Today I want to talk to you about La Casa del Abuelo, a Madrid institution. It currently has three locations, the first one that opened is on Calle Victoria, number 12, right next to where the Natural History Cabinet, very close to the Puerta del Sol. The other two branches are located, one in Nuñez de Arce, number 5 and the other, which we will tell you more about, is in Goya number 57.

It is the story of La Casa del Abuelo. Founded in 1906 by Tomás del Hierro from Toledo, it became famous for its donuts and sweet wine. In the 20s they began to offer chorizo, anchovy and sobrasada sandwiches, selling up to 1.500 a day. They opened from 9 to 3 in the morning, it is worth remembering that at the beginning of the century some of the Sol cafés did not have doors, for the simple reason that they never closed.

The business was called Alicante, for the place of origin of its sweet wine. The wine was known as “Grandpa” and people met to go to “Grandpa's house.” Here we see another example of the very Madrid custom of renaming things. Finally, in 1990 they decided to change the name, and choose the one that everyone already used, La Casa del Abuelo.

Let's go back in time, the civil war arrived, and with it hunger and a shortage of bread, a bad time for sandwiches. The owner at that time was Patricio Ruiz, they say that he went to Puerta de Toledo market (remember that it was the fish market in Madrid) and he found a box of shrimp that no one had purchased because of its price, he bought them and began to offer them to his customers at a popular price: 1,60 pesetas for a plate of shrimp and sweet wine, It was an absolute success.

At the time it was customary to throw shrimp shells on the ground; they were not collected since the amount of shells accumulated on the ground was a clear sign of success. and in no tavern were there as many shells as here, it is even said that they came to steal shells from other taverns. Lucky that the custom disappeared, although it has lasted in many taverns until a few years ago.

Grandfather became famous, intellectuals and politicians arrived and his fame crossed borders. In the end it became one of the most recognized places in Madrid to have an aperitif.

The building at 57 Goya Street has modernist airs, like its neighbors at numbers 59 and 61. Goya, a stately and commercial street.

Of course, if you pass by, it is worth stopping and having a drink at Casa del Abuelo.

A abrazo.