🍳 At The Sun Places we know that luxury is also found in tradition, in timeless flavours and in places with soul.
That's why we invite you to discover Casa Lucio, the most emblematic and traditional restaurant in Madrid.
Founded in 1974 by Lucio Blázquez, this temple of traditional Madrid cuisine is world-famous for its broken eggs, a humble dish that he turned into a symbol of haute gastronomy and the most authentic luxury.
Casa Lucio has witnessed the history of Spain and has been a meeting point for kings, presidents, artists and personalities from all over the world. The Sun Places invites you to experience this unique experience, staying in our Luxury Apartments in Madrid, in the heart of the Salamanca District.
Casa Lucio is much more than a restaurant; it is a symbol of Madrid's identity, a living institution that has managed to maintain its essence for over five decades.
Located at 35 Cava Baja Street, in the heart of Madrid of the Austrias, this establishment occupies the same site as the historic Mesón del Segoviano, where Lucio Blázquez himself began working at just 12 years old.
Today, Casa Lucio is one of the most famous restaurants in the world, and its broken eggs, his grandmother's recipe, have become an icon of Spanish gastronomy. The Sun Places wants this experience to be part of your stay.
The history of Casa Lucio is inseparable from the life of its founder, Lucio Blázquez, an innkeeper from Ávila who has dedicated his life to hospitality and has become a beloved and respected figure throughout Spain.
Kings, presidents, Nobel Prize winners and film stars have sat at the tables of Casa Lucio, and all have received the same warm and friendly treatment that characterises this establishment.
Below, we tell you everything you need to know about this temple of Madrid cuisine: its fascinating history, its most emblematic dishes, its unique atmosphere and how to plan an unforgettable visit.
📜 History of Casa Lucio: From apprentice to Madrid legend
The history of Casa Lucio began long before its official opening in November 1974.
Lucio Blázquez was born in 1933 in Serranillos, a small village in Ávila, and arrived in Madrid at just 9 years old to work. He started as a pageboy and learned the trade in various establishments on Cava Baja, the most traditional street in the capital.
His big break came when the former owner of the Mesón del Segoviano, a century-old establishment where the young Lucio already worked, decided to sell him the business.
Lucio accepted, and in 1974 he opened the doors of Casa Lucio, recovering the 19th-century Castilian style and betting on high-quality traditional cuisine based on the product.
Success was immediate. The fame of Casa Lucio grew rapidly thanks to the quality of its cuisine and, above all, the overwhelming personality of its founder.
Lucio became the perfect host, treating the King of Spain as if he were the last customer and the last customer as if he were the King of Spain. Personalities from all over the world have paraded through its main dining room: Bill Clinton, George Clooney, Pelé, Desmond Tutu, Mario Vargas Llosa, Julio Iglesias and Lola Flores, among many others.
Government presidents also met there during the Transition and, later, the fathers of the Constitution. After 50 years of history, Casa Lucio remains a benchmark of Madrid gastronomy, now managed by his children, Mari Carmen, Fernando and Javier, who guarantee that the essence of the restaurant will endure over time.
📍 Location of Casa Lucio: Cava Baja, the traditional heart of Madrid
Casa Lucio is located at 35 Cava Baja Street, in the centre of Madrid, in the popular La Latina neighbourhood.
This street, one of the oldest and most traditional in the capital, was in the past a point of arrival and departure for muleteers and carters, and today it is one of the liveliest areas of Madrid, full of century-old taverns and trendy restaurants.
From Casa Lucio, you can walk to the main tourist attractions of the city:
- Plaza Mayor: just a 5-minute walk away.
- San Miguel Market: 6 minutes away.
- Royal Palace: 12 minutes away.
- El Rastro: 10 minutes away (Sundays and public holidays).
From our Luxury Apartments in Madrid in the Salamanca District, you can get to Casa Lucio in about 15 minutes by taxi.
🍽️ Star dishes at Casa Lucio: Broken eggs and traditional cuisine
The menu at Casa Lucio is an ode to traditional Madrid cuisine, made with top-quality products and following recipes passed down from generation to generation.
But without a doubt, the star dish, the one that has gone around the world, is the famous broken eggs or fried eggs with potatoes: fried eggs with potatoes, served in a clay dish and broken at the table by the waiter himself.
A humble recipe that Lucio rescued from his grandmother and which today is a symbol of Spanish gastronomy. Other essential dishes are:
- Callos a la madrileña: A traditional stew of beef tripe with chorizo, blood sausage and ham, considered by many to be one of the best in Madrid.
- Cocido madrileño: Served on Wednesdays, with its three servings (soup, chickpeas with vegetables and meats), a tradition that remains intact.
- Lentils with partridge: A spoon dish with a lot of personality, available on Mondays.
- Judías de La Granja: Another traditional stew, typical on Tuesdays.
- Roast suckling pig: Crispy and juicy, prepared in a wood-fired oven.
- Ox steak: For meat lovers, a top-quality piece grilled.
The price of broken eggs is 14.50 euros, and the average price per person, including wine, is between 45 and 60 euros.
The menu is completed with starters such as croquettes, Iberian cured meats or salad, fresh fish and homemade desserts such as rice pudding or custard. Undoubtedly, a gastronomic experience that combines tradition and luxury.
🏆 Awards and recognition for Lucio Blázquez and Casa Lucio
Lucio Blázquez's career at the helm of Casa Lucio has been recognised with numerous awards over the years. Among the most notable are:
- Lola Torres National Traditional Gastronomy Award (2017): An award that distinguishes chefs for their excellence in the field of classical cuisine.
- Ambassador of Madrid Award, awarded by the Community of Madrid.
- Traditional Dish Award, granted by the Madrid Academy of Gastronomy.
- Professional Career Award at the Gastro&Cía Awards.
- Medal of Merit in Work and many other awards throughout his long career.
In addition, the Madrid City Council placed a plaque on its façade in 2023 recognising Casa Lucio as an "iconic establishment" and Lucio Blázquez as "host of the people of Madrid and a benchmark of our gastronomy".
🎭 The atmosphere of Casa Lucio: A dining room with history and personality
The atmosphere at Casa Lucio is unique and unmistakable. The restaurant is spread over two floors, and the experience changes radically depending on where you sit.
The main dining room, at the back on the right, is the cosiest and most characterful, a small, intimate space decorated in 19th-century Castilian style, with exposed brick walls, wooden beams and a fireplace. It is undoubtedly the best place to enjoy the food and atmosphere.
There, the most memorable pages of the history of Casa Lucio were written, with meetings of presidents, artists and bullfighters. The upper floor is more spacious, but also more impersonal.
The entrance has a small bar where you can have an aperitif before going into the dining room, and it is common to see Lucio Blázquez, if his health allows, sitting at a table by the entrance, greeting diners and telling one of his famous jokes.
The staff is friendly, efficient and professional, and the service is fast. Casa Lucio is a place to enjoy the food, but also to feel part of the history of Madrid.
🎭 What Casa Lucio represents for Madrid and The Sun Places
Casa Lucio is a symbol of Madrid's gastronomic and cultural identity. It represents tradition, quality, closeness and the most authentic luxury, the one that needs no artifice because it is based on the product and know-how.
It is a place where politicians, artists, athletes and ordinary citizens meet, all treated with the same kindness and respect.
For the city, Casa Lucio is a luxury ambassador of Madrid gastronomy, a first-class tourist attraction that draws visitors from all over the world.
For The Sun Places, discovering Casa Lucio is a natural extension of our philosophy of offering authentic luxury experiences. That is why our Luxury Apartments in Madrid are located in the best areas of the city, allowing you easy access to this temple of Madrid cuisine.
Furthermore, Casa Lucio is connected to other great attractions of the capital that we have explored in other articles: Madrid of the Austrias, the Plaza Mayor, the San Miguel Market, the El Retiro Park, and of course, the haute cuisine of Restaurante DiverXO and the Michelin Starred Restaurants in Madrid. All of this makes Madrid a unique destination in the world, and Casa Lucio is one of its must-see stops.
✨ The perfect plan with The Sun Places to discover Casa Lucio
Friday: Arrival and first Madrid immersion
- You have dinner at Casa Lucio, tasting its famous broken eggs and its callos a la madrileña.
Saturday: Culture and shopping day
- In the afternoon, you go shopping on Serrano Street and on the Golden Mile
Sunday: Farewell with traditional flavour
- If you liked the experience, you repeat lunch at Casa Lucio to try the cocido madrileño or the lentils with partridge
- If not, you visit El Rastro de Madrid and have a vermouth in one of the area's century-old taverns
Ready to discover Casa Lucio with The Sun Places?
📞 Contact us and let us organise your perfect gastronomic getaway.
But if you prefer other destinations, The Sun Places also has ready for you: Luxury Apartments in Barcelona, Luxury Accommodation on the Costa Brava, Luxury Apartments in Seville, Luxury Apartments in Cádiz, Luxury Apartments in Puerto Banús, Luxury Accommodation in Sanlúcar de Barrameda and Luxury Apartments in Córdoba.