Going to eat at a restaurant in the Sierra -with a capital letter and without specifying which one, because whether it is Guadarrama or Gredos for the Madrileños it is a concept- is, in general, the best reward after a day of mountain hiking.
In the Sunday tradition, rotisseries reigned supreme, and they continue to have a great appeal, but the tasting menus including the michelin stars have been making a niche for themselves and expanding an increasingly higher offer (in terms of height, price and quality).
1. Montia (El Escorial)
Montia is one of the restaurants that recovered michelin star in 2022 after closing in 2021 due to a fire. Now it is reborn with the same strength and culinary spirit, letting its cuisine soak in the environment of San Lorenzo de El Escorial. 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.
📍 Calle Juan de Austria, 7 (San Lorenzo de El Escorial).
💶 Menus: 95 € y 110€.
2. The House of Manolo Franco(Valdemorillo)
At the head of La Casa de Manolo Franco is now Manu, as he is amicably called because he is the son of the founder of this restaurant in the mountains of Madrid. After traveling the world thanks to sports journalism and writing several books, Manolo Franco (son) returned home to continue his father’s legacy and give a new look to the family restaurant. Now it is a modern cuisine of local products, of which the Michelin Guide highlights its ambition and desire to surprise.
📍 6 La Fuente Street (Valdemorillo)
💶 Menu: around 70€.
3. La Petit Raclette (Navacerrada)
The raclette from the Swiss Alps can also be tasted in this restaurant in the mountains of Madrid. This dish has a great protagonist which is the cow’s milk cheese that is made in the canton of Valais, and in some regions of France, and as it happens to fondue, it is very hearty. So it’s great to get your strength back after a long, cold hike through Navacerrada (village, not the pass). They have a fireplace in case you want to add romance to the plan.
📍 Travesía de las Huertas, 6 (Navacerrada)
💶 Average price: 30€
5. Yeyu (Cercedilla)
Yeyu is next to the central square of Cercedilla, so the plan is twofold: eat well and go sightseeing in rural Madrid (without breathing the polluted air beret). In their menu they have a good offer of marinades: bonito, quail, partridge and rabbit, among others. They also have meats from the mountains of Cercedilla and a long list of spoon dishes – as is typical in the Zone.
📍 Calle Mayor, 24 (Cercedilla)
💶 Average price: 40 € per person.
6. Room (Guadarrama)
Sala is a large restaurant with several areas: lounge, bar, tapas area, terrace perfect for celebrations and chill out for the summer. They have specific menus for groups and the spaciousness of the space allows for meetings, but if they are known for something it is for their seafood (especially shrimp). They claim to have the best in Madrid. You must also try their vermouth, even better if accompanied by the boletus and white truffle croquettes.
📍 Carretera de los Molinos, 2 (Guadarrama)
💶 Average price: 50 per person.
7. Los Frutales (Cercedilla)
Los Frutales opened in 1910 as an inn and restaurant with a clear target audience: mountaineers and shepherds who passed through the Cañada Real. Today it is still run by the same family, although it is now a renovated hotel that maintains part of the stone façade and the fruit trees that provide shade for diners in the garden. It has a long menu with classics of traditional Castilian cuisine: from torreznos to roast suckling pig.
📍 Carretera de las Dehesas, 33 (Cercedilla)
💶 Average price: 30 € per person.
8. Santa María (Santa María de la Alameda)
Santa María is in Santa María de la Alameda, not to be confused with the village next door, which has the same name, but with Estación at the end. As in other restaurants in the mountains of Madrid, here the walls are covered with stone, the fireplace crowns the dining room and the menu is based on local products. In addition, the wine cellar -with hundreds of references- is a sure attraction for those who enjoy good food and drink. In any season it is interesting to come: in summer, to escape from the heat of the city and in winter from the real cold; but autumn and its mushrooms are imperative.
📍 Calle del Rey Juan Carlos I, 29 (Santa María de la Alameda)
average price: between 30 and 40 € per person.
9. Paco Roasting Oven (Los Molinos)
At Horno de asar Paco you can enjoy a Castilian soup while listening to the crackling of the fireplace. There are few more comforting plans during Madrid’s winter. But to do Honor to the name of this restaurant in the mountains of Madrid you have to try some of what is cooked in the wood oven: lamb (to share), steak, entrecote or chops if hunger is not pressing. Traditional cuisine, the smell of wood and rustic decor: it’s everything you’d expect from a restaurant located in an old barn in the mountains.
📍 Pradillos Street, 11 (Los Molinos)
average price: between 50 and 60 € per person.
10. Ochoa House (Puerto de Navacerrada – Cercedilla)
Casa Ochoa does what is now called comfort food, which literally translates as home cooking (although the word comfort does define very well the sensation of eating a good plate of beans from La Granja). Climbing the Navacerrada pass, walking the Schmidt trail (snowy in winter) and without taking off your hiking boots, having a drink in this restaurant is an expert Sunday plan. On weekends, however, it will be difficult to find a place.
📍 Calle de la Virgen de las Nieves, 7 (Puerto de Navacerrada)
💶 Average price: 25 € per person.
11. Carande (Navacerrada)
Carande is another of the restaurants in the sierra that has managed to give a twist to the traditional, with a personal touch, but without stridency. Carlos Carande, founder, has worked in such renowned kitchens as DSTAgE and Zuberoa with Hilario Arbelaitz, and has returned to his Madrid roots. It has meat and fish, but do not leave without ordering one of its desserts, especially the almond wafer, with light vanilla and cinnamon cream
📍 Plaza del Doctor Gereda, 10 (Navacerrada)
💶 Average price: 50 €
12. KOMA (Collado Mediano)
Koma is the perfect restaurant for a romantic plan in the mountains of Madrid. First for the views and the environment and secondly because it is inside the Hotel Box Art La Torre, if you want to make weekend getaway without leaving the region. Its menu has avant-garde elaborations and presentations and the prices are adjusted to the quality offered.
📍 Paseo de los rosales, 48 (Collado Mediano)
💶 Tasting menu. 40 per person.