10 Best restaurants in Madrid, according to Little Miss Madrid

So, if you’re a long-time Madrid dweller, you’ll remember the harsh days of the financial crisis which are now (thankfully) a sort of blip on the landscape of Madrid’s movida. Business is booming and as a result, the culinary scene in the city now packs more than just a punch. It positively sizzles with the best of Spanish produce and rustic neighbourhood joints that can’t be missed.

It’s a tough one to call, but I’m not sure what I’ve done more of since having moved to the land of jamón – eat out, or treat myself at the Zara sale. Either way, I’ve had a lot of hot dinners and have whittled down my favourites for you to work your way through. A sort of foodie bucket list as it were.

If traditional cuisine is your thing, hopefully I’ve got you covered. However, as the city lets go of its slightly conservative culinary roots, the patrons of the plazas and the tourists on the terrazas now greedily gobble ramen, cervices and bao buns with as much gusto as the locals love their pinchos. Many to-do lists are a chore, make this one a pleasure.

Here’s a round-up of the 10 best restaurants in Madrid. You’ll also find my full restaurant review of each one if you click on the link in the titles!

1. Lady Madonna – take a day off the diet

10 Best restaurants in Madrid, according to Little Miss Madrid

If you’re in the mood for a great bit of grub without breaking the bank (and aren’t we all?) head to Lady Madonna. Definitely the kind of place where you can dress up for dinner, it’s just a stone’s throw from Alonso Martínez and a little oasis in the heart of the city. Its charming little terrace is the perfect place to people watch, and the Sunday brunch is pretty damn delish.

2. Bosco de Lobos – a casual-chic restaurant in Chueca

10 Best restaurants in Madrid, according to Little Miss Madrid

Oh how I love this place. Let me count the ways… It’s a favourite in the same way as a beloved leather jacket is. Bosco de Lobos is the perfect place for a casual yet chic dining experience. The menu covers every foodie fad but is complete with classics such as arroz and steak tartare. The desserts are to die for, as are the interior vibes – all dim lighting and shelves groaning with books. A must visit.

3. Ana la Santa – baby it’s cold outside

10 Best restaurants in Madrid, according to Little Miss Madrid

Situated on one of the most beautiful plazas in the city, Ana La Santa is housed in the ground floor of the Hotel Me. Beyond cosy in the winter and perennially popular, Ana La Santa always delivers on excellent service and an awesome ambiance.

4. Bar Tomate – modern minimalism at its best

10 Best restaurants in Madrid, according to Little Miss Madrid

Somewhat off the typical tourist trial, this is a great neighborhood spot. Chamberí is somewhat of a foodie mecca and Bar Tomate combines minimalist decor at its best and delicious cuisine. The vibe is rustic and the food is fresh. A winning combo if I ever I saw one.

5. Luzi Bombon – get ready to luck out

10 Best restaurants in Madrid, according to Little Miss Madrid

Situated on the swish and swanky Paseo de la Castella, Luzi Bombon is a stylish restaurant offering flawless service and utterly divine food. It’s part of Grupo Tragaluz, meaning you’re in safe hands when it comes to enjoying some marvelous munchies.

  • Facebook & Instagram: @luzibombon
  • Address: Paseo de la Castellana 35
  • Phone: 917 02 27 36
  • Metro: Rubén Darío

6. Somos Restaurant – the jewel in Barceló Torres’s crown

10 Best restaurants in Madrid, according to Little Miss Madrid

Located in what’s become the iconic Torre de Barcelona, Somos Restaurant and Garra Bar have become the type of places to splash your hard earned cash. In an undeniably stunning setting overlooking Gran Vía, the outstanding cuisine is not too be missed and neither is the sunset as the sunshine bids the city goodnight.

7. Picsa – got a ‘pizza’ my heart

10 Best restaurants in Madrid, according to Little Miss Madrid

On one of the hippest streets in Madrid (ok I’m biased, I live here) Picsa serves up delicious Argentinian pizzas that rival any that BA has to offer. The flavour combos are to die for – I never resist the lure of the chorizo criollo with provolone and hey Heber should you.

8. Gracias Padre – you’ll be thankful for this Mexican restaurant

10 Best restaurants in Madrid, according to Little Miss Madrid

In the barrio of Salamanca, Gracias Padre is hands down one of Madrid’s best Mexican restaurants. Here’ll you’ll find treats as tasty as tacos hailing from Tulum. Their frozen margs always hit the spot and the rainbow-esque surroundings are a riot of crayola colour.

9. Nubel – the Reina Sofia Museum’s stunning restaurant

10 Best restaurants in Madrid, according to Little Miss Madrid

Nubel is the beautiful restaurant housed in the world-famous Reina Sofía museum. It’s a hybrid that feels like part restaurant/part nightclub as there’s often a DJ playing a delectable mix of club classics that adds to the buzzy energy that envelops you on arrival.

  • Facebook, Website & Instagram: @nubelmadrid
  • Address: Museo Reina Sofía, Calle de Argumosa, 43
  • Metro: Atocha
  • Phone: 915 30 17 61

10. Picalagartos – dine sky high on a gorgeous rooftop bar overlooking Gran Vía

10 Best restaurants in Madrid, according to Little Miss Madrid

Picalagartos is quite literally (in the words of the song) up on the roof. Towering above Gran Vía, it’s perched atop the NH hotel. It boasts 360-degree views of our beloved city and combines great cocktails with great cuisine.

All photos from each restaurant’s respective social media accounts

By Cat Powell, aka @littlemissmadrid

Have any favourites that we should include in a second “best restaurants in Madrid” list? Let us know in the comments!



Somos Restaurant & Garra Bar, the Jewel in Barceló Torre’s Crown

Sometimes hotels are just a place to lay your head before an obscenely early flight – I mean, why else would you ever willingly opt to stay in a Holiday Inn? Then on other occasions, they’re the scene of pure indulgence and relaxation (that’s where Mr and Mrs Smith properties come into the equation). But more often than not, hotel restaurants remain unloved and overlooked in favour of their rooftop pools or swanky spas. The poor relation of the hotel bar as it were.

However, just last Tuesday, instead of dismissing Somos, the restaurant located inside the achingly chic Barceló Torre Hotel. I made myself a reso and headed towards the always vibrant Plaza de España to discover that Somos is very much the jewel in this hotel’s crown.

Somos Restaurant Madrid in Barcelo Torre Hotel

Not just a place to rest your weary self after a day pounding the city’s pavements, Barceló Torre can be surmised as a luxury designer hotel, located in one of the most iconic buildings in Madrid. At first this felt like a bold claim from their PR team, but one that I can attest to having enjoyed nothing short of 5-star treatment; something that I could easily get used to.

First things first, the concept of the restaurant is actually genius – when you eat out as much as I do it’s easy to get jaded by the standard gastronomical offerings, but not at Somos restaurant. Madrid is a city with a differing day and night scene which Somos sought to encapsulate through its very different menus.

I’m a sucker for attention to detail, but Somos has elevated this into an art form – let me explain. Somos is actually the first dual restaurant that evolves with the city. Everything from your plates (which I was quite tempted to shove in my handbag), to the menu, to the breathtakingly beautiful skyline that Somos looks out onto, changes over the course of the day.

Case in point: the evening menu looks like a CD – for those of you who’ve spent much time in my beloved Madders, you’ll know that Madrileños don’t shy away from a fiesta, or a dancefloor for that matter. So this felt like a very fitting touch.

Somos Restaurant Madrid in Barcelo Torre Hotel

Somos Restaurant Madrid in Barcelo Torre Hotel

Back to the skyline, it’s worth noting the setting is nothing short of being truly stunning. Each table faces outwards, so should you be tired of looking at your companions chops over your delicious dinner, you can cast your gaze over the city which never fails to impress.

If you’ve read one of my previous restaurant reviews (cheers Mum and Dad) you’ll know that interiors are my porn. I mean it, I get giddy over a well upholstered chair like no other, therefore it’s necessary to note that Somos has been decorated by the prestigious designer Jaime Hayón; an international icon of contemporary design and considered by Time Magazine as one of the top 100 important creators of our time. They weren’t messing about with the dreamy decor.

Somos Restaurant Madrid in Barcelo Torre Hotel

What I ate basically reads like a roll call of my version of a last supper: cherry gazpacho, ceviche, marinated tuna with a delectable avocado hummus (yes, that’s a thing), a perfectly seared ribeye fillet, finally rounded off with two puds as I sat and watched the sunset over Gran Via, Madrid’s answer to Broadway.

Somos Restaurant Madrid in Barcelo Torre Hotel

Somos Restaurant Madrid in Barcelo Torre Hotel

Somos Restaurant Madrid in Barcelo Torre Hotel

Somos is the most recent offering from Grupo Le Cocó and with there being whisperings of a new locale opening this September in Chamberí; it looks as though they’re set to become quite the foodie tour de force. The entire experience from top to toe felt like an ode to the city that I’ve come to call home.

Call me soppy, but a trip to Somos made me fall in love with this city all over again. Admittedly this happens fairly often but make no mistake, dinner at Somos isn’t an invitation – it’s an obligation.

All images from Somos Restaurant

Somos Restaurant