Madrid’s best restaurants range from small neighborhood taverns to exclusive Michelin-starred restaurants, to centuries-old restaurants and streets, such as Ponzano, that are the epicenter of new culinary offerings.
Madrid is full of brilliant places to eat and drink. That’s why we have chosen the 50 best restaurants that all Madrileños (and non-Madrileños) should try at least once in their lives. This article is nothing more than a general snapshot (very ambitious and, of course, incomplete) of the natural state of Madrid’s gastronomy.
1. Ursa
In a city in full gastronomic explosion, as Madrid is, sometimes the identity that made it different is diluted. Osa is an inward look that has brought freshness among so many attempts at forced casticismo. First for its location, on the banks of the Manzanares River, away from the culinary center, where it recovers a house with a garden typical of a Madrid colony.
Then for its elaborations. They do not pretend to be the most innovative, they could be defined as classics. They use French techniques -like the rillete (similar to confit) of rabbit- and national product, with local winks, like the bread of Clan Obrador.
Calle de la Ribera del Manzanares, 123 (Moncloa – Aravaca)
2. La Tasquita de Enfrente
This tiny restaurant is a bastion of haute cuisine in Madrid with 2 Repsol suns. La Tasquita de Enfrente has been on Ballesta street for 25 years and went from being a restaurant to a unique proposal when Juan López Bedmar, son of the first owner, took over, a passionate cook who has now given the baton to Nacho Trujillo.
Many of its proposals do not add more than three ingredients and traditional dishes are the order of the day, which does not prevent us from finding in its tasting menu such incomparable mixtures as sausage tartar, raor with snow peas or salad with shrimp.
Calle de la Ballesta, 6 (Downtown)
3. Mami Tacos
In Malasaña you’ll find a Mexican birriería where they don’t reserve a place and where you’ll have to wait in line if you go on a weekend. With beef birria tacos for less than 3€, served with its juice and homemade sauces, Mami Tacos makes an ultra-specialized bet that raises the level of street food in Madrid. Behind it are Patricia Villanueva and Gabriela Vázquez, mother and daughter who recreate the familiar flavors of Mexico in a place with high tables and an informal atmosphere. In addition to the star taco, it is worth trying the Gringa quesadilla, the crunchy Mulita or the panceta al pastor from La gordi.
📍 Calle de San Andrés, 31 (Malasaña)
4. Sala de Despiece
In Sala de Despiece the bet is clear. It is not unusual that more and more restaurants devote their gastronomic proposal to the visual bet: if it is photogenic, people will want to come to take pictures of it and, secondly, to taste it. There are times when photogenic does not transcend the dish and others when it is a natural consequence of quality. To this second group belongs the Sala de Despiece, which became big in Ponzano and after the confinement its second location next to Gran Vía. Raw material, creativity and staging.
Calle de Ponzano, 8 and 11 (Chamberí) and Calle de la Virgen de los Peligros, 8 (Centro).
5. Montia
Montia was reborn in 2022 after closing due to a fire, and once renovated it recovered its Michelin star. They define themselves as collectors and farmers of what they cook, and it shows in their menu, which changes with the seasons, but always maintains a “wild” side. The trip to San Lorenzo de El Escorial is more than justified to try their tripe and it is also a good excuse to visit the monastery (again).
📍 Calle Juan de Austria, 7 (San Lorenzo de El Escorial).
6. Mawey Taco Bar
We are not afraid to say it: here you will find some of the best tacos in Madrid. But they are also not bad at guacamole, aguachile and other wonders of Mexican cuisine that can only be improved accompanied by a homemade michelada. And they do that too.
📍 Calle de Olid, 6 (Chamberí) | Calle San Bernardo, 5 (Centro) | Calle Manuel de Falla 3 (Majadahonda)
7. Lana
Lana is the project of the Narváiz brothers, after many years working in the hotel and catering business. The restaurant is a tribute to its Argentinean origin, and the name refers to a ritual, it is the way of preparing each of the products.
There is an almost millimetric study based on family roots, respect for the Argentine gastronomic tradition and the quality of the product. An opportunity to try one of the best steakhouses in Madrid.
Ponzano Street, 59 (Chamberí)
8. Chicote Museum
There is a place in Madrid whose walls are living history and that, at the same time, innovates every day. A place that combines the atmosphere of past and present in the heart of Madrid’s Gran Vía. The mythical Museo Chicote, which has been welcoming the best of Spanish (and international) society since the 1930s.
Calle de Gran Vía, 12 (Downtown)
9. Saddle
With one Michelin star and two suns from the Repsol guide, one begins to get an idea of the level of cuisine that can be enjoyed at Saddle. A luxurious setting with a culinary offer that is no slouch, mixing classic and contemporary recipes that allow you to taste from a Rossini sirloin to a plate of tripe.
🍲 Pâté en croute
Calle Amador de los Ríos, 6 (Chamberí)
10. Brutalista
Brutalista claims to have the spirit of a neighborhood tavern and market. These experts in making marinades have attracted the attention of chefs and experts despite their short history. Their cuisine has touches of typical game dishes, such as quail, with some Asian cuisine, such as Oliviere temaki, and a classic that never fails, such as gazpacho. In addition, their prices are quite adjusted, and with three different price ranges.
📍Calle Juan Álvarez Mendizábal, 34 (Argüelles)
11. Bākkō
Chef Sergio Monterde (ex Kappo, Zuara or Mr. Ito) leads Bakko, a Japanese signature restaurant where nigiris, dressed oysters, shrimp gyozas and tatakis made to the millimeter coexist. With a bar of only 8 seats and embers that make the difference, the experience is completed with a wine cellar of more than 300 references directed by Rosalía Caamaño. An intimate place with attention to detail that is already aiming to become one of the great Japanese restaurants in Madrid.
📍 Calle de López de Hoyos, 9 (Downtown)
12. El Invernadero
The world’s best vegetable restaurant of 2024 is in Chamberí. Although green is the protagonist of its dishes, its recipes are in most cases omnivorous. Seasonality is crucial to their recipes and a fundamental pillar of the restaurant.
With one Michelin star and two Repsol Suns, this space stands out for its tasting menu, which can be enjoyed in two formats: the chef’s table, where the diner lives a live showcooking experience, or the private table in the dining room, for a more intimate experience.
📍Calle de Ponzano, 85 (Chamberí)
13. Lur
The youth and talent of its chef, Lucía Gutiérrez, is the first thing that surprises us about this restaurant in Legazpi, which in a short time has captured the attention of the media. Although its young age -of the restaurant and of her- it is supported by Miguel Gutiérrez, Lucía’s father, who previously ran the restaurant Kándida, in this same place and now supports them in this project. In Lur they emphasize long cooking and seasonal products, so the rotation of dishes is constant.
📍 Bolívar Street, 11 (Legazpi)
14. Xiongzai Restaurant
The famous Chinese restaurant in the garage of Plaza de España broke our hearts when it closed. But we can always console ourselves with the one known as ‘the Winnie’ for using the Disney character in its decoration. Their dishes of authentic Chinese food rarely exceed 4€ or 5€, so with a small ticket you have plenty to spare.
📍 Calle San Leonardo, 3 (downtown) and Calle de la Salud, 8 (downtown)
15. Asturianos
Julia, the cook who after 80 years is still in the kitchen of the Asturianos restaurant, is revered by postin chefs and food critics. This restaurant opened when Vallehermoso street was a compendium of restaurants from different provinces and is the only survivor. Its spoon dishes, typical of the principality, feed the stomach and the soul on cold days and its flans at any time of the year.
📍 Calle de Vallehermoso, 94 (Chamberí)
16. Charrúa
Although its name and essence are inspired by the knowledge of Uruguay’s indigenous tribes about fire and meat, at Charrúa the selection of meats is the result of a search for the best from different countries. Angus from Uruguay, Ayrshire cow raised in Finland, Black Angus from the United States, Holstein beef steak and of course the best national product.
📍4 Conde Xiquena Street (Justicia)
17. From 1911
Desde 1911, from the Pescaderías Coruñesas Group (owned by the García Azpiroz family), is a tribute to the Maragatos muleteers who gave birth to the family legacy that continues to reap success. This restaurant already boasted the first place in Opinionated About Dining’ s list of the 30 best new European restaurants in 2022. With a menu that changes daily to serve only the best seafood and fish possible and an impeccable Nordic décor, Desde 1911 is one of the best restaurants in the city if you want to treat yourself.
📍 Calle del Vivero, 3 (Tetuán)
18. Takos al Pastor
Mexicans living in or passing through Madrid who make a pilgrimage to their restaurants to feel at home can confirm it. In Takos al Pastor you can taste their ‘takos’ from just over 1€ and quesadillas at a low price. The queue at the door is perennial from opening to closing in their two establishments, but we assure you that the wait is worth it.
📍 Calle de la Salud, 13 (Downtown)
19. Terracotta
There is no need to ask about the concept behind a restaurant like Terracotta because the attentive eye guesses it: craftsmanship runs through every little element. The dishes, for example, are handmade.
It has been open since 2021 and it has been worth that time to consolidate itself as one of the best restaurants in the Salamanca neighborhood. And they have done it with a handmade menu (as it could not be otherwise) that varies almost daily.
Calle de Velázquez, 80 (Salamanca neighborhood)
20. Lakasa
Lakasa’s menu changes with the seasons and adapts to what the market has to offer, that’s why since November its dishes include calçots, while in summer they go for tuna.
Cesar Martin is in charge of this restaurant that maintains a balance in which the product is excellent, but the average price is not prohibitive. This has made them recognized both in real life and on Instagram, where they are very active and have developed their more informative side.
Plaza Descubridor Diego de Ordás, 1 (Ríos Rosas).
21. Doppelgänger
Samy Alí, a half-Madrilenian and half-Sudanese chef with the name of a boxer, has opened Doppelgänger, although he used to run La Candela Restó until he decided to close it (after getting a Michelin star).
A good way to approach this innovative restaurant is the following: when we got the bill we expected the price to be 70€ per person and finally it was 30€. The menu varies and when you sit down at the table, they bring out all the dishes (the only thing they ask you is if there is something you don’t like or if you have any allergies).
Calle de Santa Isabel, 5 (Antón Martín Market)
22. Haramboure
Haramboure has established itself as one of the best restaurants in the city thanks to its focus on bistronomie, a proposal that combines haute cuisine with an accessible and cozy atmosphere.
Led by chef Patxi Zumárraga, whose career includes prestigious restaurants such as El Bulli and The Fat Duck, and Patricia Haramboure, an expert in customer service, this restaurant highlights its Basque-French recipes, using fresh and local ingredients, such as vegetables from Basque farms and inshore fishing from the Bay of Biscay. Its menu, which changes regularly according to the season, includes innovative dishes such as pencas stuffed with ventresca tartar or foie with truffle. In addition, its grill fed with different woods adds a smoky touch to its preparations.
Calle Maldonado, 4 (Salamanca district)
23. La Bola
Two reasons why La Bola’ s cocido is so well known: it is prepared for more than 4 hours over very low heat and over holm oak charcoal and in the classic clay pots, in which it is also served. Inside the pucheros the raw ingredients are introduced: chickpeas, water from Madrid, bacon, potato, chorizo and it is taken to the charcoal, where it is cooked, during which time the pucheros are periodically refilled with broth.
🍲 The stew.
📍Calle de la Bola, 5 (Downtown)
24. Gofio
Although it closed temporarily, Gofio reopened its doors in a new, larger space, where it has regained its Michelin star, thanks to its “maximum canariedad” in its own words. Its cuisine, led by chef Safe Cruz, combines the tradition and modernity of Canarian gastronomy as few know how to do, at least in Madrid.
📍Calle del Caballero de Gracia, 20 (Downtown)
Caja de Cerillas
The Catalan Enrique Valentí has entered the gastronomic offer in Madrid with Caja de Cerillas, a restaurant with the atmosphere of a traditional restaurant. Its menu features traditional and honest cuisine, with tapas such as homemade anchovies, prawn cocktail and a slice of battered cod that pays homage to Casa Labra. Its intimate atmosphere, designed by interior designers Las2Mercedes, with wood paneling, spoon dishes, casseroles and homemade desserts elevate the tradition of Castilian cuisine. The dishes are generous, so it is recommended to go in a group and order to share.
📍 Calle Donoso Cortés, 8 (Chamberí)
26. Casa Kike
Casa Kike is a faithful representation that a possible key to success is to do well what you have been doing all your life. Without more pretensions and without more grandiloquence. Recurring parishioners, international singers who come here on pilgrimage or national critics who try to unravel the secrets of its oxtail. The best way to measure the quality of Casa Kike, however, is to visit it (and try its bacalao al pil pil).
Paseo de los Melancólicos, 43 (Imperial)
27. Bichopalo
Bichopalo was born in the Barceló Market, the place became too small and came out of its chrysalis to settle in Ponzano. In Bichopalo the offer is easy to explain: a tasting menu that varies from time to time (but maintains authorial touches), a mixture of culinary trends and a top quality product.
La dorada frita.
Calle de Cristóbal Bordiú, 39 (Chamberí)
28. DiverXo
Diverxo hardly needs any introduction: a restaurant whose owner has been considered the best chef in the world, which is always on the front page and is the only restaurant in Madrid that has made it onto a list of the best restaurants in the world. It is not that it is a restaurant to go to before you die, it is a restaurant where you should stay to live.
Calle del Padre Damián, 23 (Cuzco)
29. Garden of the Dukes
El Jardín de los Duques is a restaurant with an unconventional location: the old stables of an Elizabethan palace, next to the Royal Palace, in the heart of Madrid de los Austrias. Under the direction of chef Manuel Arenilla, it offers a menu that reinvents the Madrid tradition with seasonal products and dishes such as suckling pig, the creamiest Iberian ham croquettes, bacon and fish from the fish market, all in the setting of an elegant garden in the heart of the city center.
Calle de la Bola, 6 (Downtown)
30. Batch
Batch is one of the most interesting stalls in the Vallehermoso Market. Here, in addition to natural wines, they make their own ferments, so it is both a store and a small restaurant with a tasting menu. The fermenter Nacho García and the cook Daniel Vare decided to include in their menu a wide variety of natural wines since they opened their market stall. The truth is that in addition to these packs of ferments and wines (which they also sell online) their cuisine has been gaining relevance, until it has become their main attraction.
📍 Calle de Vallehermoso, 36 (Vallehermoso Market, stall: 47-48)
31. El Pedrusco of Aldealcorvo
El Pedrusco de Aldealcorvo is a Castilian rotisserie in Chamberí where the specialty is roast suckling lamb and suckling pig in a centenary wood oven, following the traditional recipe book. But not only the roasts are excellent, for starters they have delicacies such as torreznos de panceta ibérica, Segovian black pudding, ensaladilla with quince vinegar and renewed garlic soups.
The tasting menu includes dishes such as fried egg croquettes, octopus a la brava and its renowned cheesecake with Galmesano and blue cheese from Valdeón. All this explains why it is one of the favorite restaurants of the critic and influencer Alberto de Luna.
Calle de Juan de Austria, 27 (Chamberí)
32. Casa Lucio
A Madrid classic. Little more can be said about Casa Lucio, where monarchs, presidents from all over the world, artists, sportsmen and even astronauts have gathered. According to the tavern owner who gives his name to the business, there have been many occasions when he has been offered a Michelin star, but he has always turned them down because the real stars were already seated in his place. If you haven’t tried it yet, the huevos estrellados are a must. Almost, almost like visiting the Vatican and not standing in line for the Sistine Chapel.
Calle de la Cava Baja, 35 (La Latina)
33. Casa Julián de Tolosa
You don’t have to go far from Casa Lucio to find another of the best restaurants in Madrid. A temple of good meat where to taste tasty grilled steaks. So much so that Forbes even ranked them as the best in the world. But its history goes back to the 50’s of the last century, in the municipality of Tolosa in the province of Gipuzkoa, which makes it one of the first Basque steakhouses known. At present, it has two premises in the capital.
Calle de la Cava Baja, 18 (La Latina) and Calle de Ibiza, 39 (Ibiza).
34. La Maruca
If we talk about classics, this list could not miss La Maruca. It belongs to the same group as La Primera, La Bien Aparecida and Cañadío, which a few years ago was named the best restaurant in Spain to eat tortilla de patata. La Maruca is a proven phenomenon, an authentic place to be for lovers of good food. It has three locations in Madrid, all three are well located, spacious and have a tremendously agile service.
Calle de Velázquez, 54 (Salamanca district); Paseo de la Castellana, 212 (Chamartín) and Calle de López de Hoyos, 42 (El Viso).
35. El Brote
Specialized restaurants always give a special confidence, either because they only make one dish or because they have an ingredient that occupies the entire menu. The latter is the case of El Brote. Here the mushrooms are even in the dessert, although the dishes vary according to the season because when betting on a product that depends so much on the temperatures the menu has to adapt to the full menu. The owners are experts and passionate mycologists who always know how to get the best product (or mushroom) of each season.
Calle de la Ruda, 14 (La Latina)
36. Umiko
Umiko is Japanese fusion cuisine that has the recognition of the Repsol guide (2020) and all the palates that have had the opportunity to try it. This would be a way to present Umiko, a restaurant that combines quality, flavor and attention to detail in each dish. And it is not surprising that having chefs Juan Alcaide and Pablo Álvarez heading the project, eating here is an experience.
Calle de los Madrazo, 6 (Downtown)
37. Yokaloka
The ramen at Yokaloka is cinematic, or to put the phrase in concrete terms, worthy of a TV series, as it inspired Isabel Coixet in her series Foodie Love, in which the protagonist claims that it is the best ramen in the world.
This Japanese restaurant takes its name from Yoka Kamada, the Japanese woman who has been in charge of the kitchen for more than 14 years. In addition to the ramen that they cook for 12 hours, the sushi set yokaloka is a must.
Plaza de Matute, 7 (Downtown) and Antón Martín location.
38. Santa Canela
They say that what is good, if brief, is twice as good; and that is something that perfectly applies to the menu of Santa Canela, with which you will get it right no matter what you order. Despite not being as well known as some of the names on this list, it has been able to gain the loyalty of its clientele in a short time with an offer that includes traditional classics, raciones, hamburgers? We can not fail to recommend their patatas bravísimas: with homemade sauce made of chipotle chili and aji amarillo on a bed of sobrasada and fennel, a real vice.
Calle de Guzmán el Bueno, 20 (Chamberí)
39. Dimibang
Its name “Dimibang” refers to what is considered the first cookbook written by a woman in East Asia, a reference in terms of Korean cuisine. A very appropriate name for a restaurant that has managed to bring the flavors of Korea to the heart of Argüelles. If in addition to eating (very) well you want to have a good time, the Korean barbecue, which is cooked at the table itself, is a fun and ideal option for those who understand food as an opportunity to share.
Calle de Rodríguez San Pedro, 67 (Chamberí)
40. Nakeima
The fame of Nakeima means that the queue is guaranteed. There is no website, and it is difficult to reach them by phone, so in this Asian fusion restaurant it is a 100% analog experience and that may be part of its charm. Among its attractions is that, although it has a tasting menu, you can stop whenever you want, if you can not or do not want to eat more you do not have to take the whole thing. Another peculiarity is that there is no previous information about what they are going to serve you, you don’t know anything about the next dish until they serve it to you.
Meléndez Valdés Street, 54 (Chamberí)
41. Tripea
Tripea opened in 2017 and continues to reap accolades, such as the one it received this year for best market stall in the region at the ceremony held by ACYRE (Asociación de Cocineros y Reposteros) during the 50th edition of the Certamen Gastronómico de la Comunidad de Madrid.
Its tasting menu is one of the most attractive and affordable in Madrid (it costs 50€) in relation to the quality offered. It consists of 8 courses where ceviches, dumplings and grilled meats triumph.
Vallehermoso Market (Chamberí)
42 .Ugo Chan
Ugo Chan is one of the great openings of the decade in Madrid, thanks in part to the recognition of Dabiz Muñoz on his Instagram, as well as other gastronomic gurus such as Eric Vernacci. It is the solo bet of chef Hugo Muñoz, after having passed through the kitchen of Kabuki, Shikku and KBK and creating the concept of UMO. All good promises and a Michelin star that endorses its performance.
Calle Félix Boix, 6 (Chamartín)
43. El Corral de la Morería
El Corral de la Morería is one of the best known flamenco tablaos and also one of the best restaurants in Madrid. It is not opinion, it was recognized as the best restaurant in Madrid in 2021 by the Association of Chefs and Pastry Chefs of Madrid (ACYRE) and also has a Michelin star and two suns of Repsol. Its menu is the commitment of its chef, David García, for the organic garden, controlled cultivation and good raw materials.
Morería Street, 17 (Center)
44. Hiro
Hiro, in the heart of Malasaña, is one of the most original and talked about restaurants in Madrid since it opened in October 2024. Its commitment is to cuisine without labels, creative and full of international influences. Among its most interesting dishes are the sweetbread and prawn saam, a sea and mountain snack wrapped in chard leaf with tartar sauce, and the beef sweetbread, considered by many to be the best in Madrid, cooked at low temperature and served with yuzu beurre blancand Creole sauce. The yogurt with a base of olive oil is the icing on the cake to finish off a good meal.
Calle del Espíritu Santo, 40 (Downtown)
45. Kitchen 154
Kitchen 154 is a restaurant that, although known for its spicy dishes, attracts even those averse to chili in its many forms. Its fame has been made over the years and by word of mouth, because if you mention spicy in this city it is rare that Kitchen 154 does not come up in conversation. The menu is concise, with lots of reference to Asian street cuisine, from India to Korea, and the occasional nod to the local. A good example is the Oreja killing me, a Madrid classic with a Thai twist.
Mercado de Vallehermoso (Calle de Vallehermoso, 36) and Calle del Acuerdo, 3 (Noviciado)
46. Zalacaín
Very few restaurants in Spain and in the world can boast such a relevant trajectory as that of Zalacaín. A gastronomic temple par excellence, synonymous with a unique gastronomic experience and a meeting point for personalities from all walks of life since its foundation almost fifty years ago. Its menu features a selection of its most emblematic dishes such as the “Don Pío” Búcaro (Consomé Gelée, smoked salmon, quail egg and caviar) or the Tellagorri Cod.
Álvarez de Baena Street, 4 (Castellana)
47. Smoked Room
Smoked Room was another of the great openings of 2021. The success is such that within six months of opening they received two Michelin stars. At the helm of this restaurant located in the Hyatt Hesperia hotel is the work of Dani Garcia and Massimiliano Delle Vedove. Exclusivity runs through this project, from the menu to the decoration, in which there is seating for only 14 people.
Paseo de la Castellana, 57 (Chamberí)
48. Botín House
This list could not miss the oldest restaurant not only in the city, but (literally) in the world: 295 years of history behind it and, even so, a long future ahead. From the Arco de Cuchilleros this gastronomic institution has remained standing combining tradition and innovation in its restaurant, and now also in the 1725 Gourmet Terrace.
Calle de Cuchilleros, 17 (La Latina)
49. Farah
https://www.instagram.com/p/C9iHQajtdOE/?hl=en&img_index=1
Farah defines itself as a restaurant, but it is undoubtedly an atypical one. Its menu is based on typical dishes of the Eastern Mediterranean, although in its own version and updated by chef Heba Kharouf. From baba ganoush, to grilled octopus, to pistachio ice cream, its menu is full of great hits.
Carrera de San Francisco, 12 (La Latina)
50. Lhardy House
Founded in 1839, Lhardy is one of the oldest restaurants in the capital, the best place to eat cocido madrileño and undoubtedly one of the best restaurants in Madrid. Moreover, after it almost went bankrupt after the pandemic, it was acquired by Pescaderías Coruñesas who have brought it back to life. Its dining rooms have managed to remain in the Madrid imagination thanks to artists such as C. Tangana, who included it in a video of his album El Madrileño.
Carrera de San Jerónimo, 8 (Downtown)