The 30 best restaurants in Madrid

The time has finally come for Óscar Velasco and Montse Abellà to step back into the limelight: after two decades in the underground kitchens of Santceloni (a two-Michelin-star restaurant), followed by their abrupt departure and the necessary transition period, their grand personal venture is now up and running. The new restaurant reinforces the classic, market-driven luxury style (inherited from their mentor Santi Santamaría) which has always defined the duo. It now finds a home bathed in natural light – a design choice, yes, but also something of a metaphor for their brand new start – and filled with anticipation.

Hugo Muñoz – who was formerly in charge of Carbón Negro and is a great lover of Japanese cuisine, which he approaches with a distinctly Spanish flair – heads up Ugo Chan's kitchen and minimalist dining space, featuring a prominent bar and wood accents. True to Japanese tradition, the best way to experience it is the Omakase tasting menu, where you can savour his onion soup in smoked bonito consommé with Comté cheese, red mullet sashimi with Bilbaína sauce, Alistado prawn tempura, or a selection of nigiri such as the eel and foie gras – a tribute to the great Spanish chef and expert in Basque cooking, Martín Berasategui.

Chef Lucía Grávalos, originally from the La Rioja region, has embarked upon her most personal project to date at Desborre, and the location itself is a statement of intent: it’s a modestly sized yet charming space, which was previously home to Algarabía, a restaurant by two chefs also from La Rioja, where for almost thirty years, traditional recipes from their region were served daily. This legacy is key to many of the dishes which are prepared in the bistro to this day, including the traditional Anguiano bean stew, which Lucía and her team have managed to modernise and make their own. The restaurant has both a tasting menu and à la carte options.

Tucked away in the Salamanca neighbourhood, in a space with a long history as a restaurant, the entrance to Haramboure is fairly discrete. All traces of the revolution chef Patxi Zumárraga once sparked by serving his now-famous tortilla mollete (a kind of flatbread) at the door as comforting street food – a genius move that led to enormous queues and quickly went viral – are now gone. Now, the establishment has a far calmer atmosphere, much like Zumárraga – the towering Basque chef who has worked at el Bulli, The Fat Duck, Mendigoikoa and, until recently, Fismuler – himself, who has been ‘reborn at 50’. The warm, welcoming ambience created by Patxi and his partner in the restaurant, Patricia Haramboure, is enhanced by rustic wood, exposed stone, stained glass, and candlelight and their use of raw materials is striking. This hidden bistro would not be out of place in Paris, but fortunately, it's closer to home.

After part of the restaurant burnt down, chef Dani Ochoa has returned triumphantly to Madrid's restaurant scene. Montia's new space is larger and more versatile, without leaving its roots in San Lorenzo de El Escorial. The kitchen is located between a Nordic-style room, featuring wood, leather chairs and a beautiful fireplace, and another with views of its own vegetable garden. Its unique flare is maintained in its refined menu; mushrooms, trout, Peguerinos beans, game, aromatic herbs picked on the day, a natural wine cellar, and of course, its legendary tripe. Make no mistake: Montia is just right (and it earned a Michelin star in 2023). 

In 2023, OSA was the buzziest restaurant on Madrid’s gastro scene: founded by Jorge Muñoz (who made his name at Picones de María) and Sara Peral, both formerly of Mugaritz, it was one of the year’s most anticipated openings. With a highly personal (and, in the best sense, somewhat radical) menu, an extensive wine list, and a charming location and décor, it combines refined technique with raw, bold ingredients to serve 20 diners per service. The sophistication is evident in the presentation, which is underpinned by a thoughtfully crafted philosophy. Each course in the two tasting menus is the result of immense effort, however subtle it may appear. Not only have they already earned themselves a Michelin star, but they’ve also won numerous awards from the specialised press in recent months.

The return of Andrés Madrigal to the city where he achieved fame in the 90s – in both El Olivo and Balzac – is definitely worth celebrating. He’s now cooking at Per Sé Bistro, a French-Basque-inspired restaurant with occasional and well-executed Latin touches (the result of Madrigal's ten years spent living in Panama). In just a few months, this new venture has charmed the critics and earned a Repsol Sun. The location chosen for the restless Madrid chef’s new restaurant is by no means an accident: it occupies the space formerly run by the late Iñaki Camba, who led the Arce restaurant for over 35 years, an established venue that instantly wraps diners in a welcoming atmosphere.

When it comes to seafood, the name Pescaderías Coruñesas has always been a guarantee of exceptional quality, and the brand reinforces this with its most ambitious (and widely acclaimed) project to date: Desde 1911. This restaurant, in line with the house philosophy, takes the company’s extensive experience to the next level while paying tribute to the brand’s founders. The menu changes daily, following the seasons, allowing them to confidently walk a fine line, backed by their extensive expertise. In addition to Diego Murciego's excellent work in the kitchen, they brought on Abel Valverde (formerly of Santceloni, he won the National Gastronomy Award for Best Head Waiter in 2008, and is renowned for his superior knowledge and selection of cheeses) to elevate the experience from a front of house perspective.

Chefs Javier Sanz and Juan Sahuquillo (who also work together at Cañitas Maite and Oba-) have taken over at Cebo following Aurelio Morales’ departure (with Borja García handling the day-to-day running of the kitchen). Here, they offer 11- or 14-course tasting menus which present a remarkable showcase of ingredients, local flavours, craftsmanship, and culinary expertise. This high standard is matched by the exceptional service front of house, where twenty guests are served per sitting. Sanz and Sahuquillo’s goal is to regain the favour of the Michelin guide and the restaurant’s core team is well-versed in their values, having trained with them. Over the course of their meal, diners are treated to delights like black grouper, vaca de trabajo beef, and Andine Cornue tomatoes.

The wonderful bar by the Villalón brothers, which has been a landmark for quality food and drink on Calle Reina for the past seven years, is undergoing a major change. There’s an aesthetic revamp, but most importantly, it’s now closing on weekends and opening from Monday to Friday from 5.30pm onwards, a bold move to help adapt to the hospitality industry’s new rhythms. This new and improved version of Angelita has evolved both gastronomically and emotionally.

From Arima, a small restaurant in the Ríos Rosas neighbourhood, to this grand space in a more upscale area, Rodrigo García and Nagore Irazuegi are the new leading lights of Basque cuisine. Their roots run deep and at Bascoat they've created an urban farmhouse where tradition is refreshed with cosmopolitan touches, classic pintxos are elevated, and the finest ingredients from both land and sea reign supreme on the grill.

Rodrigo de la Calle, inventor of 'gastrobotany', continues to captivate diners at his Michelin-starred and Green Star-awarded restaurant El Invernadero, where he is supported by head chef Diana Díaz. His work requires extensive research, rigorous methods and impeccable control and precision. The chef’s remarkable talent, technique and creativity allow him to uncover the plant world’s undiscovered flavours, offering an experience that’s as educational as it is culinary. This isn’t just a veggie restaurant – it’s high-end green cuisine complete with unexpected pairings, from fermented beverages made from vegetables and fruits to fine wines. We’d recommend the Vegetalia tasting menu, which features his latest creations.

This ‘punk’ restaurant with three Michelin stars redefined the standards of luxury and fine dining in Madrid, and it remains the most disruptive force on the city’s gastronomic scene. Entering Dabiz Muñoz’s world means diving headfirst into his culinary madness, letting go completely, and savouring a wild ride of ingredients, techniques and influences, which suddenly make perfect sense when brought together on Muñoz’s plate. Put simply, he’s a genius – there’s no one quite like him. His creations are quite the spectacle, but his focus isn’t on unnecessary showmanship; instead, he’s all about cuisine with a capital ‘C’.

Juanjo López Bedmar’s restaurant is one of Madrid’s standouts, yet it’s often overlooked by renowned guides and lists. Here, it’s all about daily cooking with a limited number of ingredients, utilising superb products that arrive fresh each day and are sometimes presented with minimal intervention. You get what’s available, and it’s best to trust Bedmar’s judgement. He offers two tasting menus alongside the à la carte menu and daily specials, but there are staples that are always present, including his ensaladilla rusa (a kind of potato salad) with seasonal toppings or Madrid’s finest callos (stewed tripe).

Two brothers, one purpose. The chefs behind Lana, Martín and Joaquín Narvaiz, have an overwhelming passion for their work. Grilling is a ritual in their homeland of Argentina, and here they have paid attention to every detail (including the beautiful interior design) to make this an elevated experience, even adjusting – understandably – the doneness of that extraordinary bife de chorizo (a cut similar to top loin) to suit local tastes. They’ve put together a dedicated dream team, from the grill master to the floor staff, sourcing wines to create a truly unique, all-Argentine wine cellar. They balance the meat selection with cuts from both sides of the Atlantic and grill seasonal produce – whether it’s asparagus or beetroot – as well as expertly prepared offal. Make sure you have plenty of time when you visit: this remarkable experience should not be rushed.

Eight months after opening in the newly renovated Mandarin Oriental Ritz, Deessa earned its first Michelin star, and the following year, it claimed a second. Quique Dacosta is the visionary behind the restaurant, but the talented head chef Guillermo Chávez is his right hand, charged with upholding the space’s exceptional standards. The dishes showcase local ingredients and innovation in an elegant succession, all set in a spectacular dining room with garden views, exquisite service, and a wine cellar fitting for the project. All the diner has to do is choose between two very different menus, sit back, relax, and enjoy the show.

Madrid has no other restaurant like Smoked Room: sure, there are many excellent grills, but none where smoke is the single most important element. The concept designed by Dani García and brought to life by head chef Massimiliano Delle Vedove is as vibrant as it is exclusive, especially if you choose one of the few seats right in the heart of the action, face-to-face with the chefs. This is hyper-stylised haute cuisine in a dazzling show-cooking experience, all within a compact space at the Hyatt Regency Hesperia. Smoked Room was awarded two Michelin stars at once, an unprecedented achievement in these parts. If that’s not reason enough to visit, we don’t know what is.  

In the intimate dining space of this legendary flamenco venue – which also boasts the world’s most important sherry cellar – David García has unveiled a new tasting menu. The nine courses of the Gargantúa menu are an impressive showcase of technique, purity, and sensitivity. It’s a profound work where the visible and invisible carry equal weight, including some creations which have been important to his career as a whole, like the squid noodles, pigeon, and intxaursalsa (a typical Basque dessert). As befits a flamenco venue, this space overflows with emotion and magic.

Is this the favourite restaurant of every Madrid gourmand? Quite possibly. If you've never been here, you might not be as much of a foodie as you thought. This is many a madrileños go-to recommendation for any occasion, whether business or pleasure. Sacha Hormaechea’s bistro, which brims with as much character as the man himself, is an unmissable part of the capital’s dining scene, celebrated for iconic dishes like the tortilla vaga, the ‘false lasagne’ with crab, pickled oyster, or even the lentils. Hormaechea is an idol, a genius, and a true character. If this place didn’t exist, someone would have to invent it. Come summer, there’s no better place to be as night falls than on its little terrace covered in plants.

Tripea is the Peruvian spot par excellence in the Mercado de Vallehermoso and one of the most unique in Madrid. Around its bar and communal table, diners enjoy good food, good conversation, and a positive vibe. Roberto Martínez Foronda captivates with his globally inspired dishes, heavily influenced by both the Andes and Asia. The hot mussel ceviche prepared in a wok is one of his outstanding creations, featured in an affordable tasting menu that’s absolutely worth your time.

Without a doubt, Saddle is a high-end restaurant, yet it maintains a fresh and modern feel with a bright, contemporary design, exquisite service and a kitchen team composed of young, talented professionals. It’s all grounded in classicism but with a nod to the present. In the impressive main dining room and private rooms, in addition to seasonal specials, they offer dishes like a sole served with an extra special meunière sauce and a veal shank that pays reference to avant-garde chef Santi Santamaría. This last one is a standout recipe worthy of the Michelin star which the restaurant proudly holds.

The service, the open kitchen, the meticulous attention to detail, the purist approach (there are only three or four ingredients per dish), and the splendid range of techniques and off-menu options all contribute to a superlative experience. Chef Rafa Zafra utilises products sourced from the the Catalan coast courtesy of his wife Anna Gotanegra and her family, a family who for generations have dedicated themselves to sourcing high-quality seafood. ‘They bring us the very best, and we try not to mess it up. We clean just 20 anchovies in the morning and another 20 in the afternoon. From a romantic point of view, this is who we are.’ A stunning Mediterranean experience, complete with caviar.

After almost ten years of paying homage to Cantabrian cuisine and the northern region’s most coveted products (whether vegetables or seafood), chef José Manuel de Dios is at the peak of his powers. A disciple of the French chef Michel Bras, Manuel de Dios has also worked in the Michelin-starred kitchens of Jesús Sánchez, Joan Roca and Pedro Subijana. Now, at La Bien Aparecida in Madrid’s swanky Serrano neighbourhood, his focus is on vegetables, treating them with care and respect and allowing them to take centre stage. A great example of Manuel de Dios’s exceptional cooking is his porrusalda (a kind of leek and potato soup which manages to be elegant, delicious and full of personality), as is the grilled artichoke with breadcrumbs and the oxtail stew.

La Tasquería, a restaurant which focuses entirely on offal, won an unprecedented Michelin star back in 2019. Javi Estévez is the reason we’ve all become evangelical about offal, even if we were previously sceptical. He brings a fresh twist to this traditional fare through set menus and à la carte options with dishes featuring tongue, brains, tails, trotters, or tripe which will make you appreciate each recipe anew.

Want to seem like a true madrileño? Then make a habit of enjoying the sirloin Wellington at Lakasa, which is only available on certain days of the week. That being said, it's far from the only exquisite dish at César Martín's restaurant. One must also savour stews like verdina beans in pepitoria sauce, with roasted skate, and an endless array of exceptional ingredients in unforgettable dishes – just make sure to save room for the lemon tart.

When you arrive at the table, featuring a neon-coloured acrylic cutlery rest but no tablecloth, a bottle of water and an appetiser are promptly served, even before the menu and wine lists are presented. The entire menu can be ordered à la carte, but they suggest a three-course starter, main, and dessert format, with three options in each section. The menu changes according to the seasons, beginning with a loaf of bread and ‘reworked’ butter with herbs. Immediately following this comes an additional bite that isn’t listed on the menu: a delicate sandwich of two crispy potato chip layers with a filling of vegetables and mayonnaise.

This romantic bistro is possibly the best French restaurant in Madrid. From the moment you step through its doors, you're transported from the tucked-away Calle Amnistía in the Ópera neighbourhood to Provence. The French savoir-faire is evident in the selection of champagnes and a memorable wine list, as well as in specialities like the traditional pissaladière from Nice (a type of anchovy pizza), escargots in herb butter, French onion soup, or a bouillabaisse that’s so good, it’ll have you singing the Marseillaise. The boeuf bourguignon ravioli and the exquisite pâté are also very tempting, as are the made-to-order dishes.

Noi is an Italian restaurant – but it’s far from your typical Italian restaurant. Forget clichés and traditions and prepare to be captivated by Gianni Pinto’s daring recipes. With great technique and creativity, the chef combines ingredients from all across the Mediterranean and applies them to familiar bases, all in the name of pure fun. You might start with the fried pizzetta with coppa or the caponata with charred aubergine emulsion, then move on to some spectacular pasta dishes, like the tagliatelle with tuna cheek ragù. Striking decor and an impressive wine list round it all off.

The origins, training, and life experiences of the thoughtful Yong Wu Nagahira create a mixture of multi-cultural influences that come through in his unique Japanese cuisine. Purists, this one is not for you. His chawanmushi encapsulates the restaurant’s most appealing ideas: harmonious fusion, technical precision, and balanced flavours. Overall, the experience is defined by high-quality ingredients, a relaxed atmosphere, and friendly service. He prepares off-menu nigiri each week, but the warm versions are a must-try.

The name (which translates to three by four) doesn’t refer to a musical beat or the dimensions of the space, but rather to the number of months each season lasts. Álex Marugán, a wise and methodical chef, focuses on the elevation of seasonal ingredients and goes to great pains to create exceptional stocks and broths. The menu is concise, refined, and substantial, with a good handful of daily specials depending on when you visit. His approach and philosophy extend to dishes like rossejat (a paella-like dish that uses short noodles instead of rice) with skate and sobrasada, swordfish belly, or a rabbit and snail stew. Tres por Cuatro is a must-try.