It is an increasingly frequent custom that the press release informing about the opening of a new restaurant includes two authorships: the one related to the chef and the one related to the interior design. At a time when gastronomy seems to be governed by a dogma -food not only has to be good, but it also has to look good-, the extension of the appearance goes from the plate to the rest of the restaurant. The most beautiful restaurants in Madrid are already on lists around the world, and, in fact, there are 15 in Madrid among the Restaurant and Bar Design Awards in 2022.
Thus, architects and designers work in restaurants that after decades will be studied as a projection of a contemporary feeling, as a fashionable place among the people of the time or as future nostalgia dumps. Madrid, with thousands of restaurants (at least 50 of them must be tried before you die), has a vast gastronomic offer that is at least remarkable. But as the experience is not only to live it but also to tell it through images, there are restaurants that fall in love for its beauty and justify the visit only as a space of visual or functional delight.
1. Maddock
When it comes to atmospheres or enveloping environments, Maddock is a reference. From the moment you set foot inside the restaurant the decoration envelops you and is not a mere visual complement to the experience, but is part of it: from the furniture, lighting, neon lights or floors, everything adds up so that once you cross the door eating there is something you enjoy with all your senses.
💶 Menu price: 38,90€ per person
Location:Paseo del General MartĂnez Campos, 26 (Almagro).
2. Caluana
Caluana is simply a restaurant inside a church. This thing is reminiscent of a painting by El Bosco: with a symbolic division of spaces. Downstairs is the Olivar -the cocktail area-, upstairs is the Invernadero -the non-terrace- and in the center is the chapel -the most unusual area compared to almost any other restaurant in the world. Caluana is not only the constancy of being under 16th century vaults doing something you don’t usually do under 16th century vaults, but also tasting a menu that defines itself as italocastiza.
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Location: Calle de la Bolsa, 12 (downtown).
3. Habanera
Like living in the carefree tropicality of Havana but without moving from Justicia. In the space formerly occupied by the RĂofrĂo cafeteria and with a glass window that invites you to observe the Plaza de ColĂłn, today stands Habanera. One of those restaurants that are talked about ad nauseam, partly for its gastronomy (with the quality seal of Grupo Larrumba), partly for its decoration (which bears the aesthetic stamp of the same group).
Plants, lots of natural plants; vibrant colors with floral and geometric prints; coquettish tables that decorate a large space with high ceilings. And among this tropical atmosphere, a menu that offers Cuban dishes such as the croqueta de ropa vieja, or takes us back to childhood (in that cake of Maria cookie, chocolate and Lacasitos).
💶 Menu price:24,90€ per person.
Location: Calle de GĂ©nova, 28 (Justicia)
4. Bakan
The Mexican restaurant that triumphs in Miami could not arrive in Madrid with a discreet interior design boast. It is a work that has been carried out by the interior design studio Cousi. The decorative will has had and achieved the purpose of evoking Mexico in every cubic centimeter. From the hundreds of cactus that are distributed throughout the premises to the recreations of agave inspired by Huichol art and hanging from the ceiling.
💶 €€€€€
Location: Plaza de la Independencia, 5 (Salamanca neighborhood).
5. Numa Pompilio
Going to Numa Pompilio for the first time is like tasting a mochi, just by looking at it from the outside you think it looks good, but you don’t know what awaits you inside. When you walk through the courtyard of this Italian restaurant you arrive in the most romantic and ancient Rome. Its menu is based on Italian tradition, but draws from the entire Mediterranean basin. Two proofs of this are the gnocchi with partridge and the oxtail ravioli.
💶 €€€€€
Location: calle de Velázquez, 18 (Salamanca)
6. A’ Barra
The concept of the bar is almost that of Spanish-style itamaes: the chefs make, finish or finish off each dish in front of the diner. It is not that one eats with a view of the kitchen, it is that the kitchen constitutes the view per se. The chefs explain each dish, answer questions and help you understand what you are eating. The decoration is a fundamental factor in the A’Barra experience: from the surprising component that hides the impossible shapes of the wood that shapes the interior of the bar to the LEDs that change their intensity depending on the moment of the meal in which we are located.
💶 €€€€€
Location: Calle del Pinar, 15 (Gregorio Marañón).
7. Terracotta
The decoration of the restaurant emulates terracotta and is reminiscent of an anthill: the sinuous shapes and the brownish and reddish colors contribute to create a peaceful feeling of comfort. The restaurant emulates this material and takes its name from it, inspired by terra cotta, the material from which empires were built. The idea, quickly thought out, works as a metaphor. If it can be used to build empires, how can it not be used to build a restaurant?
💶 €€€€€
Location: Calle de Velázquez, 80 (Salamanca neighborhood).
8. Lazzaroni
Some people define the interior of Lazzaroni as a painting. And the definition could not be more accurate: a first glance at the premises of this cozy Italian restaurant could well invite you to think that it is in 2D. They boast of elaborating fresh products as it is done in the Italian tradition: with a typical Neapolitan oven, a checkerboard floor and a decoration that would justify per se the visit if it were not for the fact that the food is also a different matter.
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Location: Calle Veneros, 8 (Majadahonda).
Manolita Chen
The second most famous Manolita in Madrid (the first is the one that sold lottery in Preciados) has an absolutely authentic Chinese restaurant. One of the best Chinese restaurants in Madrid also has a sensational decoration. The name pays tribute to the history of Eva Chen, owner, because her family has the origins of the Chinese Theater of Manolita Chen. Thus, this tribute that pays homage to an entire lineage seems like a fetish place for those looking for a cozy, eclectic restaurant with a modern aesthetic.
💶 €€€€€
Location: Calle de CastellĂł, 18 (Salamanca neighborhood).
10. Bel Mondo
Bel Mondo is one of those restaurants that you have to try once in your life. Its signature dish is the Carbomamma, a tribute to authentic carbonara served on a wheel of pecorino cheese. It has a large space, divided into two floors and can accommodate 300 diners.
Each of its rooms has a special decoration. Vinyls, pink walls, patterned carpets, neon lights and antique lamps are just some of the elements that contribute to create a unique atmosphere. Its interior patio, which sometimes serves as a terrace, simulates a real Roman trattoria. Located in a garden full of flowers, it is one of the best options to disconnect from the city. It was the first restaurant of the Big Mamma group in Spain, but its brother Villa Capri, located at number 118 Hortaleza street, has nothing to envy.
💶€€€€€
Location: Calle Velázquez, 39 (Salamanca neighborhood).
11. Bugao
Having a little piece of Ceuta in Madrid was the goal of Hugo Ruiz when he decided to open his restaurant, a mission that the young chef accomplished with flying colors. As his slogan, “Cuisine between seas”, states, the protagonists of his menu are the fish from the Strait of Gibraltar, with the sea acting as a common thread in all his dishes. As for the premises, the decoration of the Ceuta architect Silvia Picar puts the finishing touch to the atmosphere of Bugao. Its design follows the Andalusian style, combining inspiration from the Mediterranean peoples with the Arab world. Having two spaces, Gourmet and Gastrobar, the establishment is the perfect combination between sophistication and the most informal cuisine.
💶 €€€€€
Location: Calle de MarĂa de Molina, 4 (Salamanca neighborhood).
12. Oroya
One of the hottest terrace restaurants of the last year is Oroya. It is located in the hotel The Madrid Edition, and has been elected the fourth best in Europe, according to the ranking of Big 7 Travel. Undoubtedly this is one of the most romantic locations in Madrid in the heights. The Peruvian restaurant and pisco bar is located on the fourth floor of the hotel, and of it is highlighted in this ranking that “the terrace has a cozy fireplace, a pergola covered with vines and an elegant teak bar, with spectacular views of the city”.
💶 €€€€€
đź“ŤLocation: plaza de Celenque, 2 (downtown).
13. Smoked Room
Smoked Room won two Michelin stars in its first six months of life. In addition, the latest project of Malaga chef Dani Garcia, has been chosen as one of the most beautiful restaurants in the world. This is undoubtedly one of the restaurants if you want to impress. Exclusivity permeates everything, from the decor, to the menu and the tiny space – it only fits 14 people.
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đź“ŤLocation: Hotel Hyatt Hesperia – Paseo de la Castellana, 57 (RĂo Rosas)
This article was written by six hands between Alberto del Castillo, Selene GarcĂa Torreiro, Isabel Nieto and Elena FrancĂ©s.