The relevance of the daily special in Madrid today is somewhat in question, but there are still a few restaurants that dare to embrace this wonderful, time-honored Spanish tradition. A first course, a main course, bread, a drink, and dessert or coffee—there’s no better combination.
Outside, a chalkboard with handwritten text announcing the daily special. Inside the restaurant: a legacy from the middle of the last century, created first to introduce foreigners to the delights of Spanish cuisine and later to make dining out more accessible. That was regulated—restaurants were required to offer it—and eventually became a tradition.
Tilda Neotaberna Castiza offers a very comprehensive lunch menu available Monday through Friday from 1:00 PM to 3:30 PM. It includes a starter, main course, dessert or coffee, and a drink (water, soda, wine, or beer), all served in a modern setting with nods to traditional Castilian style. The menu changes weekly, ensuring variety and fresh flavors with every visit. It’s ideal for a quick meal without sacrificing quality in one of Madrid’s most central neighborhoods.
Casa Suecia’s executive menu is perfect for a break that lets you enjoy a good meal at lunchtime. For the first course, you can choose between Cordoba-style salmorejo, a seasonal salad with tender sprouts and the chef’s dressing, a pucherín (traditional stew), Mia Mamma’s risotto with Grana Padano, a chopped egg dish with marinated piquillo peppers, or a selection of grilled vegetables.
For the main course, the menu offers several options: “Utrero-style” pork cheeks glazed with potato cream, “house-made” pasta prepared to the chef’s liking, charcoal-grilled pork “secreto,” baked fish and seafood casserole, spicy chicken with parmentier… Finally, for dessert there are four options: an artisanal dessert from Casa Suecia, freshly cut seasonal fruit, a glass of rosé cava, or half a gin and tonic with Bombay Sapphire.
If Italian restaurants are your thing but you don’t want to spend a fortune just to enjoy a plate of pasta, at Relleno you can enjoy their daily special featuring fresh, artisanal pasta, sauce, and a drink from Monday through Thursday, 12 p.m. to 4 p.m. Options include ravioli stuffed with ricotta and spinach in tomato sauce, tortellini with gorgonzola fondue and walnuts, or mezze maniche with amatriciana sauce.
Hermanos Míguez
Few phrases say more about a place than “the same as always.” What does that mean in reference to Hermanos Míguez? Basically, that it thrives on what it offers: not on its decor, not on its location in a central neighborhood, but on its cocido, its torrijas, its judiones, its oxtail, and whatever other dishes make up a complete, traditional, and—of course—“the way it’s always been” daily special menu.
CIRKuK’s daily special was recognized as the best in Madrid in 2023 by Mahou 0,0 Tostada. The dishes change daily, depending on what the market has to offer that day, and are usually quite elaborate. It’s served Monday through Thursday (weekdays) between 1:00 p.m. and 4:00 p.m. and consists of three small dishes, a drink, and dessert or coffee. If you opt for dessert, by the way, adding coffee (black, cortado, americano, or with milk) will only cost you an extra €1.
Petit Comité’s daily menu is an honest and wholesome blend of fresh ingredients prepared with a modern twist, where you can choose one starter and one main course from three options each. A bit in the Parisian style, but with more down-to-earth prices. If you’re lucky, the meat dishes (entrecôte, chicken, or veal) are sublime, as is the gazpacho, which pairs fantastically with cheeses, foie gras, and desserts from France.
Tirso de Molina Square boasts a surprising diversity of shops from yesterday and the day before yesterday. One of the latest additions has been El 5 de Tirso, a sophisticated two-story tavern-restaurant that combines modern architecture with a daily special menu that’s surprising in its variety. Monday through Friday, from 1:00 p.m. to 4:00 p.m., the set menu consists of a choice of 10 appetizers, 10 main courses, a drink, bread, and dessert. And if you still can’t make up your mind, there’s always a dish of the day waiting for the undecided.
Since its opening on Gran Vía, this sort of gastronomic market has attracted legions of regulars thanks to a menu brimming with seasonal produce, a distinctly Madrilenian atmosphere, and its prime location. Every school day at lunchtime, the tables at the “market” fill up with executives, travelers, and discerning students eager to enjoy a set menu (including bread, a drink, and dessert) consisting of four first courses (choose one), two main courses (meat or fish), and several dessert options to round out a meal that leaves a lasting impression. Must-tries: salmorejo, creamy rice, and slow-cooked chicken.
Ponzano is a street best known for its nightlife, but during the day it’s also one of the must-see stops on this tour. At number 12, the restaurant of the same name offers a daily special featuring traditional cuisine with two options for the first and second courses, plus bread, a drink, dessert, and coffee or tea. The dishes—which range from its famous cocido, white asparagus, and salmorejo to veal cheeks and grilled rooster—can be viewed on its website.
At this restaurant, the tradition of a classic tavern and modernity come together to create a unique, high-quality dining experience with a strong focus on Asturian cuisine. And here’s proof: in 2020, it was recognized as having the Best Cachopo in Spain. The daily menu offers a reasonable selection of first and second courses, served with bread, a beverage, and dessert or coffee. You can rest assured that, whatever you choose, you’ll make the right choice.
In the center of Madrid, very close to Plaza de España, you can enjoy a daily special featuring market-fresh ingredients. La Tasca de Ventura offers a selection of dishes made with seasonal produce: vegetable soups, salads, fresh meat and fish, and their “fake risotto” are just some of the dishes you’ll find on the menu. It includes a starter, main course, and dessert or coffee; or, if you prefer, you can order a single-course meal with dessert or coffee.
Chirón, run by the Muñoz Bargueño brothers (Iván is the chef and Raúl the sommelier), has held a Michelin star since 2013 and has retained it year after year. What’s more, it’s the most affordable Michelin-starred restaurant in Madrid. The business lunch menu served Tuesday through Friday includes snacks, Madrid olive oil, artisanal bread, an appetizer, a starter, fish, meat, dessert, and two glasses of wine. For an additional €10, you can also get a socarrat rice dish with scallops and aioli.
Casa Dani’s tortillas are even worth mentioning on Netflix—the restaurant appears in an episode of *Food for Phill*—but every day they offer a different daily special with at least five first courses and seven main courses to choose from. If you want to see in advance what’s on the menu that day, you’ll find it on their website and Facebook page. A spoiler: typical dishes from Spanish national and home-style cuisine.