The best things to do in Malasaña, Madrid

Galician in origin, this is one for seafood lovers. Heaped platters of prawns, crabs, goose-necked barnacles, lobster and other sea creatures make it the ideal place to roll up your sleeves and get cracking shells. Other typical Gallego dishes that add a little heat to the fun are pancakes doused in orujo (a fiery spirit made from grapes) and set aflame, and the queimada - a bowl of orujo set on fire and then cooled with black coffee. No reservations are allowed, so grab a ticket and wait. 

Lying beside the vaunted Triball area, this small restaurant is usually filled at weekends by the huge influx of people visiting the neighbourhood. Here you can start the night with a few snacks or book a table for casual dining. 

Located on one side of the bustling Plaza de San Ildefonso, this friendly place serves hamburgers and sandwiches to the neighbourhood’s modern set, who use it as a meeting place. Vintage decor and a pleasant atmosphere where you can sample a Mexican dish or have a drink.  

The quality of simple ingredients is non-negotiable at this restaurant with just eight tables, where Juanjo López deploys all his culinary talents, transforming traditional recipes into contemporary, elegant dishes. Haute market-style cuisine, exceptional service and an outstanding wine and champagne list; what's not to like?

This place started in Legazpi, and given the success and confidence garnered by its Argentinean owners, they opened a new establishment just between two of Madrid’s most fashionable districts: Malasaña and Conde Duque. Here they’ve added some original grilled pizzas to a menu that already features empanadas, quiches, salads, burgers and homemade desserts.  

Caipirinhas, mai tais, 'romantic' or 'daring' natural fruit cocktails, Bombay Sapphire gin & tonics… This spot beating in the chest of Malasaña fills up at weekends with Madrid locals longing for the beach. Its walls are covered with pictures of idyllic summer scenes you can get lost in while sipping on something exotic at their wooden tables or sitting on a colourful chair. The floor, the pouffes and the pieces of cloth have an ethnic touch that goes well with the Nordic and sober style of the light wood shelves. The modern and fresh ambience is enhanced by a young clientele.

A favourite for aperitifs and early afternoons, lined with old dusty beer bottles. Draught beer on tap to wash down a small dish from the attractive menu – the Spanish omelette is justly famous. Ducking under the counter, you’ll find an intimate bar room. 

A diamond in the rough, the diminutive Casa Camacho has changed little since it opened in 1928, except for adding a fruit machine and a TV – both in constant use. Pre-war dust coats the bottles and plastic flowers on display and the floor is a sea of toothpicks and crumbs, but for a slice of real neighbourhood life, it can't be beat, though nowadays it tends to fill up with local hipsters. Make sure you try a 'yayo'.

A comfortable place to come with your laptop and work a little over your morning coffee. Breakfasts are served, and there’s always something to snack on during the day. In the evening, smoothies give way to mojitos and daiquiris. As well as samples of street art on the walls, temporary exhibitions are held here. 

Copla is a Spanish ballad, as sung by those depicted here in the dozens of crumbling photos. Tapas are named for famous coplas - Juanita Reina is ham with tomato; Principe Gitano is tuna with peppers, and a range of tortillas includes La Zarzamora (plain); Ojos Verdes (with ham), and Cinco Farolas (with tuna). 

This little vintage café located in the heart of Madrid hosts all kinds of events thanks to the infinite creativity of its owner. Markets, showrooms, art exhibitions, presentations, mini-concerts... everything has a place in this lovely bar decorated with antique chairs, worn wooden tables and retro pieces. Its clientele is young, hip and cultured, and very typical of Malasaña. It has an intense daytime agenda, but nothing can beat the pleasure of drinking a beer in this magical place after midnight. But don’t leave it too late because La Paca closes at a civilised hour.

Books and wine are the stars at Tipos Infames, a bookshop specialising in independent literary novels. Here the traditional concept of a bookshop has adapted to changing times, bringing together a fascinating selection of books in a dynamic space open to culture through its café, wine bar and exhibition room. Watch out for the transparent floors on the second floor. 

Amid an atmosphere of modernity and creativity, you’ll find this urban market, an icon of groundbreaking alternative fashion in Madrid. The building has three floors with shops where young designers show off their latest creations. Its more than 45 shops are an explosion of design, imagination and creativity. A must if you want to keep up with the latest trends. 

This is something of an old glory on the Madrid nightclub scene, which shot to fame in the 1980s on the back of the Movida Madrileña and is still wearing a certain nostalgic halo. Its graffiti-filled walls are run down, giving it a louche, rock and roll touch. It’s divided into four different areas, so it doesn’t tend to get too full, and you’ll usually have room to move around (and breathe). The clientele is a diverse mix of thirty-year-olds, but you can find everything from veteran rockers to youngsters looking for music from another time. There’s also a pool table, though it’s fallen into disuse.

Ocho y Medio is the perfect stop on your hedonistic tour of the town if you are looking for an alcohol-fuelled mass of party energy. DJ Smart makes it all sound very '80s and '90s, thrashing out an eclectic mix of indie, electro-clash, electro-pop, new wave and New York rock. It takes a master to meld Blur and Depeche Mode. On arriving here, you’ll be met by a sea of flannel shirts and horn-rimmed glasses in Madrid’s hipster haven. There are also fantastic concerts by local and international bands.

This is one of the best-known nightclubs in Madrid, so you’ll often find queues at weekends. The wait is worth it. The tremendous acoustics, range of styles, ambiences and great music make Barco the go-to venue in Malasaña. It’s the perfect place to finish your night out in the centre. They schedule frequent concerts, and the Friday and Saturday DJ sessions are always popular.