The 20 best restaurants in Madrid. We’ve created the ultimate Madrid restaurant guide, so you can eat like a local.

If you’re spending a few days visiting Madrid and want to eat like a local, we’ve got the ultimate restaurant guide for you. Don’t fall into the tourist traps, eat amazing Spanish food from all different regions, in all different styles, and without overspending.

We’ve come up with a list of a variety of types of restaurants in Madrid, and only the best. From traditional food, to the best seafood, the most trendy restaurants, and some of the best kept secrets of Madrid. Choose your favorite from the list and if you want to see even more of the top restaurants in Madrid, download our restaurant guide and you can search for exactly the neighborhood, food type or vibe that you want. Download Velada and discover where the locals eat in Madrid (and Barcelona).

Best Michelin Starred Restaurants in Madrid

Diverxo

DiverXO is the only 3 Michelin starred restaurant in Madrid. This restaurant offers a colorful experience full of surprises along the way, you’ll feel like you’re on a rollercoaster throughout the meal. With touches of Asia in many of the dishes, it’s pure fusion. They also offer an incredible wine list that does not disappoint. Make sure to book well in advance, reservations open on the 1st of the month at 10am for tables for the following month and the tables fly faster than Coachella tickets.

Price: 250 euros fixed price for the menu. Calle del Padre Damián 23, Chamartín.

Saddle

Saddle was awarded its first Michelin Star this year, in 2021, and it is more than well-deserved. The restaurant has several areas you can enjoy: the bar with a top mixologist, a spacious dining room where tables are separated so you can have privacy, and 5 private rooms upstairs for even more privacy. This restaurant is total fine-dining, excellent products, meat, fish and vegetables, and an amazing wine list, along with incredible service. A true Michelin experience.

Average price: 100-200 euros. Calle Amador de los Ríos 6, Alonso Martínez.

Paella and rice

Cadaqués

Restaurante Cadaqués specializes in paellas, seafood and fish, with a casual but cool atmosphere and located in the neighborhood of Salamanca, known for its beautiful, quaint streets filled with top restaurants and shops of the city. At Cadaqués they give you a wooden spoon so you can eat right out of the paella pan! It’s sure to offer you a great experience with typical Spanish food but in a trendy environment.

Average price: 45-60 euros. Calle de Jorge Juan 35, Salamanca.

Berlanga

If you are fan of paella and rices (yes, there is a difference!) you have to try Berlanga. A mediterranean restaurant specializing in rice cultivated by generations of agriculturists, using traditional ingredients to make incredible dishes. Note that some of the best rices need to be order 2 hours in advance and others 1 day in advance (check the menu on their website). You can include your order in the notes when you make a reservation online. This restaurant also offers lovely outdoor seating across the street from Retiro park, so you can have a great lunch and then walk off the rice in Retiro!

Average price: 35-50 euros. Av. de Menéndez Pelayo 41, Retiro.

Fish and Seafood

Marisquería Norte Sur

If you want to try traditional Spanish seafood, and without breaking the bank, head to one of the locations of Marisquería Norte Sur. You’ll find top-quality and typical seafood from Spain, like ‘carabineros’ (think jumbo prawns) or ‘zamburiñas’ (scallops with a typical garlic and oil sauce) and fresh fish of the day. There are five locations across the city and this is your go-to for best price to quality ratio on seafood in the city.

Average price: 40 euros. Calle del General Pardiñas 71, Retiro.

El Señor Martín

Señor Martin offers a different take on seafood, less traditional and more gourmet, where every dish is incredible (but be prepared to spend a bit more money). The restaurant is beautiful and the service is top-notch. With dishes like raw ‘borriquete’ with a sun-dried tomato vinaigrette and a ‘salpicón’ or salad of chopped fresh fish and vegetables, down to pure grilled and steamed seafood, like ‘gamba roja’ (red shrimp) which is a larger and more flavorful alternative to ‘gambas blancas’, which you’ll find on a typical seafood restaurant menu. If you’re looking for high quality seafood with a refined touch, El Señor Martin is your spot.

Average price: 70 euros. Calle del General Castaños 13, Alonso Martínez.

Authentic Spanish Cuisine with a Modern Touch

Castizo de Velázquez

In this restaurant (one of 3 locations) you’ll find excellent seafood and traditional cuisine, like stews and meats. The menu contains typical Spanish dishes, hearty and flavorful, reflecting ‘Madrilenian’ recipes but with a new spin. The decor is beautiful and you’ll feel like you’re in an old-school Spanish restaurant, but given these restaurants opened in the last year, there’s nothing old about it! The restaurants are located in key areas of the city so you can have your traditional lunch and then hit a museum near Gran Vía, or the shops of Serrano, or walk through Plaza Mayor.

Average Price: 25-40 euros. Calle de Velázquez 97, Salamanca.

Casa Mortero

Casa Mortero reinvents traditional Spanish stews and grill and does not disappoint. This restaurant offers one of the best «torreznos» in the city. Everything is slow-cooked, giving the dishes deep flavor. You’ll find a different side of traditional cuisine here at Casa Mortero, so if you’re looking for authentic dishes that aren’t the typical ones you hear your friends talk about, you want to check out this place, located in the lively area in between Plaza Sol and the Retiro Park.

Average price: 30-40 euros. Calle de Zorrila 9, Sol.

Regional Spanish Cuisine

Asturian

Typical food in Asturia are recipes passed down from generation to generation. This region of Spain is located in the north and some traditional dishes are the «cachopo» (two veal cutlets with ham and cheese in between them), «fabada» (white bean stew with chorizo, pork, and other varying ingredients), and of course Cider (a typical alcoholic beverage similar to beer, but lighter and sweeter, with apple as the main ingredient).

La Guisandera de Piñera

La Guisandera de Piñera offers a look into traditional Asturian cuisine, but with a modern spin. The chef pays homage to the mothers, grandmothers and great grandmothers of Asturias to bring you these traditional recipes. Simple yet delicious dishes that will give you a real taste of Spain.

Average price: 40-55 euros. Calle de Rosario Pino 12, Tetuán.

Basque Cuisine

Basque cuisine is one of the favorites amongst Spaniards. Basque Country is another region in the north of Spain and it’s popular for it’s «pintxos» that you can find in all of its restaurants and bars. A few of the more famous plates are «gildas» (a quick bite of an olive, anchovy, and spicy pepper on a toothpick), cod in «pil pil» style and baby squid in their ink (this plate is noticeable by its black tint in the sauce). You can find various restaurants with Basque cuisine in Madrid.

Arima

Arima not only offers authentic and delicious Basque cuisine, it is also located on the famous street of Ponzano, that you will find filled with people enjoying its bars and restaurants. The restaurant focuses on top quality meat and fish. Don’t leave without ordering the typical «txuleta», top quality meat, and trying their famous «gildas», which they put their own spin on.

Average price: 50-70 euros. Calle de Ponzano 51, Ponzano.

Galician

It’s clear that the north of Spain offers some of the best Spanish cuisine. Meats and fish of the highest quality in the market, and in Galicia the star is seafood. The most typical dishes in Galicia are: «pulpo a Feira» (octopus cooked only with olive oil, salt, and paprika, often served with steamed potatoes), Padrón peppers (small green peppers blistered on the grill), «cocido gallego» (a stew often served with chickpeas, potatoes, chicken and chorizo)

Garelos

Garelos is a Galician restaurant focused on local products from the region and located in the area of Chamberí. In this restaurant you’ll find fresh fish and seafood specials, along with their incredible «salpicón» or chopped salad of fresh fish, seafood and vegetables or the famous «tortilla de Betanzos». Tortillas are the typical Spanish egg omelet and those from the north have a slightly different style, more liquid inside than your typical tortilla that you can find in Spanish restaurants. Don’t miss out on this typical Galician cuisine at Garelos.

Average price: 25 euros. Calle Blanca de Navarra 6, Chamberí.

Nado

Galician cuisine meets fine dining at Nado, a restaurant that focuses on top quality product and combining tradition and innovation. It’s not your typical Galician restaurant, the cuisine is gourmet and every dish is unique. They offer a fixed price menu for 65€ or you can order a la carte. We recommend 3-4 dishes for two people. The decor in this restaurant is also unique. When you enter you must pass through the kitchen to get to your table, so you are able to really feel the excitement of the chefs and see firsthand how they put together these impressive dishes. A special experience awaits you at Nado.

Average price: 50-70 euros. Calle de Prim 5, Chueca.

Off the beaten track…

La Caníbal

You’ll find La Caníbal in Lavapies, a hipster neighborhood full of bars and restaurants. Technically this restaurant is an extension of a classic Galician spot O’Pazo de Lugo, but La Caníbal is modern and cool and offers unique and refined dishes, like squid ink croquettes, and a wide range of craft beers and interesting wines. The goal of this restaurant is to fuse classical and modern cuisine at an affordable price.

Average price: 30 euros. Calle de Argumosa 28, Lavapies.

Tripea

Fuente: Instagram

At Tripea you’ll find flavors from Peru and Southeast Asia, in a unique setting, one long table with high-stools inside the famous Vallehermoso market. With a fixed price menu that changes seasonally, you’ll find 7 amazing dishes to share, at a price that is impossible to beat. Tripea defines good value for money in Madrid. An unforgettable meal.

Average price: 35 euros. Calle de Vallehermoso 36, Chamberí.

To make you feel like you’re in a club, when you can’t go dancing

La Fonda Lironda

This restaurant is as close as it gets and you will surely be dancing in your seat before the meal is over. La Fonda Lironda offers great Spanish food, mixed with a retro decor, a soundtrack of 80s/90s music, a DJ every weekend, and top cocktails. It’s a great spot to dine out with a group of friends and sing along to your favorite songs.

Average price: 40-55 euros. Calle de Génova 27, Alonso Martínez.

Salvaje

Fuente: Instagram

Sushi and a DJ? You got it. Salvaje offers a great overall experience, to see and be seen, eat great (albeit pricey) asian fusion and enjoy a DJ as well as a dance performance to enjoy during your meal. A dinner here will be anything but boring. Order your cocktail and wait for the show to begin.

Average Price: 50-90 euros. Calle de Velázquez 96, Salamanca.

El Jardín de Arzábal

Fuente: Instagram

One of the best patios in Madrid, at the El Jardín de Arzábal, you’ll be able to enjoy great music in an even better setting, along with a great meal. Traditional Spanish food but with an upgraded atmosphere, and close to a ton of museums so you can plan the perfect day around a lunch here.

Average price: 35 euros. Calle de Santa Isabel 52, Atocha.

Trendy restaurants in Madrid

Leña

Fuente: Instagram

The famous chef Dani García just opened this restaurant in June 2021, a high-end steakhouse with reasonable pricing, and some of his world famous dishes. The first location opened in Marbella and if you want an even more exclusive experience, try to get a table at his restaurant Smoked Room, with only 14 seats and hidden behind Leña, it is sure to be a memorable night. Dani Garcia’s other spots in Madrid include Bibo, Lobito de Mar, and the luxurious Dani Brasserie located in the Four Seasons. You can’t go wrong with any of these spots.

Average price: 70-90 euros. Paseo de la Castellana 57, Salamanca.

Barracuda MX

Another famous chef, Roberto Ruiz, who earned the first Michelin Star for a Mexican restaurant in Europe, has recently opened Barracuda MX. This restaurant offers typical Mexican cuisine (tacos and margaritas) but once gain with a gourmet spin and a focus on top-notch ingredients. This spot is trendy and romantic at the same time, and offers some of Ruiz’s famous dishes, like the «tuétano a la brasa» (a tostada of tuna tartar with bone marrow). Tables are hard to come by, so book well in advance! You won’t regret it.

Average price: 45-60 euros. Calle de Valenzuela 7, Retiro.

Aarde

Aarde is one of those restaurants that everyone is always talking about. In a super trendy corner of the city near Retiro Park, the Plaza de la Independencia, which has a number of popular high-end bars and restaurants. This restaurant cuisine has African and Asian influences and a decor that makes you feel transported to a different place. If you want to dine in one of the hottest restaurants in Madrid, try Aarde and then follow it up with drinks at one of the nearby bars, Ramses for people watching or Berria for a wine list to die for.

Average price: 50-60 euros. Plaza de la Independencia 10, Salamanca.

For more recommendations like these, download Spain’s best restaurant guide, Velada

With Velada you’ll be able to not only find all the best restaurants in Spain, but you’ll be able to search by neighborhood or your vibe. Want outdoor seating? Easy. Something romantic with typical Galican cuisine? Done. Somewhere to find one of those famous «tortillas»? We’ve got a filter for that. Velada makes it easy to search for exactly what you need, check out a few photos, the menu, and you can reserve directly from the app. And save favorites for later, if you’re not ready to book now!

And if you’re also traveling to Barcelona or Malaga, Velada can help you out there too. Just select your city on the home screen and check out all the best recommendations in these cities. An app that locals across Spain are using daily to make their weekend plans, with Velada you’ll find where the locals eat and won’t fall into the typical overpriced, low quality restaurants designed to trick tourists.

Download Velada, now available on iOS and Android

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