La Bola, founded in 1870, is considered by many to be the home of cocido, the huge and hearty stew beloved of madrileños and a test for the biggest of appetites.. Once you find Calle de la Bola, it's not hard to spot the bright red painted walls of the taberna.

When in Madrid, take a break from the tapas restaurants and make time to go to La Bola and enjoy Madrid's traditional chickpea-based stew for lunch.

Step inside and you step away from the bustle of modern Madrid into a charming old-fashioned dining room with gleaming dark wood paneling, red-and-white dressed tables, walls covered in bullfighting photos going back through time.