When planning a romantic dinner in Madrid you have to take into account much more than the menu. First try not to be obvious (subtlety relaxes expectations and the nervousness of first dates). The best is a space where the atmosphere has warmth and you can get some intimacy. Obviously, the food must be good, with some interesting touches, but without stridency.
1. Bodega de los Secretos
Bodega de los Secretos is a subway restaurant in the neighborhood of Las Letras. The 400 years of history of these walls make you move away from the idea of modern and fast Madrid, and helps you focus your attention on the person in front of you. The intimacy of the 17th century niches and pendentives, as well as the warm lights, create the perfect atmosphere for a romantic dinner in Madrid. All this accompanied by a menu peppered with gastronomy from all over the peninsula and seasonal.
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Location: Calle de San Blas, 4 (Las Letras)
2. Picalagartos
A classic to impress is the terrace of Picalagartos. Among the many roof terraces on the street that compete for the best views of Gran Vía, this one has the advantage. In a building with a marked literary and bohemian vocation, which has inspired the name of the space – it refers to the tavern of the same name in Valle-Inclán’s Luces de Bohemia. Picalagartos is located in what is known as Gran Vía 21, an architectural jewel designed by architects Julio Martínez Zapata and José López Sallaberry in neo-baroque style that opened its doors in 1918. Now you have something to talk about. And if you’re worried about the February cold -yes, it’s a good place to dine on Valentine’s Day- it’s ready for winter Madrid.
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Location: calle Gran Vía, 21 (downtown)
3. Numa Pompilio
Numa Pompilio is romantic down to its name. Its patio in the heart of the Salamanca neighborhood is one of the most beautiful and unexpected in the area. Its name and logo, with reference to the second king of Rome, will put you in the picture about its aesthetics and dishes. The menu is based on Italian tradition, but draws from the entire Mediterranean basin. Two proofs of this are the squid cannelloni in its ink and the boletus and foie risotto.
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Location: Calle de Velázquez, 18 (Salamanca neighborhood).
4. Persimmon’s
Persimmon’s is one of the trendiest restaurants in Madrid due to its bucolic decoration, including vinyl shelves and record player, its original culinary proposal, based on Georgian cuisine and an elaborate cocktail menu. In addition, this beautiful place is located in Salesas, the current hot spot of Madrid’s gastronomy.
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Location: Bárbara de Braganza street, 2 (Salesas)
5. Villa Capri
Villa Capri is one of the Italian restaurants in Madrid of the Big Mamma group. Between the decorative horror vacui, the Italian accent of its waiters and the most photographed carbonara on Instagram, make this the ideal space to have something to comment all the time. The visual noise is perfect to avoid uncomfortable silences. And for special dates, like Valentine’s Day it’s ideal.
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Location: Calle de Hortaleza, 118 (Justicia)
6. Torcuato
Few things make you fall in love more than a terrace in Madrid. Torcuato triumphs on Instagram and in real life. On the fourth floor of the ABC Serrano shopping center is this space designed by interior designer Pepe Leal, which has an open-air rooftop terrace and equally attractive indoor spaces. In its menu, as eclectic as its decoration, you will find Japanese touches with nigiris; classics of Spanish cuisine and also lamb tahine and cous cous.
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Location: Calle de Serrano, 61 (Salamanca neighborhood).
7. Café Comercial
Café Comercial is one of Madrid’ s century-old locals, but it changed its look almost completely when it reopened in 2017 after being closed for two years, although it maintains its castizo spirit. After sharing some of their rice dishes and a piece of cheesecake for dessert, you can take some black and white photos in the photo booth as a souvenir. All this makes it one of the most romantic restaurants in Madrid.
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Location: glorieta de Bilbao, 7 (Malasaña)
8. El Jardín de Alma
El Jardín de Alma is that restaurant that you dream of one day being your home (or at least its garden). Between the plants, the separation between tables and the garlands that decorate the space, it creates an intimate atmosphere perfect for a romantic dinner in Madrid. Of course, this restaurant of traditional Spanish and seasonal food, is not in the center, it is located in Arturo Soria.
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Location: calle Arturo Soria, 207 (Colina)
9. Casa Orellana Salesas
In this little Paris that is the Salesas neighborhood is the restaurant Casa Orellana. With its wicker chairs and the intimacy of its small tables with tablecloth is perfect for a dinner for two in Madrid. Its menu ranges from the most traditional, such as callos or torreznos, to new classics like steak tartar.
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Location:Calle de Orellana, 6 (Salesas)
10. Tramo
Chosen by Frame magazine, one of the most important design magazines, as the restaurant of the year 2024: Tramo is undoubtedly one of the most modern, beautiful, scenic and romantic restaurants in Madrid.
Following the principles of their first restaurant, the creators of Mo de Movimiento opened Tramo last year with ecological and social responsibility as a base and also giving an accent to design thanks to the hand of Andreu Carulla. The menu, however, is somewhat more sophisticated and with main dishes linked to Spanish gastronomy, such as leg of veal from Aragon or trout with porrusalda. A hit for this Valentine’s Day.
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Location: Calle de Eugenio Salazar, 56 (Chamartín)
11. Oroya
The Madrid rooftop Oroya, at The Madrid Edition hotel, in addition to having been chosen the fourth best in Europe, according to the ranking of Big 7 Travel, is probably one of the most romantic locations in Madrid in the heights. The restaurant and pisco bar is located on the fourth floor of the hotel, and it is highlighted in this ranking that “the terrace has a cozy fireplace, a pergola covered with vines and an elegant teak bar, with spectacular views of the city”. To have a date here is to play it safe.
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Location: Plaza de Celenque, 2 (downtown)
12. El Hombre Pez
The cuisine of El Hombre Pez is a fusion of Cantabrian and Indian gastronomy. How is this combination carried out? With the product of the north and the touch of Indian spices. It is a two-storey restaurant with a maximalist decoration. There are fish in relief on the wall, voluminous lamps of warm light, plants and even a tree full of artificial flowers. To end the evening they prepare a special cocktail based on vodka, melon liqueur, yuzu, lemon juice, white chocolate syrup and ginger beer, presented in a fish-shaped container. Perfect for sharing.
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Location: Calle Velázquez, 102 (Salamanca neighborhood)
13. Los 33
Los 33 is a sister restaurant of Charrúa (they share owners and concept) that also has the grill as the key and great protagonist, and a menu of Uruguayan influences, designed for tapas. The intimate atmosphere is created thanks to the low lighting, candles, vinyls and the smell of the embers of the barbecue, everything that a romantic dinner away from home should have.
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Location: Plaza de las Salesas, 9 (Salesas)
14. Llama Inn
Llama Inn is another of the most interesting openings in the Salesas neighborhood, which in gastronomic terms is the new hot spot in the city. This Peruvian restaurant arrives in Madrid after many years of success in Brooklyn (New York). In addition to the classic anticuchos and ceviches on their menu, for February 14 they usually have a special menu.
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Location:Conde de Xiquena street, 2 (Salesas)
15. Terracotta
Terracotta is the clay molded and hardened in the oven, this technique is not only part of the decoration, but it is the concept that surrounds the whole restaurant. The menu is also molded daily thanks to the fresh and seasonal product, although the main dishes such as the mellow rice dishes or the grilled sea bass are perennial on the menu.
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Location:calle Velázquez, 80 (Salamanca neighborhood)