Madrid! I Must Have a Bocadillo de Calamares (Squid Sandwich)!

My Homemade Bocadillo de Calamares

What is a Bocadillo?

If you don't know what a bocadillo is in Spanish, it is a sandwich. They are usually on fresh rolls and can have various fillings such as serrano ham (get the ibérico de bellota, trust us), chorizo, lomo de cerdo (pork loin), morcilla (blood sausage), and the list goes on. One of our favorite places for a bocadillo in Madrid is El Brillante. It opened in 1961 and has been a favorite ever since. They have about 20 different bocadillos on their menu. Among them is their signature bocadillo de calamares (large fried rings of squid), called "El Brillante" on their menu. If you aren't great with the language you can just point to the photo near the ceiling and be sure to order it with a beer (una caña). They serve Mahou on tap, our favorite when in Madrid. Here's how to place this exact order at the bar: "ponme un bocadillo de calamares y una caña, por favor."I first walked into El Brillante back in 1986, and I've been going back every trip since. Depending on the time of day, you might find me there for a pincho de tortilla, a bocadillo de calamares, or just a café con leche with churros if it's too early in the day to think about squid. El Brillante is conveniently located directly across from the Atocha train station and an easy walk from the Prado and Reina Sofía museums (among others). And, if you are going clubbing, this might be a solid option for pregaming because they are open until 11:30PM or midnight depending on the day of the week and they are right around the corner from Kapital, one of the hottest night clubs in Madrid.

Madrid Places Specializing in the Bocadillo de Calamares

You may have read our blog post about the Plaza Mayor of Madrid (18 Feb 2024). In that post we mentioned Bar Postas on Calle de Postas. We neglected to mention Cevecería La Campana on Calle de Botoneras. I've been going to Bar Postas since that same first trip in 1986, and in all these years I've never ordered anything there except the calamares, usually on a bocadillo, sometimes a ración, always with a beer. As for La Campana, I've walked past it more times than I can count over the decades, close enough that I have a hard time believing I never went in. But honestly, I can't say for sure I ever ordered a sandwich there. That's Madrid for you, so many good options packed into a few blocks that some of them blur together over the years.

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  Partial View of the Facade of El Brillante Restaurant in Madrid

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  Bar Postas, Famous Restaurant for Bocadillos de Calamares in Madrid

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  Cervecería La Campana, Famous Restaurant for Bocadillos de Calamares in Madrid

Craving more Madrid favorites like these? Check out our 5-day

Madrid itinerary guide, including day trips to Toledo and Segovia.

In a Pinch You Can Make One at Home (Our Recipe)

Yesterday we were compiling a long list of favorite restaurants of Madrid. While doing so, we got a craving for a bocadillo de calamares. We are not in Madrid right now. So, we had our local chef de cuisine (me) whip one up with ingredients we found locally (cover photo). It was not exactly the same. But very close. I think the real difference was the bread. The "barras de pan" (what we might call baguettes) in Madrid are awesome and the ones we get here are a little different. We think it's the tap water, a source of great pride among madrileños. Here is the easy recipe we followed to make one sandwich.

Our Bocadillo de Calamares

4 to 5 ounces of large, squid rings*

Generous pinch of kosher salt

A few tablespoons of flour for dusting

Olive oil for frying**

Six to eight-inch piece of baguette or other crusty loaf

Aioli or mayonnaise, or other sauce of choice (optional)

If your squid rings are frozen, thaw them overnight in the fridge or follow the quick thaw instructions on the bag. Once thawed, rinse the squid rings and pat them dry between a few layers of paper towels. Heat the oil over high heat until a droplet of water pops on the surface. Meanwhile place the dried squid rings in a small bowl. Sprinkle with salt (a little more than you think) and toss to coat. Sprinkle with flour and toss to coat. shake off the excess flour and fry until they start to become golden, just a few minutes; reduce heat if necessary. Drain on paper towels.

I wrapped my roll in foil and heated it for several minutes in a hot oven while I was preparing the squid. To assemble, slice the roll open length-wise but don't cut all the way through. Spread both sides of the roll with aioli or other sauce if using. Fill with the fried squid rings. Take a photo for your social media post, and devour your masterpiece.

*To emulate the sandwich you will get in Madrid, they need to be 3/8" to 1/2"-thick rings of squid cut from large tubes. If you can't find them like that, you can use the smaller rings. They will just have a different consistency.

**We used a small saucepan with about a quart of olive oil. We store it in a mason jar in the fridge between uses and use it several times so as not to be wasteful. We actually seem to get better results with oil that has been previously used once or twice.

Nearly forty years after my first bocadillo de calamares in Madrid, it's still one of my favorite quick bites in the city. Whether you get one at El Brillante, take the sure bet at Bar Postas, gamble on La Campana like I apparently never quite managed to, or fry up your own version at home, it's worth going out of your way for. Grab a caña while you're at it.

Have you had a bocadillo de calamares in Madrid? Or is there another Spanish sandwich you'd put up against it? Let us know in the comments.