In the top of the gastronomies that have conquered other countries, Italian cuisine is among the first places. And the Italian restaurants in Madrid are a good example of this.
We share with our neighbors a cultural background, geographical location and passion for olive oil, but their cuisine has adapted so much that the pizza may contain pineapple or to add cream to carbonara without any complex. And yes, there are also purists of this gastronomy, but to take the food from outside to your own terrain is a way to adopt it as your own.
1. Noi
A more contemporary take on Italian cuisine is found at Noi. It is one of eight restaurants in Madrid to receive Big Gourmand recognition from the Michelin Guide in 2022.
Its chart traverses the Italian peninsula from north to south across the tasting menu the restaurant has a long list of antipasti or starters such as vitello tonnato, and then focuses on pasta dishes such as fusilli with calabrese sauce and ends with classic desserts ranging from cannolo to tiramisu.
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📍 Calle de Recoletos, 6 (Salamanca district)
2. La Pizzeria
La Pizzeria triumphs in its light pizzas, with a tomato sauce of perfect acidity, made in the oven; as well as its homemade and handmade pastas (special attention to the gnnocchi with veal ragu). It has a succinct, concise menu that doesn’t linger on impossible pizzas with more than eight toppings, which almost assures that what they do, they do very well.
📍 Calle del Barquillo, 20 (Chueca)
3. Ozio Gastronomic
Dario Genova is the executive chef in charge of imprinting the flavors of Southern Italy on the dishes of Ozio Gastronomico, an Italian restaurant in Tetouan. On the menu you will find Sicilian caponata, carbonara with black truffle and a second course of tagliata with Palermo-style beef tenderloin. For dessert you have to choose between cannolo and tiramisu, it won’t be easy.
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📍 Aviador Zorita Street, 37 (Alvarado)
4. Gioia by Davide Bonato
Gioia is the result of chef Davide Bonato’s roots and work experience. This restaurant works like a workshop: everything is handcrafted. But there is also room for innovation, in a balance with more traditional flavors, which is the basis of all its dishes, where the essential ingredients of yesteryear are reborn with new shapes, colors and textures.
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📍 Calle de San Bartolomé, 23 (Chueca)
5. Numa Pompilius
When you cross the courtyard of Numa Pompilius you arrive in the most romantic and ancient Rome. Its name and logo, with reference to the second king of Rome, will put you in the picture. Its menu is based on Italian tradition, but draws from the entire Mediterráneo basin. Two proofs of this are the squid cannelloni in its own ink and the boletus and foierisotto.
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📍 Calle de Velázquez, 18 (Salamanca district)
6. Bel Mondo
Since the opening of Bel Mondo, the first restaurant of the Big Mamma group in Spain, it has become one of the Italian restaurants of reference in Madrid. The food, of course, is as dogmatically Italian as an Italian restaurant in Italy demands (despite being a French-owned chain). It plays with an excessive decoration that looks like the set of a romantic movie shot in Little Italy, but its authenticity goes all the way to its workers, most of whom are originally from the country of carbonara without cream. Oh, and the photo of the pasta carbonara on the cheese wheel can’t miss in your feed.
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📍 Calle de Velázquez, 39 (Salamanca district)
7. Fratelli Figurato
Brothers Riccardo and Vittorio are the two Neapolitan pizza wizards of Fratelli Figurato. The good thing comes threefold, in this case, they already have three establishments: the original pizzeria, the trattoria popolare and the laboratory, where you can only pick up orders. Talso serves an authentic carbonara that is to die for because the pasta is fresh and made right there. A must-see in Madrid.
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📍 Pizzeria: Calle Alonso Cano, 37 (Chamberí) and Trattoria: 1 Larra Street, 1 (Justice)
8. Mica Restobar
In Mica the doughs are fermented in a natural way and they use semi-wholemeal flours, so not only their pizzas are worthy of mention, their focaccias compete in prominence. And as a starter, so that it’s not all flour, a carpaccio that will definitely whet your appetite. If you still have enough energy left for dessert, the caprese cake will make you dream of the island of Capri.
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📍 Calle del Limón, 30 (Conde Duque)
9. Barbieri Coffee
The Barbieri Café is in the exclusive club of the century-old restaurants madrid and is experiencing a rebirth since its refurbishment at the beginning of 2022. In addition, as far as the gastronomic offer is concerned, it is committed to quality Italian food at a reasonable price. What better place to try a pizza made with sourdough dough than surrounded by mirrors and velvet sofas in an iconic location in the capital.
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📍 Ave María Street, 45 (Lavapiés)
10. Davanti
Davanti is an orthodox Italian restaurant, with exquisite fresh pasta, including classics such as tagliatelle alla bolognese and pear ravioli. But in their other location, La Bottega de Davanti, they also have a market of Italian products, in case you want to make your own pasta at home, they sell everything (even the sauce). They also organize Italian wine tastings and you can end up eating lasagna. A Dream Is a Wish Your Heart Makes.
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📍 Calle de Augusto Figueroa, 41 (Chueca) and La Bottega at Calle Núñez de Balboa, 60 (Salamanca neighborhood)
11. Baldoria
The former executive chef of the Big Mamma Group, Ciro Cristiano, started his solo venture in 2022 with Baldoria. This Italian restaurant concentrates the Neapolitan essence, specifically of the small island of Procida, in its colorful and excessive Mediterráneo décor – subtly following the line of Bel Mondo and Villa Capri-. His dishes leave aside the more is more to focus on the good product known and always very resultón, as the famous carbonaras served in the crust of the cheese. They embroider the pizzas so well that they have been third in the I Pizza Championship of Spain 2023.
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100 Calle de José Ortega y Gasset, Salamanca (Salamanca)
12. Mandarosso
Madarosso takes the place of Nina Pasta Bar, one of the most missed Italian restaurants in La Latina since the death of its owner, Adriana Restano, much loved in the neighborhood. Pietro Leonetti decided to take over and open a sequel to his restaurant in Barcelona, La Cucice Mandarosso.
It is a traditional proposal of very common dishes of Italian cuisine: with a southern accent and very well executed. In general, the restaurant avoids the more is more trend to focus on getting the basics right.
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📍 Calle de Sta. Ana, 21 (La Latina)
Italian restaurants in Madrid play with tradition and innovation in equal parts. In a gastronomy as well known as the Italian one, it is difficult to stand out, but there is still a lot to contribute and discover. And these places have managed to become a reference in the field.