Madrid is famous for its gastronomy, and you will find plenty of great dining options. We are sharing the most remarkable ones – such as the oldest in the world – along with a few personal recommendations. There are good restaurants in Madrid for every kind of budget, and here you will get an overview.
On a trip to Madrid, it’s a must to visit some of the restaurants. Most travelers like to eat out every night when they are in Madrid, and it’s also common to eat out for lunch. With locals, it is not much different: Spanish people love to be eating out, and Madrid provides the perfect setting.
Because this city is absolutely full of restaurants. Gastronomy has always been one of the main appeals of the city – the food is a very specific reason for coming here.
Most of the restaurants in Madrid will serve classic Spanish and Mediterranean food. However, you will also find plenty of international options, along with restaurants that are too difficult to even classify.
So let’s get started. Read on below to find everything from famous and expensive restaurants in Madrid, and on to the more budget-friendly eating options.
The most famous restaurants in Madrid
Sobrino de Botín, mostly known as just Botín, is probably the most famous restaurant in Madrid. It is the oldest restaurant in the world that still exists and serves its visitors. Botín was opened in 1725 and is listed in the Guinness World Records. It is located in the Latina area, just a small bit south of Plaza Mayor. According to rumors, the famous artist Francisco de Goya worked there as a young man. Ernest Hemingway described Botín in one of his books.
When you walk into Botín, you have two options: Eat some courses or get a tour. You can also get both. Eating in Botín will probably cost between 60-70 euros per person: The starters are around 20 euros, the main course is around 25, and then you need a drink, and perhaps dessert.
Los Montes de Galicia is the top ranked restaurant on TripAdvisor and is highly popular. With a Galician theme, this restaurant serves nice seafood and other nice Mediterranean classics. It is located on the long Calle Azcona (nearest metro: Diego de Léon).
Another restaurant that has become well-known thanks to a strong reputation is Dogma. Once again, a clear focus on Mediterranean food – we are starting to notice a trend! – but while adding some barbecue dishes. It’s a high-end, nice place. Desserts are among the very best in Madrid. Dogma is located in Chamartín, just a bit east of Plaza de Cusco. The metro station Colombia is the closest.
Sacha (located in Chamartín too) has become a bit internet-famous due to many good reviews. Most well known for its great seafood, such as crabs and oysters. Drinks are another positive – expect good wine. The environment is interesting to say the least, and customer service is known to be fantastic.
A bit north, close to Cuatro Caminos, check the traditional San Mamés. It is run by the same family for more than 60 years and it has a lot of typical Madrileño dishes.
Recommendations for budget-friendly restaurants
While most of the restaurants in the previous chapter are expensive, Madrid also offers several budget-friendly options. It is possible to find several nice and cheap restaurants, even in central Madrid. Here are some recommendations.
Mezcal is one of the best Mexican restaurants in Madrid. It’s located in Pacífico. Very often, you will find discounts such as 1 euro tacos or something of that kind. There is a very Mexican environment inside, and it is quite nice. The highlight is the drinks – they taste wonderful, and you have several different options.
Twin-Pizza Valverde is quite central and has great pizzas. You can get a nice family sized pizza for 15,5 euros. They also deliver, and they do it super fast.
All the Goiko Grill restaurants around the city are nice. They make some of the best burgers, and it’s not just typical fast food. In fact, in most of the places you need to book a table first, since they are wildly popular. Expect to pay around 30 euros for a meal for two people.
Kokoxaxa is a cheap buffet restaurant in Malasaña, one minute away from Gran Vía. There is a decent selection of food, and the prices are cheap. On weekdays, expect to pay around 11 euros for a free buffet – drinks included. Not world-class quality, but very good considering the price!
Note that there are many franchise restaurants in Madrid. Particularly in the central part. Not only the fastfood chains like McDonald’s and Burger King, but also higher quality chains such as Tony Roma’s, VIPS, Gino’s, DiBocca, and so on. It’s possible to have a good meal here for decent prices, but expect around 40 euros for two people after everything is included.
Where to go eating in Madrid
You can basically go to any neighborhood in Madrid and find several dining options. That’s how many restaurants there are!
The best and most fancy area to go eat is in the Salamanca area. Salamanca and Retiro are absolutely full of restaurants – most with a Mediterranean theme. The restaurants in Salamanca and Retiro are typically expensive – there will be very few budget options, if any. The cheapest restaurants there usually charge around 30-40 euros per person once you’re done with your dishes. However, it is more common to pay around 60-80 euros per person when you choose a nice restaurant in Salamanca. Expensive, but the food quality is there.
La Latina has many of the classic restaurants of Madrid. A nice place to go if you wish to eat at an old restaurant with a nice environment inside. La Latina also has a few newer restaurants that are high quality.
In Malasaña and Chueca, you also find restaurants everywhere. But they are a bit cheaper, although still cool. You will find several vegetarian and vegan restaurants in these two neighborhoods. For some reason, Malasaña is also full of Chinese restaurants. Many of them are good and affordable.
The Atocha area has decent restaurants as well, although not with a huge style variety. Expect medium prices.
If you fancy Middle Eastern, Indian or African food, the Lavapiés area will be the best – by far. It has a lot of ethnic foods there.
Go north to Cuatro Caminos and you will find a lot of small eating places. Along with that, check Mercado Las Maravillas, just a few steps from the Cuatro Caminos metro station. Inside, you will find fresh fruit and butcher markets. But the highlight: Many great restaurants and eating bars, most of them being South American. Perfect place for Venezuelan, Colombian, Peruvian or Brazilian food!
Conclusion
Madrid is full of good choices when it comes to restaurants. You have plenty of suggestions here, and you are free to go out for yourself and discover some other great places on the side.
If you happen to know any other great dining place, be sure to let us know in the comment section!
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