The struggle to differentiate and be remembered among the maelstrom of openings and new gastronomic proposals is unleashed in Madrid (and in almost any large city). A good letter is no longer enough, nor is a good attractive decoration whether it’s a show that entertains customers who can’t and don’t know how to be bored, what’s needed now is a somewhat unusual location that makes the space memorable and newsworthy enough to stand out.
Papagena
The Royal Theater keeps a sky full of stars in its ballroom; also an art collection in its corridors that turns it into an improvised museum… and a restaurant, on its sixth floor, with the best views of the Royal Palace.
Every Sunday, Papagena holds a brunch lasting about four hours, with live music. The menu, designed by Ramón Freixa, starts with a welcome drink and continues with a pantagruelic walk through what we like most for a late and calm breakfast: juices, assortment of breads, butters and jams, different pieces of pastries, an assortment of cheeses and a savory and a sweet dish to choose from a tremendous variety.
💶 Musical brunch for two: 150 €
📍Plazade Isabel II s/n (Ópera)
Caluana
In Caluana you eat like God (or at least like a priest does). This is not hyperbole or a colloquial phrase: Caluana is inside an old church.
The space itself is what it is and the restaurant presents an Italian-Chinese fusion in its menu, combining the best of Spanish and Italian gastronomy. Among the culinary delights are the verdinas with carabineros or some unusual potato omelette croquettes.
Despite its visual appeal for social networks, Caluana is not only based on its photogenic appearance, but also offers a risky and quality gastronomic bet.
💶 Around 35€ per person.
📍 Calle de la Bolsa, 12 (downtown)
Extremadura Home
The sensation of entering (no metre to greet you, having to take an elevator, few directions, closed doors) at Hogar Extremeño is more reminiscent of entering your grandmother’s house than a gastronomic experience – now that a meal at Casa Fulano is also a gastronomic experience.
From its balcony you can see the Gran Via and once inside and perched on its menu you will find pure casticismo starring the entire menu: you have to try the tripe that Elisa makes.
💶 Around €20 per person
📍Gran Vía, 59 (center)
Fifth Element
To get to this restaurant you will have to climb six floors dedicated to music, dancing and partying. Quintoelemento is located on the seventh floor of the mythical Teatro Kapital, a sort of gastronomic heaven that proposes, among other things, an attractive primavera Menu but also a tasting menu (choose between 4 or 7 steps), a complete variety of sushi from its Sushi Bar as well as a la carte dishes. And being faithful to Kapital’s philosophy, the surprise in this restaurant is continuous, with a sky in which lush vegetation and iconic buildings of Madrid are projected… a visual, absorbing and immersive game.
Calle de Atocha, 125 (Atocha)
Beni’s wagon
Its name is already an indication of its curious location: El vagón de Beni is a restaurant inside an old renovated train car. It opened its doors in 1994, inspired by the car-restaurants of the International Wagon Lits Company, and since then it has been serving its dishes in this picturesque enclave.
In its menu you can find representative dishes of our gastronomy, menus offered both on weekdays and on weekends, with options for celiacs and people with diabetes vegetarian.
💶 Average price: about €45 per person
📍 Calle de San Macario, 6 (Hoyo de Manzanares). NOTE: from November 6 to 16 we will be closed for vacations.
The Residencia de Estudiantes restaurant
Eating in a place with lots and lots of history. The Residencia de Estudiantes has been talked about and is talked about because of its indisputable artistic and cultural relevance and, of course, because of the figures who passed through there -Lorca, Pedro Salinas, Unamuno…-, but it also has a restaurant open to the public where you can have breakfast, lunch or dinner any day of the year (including holidays).
Its menu is based on traditional cuisine and offers daily menus for 14,30€. However, it is advisable to make reservations by phone (91 561 32 00) because it fills up.
💶 Lunch or dinner menu price: 14,30 per person
📍 Calle del Pinar, 21 (El Viso, Chamartin)
Élkar Restaurant
The 33rd floor of the Torre Emperador Castellana houses “the highest restaurant in Spain”, as they themselves communicate. What is clear is that Élkar is a project of height in the literal and figurative thanks to the two prestigious chefs who are in charge of its kitchen. On the one hand, Sergio Ortiz de Zárate is the seafood specialist and on the other, Beñat Ormaetxea is the game expert, achieving that classic yin and yang on the menu.
💶 Average price: 45 € per person.
📍 Paseo de la Castellana, 259D, 33rd Floor
Arkose
If you have Tinder, you know it: climbing walls are all the rage. So much so, that places like Arkose elevate the category of climbing wall to “afterwork” and “restaurant”. Arkose is the climbing wall in the Tetuán neighborhood that has its own gastronomic space: Arkose Cantina with an eco and healthy philosophy, offers a 100% vegetarian menu. You will be able to accompany the bites with natural or biodynamic wines and craft beers.
💶 Average price per diner: 25 €
📍 Calle de Leñeros, 4 (Tetuán)
This article has been written by Isabel Nieto, Miguel Sanchez, María F. Carballo, Alberto del Castillo y Elena French