Gastronomy is one of the main distinguishing features of Madrid and one of the most popular tourist attractions for visitors to the capital. This has prompted the Tourism Department at Madrid Destino to publish Eating in Madrid. The publication highlights the best of Madrid and Spanish cuisine with the common thread of the capital's distinctive lifestyle and its gastronomic customs.

Taking a tour of the day's main meals (breakfast, a mid-morning snack and an aperitif, lunch, tea and dinner), Eating in Madrid contains information about food and traditional dishes, as well as the gastronomic habits linked with different times of day. A complete guide enabling visitors and residents alike to find out how, when and where to enjoy authentic local gastronomy.

The booklet's 30 pages contain answers to questions like 'when is vermouth time?' or 'can I have dinner outdoors?', along with information on gastronomic temples such as markets, plus interesting facts like how to tell the difference between 'pulga' and 'montadito', 'tapa' and 'ración' or 'rosquillas tontas' and 'rosquillas listas'. Fare from other continents, world-class chefs, beer and wine made in Madrid and dinner shows are other topics covered in the guide.

Recommendations and gastronomy events
Eating in Madrid contains tips and recommendations from leading figures like María Marte, chef at Club Allard, and Alejandro Montes, from Mama Framboise patisserie, as well as from other professionals connected with the sector. Towards the end of the guide there is a brief description of nine unmissable gastronomic events held in the capital throughout the year: Gastrofestival, Madrid Exquisito, Día de Mercado, Madrid Fusión, Tapapiés, MadrEat, Salón de Gourmets, Mercado de Sabores and Madrid Productores.

The guide is available in Spanish and English (coming soon in other languages) on the official city of Madrid tourism website, esMADRID.com, and will be handed out at presentations made by the Madrid Destino Tourism Department in the key inbound tourism markets to the Spanish capital.

3rd Mercado de Sabores
The launch of this guide coincided with the presentation of the 3rd Mercado de Sabores held at Casa de la Panadería in Plaza Mayor. The market is expected to gather together 20 top exponents of the country's gastronomy in the Glass Gallery at Cibeles Palace from 20 to 23 October.

Organised in collaboration with Madrid City Council, AMER (the Madrid Association of Restaurant Companies) and La Viña (the Community of Madrid Hospitality Industry Association), this initiative by Mahou has established itself as one of the country's biggest gastronomic events. It will feature leading chefs like María Marte, Mario Sandoval and David Marcano competing for the prize for best tapa, producing delicious culinary treats to delight the public.

From Thursday 20 to Sunday 23 October, visitors can find out how to pair dishes prepared by the chefs with different Mahou beers and attend a range of workshops and show-cooking demonstrations in which the chefs will be revealing some of the techniques they use in their own kitchens. /