Mesón La Cueva

The Posada de las Ánimas, from 1768

The building of Mesón La Cueva was built in 1768, in the reign of Charles III and following plans by Juan de Villanueva. It was called the Posada de las Ánimas and well-known guests passed through it. Today it is a mesón (traditional inn-restaurant), tavern and restaurant, with more than fifty years of history, and the house presents itself as the oldest restaurant in the town. It is at calle San Antón, 4, a couple of minutes' walk from the monastery Lonja, and has several dining rooms and an open-air terrace.

Castilian and gluten-free cooking

The cooking is Castilian: roasts, red meats and fresh fish, with starters typical of the area and homemade cakes. The wine list is short and changes often. For coeliacs there is gluten-free bread and quite a few suitable dishes. The menu and the daily set menu, the menú Posada, are on its website as PDFs, where you can check prices; groups have their own menus.

Tavern and events

Besides the restaurant, the tavern works as a bar for tapas and stays open on the nights when the dining room does not serve dinner. Throughout the year the house organises tastings, tapas routes, such as the salt cod and torrijas one in March, and get-togethers, which it announces in the calendar on its website.

Closed Mondays and dinners only on Friday and Saturday

It opens Tuesday to Sunday; on Monday it is closed. On Sundays, Tuesdays, Wednesdays and Thursdays the restaurant does not serve dinner, but the tavern stays open on those evenings. On Fridays and Saturdays, lunches and dinners in the restaurant. You can book on its website, by phone on 91 890 15 16, by WhatsApp on 669 39 33 19 or at [email protected].

Before and after the monastery

It is the meal that fits with a visit to the Royal Monastery of El Escorial: you come out through the Lonja and in two minutes you are seated. In the afternoon, drive up to Philip II's Seat, as suggested by the monastery and Philip II's Seat day. If you are staying in the town, the Hotel Miranda & Suizo is on calle Floridablanca, a few minutes away.