by Mel Roach (
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I'm a screenwriting student traveling, studying, and eating my way around the world. To see my top eats, find me on Instagram @bougiebelly
Foodies beware: Mercado de San Miguel is going to take your wallet, and you won't even be upset about it.
Just steps away from the Plaza Mayor is the gastronomic sensation, Mercado de San Miguel. This covered food market has everything you could possibly want, from tasty tapas to drinks on tap to gourmet groceries, and it's been that way for the past 100 years.

The mercado's glass exterior showcases all of the delights it contains.
The way the market works is this: the place is lined with various stalls serving tapas, alcohol, pastries, global delicacies (such as Spain's own jamon iberico), and much, much more.

Rows and rows of delicious food and drinks.
There are alternating rows of vendors and seats, so the best thing to do, if you have a group of people, is to divide and conquer so you can try as many things as possible. It's still entirely doable on its own, it just means a lot more food (and it becomes a little bit pricier if you want to try a lot).

The crown jewel of the Madrid culinary experience: jamon iberico
Once you're done tasting the delicious food, you might be inclined to take some home with you. The great thing is that they have a large fruit and vegetable stand, as well as deli and fish vendors, so that you can try your hand at recreating some of your favorite dishes (or to just snack on a good slice of jamon iberico).