Sobrino de Botin |
$$$$$ | Spanish |
Immortalised by the final two pages of Hemingway's
The Sun
Also Rises when Jake invites Brett to Botin for the Segovian
speciality, the Sobrino de Botin has been captivating locals and
foreigners for over 200 years. Something of a Madrid institution,
Sobrino de Botin is a family run restaurant that has eclipsed three
generations, carrying over its friendly customer service ethic.
With much of the décor still pertaining to the original
restaurant, patrons look into the open kitchen which houses a
charcoal hearth, hanging copper pots and an 18th century tile oven
used especially for roasting suckling pig, one of the house
specialities. Try that, the Segovian Lamb, baked Cantabrian hake or
the fillet mignon with potatoes. A desert favourite is strawberries
with whipped cream, if in season. Open daily for lunch and dinner.
Reservations recommended.
Address: Calle de Cuchilleros 17
Website: www.botin.es
Telephone: 91 366 4217
Taberna Toscana |
$$$$$ | Spanish |
A friendly tapas restaurant with charming Spanish décor
adorning the white walls, Taberna Toscana has the all the
characteristics of a village restaurant with legs of hams hanging
from above the bar, earthenware jars containing chilled sangria and
colourful plates and an assortment of framed photographs decorating
the walls. An authentic tapas restaurant, guests can choose from a
range of small dishes to have in succession, accompanied with fresh
bread and a standard wine list, although most guests opt for a
glass of sangria. A dining experience that encourages a leisurely
pace, patrons should try the chorizo, snails in hot sauce or
kidneys in sherry sauce. Open for lunch and dinner, Tuesday to
Saturday.
Address: Manuel Fernández y Gonzales 10
Telephone: 91 429 6031
Jockey |
$$$$$ | Mediterranean |
A favourite of international celebrities, diplomats, and heads
of state, Jockey has been serving up gourmet Spanish cuisine for
over four decades and has carried its dedication to customer
service and quality produce over the years. A recipient of a
Michelin star, this superb Madrid restaurant is ideal for a special
occasion. A small but sophisticated restaurant, Jockey extends over
two levels with wood panelled walls, white linen tablecloths and
turquoise suede seating. Recommended dishes are the sea bass, lamb
a la Provencal and marinated partridge. With a wine list of over
600 wines from different regions across the globe and a
mouth-watering desert menu, a night at Jockeys is a gastronomic
experience you won't forget. Open daily for lunch and dinner.
Address: Amador de los Ríos 6
Telephone: 91 319 2435
A blood red façade used to be commonplace with
fashionable restaurants in Madrid and La Bola is one of the last
restaurants in the city to don one. Initially operating as a wine
shop in 1802, this family owned restaurant has been passed down
over seven generations and continues charming visitors with its
olde worlde décor of ageing velvet, Spanish tiles, lace
curtains and cosy nooks. Although attracting quite a touristy
crowd, La Bola guarantees affordable prices and homemade dishes
packed with flavour. Some house specialities include grilled sole,
fillet of veal, Basque-style hake and grilled salmon. A traditional
favourite is Madrileno cocido, a slow-cooked meat dish prepared in
earthenware pots on a wood fire. Open Monday to Saturday for lunch
and dinner and Sunday for dinner only.
Address: Calle de la Bola 5
Telephone: 91 547 6930
A great modern restaurant that offers cool interiors, good food,
attentive service, affordable prices and consistency, Wagaboo is a
good bet for lunch or dinner in Madrid. Specialising in pasta and
noodles, Wagaboo has a great selection of contemporary Italian and
Asain cuisine. The stylish industrial interior of exposed brick and
piping is complimented with chic modern lighting, red leather
seating and shiny dark wood tables. Contemporary art and
photography adorn the walls and the glassed-in kitchen allow
patrons to see the pasta and noodles being handmade. Try an Asian
stirfry, tuna pasta salad, spring rolls or thin crust pizza with
pesto, cherry tomatoes, arugula, feta and parmaham. Finish off any
meal with some refreshing fruit sorbet. There are four Wagaboos in
Madrid and all are open for daily for lunch and dinner.
Address: Calle Gravina 18, Chueca
Telephone: 902 885 363
La Broche |
$$$$$ | Modern Eclectic |
With a white minimalist setting, designer cutlery and large
windows onto the street, La Broche has been designed so that the
only colour in the restaurant exudes from your plate. Opened in
February 2000 in the Hotel Miguel Angel, Catalan chef Sergi Arola
uses his gastronomic creative wizardry to compose dishes that are
unique and unforgettable. Even the freshly baked bread that is
placed on the table is offered with four different olive oils. A
perfect location for a special celebration or important business
meeting, La Broche's menu offer a variety of haute cuisine from a
carpaccio of wild mushrooms to escargots and salmon risotto. A
recipient of two Michelin stars, visitors looking for creative
Spanish cuisine should head to La Broche. Don't forget to look at
the desert menu. Open Monday to Friday for lunch and dinner.
Reservations recommended.
Address: Calle Miguel Angel 29-31
Telephone: 91 399 3437
Bazaar |
$$$$$ | Modern Eclectic |
A good restaurant for a laidback luncheon or dinner with
friends, Bazaar serves low-price creative Mediterranean food in a
trendy environment. Priding itself on fresh produce and modern
cuisine, Bazaar serves dishes such as thinly sliced tuna served
with mango chutney and tender ox with parmesan and rocket. With
racks filled with oils, wines and various fripperies, Bazaar has an
initial delicatessen feel to it. Follow the large staircase to the
dining area with cream leather banquettes and windows overlooking
the streets of Chueca, ideal for people watching. The affordable
menu is displayed as a list of dishes with no definition between
starters, mains and deserts and is complimented with a wide-ranging
wine list. Open daily for lunch and dinner.
Address: Calle Libertad 21
Telephone: 91 523 3905
A small wine bar situated oppostie the Royal Opera House in
Madrid, Chic serves seasonal cuisine with a new daily menu, priding
itself on fresh produce and innovative combinations. Located in a
long low-lit cellar, the restaurant is made of up three rooms, the
cool bar area with crisp light colours, the first dining area with
cream walls and crimson tablecloths and the second dining area with
olive green walls, exposed brick and white linen tableclothes.
Compliment your Iberian nouvelle cuisine with one of the wines from
the cellar or snack on some tapas before headin out to the opera or
one of the many bustling bars in the area. Open daily for lunch and
dinner.
Address: Calle Campomanes 5
Telephone: 91 541 8307
Maintaining its olde worlde charm, quality dishes and
unpretentious ambiance, Casa Paco is a favourite of Madrilenos and
foreigners who have been visiting Madrid for over thirty years. A
superb steak house, meat at this taverna is ordered by weight and
the Casa Paco Solomilo (fillet steak) is a firm favourite, best
accompanied with chips, a fresh salad and local red wine. For those
looking for some variety, the sole and baby lamb are also
first-rate dishes. The tiled dining room and traditional
décor at Casa Paco add to the homegrown atmosphere, as does
the old fashioned bar, natural sidra (cider) and conscientious
service. Start with a garlic soup or chorizo a la sidra. Open daily
for lunch and dinner.
Address: Puerta Cerrada 11
Telephone: 91 366 3166
Café Balear |
$$$$$ | Seafood |
For the best paella and a quality selection of cavas (Catalan
champagne-type wine) that compliment this traditional dish,
Café Balear is the place. A traditional Spanish eatery,
Café Balear serves a variety of superb paella, vegetable and
seafood dishes. The elegant dining room is simply decorated with
cushy white linens and curtains, lifted by art prints and potted
palms. Attentive staff and a friendly atmosphere add to the appeal
of Café Balear, as do the main specialities of Caldereta de
Langosta (seafood and lobster casserole), Paella de Centollo
(crab-based paella), Arroz Negro (rice with squid in its own ink)
and the standard Paella Mixta (paella with seafood, pork and mixed
vegetables). Open daily for lunch and Tuesday to Saturday for
dinner.
Address: Sagunto 18 near Plaza de Chamberi
Telephone: 914 47 9115
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