Restaurante Charolés
A few steps from the monastery's main gate, Charolés has been feeding hungry visitors and well-heeled madrileños since 1898, and its dining room — all dark wood, white linen and old hunting prints — feels exactly right for a long, unhurried lunch in the Castilian tradition. This is where locals send their out-of-town guests.
What to Order
The cocido madrileño served here is one of the finest within an hour of Madrid: a three-course affair that arrives as a rich chickpea broth with fideos pasta, followed by a platter of chickpeas with vegetables, and finally the meats — morcilla, chorizo, tocino, chicken and beef — all slow-cooked to collapsing tenderness.
For something lighter, the grilled lamb chops (chuletillas de lechazo) and the roast suckling pig (cochinillo) are both exceptional, sourced from farms in the nearby Castilian meseta.
Atmosphere and Booking
The restaurant occupies a handsome 19th-century building with a covered terrace that is pleasant even in cooler months. On summer weekends the terrace fills quickly with post-monastery crowds, so a reservation is strongly advised — they take bookings by phone and online.
The wine list leans heavily on Ribera del Duero and Rioja, with a good selection available by the glass. The house vermouth, served at the small bar near the entrance, is a fine way to begin.
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