Casa Labra, Madrid

Casa Labra is a Madrid pub whose story reaches back to 1860, when it opened near Puerta del Sol. Its most remarkable chapter came on May 2, 1879: Pablo Iglesias and fellow workers and intellectuals founded the Spanish Socialist Workers’ Party here in secret. A plaque on the façade keeps that event attached to the building.

Inside, the old-fashioned decoration remains, and the food-and-drink service follows a distinctive split: you order tapas, fried cod, or tuna with tomato at a counter, then get your drink at the bar. The bar area has very few tables, so eating while standing is part of the experience. A large period mirror carries the house maxim, “The one who drinks well does what he should.” An interior section offers tables and table service, while an outdoor terrace has existed since the beginning of the 21st century.