If you came to Madrid for the quaint and traditional – La Botillería de Maxi is for you. Nestled into the maze of streets in La Latina, it’s a calm oasis in the middle of a hectic city.

Inside, sepia toned walls and scattered antiques harken back to yesteryear. However, unlike many such restaurants, the bar isn’t merely an ode to the past; it’s very much alive with everyone from the styley, tattooed crowd to white-haired grandmothers.

The old-school bar which you see upon entering branches off into three cozy dining rooms. Two of them have only three tables a piece so the only place homier would be… your own house.

With the exception of a small international section the menu is almost entirely Spanish classics including everything from croquetas to bull’s tail to duck pate – all dishes are served in racion style (bigger than tapas, but shy of a full meal).

Of special interest is the Cocido Madrileño served on Thursday and Saturday during summer. Cocido is a Spanish classic although not well known outside of Spain. Cocido is a garbanzo bean based stew full of potatoes and every type of meat and sausage imaginable. If you are only going to have one meal in Madrid, this isn’t a bad choice.

Maxi, is a great way to get a solid dose of both Madrid culture and cuisine.