Adolfo Suárez Madrid–Barajas Airport

Barajas has come a long way from the sad sandwich trolleys of decades past. Today, Terminals 1 and 2 share a lively food court near the departure gates where you'll find Celso y Manolo, a beloved Madrid tavern that brings genuine tortilla española and jamón ibérico bocadillos airside — the kind of thing you'd happily eat anywhere in the city. Grab a glass of Rioja and a plate of Manchego and you're already eating better than most European hub airports dare to offer.

Terminal 4, Barajas's showpiece Calatrava-designed hall, is where the dining scene genuinely impresses. Lateral, a polished Madrid brand, serves generous raciones of patatas bravas, croquetas de jamón, and grilled fresh fish that locals actually seek out for a pre-flight meal rather than merely tolerating. Casa Dani, another authentic Madrid institution with a cult following for its tortilla, also has a presence here, and queueing a few minutes for their version is absolutely worth it — it's custardy, just set in the centre, and quietly perfect.

For a quicker bite between connections, the Pans & Company and 100 Montaditos counters scattered through both terminal clusters are fine for a jamón-and-cheese montadito or a crujiente baguette without any culinary pretension. If you want to drink like a madrileño, look for a café serving cortados — short, strong, and served at the counter with quiet efficiency. Avoid the tourist-facing coffee chains if you can; the smaller stand-alone café bars tucked near the gates almost always pull a better espresso and charge a fairer price for it.