The whole world meets at the good restaurants in Madrid. Whether you want to eat classic Spanish, creative and modern, Latin American or international fusion dishes, it is available in tasty versions. Here you get tips for some of the city’s best restaurants.
1. Gastronomic tour on the tricycle
Interest was huge when three young chefs opened TriCiclo (the tricycle) four years ago, focusing on simple, modern dishes with an international twist, and it hasn’t diminished since the young chefs were awarded Michelin’s Bib Gourmand for their beautiful dishes with high culinary excellence.
The atmosphere is informal and the service is top-notch around the raw wooden tables in the simply decorated, white rooms. The menu, which varies with the seasons, is divided into three categories. “Del Mercado” is based on simple ingredients from the market, “Un paseo” is gourmet versions of traditional dishes, and “Un Viaje” consists of surprising fusion dishes from around the world.
Prawns with shiso sauce and mango are often on the menu and a hit with most people – including me, and steak tartare with eggs is a must for meat lovers. If roast beef, covered in a symphony of vegetables, is on the menu when you stop by, it’s also recommended. Most dishes are available as both tapas and raciones (portions), so try one dish from each category and share if you’re more than one. Book your table in advance.
TriCiclo
Calle Santa Maria 28 (show on map)
2. Good lunch dishes at the rustic little brother
Tándem is TriCiclo’s little brother, and you’ll find it down the street from its big brother. The concept is light and rustic dishes served at raw wooden tables in rustic rooms. Tándem is a great place for lunch, but you can also drop in for brunch, dinner or a drink. The menu includes simple sharing dishes such as ham, salmon, ceviche, croquetas and hummus, sandwiches, salads and good stews such as rabo de toro (bull’s neck stew). Here you can bet on dropping in without having booked a table.
Tándem
Calle Santa Maria 39 (show on map)
3. Creative tomato dishes with Spanish tomatoes in Latin American version
Celso y Manolo combines the best of traditional Spanish cuisine with a touch of Nuevo Latino. Located in the hip gay neighbourhood of Chueca, the restaurant is a modernised continuation of an older restaurant and named after its previous owners. The old marble bar from the 1950s still takes centre stage in the simple, aesthetic rooms with wicker bull heads on the walls and dim lighting. The dishes are simple and based on good, organic ingredients and have been awarded a Michelin plate symbol.
As well as meat, rice and seafood dishes, including the best cod croquetas in town, the menu includes a wide selection of cheeses and interesting tomato dishes created by a chef at the bar. Delicious are Chuletón de Tomate (tomato ribeye with avocado, papaya, mango and fresh herbs) and Solomillo de Tomate (tomato sandwich on mixed tomatoes with smoked pork and pine nuts). The Madrid street food, bocadillo de calamares (squid sandwich) rises above street level in Celso y Manolo’s version with a lemon mayo. The good selection of wines counts labels from the local area and organic ones from Catalonia.
Book a table in advance. If you drop by on impulse, there’s often a seat at the bar.
Celso y Manolo
Calle Libertad 1 (show on map)
4. Argentine steaks in the jungle
American cuisine is well represented in Madrid, and Casa Jaguar, one of the newest, serves really good South American fusion dishes. Casa Jaguar is located in a small side street close to Operá Metro Station. When you walk through the door, you enter a cosy, exotic world with a large Henri Rousseau-inspired jungle painting on the wall, wicker chairs, wooden tables and natural colours.
While you wait for your table, sit in the wicker chairs or the large wooden bar and enjoy a cocktail, a beer from the large selection of Argentine beers or wine from the carefully curated menu of Argentine, Chilean and Spanish wines.
The menu is a journey from Mexico to Argentina, fused in a modern version. There are peppers with goat cheese, ceviche, honey-braised pork with sweet mashed potatoes, prawns with pineapple, coconut and rum, plenty of vegetarian options and, not least, recommendable Argentinian steaks. The steaks are so tender that your teeth barely have to work, and they are accompanied by a simple side dish of fried potatoes and tomatoes, herbs and a salsa. On the dessert menu you will find, among others, good chocolate and lime cakes.
From Tuesday to Friday you can have a Menu del dia (menu of the day) for lunch.
Casa Jaguar
Calle de los Caños del Peral 9 (show on map)
5. Ecology in charming Plaza de Olavide
At Mama Campo, good organic ingredients are the focus and the food is simple without frills, while sustainability is also the focus of the decor. Mama Campo consists of three sections – restaurant, bar and organic shop. The restaurant is located in one of the city’s cosiest squares, Olavide, away from the tourist crowds. Mama Campo’s terrace is a charming place for a quick meal while enjoying the lively square. Try the fried squid with garlic mayonnaise. The fresh cuttlefish are soft on the inside and crispy on the outside and taste heavenly. The garlic mayonnaise is homemade and has a good bite. Mama Campo also serves a delicious chicken fricassee and cod fries.
In the shop around the corner you can buy organic products such as fresh vegetables and fruit, oils, pesto and jams.
Mama Campo
Calle Trafalgar 22 – entrance from Plaza de Olavide (show on map)
6. The best tortilla in town
Lateral has several restaurants in the city. My favourite is on the hip shopping street of Fuencarral in the Chueca district, and here you get great tapas with restaurant service. The decor is modern with white walls and light wooden furniture, and the food is simple with a creative twist. I’ve eaten my way through many tortillas (potato omelets) in the city, but Laterals is in a league of its own. Creamy and really deliciously spicy. The menu also includes delicious salmon tartare, wild mushroom croquettes and tenderloin with foie gras. The wine list is also excellent at Lateral.
Lateral
Calle de Fuencarral 43 (show on map)
Find more dining inspiration in the Madrid tapas bars guide and the café guide.
