The history of Madrid can be found in its palaces, libraries and monuments. But the other history, the real one – that of ordinary people, iconic recipes and informal gatherings – is told in its traditional old shops, cafés and businesses. These iconic establishments bring together all of Madrid’s residents – those born there and those who come here to live – that continue to open their centuries-old doors to visitors in a display of renowned hospitality.

No well-established restaurant or café in Madrid is without its own menu of anecdotes. The most iconic is Botín, the world’s oldest restaurant according to Guinness World Records, founded in 1725 at 17 Calle de Cuchilleros. Royalty, US presidents, literary icons such as Hemingway (who they tried to teach how to cook paella on one of his many visits), Truman Capote and Ava Gardner have dined at its tables. However, celebrities have not only eaten in the dining room – some have also worked in its kitchen. Legend has it that Francisco Goya was hired as a dishwasher back in 1765.

Lhardy is also a principal player in the social life of not only Madrid, but all of Spain. It was opened in 1839 on Carrera de San Jerónimo, where it remains today, by Emilio Huguenin Lhardy, who came from France with the intention of bringing a piece of Parisian refinement to Madrid. The aristocrats of Isabell II’s court soon gathered at Lhardy’s tables, appreciating its fine recipes and delicate pastries. In 1847, the monarch herself (only 17 years old) escaped from her palace to have lunch incognito at the trendy eatery, a custom that her son Alfonso XII would also adopt. Lhardy acquired one of the first 50 telephones in Madrid, which it used to make the first home deliveries in the city’s history. Writers such as Benito Pérez Galdós, Pío Baroja, Lorca and Ramón Gómez de la Serna mentioned it in their works, and heads of different governments enjoyed meeting in its rooms with members of their cabinets. Lhardy claims to have been the last restaurant where Mata Hari ate before she was arrested and to have fed intellectuals ranging from Jean-Paul Sartre, Albert Camus and Marcel Proust to fashion legends such as Kate Moss and Yves Saint-Laurent.

Another hub of Madrid’s creative life is the legendary Café Gijón, located on Paseo de Recoletos. Its doors opened on 15 May 1888, and today it is the best representative of the tertulia (intellectual gatherings) culture in the Spanish capital. In the early 20th century, intellectuals such as Ramón y Cajal, Galdós and Valle Inclán became regulars at Café Gijón because – although the establishment was far from the rest of the social cafés, almost all in the Sol area – its daily set menu was filling and quite affordable. In the 1920s, Gerardo Diego’s Tertulia de los Poetas (poet meet-ups) was held there, sometimes attended by Lorca, Dalí or even Buñuel. After the Civil War, only a few cafés remained open, as many of the usual clientele had lost their lives or were in exile, but Gijón managed to survive and became the place to be during the 1940s. In the following decades, it hosted the meetings of Camilo José Cela, Francisco Umbral and Fernando Fernán Gómez, gatherings at which they were visited by Truman Capote, Orson Welles and Ava Gardner.

Although the hospitality industry is one symbol of Madrid, there are many other businesses that boast more than 100 years of history. A case in point is the La Favorita hat shop founded in 1894, and one of the most famous shops in Plaza Mayor. A family business now being run by the fourth generation, the shop retains its original aesthetics. You can find classic hats of the finest quality, as well as different styles, elegant berets and the best for winter wear. Some well-known customers have shopped at its wooden counter, but the anecdote that made this milliner famous was a visit by Che Guevara on 13 June 1959. That was the day the Cuban revolutionary acquired the beret he would wear in his most famous portrait, a snapshot taken the following year by Alberto Korda. The Elósegui Sin Badana model of beret is still available both on its website and in the shop.

In addition to these 100-year-old establishments, there are interesting spots such as the Farmacia de Lavapiés chemist, doing business since 1852 at number 56 of the street of the same name. The pharmacy is easily recognisable by its 19th-century red façade, although there have been many modernisations inside, such as a robotic system to access medicines. The Farmacia de Lavapiés has been at the side of the people of Madrid during some of the most difficult episodes in its history, such as the Spanish Civil War, when it remained open to care for the wounded and to serve as a refuge during the air raids.

Another unforgettable shop is the Joyería Ansorena jewellery store, a symbol of Madrid luxury since 1845. After doing business at several locations, it can now be visited at 52 Calle Alcalá. In 1860, Ansorena was named ‘Jeweller and Diamond Cutter of the Royal House’, so some of its finest works, such as the Tiara Flor de Lis, were created for Isabel II or for the queen consort Victoria Eugenia, as were pieces of great artistic value, such as the crown of the Zaragoza’s Our Lady of the Pillar statue. Today, in addition to offering an exquisite selection of jewels, Joyería Ansorena is also an auction house, with a large catalogue of antiques, and a contemporary art gallery.