authentic local experience, some foreign travelers find the traditional flavors an acquired taste. It's recommended to go with an open mind to experience local cuisine.
La Bola has a historic ambiance with a charming, wood-paneled dining room that evokes a sense of tradition and bygone eras.
While La Bola is known for its traditional main dishes like cocido, it's not primarily a tapas bar. It's recommended to take your time and enjoy their signature slow-cooked meals.
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Holding court on a quiet backstreet, this dignified, classic Madrid restaurant is considered by many to be the home of 'cocido', the huge and hearty stew lifelong Madrid residents love and a test for the biggest of appetites. La Bola is still run by the same family that founded it in the 19th century, and the 'cocido' (which is only served at lunchtime) is still cooked traditionally in earthenware pots on a wood fire. Unfortunately, this impressive pedigree has led to a certain complacency, verging on the arrogant, in some of the waiting staff.
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A post shared by 𝚃𝚊𝚋𝚎𝚛𝚗𝚊 𝙻𝚊 𝙱𝚘𝚕𝚊 (@tabernalabola). La Bola‘s historic stew seduced former kings and Ava Gardner herself, and that’s why it tops our list of must-try dishes. For 150 years they have been preparing it over a slow fire, in individual pots over holm oak charcoal embers and with the same recipe of yesteryear (to which they have added the tasty touch of Asturian chorizo as a tribute to the owner, the fourth generation of the Verdasco family).
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The folks at La Bola have been cooking the same way since 1870. That means simmering the Madrileño cocido (the regional stew consisting of garbanzos, various forms of pork, and vegetables) in individual earthenware vessels to create rich and savory flavors. La Bola is not exactly a tapas spot—you’ll want to take your time here— but their fame and dedication to traditional cooking methods makes them a necessary stop on the Madrid route.
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La Bola is a pleasant bar near superb city sights, for example, the Sabatini Gardens, the Royal Palace, and Almudena Cathedral. This family-possessed café, which traces all the way back to the nineteenth century, serves apparently the best cocido madrileño (chickpea-based stew) in Madrid. This good dish of meat and vegetables is customarily cooked over a wood fire La Bola has an old-style stylistic layout that infers bygone ages.
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Since 1870, the tavern in c / Bola, 5 has presented us, with its Castilian and traditional cuisine, a great variety of dishes anchored in the culture of the town worked with oak charcoal. Its specialties include stew and Madrid-style tripe, lamb or house hake that you can savor in cozy rooms full of tradition. Reservations and more information at http://labola.es/ You can now order online https://labola.es/pedidos-online/
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Not much has changed in the nearly 150 years that Taberna La Bola has been open—and trust us, that’s a good thing. As one of the best restaurants in Madrid, you’ll spot its bright red exterior from down the street—an inviting beacon of what’s to come. The same family has run the place since day one, and the current generation of owners (the sixth!) has contributed to its legacy as a place where anyone will feel at home.
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Cocido madrileño is a beloved local dish, and at the venerable Taberna La Bola this hearty chickpea-based stew made with sausage, bacon, chicken and potatoes is slow-cooked over charcoal for hours in serried ranks of individual clay pots, before being served over two or three courses. First the intense, savoury broth, eaten with noodles; then the pulses and tender meat, alongside cabbage fried with garlic.
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Located just around the corner from the Royal Palace is one of the most traditional restaurants in Madrid, opened in 1870. With its bright red frontage and wood-panelled dining room, this charming taverna’s most famous dish, and one of Spain’s national dishes, is the colcido madrileño stew, served in clay pots. However, be warned, arrive hungry, it’s delicious, but a heavy meal.
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La Bola's rich, red facade speaks volumes about the tradition that governs this restaurant, which is run by the founding family's sixth and seventh generations. Known for its version of the popular two-course stew, cocido a la Madrilena, which is grilled salmon or sole and filet of veal. Cocido is served with crusty bread and a glass of red wine, and is served only at lunch.
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La Bola's barbequed cuisine, served in a cooking pot has remained the same for generations, since it opened in 1870. On Paseo de Recoletos you'll find Café Gijón, which has been a restaurant and held literary gatherings for the likes of Federico García Lorca and Valle Inclán, since 1888. Cod confit and cheek of Iberian pork are some of its specialities.
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Note: Due to the nature of the foodtruck business, these foodtrucks can be found throughout all the country. La Pavoneta was the first gluten-free credited foodtruck in Spain (by the coeliac association of Asturias). The ones listed as pending to be visited are recent and are assessed by the Madrid Sin Gluten coeliac association.
Cocido in Madrid
La Bola (La Bola, 5): Probably the most traditional of the Madrid cocidos. It’s stewed in a clay pot and cooked over a wood fire for hours, then served at the table in the individual containers that were used to cook the ingredients. This establishment is always packed, even though the premises have been expanded several times.
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Last but not least, eating out in Madrid is made easy with La Bola, a restaurant that serves the Madrilian dish par excellence, cocido madrileño. However, this dish is not for the faint hearted as the popular Spanish dish consists of a broth with noodles followed by chickpeas with meat and chunks of fat.
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This is possibly the most Madrileño restaurant in the whole city and it is one of the last that makes an old-fashioned cocido of long-boiled mixed cuts of meat and sausages. The stew is usually served in three stages—as meat, as vegetables, and as broth. The big pots of cocido simmer…
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The Taberna La Bola, with its bright red exterior, is a traditional Spanish restaurant in Madrid which should not and can not be missed!. Only a few streets from the Royal Palace, La Bola produces authentic, traditional cuisine based on Spanish recipes, and in particular from Madrid.
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La Bola has been serving stunning Castilian food in the historic centre since 1870, making it one of the oldest group-friendly restaurants in Madrid on this list. Of course, we all want to experience the latest thing. But you can’t argue with over four generations of perfection.
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La Bola has been serving up their signature cocido madrileño since 1870, so you know they must be doing something right. They still cook their stew the way that they did back then, using clay pots over an open flame. You can taste the tradition in each delicious bite.
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The king of genuine Madrid food is, and always will be, cocido madrileño – the Spanish stew to end all stews. Enough to warm the cockles of your heart. This is an elaborate dish, with lots of delightful ingredients swimming around in the tastiest of broths.
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Cocido madrileño is a traditional stew from the city of Madrid. It’s typically served as a two-course meal. The broth of the cocido is served first and followed up by a hearty plate of chickpeas, meat, and vegetables.
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It’s hard to miss the impeccably striking scarlet facade of Taberna La Bola. Just the exterior alone gives you an inkling of how authentic and traditional this dining establishment is.
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For a taste of Madrid’s culinary heritage, head to Taberna La Bola. This charming tavern has been serving traditional Spanish dishes since 1870. Their signature tapas include:
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La Bola If you are coming to Madrid ready to sample a delicious cocido madrileño, go to La Bola, which specialises in Castilian cuisine.
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the answers will change to La Bola situated in central Madrid or Malacatín in the middle of La Latina district.
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