My Favorite Restaurants in Madrid 🇪🇸

From Michelin-star winners to budget-friendly dives with free tapas and beer-sticky floors, there is no shortage of incredible dining establishments in Madrid, Spain. I’ve had the luxury of having amazing meals here over the years, indulging in incredible dishes from the iconic “Cocido” – a Spanish stew known as a Madrid classic, to sweet churros and chocolate, the best Jamón Iberico, and so much more.

Here are some of my favorite places to eat when I visit Madrid:

Chocolateria San Gines

This place will be on any bloggers “must eat” list for Madrid, so apologies for being repetitive. But it is iconic, and it’s absolutely worth a stop.

A typical Spanish dessert is “churros and chocolate,” fried, doughy-pastry sticks and thick, gooey chocolate for dipping.  Chocolateria San Gines, located at Pasadizo de San Ginés is THE place to stop for them. It’s open 24/7 and perfect for a late-night snack.

El Ñeru – Asturian Cuisine

Asturias is a region in north Spain that is known for amazing dishes. Many are on the heavier side — since this is an area of Spain that can get quite cold during the winter months. It’s also known for “Sidra” or cider which is produced in this region and is a traditional drink of the area. I love Asturian food; it’s filling, comforting, and downright delicious.

If you can’t make it to Asturias during your travels in Spain, a great spot for Asturian cuisine in Madrid is El Ñeru. Located between the Opera metro station and Plaza Mayor (and close to Chocolateria San Gines), it’s a gem serving up all the classics of Asturias, including Cachopo, Fabada, Sidra, and more. Make sure you try the Sidra and watch the bartender as he pours it!

Paella at Marina Ventura

While Paella is known as being a dish from Valencia on the coast, and I absolutely recommend a trip to Valencia to eat the real, authentic paella, you can still get amazing paella in Madrid, and Marina Ventura is one of my favorite restaurants to go to for it. The establishment has a beautiful interior, very kind service, and amazing food. My favorite paella typically is either a seafood (mariscos) or Valencian with rabbit and chicken, but you really can’t go wrong. They also have vegetarian for any vegetarian travelers, or just folks who want to get their vegetables in while adventuring in Madrid.

Club de Gourmet — Corte Inglés Callao Rooftop

El Corte Inglés is a chain of fancy department stores in Madrid, selling everything from clothing and homewares to everything food in their grocery store. I highly recommend stopping in their supermarkets when venturing to Spain to stock up on great food items to bring home — especially cheese and olive oil.

The Club de Gourmet is a collective of different counter-serve restaurants within Corte Inglés, and at the Callao location (right off Gran Vía) you can enjoy your tapas and drinks on a fantastic rooftop that offers great views around the city. There’s a bunch of fun food vendors to choose from and it’s a lively atmosphere, a great place to start a Madrid adventure with views and good food.

Restaurante La Catedral

Located near Plaza del Sol, this restaurant has a fabulous, ornate interior and is great for having a relaxing lunch while exploring the main highlights of central Madrid. We indulged in croquetas, fried artichokes with ham, and other delicious items. It’s a great place to share a bunch of food and try different Spanish dishes, and it would be ideal for a small group looking to connect and relax after touring the museums all morning.

La Torre de Oro – Bullfighting Bar in Plaza Mayor

This is a touristy spot but kind of a must-visit, even just for a quick drop in and a drink when exploring the main sights of Madrid. Located within Plaza Mayor, La Torre de Oro (The Golden Tower) is a bar and restaurant that features photos of famous Spanish bullfighters in performance on the walls. Note – not for the squeamish, some of the photos are quite graphic. The prices here are also high due to location, so I wouldn’t recommend staying here for an actual meal. Just a drink and a look around!

100 Montaditos

Montaditos means “little sandwiches” and to try a variety of Spanish style sandwiches while spending next to nothing — 100 (“cien”) Montaditos is definitely the place to go.  It is a chain with locations all around the city. With prices as cheap as €1, you can try a variety of little tapa sandwiches.   My personal favorites are lacón (American-style ham) with cream cheese, Iberian ham with brie, and the Iberian ham with tomatoes.  All are tasty and inexpensive.    

Tapas at Malaspina

I love this restaurant. The interior is super fun, the service is friendly, the tapas are delicious and it’s a great place to bring people if it’s their first time in Madrid or if they’ve lived here a long time. My old roommate, who was Spanish, told me about this place during my second year of living in the city, and I’ve been several times with various friends and family visiting. Their portions are huge — once I made the mistake of ordering myself some patatas bravas just for myself on a quick stop in, and I had a PILE of potatoes to work my way through before I gave up. It’s also known for great cocktails – get a mojito here! And a plate of pimiento padrons – fried green peppers tossed with flaky salt that pair excellently with a cold beer. It’s located near Sol, but off the main busy tourist drag.

Mesón del Champiñon

Mesón del Champiñón, or the mushroom bar, is a famous tapas bar in Madrid.  Located at Calle Cava de San Miguel, this is a great place to stop, have a pitcher of sangria and try their awesome mushroom based or other tapas. I would recommend ordering a variety of the mushroom and other dishes to share with a group, but for sure try the sausage (chorizo) stuffed mushrooms, which are sautéed in garlic to order. YUM!  

My Favorite Spots for Spanish Breakfast

While I do have a full on blog post about getting brunch in Madrid, I thought I’d highlight a few more spots that are better for a traditional Spanish breakfast and cafe experience instead of just the more full-on brunch places that are adapted to international tourist preferences.

Cafe Solmar – Puerta del Angel

This was my regular go-to spot before work during the two years I lived in Madrid teaching English. It’s right next to the Puerta del Angel metro station, making it a convenient stop before jumping on the #6 circular line. I loved their “sandwich mixto con huevo” – a toasted ham and cheese sandwich with a sunnyside up egg poking out. They have a fresh squeezing orange juice machine and great coffee. It’s a very classic Spanish cafe, not many tourists would find themselves here, so you’ll be treated to an authentic Spanish breakfast experience.

La Dolce Vita – Opera

A super cute cafe on Calle de Santiago near the Opera metro station, La Dolce Vita offers some great Spanish breakfast options as well as traditional pastries and more “American” or “English-style” breakfast options. It’s on a quieter street, ideal for starting your morning without the crazy crowds of tourists and commuters in the city.

Cafe Viena – Moncloa

Located just a few blocks off the Ventura Rodriguez metro stop (close to Moncloa and Arguelles, off Calle Princesa) this gem of a restaurant serves up great Spanish breakfast options for cheap. The staff is also friendly and the decor of the restaurant is old-timey, with an antique cash register, as it’s been operating in Madrid for almost 100 years. Definitely worth a stop before you make your way to the shopping that this area is known for!

This post doesn’t even scratch the surface on the amazing places there are to eat and drink in Madrid, but these are a few of my favorite spots I’ve enjoyed revisiting over the years. If you have a favorite Madrid bar, restaurant, or cafe that I need to check out the next time I visit, please drop it in the comments!