La Maruca, Northern Spanish restaurant in Recoletos, Madrid
La Maruca is a northern Spanish restaurant in Madrid that focuses on Cantabrian cuisine and regional specialties. The menu features grilled squid, salt cod croquettes, and fresh fish dishes that represent the traditional cooking of that coastal region.
The restaurant opened in 1981 and has kept its original recipes since then. Over the decades, it has maintained the cooking tradition of Santander while establishing itself as a reference point for northern Spanish food in Madrid.
The restaurant celebrates northern Spanish food culture as it appears on the table, with cooking methods and ingredient choices that reflect Cantabrian traditions. You notice this through the care taken in preparing each dish and the way the kitchen sources what it needs locally.
The restaurant is in the Recoletos neighborhood and accessible by public transportation. Booking ahead is recommended, especially during weekday lunch hours when it attracts business diners.
The kitchen is known for its homemade cheesecake made from a recipe dating back decades, which cooks have preserved carefully over generations. The option to order half portions lets visitors taste multiple regional specialties in one meal.
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