The nouvelle cuisine laid the foundations of 20th century gastronomy and ended up extolling French cuisine as an international aspiration (until Ferran Adrià arrived). Now, perhaps, it can be said that it is more diluted as a result of globalization, but it still maintains its classics, because if there is one thing the northern neighbors know how to do well, it is to preserve their culinary traditions.
This list moves away from haute cuisine (French haute cuisine) to focus on what the average French person eats on a daily basis and where they would eat if they lived in Madrid.
A good croissant in Madrid in Panem
Almost any boulangerie in Paris has good croissants (and good bread); all that many boulangeries do not have is a good croissant bakeries in Madrid are trying to recover in recent years has been preserved in the neighboring country.
A great victim has been the croissant, which when crossing the Pyrenees is transformed and no longer looks like a flaky pastry with a buttery flavor that melts in every bite. Here it has been industrialized and decorated with syrups or jams on top. Panem ‘s , however, has little or nothing to envy the French bakeries and was awarded as the best in the world best croissant in Spain in 2021.
💸 Almond croissant: 3,8€
📍 Fernán González Street, 42 (Ibiza)
The Breton galettes of Mademoiselle
Crêpes and their salty, Breton friends, galettes, seem like a no-brainer, but finding a place that delivers just the right crêpe consistency, a filling that nourishes and a good cider to go with it, is not. At Mademoiselle they claim to follow the tradition of this classic French cuisine as it is made in the owner’s place of origin, Saint-Malo, a port city in Brittany.
💸 B iscuits from €7,9
📍 Calle de San Bernardo, 12 (Chamberí)
Entrecote from Café de Paris
To be exact, what you come to eat here, the entrecote with potatoes with a house sauce that has made it famous, is not something exclusively French, but the Café de Paris follows the concept of the specialized bistro that abounds in the Gallic capital, such as the classic Au Pied de Cochon.
The history of this restaurant was born in Geneva, where it has the same name and where they have been cooking their unique dish with the same recipe since the beginning of the last century. Short and simple menus are usually synonymous with success, and even more so if they are accompanied by good fries.
💸 Entrecote with potatoes: 27 €
📍 Calle del Conde de Aranda, 11 (Salamanca district) and Calle Félix Boix, 8 (Chamartín)
The creamy cheeses of Brie Alto
The authentic smell and taste of the streets of France is that of the fromageries and Brie Alto has a good selection of cheeses from the neighboring country. Pauline Vallantin-Dulac and Richard Dhieras, both originally from Bordeaux, know how to guide their customers through their artisanal and raw milk cheeses, who are usually attracted by the typical Welsh soft cheeses that are so easy to spread.
In their stores they also sell wines, jams, preserves and some French delicatessen to accompany the cheeses.
📍 C hamberí Market and Vallehermoso Market
A ratatouille with parmentier in Lafayette
Ratataouille is the dish that mothers used to cook at home on any given Tuesday and that Disney (through the movie of the same name) turned into a legend, although it was already more than a classic of French cuisine. At the brasserie Lafayette they serve this kind of French ratatouille with parmentier, another incunabulum of French cuisine, which is essentially a mashed potato named after the great promoter of the tuber in the 18th century. Nothing more French than to give importance, renown and sophistication to a homemade dish.
By the way, here you have to leave room for dessert, be it lemon sablé, mille-feuille or tarte tatin.
💸 Ratatouille: 16€
📍 Recaredo Street, 2 (El Viso)
The quiche of Flour
It’s 1 p.m., lunchtime in France and you want something quick, what to eat? A quiche withformule du midi, i.e. with a midday menu. Flour quiche has one essential thing: an exquisite base and a hearty filling that varies. The French tend to be picky if the content exceeds the ingredients, but like pizzas it is so easy to adapt them to local palates that it is worth the anger of purists. Here they are sold in portions or whole.
💸 Quiche entera online: 40€
📍 Calle Velázquez, 61 (Salamanca district)
Duck breast in Bistroman
How common duck breast is in French menus and how complicated it is to find a good one. At Le Bristoman it is label rouge, i.e. of the best quality and has the touch of the grill. Its menu and tasting menu (85€) follow all the precepts of the most classic French cuisine and meet expectations, which also ratifies its sun of the Repsol Guide.
💸 Magret of duck: 28€
📍 Calle de la Amnistía, 10 (center)
French wine in St. Louis Germain Wine Bar
You start to get to know the inhabitants of the neighboring country when you realize that despite the prejudices we are practically the same people (some with and some without self-esteem). One of those points of union is knowing how to alternate a glass of wine with something to eat, and in St. Louis we have a great variety of wines. The St. Germain Wine Bar has the same menu as a bistro in the Parisian neighborhood to which the name of this bar refers.
Here Cabernet Sauvignon, Chardonnay and Pinot Noir are paired with Brittany oysters, pâtés or duck confit.
📍 Calle de Cochabamba, 21 (Chamartín)
The Croque Mille-feuilles from Robuchon
Robuchon’s fame, the famed French chef’s restaurant bears his name, has made him expand internationally and open in Madrid an atelier, an amabassade and a speakeasy. Among all this wide offer there is a simple mixed sandwich, the croque madame or monsieur (with or without egg) that they have joined with the concept Mille-feuille (the mille-feuille here) to result in a double bikini. Simple and successful.
💸 Croque mille-feuilles Robuchon style: 19€
📍 P.º de la Castellana, 12 (Salamanca district)
The macarons of Moulin Chocolat
In the absence of a Ladurée or Pierre Hermé to make you feel like Sofia Coppola’s Marie Antoinette, in Madrid we have Moulin Chocolat del chocolatier Ricardo Velez. Recognized as the best pastry chef at the 2023 edition of Madrid Fusión she masters the French pâtisserie and, of course, embroiders the macarons. These delicate filled pastries that break almost as soon as you pick them up and taste of sugary finesse are rare in Spanish bakeries, but they are sold (almost like churros) in the vicinity of Puerta de Alcalá. Don’t miss the éclairseither.
📍 Calle de Alcalá, 77 (Salamanca district)