Sportsmen, singers or youtubers, celebrity restaurants are no longer an exception, but a second profession and even an attraction to distinguish themselves among the new city openings. It is worth mentioning the number of soccer players who have entered the hotel and catering business, even while they are still active, creating chains such as Naked & Sated by Marcos Llorente and Ibai Gómez, and creating synergies with renowned chefs.
1. Tora
Tora is the first restaurant of soccer player and businessman Mario Hermoso. Inspired by the idea of a contemporary Japanese tavern and with chef José Osuna leading the kitchen, the athlete joins the long list of players who already had catering as a second profession.
Tora’ s kitchens reinterpret traditional Japanese dishes with a Spanish touch. Asturian black pudding gyoza with pears in red wine, fusion nigiris including tuna with Wagyu fat and caviar, roasted bull with scallop or Wagyu A5 with marinade and sprouts, completed with lamb sweetbread temaki and tartar sauce. A mix and match of products that make the restaurant an interesting proposal.
💶 Around 40 €
📍 Calle de Padilla, 5
2. Tatel
Tatel opened in 2015 with Rafa Nadal, Enrique Iglesias and Pau Gasol among the partners, joined a couple of years later by Cristiano Ronaldo. That the restaurants are a good business is not only confirmed by the list of celebrities behind this one, but also by their expansion, they are already based in Beverly Hills and have just opened in Riyadh.
The one in Madrid has a decoration inspired by the golden 20’s in the United States and is one of the best in the world restaurants to listen to live music while you eat. Nor can we forget its cheesecake that holds the award for the best in Madrid according to the Association of Chefs and Pastry Chefs of Madrid.
between €50 or €60 per person
📍 Paseo de la Castellana, 36
3. Estupenda Café Bar
Estupenda Café-Bar wants you to feel like you are inside the David Lynch series, Twin Peaks. And it makes perfect sense that behind one of the most alternative bars of the malasaña neighborhood is. Silvia Superstar. One of the last icons of La Movida, singer of the group Killer Barbies, who renovated the old Coconut Bar, turning it into Estupenda Café-Bar. The menu is very American: homemade cakes, hot dogs, milkshakes, or cocktails from noon to dawn. There is also space for DJ’s sessions, movies and monologues.
💶 Around 20 €
📍 Calle de San Roque, 14
4. Fasfu Burguers
Fasfú Burguers is the burger chain of Luisito Comunica, one of America’s best known youtubers. First landed in Spain as a ghost kitchen, i.e. without a physical restaurant, but already has one at Chueca. Their burgers are smash style and the truffle and brie burger stands out, although they also have a vegetarian option based on chickpeas and lentils, which is very appetizing.
💶 Around €20 per person
📍 Calle San Marcos, 24
5. The Bite
More than 25 years ago, Julio Sánchez and Joaquín Sabina opened La Mordida in Madrid after a trip to Mexico, and it is now one of the most widespread Mexican restaurant chains in the city. If you want to go through the entire menu, the menu option for two offers two flautas and a synchronized carnitas with two margaritas for starters, to get you warmed up. Afterwards, six tacos and two palomas, a classic Aztec cocktail based on tequila and grapefruit. And since dessert is hard to resist, it also includes two servings of lemon tart and two servings of cheesecake to pair with two mango margaritas.
💶 Premium menu for 2 people with a pitcher of margaritas: 59,90 €
📍 Various locations
6. Bombastic
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Bombastic has brought together footballers Marcos Llorente, Ibai Gómez and Marco Asensio, although the first two already had Naked & Sated (which has restaurants all over Spain). Bombastic opened in late 2021 alongside chef and Instagram star Roberto Bosquet in the chueca neighborhood. The menu offers everything that can be grilled: vegetables, meats, fish, some rice and of course burgers.
💶 B etween 20 and 30 €
📍 Plaza de Pedro Zerolo, 1
7. TukTuk Asian Street Food
Behind TukTuk Asian Street Food is Ricardo Alexander, a former Hollywood and Bollywood actor who has worked with the likes of Jean Claude Van Damme, Jackie Chan and Elijah Wood, among others. In fact, on the screens of some of their premises they show movies such as Grand Piano, Black Mask or Lethal Experiment on loop. Its menu focuses on Thai soups, noodles and curries.
between 15 and 20 €
📍 Various locations
8. Nobu
Nobu is going to be one of the big openings in 2023. The hotel chain owned by renowned Japanese chef Nobu Matsuhisa, actor Robert De Niro and film producer Meir Teper will have a new location in the heart of Alcalá Street. As in the rest of the cities, it will also have a three-story restaurant, with bar and terraces, designed by the Californian studio Studio PCH, which also designed the one in San Sebastian.
💶 (Not yet confirmed)
📍 Calle de Alcalá, 26