Taberna Laredo

Verdict: One of Madrid's Most Decorated Wine Bars, and Worth Booking for That Alone

If you are in the Retiro neighbourhood and serious about wine, Taberna Laredo belongs on your shortlist. Established in 1993 by the Laredo family and still operating from Calle del Dr. Castelo, this is not a trend-chasing wine bar but a three-decade institution that has earned back-to-back recognition on the Opinionated About Dining Casual Europe list — ranked 128th in 2024, climbing to 124th in 2025 — and two separate Star Wine List placements in 2026, including a number-one ranking. That last credential matters: wine-focused recognition at this level is rare for a casual taberna format, and it gives the venue a clear identity in a city where wine bars range from tourist-facing to genuinely serious. Taberna Laredo sits firmly in the latter camp.

What Taberna Laredo Is

Taberna Laredo operates as a Spanish wine bar in the classic tradition: the focus is on the glass and on the kind of food that makes wine taste better. Chef David Laredo leads the kitchen, working within a format that has been refined over more than thirty years. The venue sits just behind Retiro Park, one of the city's great green anchors, which gives it a neighbourhood character distinct from the more tourist-concentrated dining corridors around Puerta del Sol or Gran Vía. The local clientele this part of the city attracts , professional, unhurried, wine-literate , shapes the room's energy in ways that are hard to replicate in more central locations. If you are approaching Madrid as a food and wine explorer rather than a box-ticker, the Retiro address is part of the point.

The Star Wine List double-placement in 2026 signals that the wine list here is not decorative. Spain's vinous depth , Rioja, Ribera del Duero, Galicia, Jerez , gives any serious Spanish wine bar enormous material to work with, and Taberna Laredo has had thirty-plus years to build and refine its selection. The Opinionated About Dining recognition, running consecutively from 2023 through 2025 with an upward trajectory, confirms that the kitchen is operating at a level that earns repeat attention from the most data-driven dining guide in Europe. Both signals together make a stronger case than either would alone.

Opening hours run from 1:15 pm to midnight, Monday through Saturday, with Sunday closed. That schedule suits the Spanish dining rhythm well: lunch service from early afternoon, dinner running late, and no pressure to rush either. The kitchen is available across most of the day, which makes Taberna Laredo viable for both a long lunch after a morning in Retiro Park and a late dinner after the rest of Madrid's evening has wound down. Booking is considered easy by Pearl's assessment , walk-ins are likely possible outside peak weekend hours, though calling ahead is sensible if you have a preferred time.

Who Should Book

Taberna Laredo makes the most sense for wine-focused visitors who want a grounded, neighbourhood experience rather than a tasting-menu occasion. If your priority is creative fine dining at the leading of Madrid's register, DiverXO, Coque, or Deessa will serve you better , but they will also cost significantly more and require much more advance planning. Taberna Laredo occupies a different but equally valid space: a place where the wine list is the main event, the food is designed to complement it, and the atmosphere is shaped by locals rather than by tourism infrastructure. For a solo diner, a pair of wine enthusiasts, or a small group looking for a relaxed but wine-serious evening, this is a strong option.

Visitors spending time in Madrid who want to understand the city's wine culture at ground level , rather than just its fine-dining achievements , should also consider the broader context. Spain's wine scene, from the aged Riojas at Arzak in San Sebastián to the Atlantic-influenced producers near Aponiente in El Puerto de Santa María, has real depth, and Taberna Laredo's list is reportedly a serious window into it. See our full Madrid restaurants guide, Madrid bars guide, and Madrid wineries guide for a fuller picture of what the city offers across formats and price points.

How It Compares

Taberna Laredo sits in a different tier and category from Madrid's headline fine-dining names. DiverXO, Coque, Deessa, and Paco Roncero are all multi-hundred-euro tasting-menu experiences that require weeks of advance booking. Taberna Laredo is not competing with them on that axis. Where it does compete , and win , is on wine list quality relative to format and likely price point. A Star Wine List number-one placement in 2026 puts the cellar in a class that few casual Spanish tabernas can match.

Within the taberna and wine-bar segment, the Opinionated About Dining trajectory (recommended in 2023, 128th in 2024, 124th in 2025) suggests a kitchen that is improving and consistent , not a venue coasting on its 1993 founding story. For a night focused on Spanish wine and food without the structure of a tasting menu, Taberna Laredo is the stronger call over most of the casual alternatives in the city centre. Its Retiro location adds genuine neighbourhood texture that the more tourist-facing wine bars around Plaza Mayor cannot replicate. See our full Madrid guide for how it sits in the wider picture.

Practical Details

Taberna Laredo is at Calle del Dr. Castelo, 30, in the Retiro district. Open Monday to Saturday, 1:15 pm to midnight; closed Sunday. Booking is direct , Pearl rates it as easy to reserve. If you are visiting Madrid and want to extend your food and wine exploration beyond the city, El Celler de Can Roca in Girona, Azurmendi in Larrabetzu, Martin Berasategui in Lasarte-Oria, and Cocina Hermanos Torres in Barcelona represent Spain's broader fine-dining range. For accommodation near Retiro, see our Madrid hotels guide.

Frequently Asked Questions

• Can Taberna Laredo accommodate groups? Group bookings are likely manageable given the venue's thirty-year operating history and easy booking rating, but specific capacity details are not publicly confirmed. Call ahead for parties of four or more to ensure the right table configuration.
• What should I order at Taberna Laredo? Chef David Laredo leads a kitchen built around the Spanish wine-bar tradition, meaning the food is designed to complement the glass rather than compete with it. The Star Wine List placements suggest the wine is the safest order , trust the list and ask staff for guidance on the Spanish regions leading represented.
• What should I wear to Taberna Laredo? Smart casual is the right call. This is a Retiro neighbourhood taberna with serious wine credentials, not a formal dining room , but the local clientele and the venue's standing mean you will feel more at home in neat, everyday clothes than in beachwear or full business attire.
• What are alternatives to Taberna Laredo in Madrid? For fine dining at the leading end, DiverXO, Coque, and DSTAgE are the names to know, though all require significant advance booking and budget. For a casual wine-focused alternative closer to the city centre, the options are thinner , Taberna Laredo's combination of longevity, Star Wine List recognition, and neighbourhood setting is not easily replicated in Madrid.
• Is lunch or dinner better at Taberna Laredo? Lunch after a morning in Retiro Park is the more atmospheric choice , the unhurried midday pace suits the taberna format, and the 1:15 pm opening means you can settle in early before the room fills. Dinner is equally viable given the midnight close, but if your schedule allows flexibility, the long Spanish lunch here is worth the time.
• Is Taberna Laredo good for a special occasion? Yes, provided the occasion calls for a wine-centred, neighbourhood experience rather than a grand tasting-menu production. The Opinionated About Dining ranking and Star Wine List credentials give it real standing for a wine-focused celebration. For a milestone dinner with full theatre and multi-course progression, Coque or Deessa would be stronger picks.
• Can I eat at the bar at Taberna Laredo? Bar seating is typical for the classic Spanish taberna format, and Taberna Laredo's operating history strongly suggests counter or bar options are available. Confirm when booking if bar seating is your preference.
• Is Taberna Laredo good for solo dining? Yes. A wine-bar format with a strong list and easy booking difficulty makes this one of the more comfortable solo options in the Retiro area. You can work through the wine list at your own pace without the social architecture of a tasting menu or the awkwardness of a large table for one.