142 Best Restaurants in Madrid, Spain

San Ginés is to Madrid what Café du Monde is to New Orleans: a historical fried-dough mecca. For generations this 19th-century café has been frying spirals of piping-hot churros and porras (the churro's fatter, chewier cousin—try them!) day and night. Dunk your breakfast in café con leche or Cola Cao (Spanish chocolate milk) since the melted dark chocolate, which tastes processed, isn't what it used to be.

Trace the western side of the Monasterio de las Descalzas Reales until you reach Chocolatería Valor, an ideal spot to indulge in piping-hot churros dipped in thick hot chocolate. Valor's churros are chewy, puffy, and snipped into batons, more akin to porras (churros' baking-soda-leavened sibling) than to standard crispy churros.

These carb geeks cut no corners—breads here are leavened with sourdough and made with organic stone-ground flours, and the beans for their complex coffees are roasted in-house. Drop into the postage-stamp dinette for breakfast or an afternoon pick-me-up, and savor airy all-butter croissants and any range of sweet and savory pastries and breads.

Cinco Jotas ibérico ham is a sight to behold: translucent and shimmering like shards of red stained glass, a shade darker than prosciutto and twice as fragrant. That's because this famous producer uses only 100% purebred, acorn-fed Iberian hogs. Let the master ham cutters at this swanky indoor-outdoor restaurant guide you to porcine nirvana with a gorgeous charcuterie plate paired perfectly with a glass of bone-dry fino sherry.

The opulent Confitería El Riojano was founded in 1855 by Dámaso Maza, the personal pastry chef of Queen Maria Christina of Austria, and the original mahogany counters and ornate display cases are still in use. The pastries are hit-or-miss these days, but the ladyfingers (soletillas) dunked in hot chocolate are a safe bet and the historical ambience compensates for any culinary foibles.

Rialto's famous moscovitas, slightly salty almond-toffee wafers coated in chocolate, are one of Madrid's most delectable confections. Moscovitas are also sold at some El Corte Inglés locations.

Epitomizing old-world luxury, Cuenllas (KWEN-yas) is Moncloa's most venerable dining establishment, in business since 1939. After sitting down at the bar or in the dining room for a meal of Spanish bistro fare (think warm salt-cod brandade, Santoña anchovy canapés, and marinated partridge) accompanied by reserva wines, peruse the adjoining gourmet shop for edible souvenirs including caviar, cheeses, wines, and homemade charcuterie.

When you ask a Madrileño about a remarkable food experience—something that stirs the senses beyond feeding one's appetite—DiverXO is the first name you'll hear. The take-no-prisoners tasting menu incorporates a dizzying array of international ingredients and chemical processes. Getting a table at this foodie shrine is akin to scoring a ticket for the Super Bowl, stratospheric prices included, so plan ahead—there's an online reservation system that requires that you to pay in full in advance. At the time of writing, it was reported that in 2025 the restaurant would change locations to La Finca, a luxury residential complex on the outskirts of town; check the website for details.

Diego Guerrero, the punk-rock chef of two-Michelin-star Dstage, also runs this more casual outpost. The menu turns classic Spanish dishes—for example, monkfish in salsa verde, Canarian wrinkly potatoes, stewed verdinas (baby favas)—on their heads by adding unorthodox ingredients like seaweed, kimchi, whey, and liquid-nitrogen-frozen fruit, and the result is thrilling. A quirky wine list heavy on natural and low-yield producers complements the cuisine nicely. Take the stairs one flight down to the cocktail bar for a preprandial personality drink or nightcap.

Seafood lovers shouldn't miss this modern, Ibiza-chic marisquería (seafood restaurant) with original wrought-iron columns, white tablecloths, and ample alfresco seating. The griddled prawns from Dénia are always a treat, as are the cloudlike roasted sole and any number of rice dishes.

This old-timey restaurant, with dark wood-paneled walls lined with bottles of wine, serves classic Spanish food like huevos estrellados, grilled meats, and fish (sea bass, haddock, grouper, and more) in various preparations. Check out the pictures of famous celebrities who've eaten at this typically noisy landmark; they line the staircase that leads to the main dining area.

Owned by the proprietors of one the best fish markets in town, Pescaderías Coruñesas, this seafood restaurant with a warm modern interior welcomes guests with an impressive window display of fresh seafood—red and white prawns, Kumamoto oysters, goose barnacles, and the renowned Galician Carril clams are just some of what you might see. Fish (including turbot, sole, grouper, and sea bass) is cooked to your liking in the oven, on the grill, in a pan with garlic, or battered and fried.

This Andalusian taberna evokes the raucous energy and down-home cuisine of that sunny region. Start with pescaíto frito, a mix of seafood that's lightly fried and served with lemon halves, before moving on to more substantial dishes like the peeled tomato salad topped with oil-cured tuna belly (easily one of the best salads in town) and whole roasted fish and braised meats. There are three other locations nearby at Avenida de Camilo José Cela 11, Calle de Don Ramón de la Cruz 101, and Calle del Doctor Gómez Ulla 6.

Step straight into Havana at this hidden Cuban bar and restaurant where rumbas and sones flow from the speakers and regulars burst into impromptu dance parties. Whatever you end up eating—a €7 ropa vieja (cumin-scented beef stew), or perhaps the heftier €10 picapollo (fried chicken)—be sure to nab an order or two of fried plantains for the table.

Pristine fish, salt, roaring open flame—these are the main ingredients at El Señor Martín, a white-table seafood restaurant beloved by local food critics that makes a great venue for romantic dinners and special occasions. Consider springing for a gloriously obscure fish you've never heard of, like Mediterranean sand eel, wreckfish, plaice, or alfonsino—all meticulously filleted and grilled to juicy perfection. 

Faraday is a chic little café known for its meticulously roasted beans, mathematically precise baristas, and gorgeous midcentury modern furniture. Laptops are allowed.

Crack open a can of pristine Spanish seafood—elvers, scallops, cockles, and more—at this veteran bar on Ponzano and you'll never think about tinned food the same way again.

Expertly pulled espressos, natural wines, and standout food—think velvety scrambled eggs, Korean fried chicken sandwiches, and homemade cakes and pastries—have made this café on Plaza del Biombo an instant hit with locals and expats, many of whom treat the roomy communal table like a coworking space (just be considerate and order more than a coffee if you plan on staying awhile). At the time of writing, the café was gearing up to launch dinner service.

Savor a rare taste of Canary Island cuisine—with quite a few twists—at this envelope-pushing, Michelin-starred restaurant helmed by Tenerife-born chef Safe Cruz. Expect foaming, smoking concoctions that incorporate traditional Canarian specialties like green mojo, Gomero goat cheese, and—of course—gofio (stone-ground corn flour).

On the rooftop of El Corte Inglés, Spain’s largest department store, there's a gourmet food court with some of the best views in the city. Grab some tapas and a glass of wine here after perusing the shops around Callao. The space features outposts of well-known Spanish restaurants like La Máquina (seafood) and Asador Imanol (pinxtos, or skewered snacks) as well as international options (hamburgers, Mexican, Chinese, etc.).

Chili fiends are often disappointed that Spanish food is seldom spicy, but at this mom-and-pop Ethiopian restaurant, you'll find plenty of fiery stews and sauces. Vegans and vegetarians flock here for fresh crunchy slaws, lentil sambusas (stuffed pastries), and slow-cooked greens, while omnivores come for the doro wat (spiced chicken). Make like you're in Addis Ababa and forget your fork—the spongy, sour injera bread is the only utensil you'll need.

Spaniards love their morning cafés con leche and afternoon cortados (espresso with steamed milk), but until a few years ago, it was hard to find a truly great cup of joe in Madrid. Enter Hola Coffee, whose multilayered third-wave espressos and cold brews are made with beans the company roasts itself. From-scratch baked goods and open-faced sandwiches will make you want to stay awhile; printed "Cool Beans" T-shirts make zany souvenirs.

A beacon of old-world Spanish hospitality, Horcher is a Madrid classic with German influences. Wild game—boar, venison, partridge, and duck—is the centerpiece of the menu, which also includes comfort-food classics like ox stroganoff with a Pommery mustard sauce and pork chops with sauerkraut. The dining room is decorated with brocade and antique Austrian porcelain; an ample selection of French and German wines rounds out the menu.

Hot griddled flatbreads (shao bing) filled with soy-scented beef will set you back just €2 a pop at this hole-in-the-wall specializing in this northern Chinese delicacy. Noodle and wonton soups (average price: €5) hit the spot when it's cold out.

Kappo delivers a classic, ultra-refined omakase experience free of fusion fripperies—a reminder that when the quality of fish is this good, there's no need for showy garnishes and tableside pyrotechnics. On a given night, chef Mario Payán might grace your chopsticks with grouper, yellowtail, horse mackerel, or scallop anointed with a drop of ponzu or a scraggle of pickled daikon. Spanish line-caught tuna often figures heavily on the set menu, which includes a starter, 15 pieces of sushi, and dessert. If you're feeling social, sit at the u-shape bar, where you can watch the sushi masters work their magic; for a quiet meal, request a table.

This sunlight-flooded gastro-tavern with minimalist decor serves creatively plated dishes that taste as good as they sound (think porcini and foie fideuà or Cantonese-style Iberian pork ribs). There's a clandestine coctelería, Trilero Club, downstairs in the arcaded brick basement if you fancy a cocktail after your meal.

Cheese geeks unite at this pocket queso bar with enough Manchego, Idiazabal, Mahón, and other delectable national varieties to make you an armchair expert on Spanish cheeses. There's another, newer, location in Barrio Salamanca at Calle de Castelló 38.

This rustic tapas hall is the oldest of three branches of a beloved local chain, and it has barely changed since it was founded in 1906. The tapa to try here is gambas al ajillo, shrimp sautéed with garlic. Enjoy them with the house red from Toro or branch out with a vino del abuelo, a throwback off-dry red from Alicante.

Blocks from El Retiro Park, this 34-year-old tapas spot is always teeming with locals clamoring over plates of sautéed wild mushrooms, tuna ventresca (tuna belly) and roasted pepper salad, and stewed chickpeas with langoustines. Stop in for a quick bite at the bar—they'll serve you a free tapa with every drink—or enjoy heartier choices in the homey dining room at the back.

Sure, you could cobble together a full meal from the menu of delectable cheeses, cured sausages, hams, and conservas (canned seafood; seek out La Pureza and Ana María brands), but La Colmada is better suited to casual, booze-fueled snacking. In love with a certain cheese or chorizo? The staff will happily sell you a goodie bag. The first thing you'll notice about this teeny seafood-centric tapas bar is its bright blue walls, a nod to the sea.