La Taberna del Alabardero

Father Lezama first started up his traditional tavern in 1974, when he put underprivileged boys to work as waiters in this converted 16th-century townhouse. With a quiet terraza on the street that runs along the north side of the Teatro Real, it is still one of the most popular post-theatre dining spots, serving traditional tapas at the bar and Basque cuisine in the restaurant in the back. Lezama is no longer a priest but a very prosperous restaurateur - he has opened six more restaurants throughout Spain and one in Washington, DC. Some of those original boys are now shareholders in the Alabardero Company.