The Best Fine Dining Restaurants in Madrid

DiverXO, run by Chef David Muñoz, offers a unique dining experience that draws on global influences. The meals are a creative blend of Spanish flavors and elements from Muñoz's travels, resulting in a culinary journey that engages all your senses. The menu is innovative and bold, with dishes that are not only surprising and fun but also demonstrate a high level of technique and a quest for perfection.

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Vaughan Mabee

Chef – Queenstown , New Zealand

A creative rollercoaster inside the mind of my friend and incredible chef Dabiz Munoz. An incredible journey of flavours of Spain mixed with flavours of Dabizs travels. You have to eat here if you like a journey with some added wizardry and fusions of cultures. Dabiz you crazy man you rock mate!

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Arima, a chic modern variation on a traditional Basque tavern, is led by San Sebastián native Nagore Izazuegi. It offers a small but flavorful menu, including standout dishes like Stilton cheese croquettes, rib steak with stewed cheek, and a special black pudding talo. With its strong Basque influence and commitment to sourcing excellent produce from artisanal growers, Arima provides a unique gastronomic experience.

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David J Constable

Writer & Underwear Model – London, UK

Chic modern variation on a traditional Basque tavern San Sebastián native Nagore Izazuegi heads this small establishment in Calle Ponzano, which features a typical bar where customers can enjoy pintxos, the Basque country’s take on tapas. The menu is small but the flavours big, with a tiny and visable kitchen where chefs cook up dishes like Stilton cheese croquettes or rib steak and stewed cheek. The black pudding talo (kind of like a tortilla) is really something very special. The average price per dish is between €12-€16, so pretty reasonable for the quality.

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Offering an elegant dining experience, Desde 1911 is a restaurant that specializes in seafood. The menu is driven by the freshest catch of the day, with dishes that are simple but full of flavor. The restaurant's interior is described as understated luxurious, providing a warm and welcoming atmosphere for diners to enjoy their meal.

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Tristin Farmer

Chef – Singapore , SG

Incredible seafood & sharp service Dined as a large group of chef friends and had an excellent lunch. Chef Diego cooked for us, the best possible fish and shellfish, with simple yet complex flavour profiles. Very sharp service, tableside interaction & very hospitable. Great history of the restaurant and fishmongers.

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At RavioXO, every dish is a unique artwork, with individual attention given to each dumpling's filling and fold. The menu, while centered around dumplings, also includes innovative combinations like cold chicken with carbonara and kakikori desserts, making it hard to categorize. Each bite promises a rollercoaster of flavors, showcasing Chef David Muñoz's creativity and dedication to transforming ordinary ingredients into extraordinary culinary experiences.

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Jhonatan Cano

Restaurateur – Washington DC, United States

The temple of dumplings & doughs. David Muñoz does it again by creating a truly unique concept where he honors the time consuming labor of love of the world of doughs and dumplings in all forms. Every bite is a rollercoaster of flavors.

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Saddle Madrid is a Michelin-starred restaurant that offers a blend of classic and modern cuisine, with a strong focus on seasonal, top-notch ingredients. The restaurant's service is impeccable, providing a unique dining experience where most dishes are prepared and served at the table. The restaurant's ambiance is sophisticated and timeless, featuring noble materials such as marble, wood, and brass, and includes a bar focused on cocktails, a spacious dining area, and private dining rooms.

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Margherita Bentivogli

Foodie – Milan, Italy

A perfect fusion of Classic and modern cuisine in Madrid where the most of the courses are finished at the table A fusion between classic (with strong French influences, even in the equipment) and modern cuisine with a beautiful and perfect service in the dining room where most of the courses are finished and composed on the cart in front of the client, the chef's creations at the Saddle Madrid pamper sight and palate and bring joy to the table. Congratulations to the Sommelier for the excellent pairing: I was fascinated by the Spanish white 'El Rocallis' fragrant and aromatic of Can Rafols dels Caus

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With a rich history spanning over 40 years and three generations, Coque is a culinary destination that promises an exceptional dining experience. The restaurant is renowned for its retro-vintage style food, including the highly recommended suckling pig, and boasts a beautiful wine cellar. The establishment provides a unique gastronomic journey, offering an original and unique sensory experience with a tour through four different spaces: a cocktail bar, wine cellar, kitchen, and dining room.

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João Sá

Chef – Lisbon , Portugal

A journey into Madrid's gastronomy and history. And a beautiful wine cellar. A wonderful tour through the restaurant with snacks to remember. Mario Sandoval's food is a journey into Madrid's gastronomy and history. Great staff, service and wine list.

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This unique restaurant, Smoked Room Madrid. Fire Omakase by Dani García, is known for its cool, dark ambiance and excellent service. The 16-course tasting menu is the highlight, with dishes like smoked hamachi, charcoal baby eels, and grilled aubergine with miso chocolate ice cream. The restaurant, which swiftly earned two Michelin stars in 2022, offers a unique omakase-style dining experience with a Spanish flair, and the knowledgeable sommelier completes the dining experience with superb wine pairings.

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David P. Leja

@thegastrojourney – Palma, Spain

The tasting menu is served at a counter where the fire is the connecting thread of all dishes. This restaurant was awarded from 0 directly to two Michelin stars in 2022 and has been on our bucket list for a while. First of all, the space is very cool, the dark lighting and deco give this place a very interesting atmosphere and this together with the very good service make it already a very enjoyable night. Now focusing on the menu, some of the dishes (of the 16-course tasting menu) we had that night were the following: * Shrimp from Motril, noisette butter & smoked pepper. * Smoked hamachi, roasted tomato essence & yuzu. * Dashi tomato. * Charbroiled clams in Tosazu beurre blanc & fresh wasabi. * Charcoal baby eels, Vin Jaune velouté & hazelnut praliné. * Smoked risotto with truffle. * Charcoal pumpkin & clementines. * Grilled aubergine, miso chocolate ice cream & melipona honey. Overall we really enjoyed almost all the dishes and especially the first two dishes were really really good in our opinion. This was paired with some great wines suggested by the great Baselga, who is one of the most pleasant, fun and knowledgeable sommeliers we’ve seen in some time, perfect to complete a fantastic evening.

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This newly opened restaurant, Bascoat, draws on the Basque origins of cuisine, presenting an elegant and unique dining experience. The owners, Nagore and Rodrigo, have created a place where delicate, beautiful dishes are served with top-notch service. Please note, due to its layout, the restaurant cannot accommodate baby strollers and doesn't offer a children's menu.

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Stefania Giordano

Maître-Kensei Restaurant – Tenerife, Spain

Newly opened, but with background of the owners Nagore & Rodrigo. Spectacular place that goes back to the Basque origins of cuisine, elegant and with personality. tasty elegant delicate beautiful cuisine. very good service. A great enjoyment.

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At Chispa Bistró, the fusion of fine dining techniques and a relaxed bistro atmosphere creates a unique dining experience. The menu is a flavorful blend of Asian, Spanish, and New York-inspired dishes, with no pretentiousness, just delicious, well-crafted food. The chefs at Chispa Bistró draw inspiration from their travels around the world, resulting in an open, international, and shared cuisine that's designed for enjoyment and sharing.

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Peter Atzen

Copenhagen Foodie – Copenhagen, Denmark

Perfect mix of fine dining and bistro. I think they have found the sweet spot of fine dining meets bistro. For me the great thing about this balance is that you get all of the skills of the chef from fine dining in terms of technique and knowledge about how to build flavor but in a relaxed bistro setting. To me the restaurant is all about flavor. There are no pretentious dishes showing off technical skills or super expensive products. What there are a lot of are very delicious dishes. Looking at the menu and as I was eating through it I was thinking what is the identity of the place as it is a bit all over the place with lots of Asian flavors, Spanish as well as New York. At the end of the day I didn’t really care that it was all over the place because what brought it together was the great flavor and that’s why you come as a guest.

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Ebisu by Kobos is a sushi restaurant where you can experience the trust relationship between the chef and the diner, known as Omakase. The restaurant is founded by Chef Kobos Cortés, who brings his experience from Japan, where he worked at an Edo-style sushi bar. The restaurant's philosophy is rooted in technique, product, and seasonality, combining Japanese tradition with local seafood to elevate sushi to its highest expression of purity.

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David P. Leja

@thegastrojourney – Palma, Spain

This was our second visit here and we keep our personal opinion that this is the best sushi we know of in Spain. Since our last visit, we’ve had some new stuff, and missed some dishes from our last visit, being the most important one, the ankimo, which was one of the stars of our last visit. The shari has in our opinion improved since the last time, and overall we had another fantastic night here, with great nigiris and another great wine pairing. So, some of the favorites of the night were: * Aji & shyoga nigiri (mackerel & ginger). * Tako (octopus). * Chawanmushi with katsuobushi, dashi and eggs. * Sea bream nigiri with hiroshima salt. * Akaza ebi nigiri (scampi). * Kaziki maguro nigiri. * Mama’s sandwich 2.0 with Oscietra Caviar. * Chu toro (semi-fatty tuna) nigiri. * O-toro and uni (fatty tuna and sea urchin) nigiri. * Unagi (fresh water eel)nigiri. The one thing we liked a little better on our last visit was to end with the Futomaki Endo, as a kind of a dessert, but again, we liked every single dish of this visit. And, this remains our favorite unagi on earth! To end this post, our opinion is that the itamae José, will improve more and more on each visit and has the potential to become one of the best sushiyas in Europe over the years, but let the time talk and just observe over the years.

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Fismuler is known for its simple, straightforward cooking style that emphasizes high-quality ingredients and enhanced flavors. The restaurant offers a range of dishes, from lettuce buds from their own garden topped with 24-month Comté, to artichoke rice with flamed snails, and an omelette featuring potato, onion, fried green peppers, and Carrasco Iberico chorizo. The cooking style is stripped back to simplicity, allowing the ingredients to be the star of each dish.

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David J Constable

Writer & Underwear Model – London, UK

Simple, to-the-point cooking: showing off first rate produce and ramping up the flavours. A brilliant lunch at Fismuler from chef Patxi Zumarraga. Simple, to-the-point cooking: showing off first rate produce and ramping up the flavours. This is my favourite sort of place, advocating a stripped back simplicity, and pushing ingredients to the fore. There’s a lettuce bud from the restaurant’s garden, crowned with shavings of 24-month Comté; Navarrese white asparagus with champagne cream; Figueres onion soup with ‘cod’s guts & egg yolk; artichoke rice with flamed snails; a San Roman schnitzel with egg & black truffle; pickled wild boar with foie gras & spring vegetables; and the best damn omelette I’ve ever had - with potato, onion, fried green peppers & Carrasco Iberico chorizo.

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This restaurant, Horcher, is known for its old-school service and fantastic game dishes, particularly during the autumn and winter seasons. With a history dating back to 1904, it offers a unique dining experience, enhanced by a selection of Rioja wines from the 1950s that are surprisingly affordable. Whether you're looking for a cozy meal or a chance to explore a rich culinary history, Horcher is worth a visit.

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Pedro Espinosa

Food writer – Madrid, Spain

Old school service, great game dishes in autumn and winter, a few bottles of Rioja dating back to the fifties and not outrageously priced make this restaurant, opened in Berlin in 1904 and moved to Madrid in 1943, worth the visit.

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This restaurant, Kabuki, offers a unique blend of Japanese and Mediterranean cuisines. Known for its original "Spushi", or Spanish sushi, it presents seafood with a distinct Iberian touch, including fried quail's eggs and juicy Denia prawn head nigiri. The cheesecake mochi is a recommended dessert to end your meal.

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Lydia Itoi

Food journalist – Madrid, Spain

The original "Spushi," or Spanish sushi. Think pristine seafood presented with a decidedly Iberian flair, down to perfectly fried quails' eggs and juicy Denia prawn head nigiri. An interesting fusion. The cheesecake mochi is a fabulous ending.

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Located in a stunning villa, OSA offers an unforgettable dining experience with its impressive wine list and innovative, high-quality dishes. The restaurant's menu consists of 18-20 courses, featuring unique dishes like chocolate with red peppers & cod pil pil, red mullet in tempura, and wagyu tongue cooked three ways. The service is well-timed and strikes a balance between formal and casual, ensuring a comfortable and enjoyable dining experience.

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David P. Leja

@thegastrojourney – Palma, Spain

This restaurant has been the opening of the year in Madrid, and likely in all of Spain. For us personally, this is one the best meals we’ve had this year, and goes straight to our list of favorite restaurant in Spain. We already had a mind blowing meal at Picones de Maria back when Jorge Muñoz was working there before opening OSA, so we knew we were probably going to have an even better experience this time, and even more so with Sara Peral (who also worked at Mugaritz like Jorge), but it surpassed any expectations we had. First of all, the place is spectacular, it’s actually a villa converted into a restaurant, where the interior and deco is absolutely stunning, with a little patio to have a welcome drink, and also upstairs, next to the impressive cellar you will find an area to enjoy a glass of champagne before getting seated. Once seated, the service is perfect, good timings, not too serious and not too casual either, making the whole experience just super enjoyable. The wine list is impressive, with a good mix of natural wines and conventional wines to satisfy all types of palates. And the food is just out of this world, super well executed dishes, generally very minimalistic but still innovative and with high cooking techniques, and overall really our kind of style. Some of the dishes we had were the following: * Chocolate, red peppers & cod pil pil. * Red mullet and amazake in tempura. * Anago cooked on its skin. * Wagyu tongue cooked three ways. * Wild boar sando. * Grouper with its pil pil. * Quail in grape leaf “a la royal”. * Blood orange kakigori. * “Cabello de ángel” (pumpkin strands in syrup) and raib yogurt. This were just some dishes of the 21-course long tasting menu, and honestly every single one of them was fantastic, such great flavors and textures. A fantastic experience which we look forward to repeat at least once a year from now on.

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Sala de Despiece 2 offers an unconventional dining experience in a lively, butcher-themed venue. The unique setup includes a polished stainless-steel bar and industrial-chic decor, with a menu that provides detailed information about the origin and weight of the ingredients used in each dish. It's a place where interaction is highly encouraged, with dishes often being completed in front of you or left for your assembly, making for a creative, tasty, and fun experience.

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Oliver Jansson

Food Enthusiast – Stockholm, Sweden

Unconventional dining experience at a butcher-themed venue with kitchen interaction and lively vibes. SDD2, or Sala de Despiece 2, challenges the norm with its unconventional restaurant setup. Designed to resemble a butcher’s room, the restaurant boasts a long and narrow space with a polished stainless-steel bar. The industrial-chic setting and lively music offer a perfect prelude to a night on the town. The menu details the origin and weight of the produce used in each dish, adding an enriching layer and transparency to the dining experience. They strongly emphasize interaction, so expect the staff to either complete your next dish in front of you or leave it prepared for your assembly and enjoyment. It’s creative, tasty and fun. It’s a popular spot, so prior reservations are recommended.

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