Casa Lucio is a Madrid classic and has been wowing madrileños since 1974 with its light touch, quality ingredients and home-style local cooking such as eggs (a Lucio speciality) and roasted meats in abundance. There’s also rabo de toro (bull’s tail) during the Fiestas de San Isidro Labrador and plenty of rioja (red wine) to wash away the mere thought of it.
The lunchtime guisos del día (stews of the day), including cocido on Wednesday, are also popular. Casa Lucio draws an august, well-dressed crowd, which has included the former king of Spain, former US president Bill Clinton and Penélope Cruz.