Pizza with a dim sum soul, pasta made with wok techniques, and dumplings inspired by Naples. From October 16 to 25, 2026, Madrid will host the first edition of the Italian-Chinese Culinary Tour, a gastronomic journey featuring some twenty Italian and Chinese restaurants, each presenting their best creation in tapas format at a special price.
Fuoco & Dragon, the event’s official name, is based on the idea of bringing together two cuisines the city already knows well: that of Madrid’s Chinese community and Italian cuisine, likely the international cuisine that most people share at the table. These cuisines intersect along the route, with dishes designed for sharing. On the table, there will be pizza, dim sum, pasta, noodles, dough-based dishes, fermented foods, wok-cooked dishes, and oven-baked dishes.
Which restaurants are participating?
On the Italian side, big names such as Origine by Salvatore Romano, Don Giovanni, Gianna, Baldoria (one of the best pizzerias in the world), Gioia, In Risto Lab, and Davanti Ristorante, among others, will be participating.
On the Chinese side, the organizers highlight Soy Kitchen, China Crown, Biang Biang Bar, Gran Café Shanghai, Shanghai Mama, Le Long Asian Club, Don Lay, Royal Cantonese, Hong Kong 70, Gong Fu In Chinatown, and Laotou Zhen Restaurant. However, it’s best to wait for confirmation of the final lineup to see the definitive list.
The fusion of cuisines has a long history. Nikkei cuisine combines Japanese techniques with Peruvian ingredients; Chifa blends Cantonese tradition with Peruvian ingredients and flavors, with arroz chaufa and tallarín saltado as its hallmarks. Tex-Mex blends Mexican tradition with ingredients from the southern United States, and Italian cuisine has already engaged in a culinary dialogue with Japan through dishes like pasta with miso or dashi risotto.