Some corners of Madrid are living history. The one on Calle de la Bola, a stone's throw from the Royal Palace, is one of them. Here, in a spot that already worked as a wine shop in the early 19th century, Cándida Santos opened in 1870 the tavern that still stands today: Taberna La Bola.
A red façade that became an icon
Our deep-red façade, with its golden lettering and street lamp, is part of the landscape of old Madrid. Generation after generation, the family has kept the method, the flavour and that castizo image untouched.
Three cocidos, three customers
The story goes that, in the early 20th century, La Bola served up to three different cocidos depending on the hour: at noon, the cheapest, for workers; at one, a little richer, with hen, for students; and from two o'clock, with more meat and bacon, for journalists and politicians. Cocido has always been a portrait of the city, too.
What hasn't changed
More than 150 years later, we still cook in individual clay pots over oak charcoal. Times change, the recipe doesn't.
Come and discover it: see our menu, choose your set menu and book your table.