In the historic building of the Taxpayers’ Circle in the Madrid city of Alcalá de Henares, you will find Casino, a restaurant that has managed to revamp the culinary scene of this World Heritage City by reinterpreting the essence of local cuisine.
In Plaza de Cervantes, sharing space with buildings such as the elegant Town Hall and the imposing Santa María tower, and very close to the venerable University of Alcalá, the Taxpayers’ Association is one of the most important institutions in the city of Alcalá.
It was 1851 when a group of citizens decided to launch philanthropic actions to save the buildings attached to the University that were going to be auctioned off and removed, stone by stone, from the city. We are witnessing the birth of Taxpayers’ Circle, a private club that continues to promote Alcalá’s historical heritage through various initiatives.
The building, constructed in 1893 on the site of student residences that existed during the time of Cardinal Cisneros, perpetuates its social legacy with one of the city’s most renowned restaurants.
What we found when we walked through its doors
In 2016, Fran Rodríguez took over the management of the former Taxpayers’ Circle restaurant, reinventing it with a fresh and simple gastronomic offering, but without losing sight of traditional flavours.
The new management restored the original structure and its Mudejar-style details, complementing it with a bold décor that creates a warm and relaxed atmosphere and tripling the bar and kitchen space to make lunch and dinner service more dynamic.
The Casino Restaurant is divided into three distinct areas, each of which highlights the brightness of its soaring ceilings. The main dining room, called Noble, can seat between thirty and fifty people, there is a private room that can serve twenty diners, and the patio, a glass-enclosed conservatory decorated with two beautiful olive trees, can seat up to seventy people.
It also has two outdoor terraces on two levels, one at street level for eighty people and another sheltered by the restaurant’s steps for thirty more.
The culinary and wine offerings at Restaurante Casino
A cuisine based on traditional recipes, combined with the use of seasonal and local products, results in dishes in which traditional techniques and flavours blend perfectly. Its timeless menu features the most iconic flavours of traditional cuisine, enriched with seasonal dishes that bring freshness and variety, sometimes seasoned with daring touches. A clear example of this can be found in the soufflé torreznos with Padrón peppers, one of the most popular dishes due to its unusual texture.
Starters such as grilled scallops, squid tentacles or mushrooms bathed in truffle aioli are ideal choices to begin this delicious gastronomic experience. These are followed by suckling pig, one of the house specialities, bluefin tuna tataki glazed with salmorejo, or sirloin tips with foie gras and Perigord sauce as main courses.
It is precisely from the sea that the finest produce arrives, transformed into delicious dishes such as garlic prawn casserole, grilled octopus with potato parmentier, Josper-grilled sea bass with fried garlic and breadcrumbs, or the catch of the day delivered directly from the fish market.
We cannot forget the rice dishes and cold soups represented by black rice with baby squid, creamy rice with cuttlefish and prawns, and salmorejo with red tuna shavings. And to top it all off, delicious desserts including Casino “torrija”, Alcalá “costrada”, cheesecake, thin apple tart and brownie with homemade vanilla ice cream.
Accompanying these offerings is a dynamic wine cellar that changes every three months—at least 60% of the menu—and boasts over a hundred labels. The wine selection is the result of Sergio Adán, head waiter who, with only four years’ experience at the Casino, has successfully taken over the management and designed a list featuring more than one hundred national and international labels.
Professionally trained at the Escuela Superior de Hostelería y Turismo de Madrid (Madrid School of Hospitality and Tourism) and certified sommelier by the Madrid Chamber of Commerce, Sergio focuses mainly on national designations of origin, without forgetting some wines from the Old and New Worlds, paying special attention to sherries. Furthermore, thanks to the Coravin system, around 80% of the wines can be ordered by the glass.
Monio Group, driving tourism in Alcalá de Henares
Established as a benchmark in the city for its firm commitment to gastronomy as a driving force for the city, Monio Group, founded in 2010 by Francisco Rodríguez Monio, is a leader in the creation of concepts and management of restaurant projects in the area.
In addition to Restaurante Casino, its portfolio of establishments is enriched by eight more venues, spread between Alcalá de Henares and Madrid.
Francesco’s Pizza, the leading Italian restaurant in Alcalá
Opened in 2010, it is particularly renowned for its artisan pizzas, which are tasty, healthy, well-balanced and made with few ingredients, but carefully selected and of high quality. Also, for Italian dishes with a local twist: oxtail ravioli or faux truffle risotto. Its terrace, located on Calle Libreros, one of the busiest streets in the historic quarter, can seat between 20 and 30 diners.
Taberna 7, the essence of alkaline tapas
This establishment has the most relaxed atmosphere in the city. A meeting place for aperitifs and long after-dinner conversations, its menu features Alberto García Ponte’s signature potato omelette, winner of the Spanish championship with his Betanzos omelette, pickled mussels with chips, cod fritters, croquettes and crispy pig’s ear. Open from breakfast time onwards, its terrace, which can seat 20-30 people, is cheerful, lively and has a loyal clientele.
Frankie Burgers, the finest premium burgers
Inspired by the first American burger joints of the 1920s and 1940s, their recipes are simple and made with carefully selected ingredients. Their Super Frankie Cheese and Frankie Cheese Bacon burgers have been recognised as some of the best burgers in Spain. The terrace, located in the iconic Plaza Mayor, with its arcades, pedestrianised and full of life, has a capacity of between twenty-four and thirty people. The group’s most urban and vibrant side has three venues open in Madrid since 2021.
Taberna 7 Bar, new in town
The group’s latest opening is a tribute to local tapas. This new space brings its tavern-like essence to Calle Libreros, one of Alcalá’s most iconic streets. Its terrace, which can seat between twenty and thirty diners, has quickly become an essential meeting place for both locals and visitors alike.
The menu features reinterpreted bar classics such as Russian salad, croquettes, squid legs, torreznos (fried pork crackling) and Alcalá-style scallops with green mojo sauce and picón pepper sauce, not to mention more elaborate dishes such as steak tartare, grilled picaña steak and Betanzos-style omelette, available in three versions: classic, truffle and cod.
Fino Bar Restaurant, sophistication with a casual touch
This is one of Monio Group’s most special spaces. Founded in 2023 following a partnership between Fran Rodríguez Monio and Alberto Sánchez Caerols, trained at Santceloni – two Michelin stars – and former maître d’ at the Casino de Alcalá, with the aim of offering refined, elegant yet informal cuisine.
Its menu includes dishes such as spicy and citrusy prawn salad and Russian salad with homemade pickles and a red pepper dressing. Fresh and carefree dishes are complemented by new and refreshing options such as classic sea bass ceviche with leche de tigre, “maíz cancha” and plantain “macho”, which can be enjoyed in the spacious bar area with high tables. In summer, this area is transformed into an improvised terrace thanks to the large window, allowing guests to enjoy the natural light and atmosphere of the historic quarter.
Taberna San Isidro, a place to eat well
In the centre of Alcalá de Henares, Taberna San Isidro is the ideal place to enjoy authentic home cooking in a traditional atmosphere. Inspired by Madrid’s roots, here you can sample the most delicious dishes of Spanish cuisine, with a special focus on traditional recipes from the capital. It is famous for its cocido completo (chickpea stew), included in the Ruta del Cocido Madrileño (Madrid Stew Route), and other dishes such as “tortilla”, sweetbreads, fried foods, “gildas” (skewered anchovies, peppers and olives), always made with seasonal products of the highest quality.
