Madrid is not only the capital of Spain, but also one of the gastronomic capitals of the world. There are about 10.000 restaurants in Madrid, some of them are the most beautiful you've ever seen. If you've been to Madrid, surely you know that madrileños really know and love their food. That's why the competition between restaurants to be the most beautiful and serve the best food is fierce.
In my 10 years living in Madrid, I've been to many different types of restaurants. A few have wowed me like no other. On this post I've put together a roundup of some of the most beautiful, spectacular restaurants in the capital of Spain.
The beautiful restaurants in Madrid: Numa Pompilio
Before you set foot in Numa Pompilio restaurant you can't imagine what you are going to find inside. This is not your average italian restaurant, it's so much more. Located in the exclusive Barrio de Salamanca, near Retiro Park, Numa Pompilio offers a luxurious dining experience. Prepare to be transported to Renaissance Italy. It's divided in different dining halls all of them decorated like a majestic italian palace. Cherry on top is the terrace for a unique al fresco meal.
As an appetizer, they serve delicious bologna with assorted breads. I recommend the salad to start and any of their pasta dishes after. Be sure to order the pistachio cream for dessert.
Tip: if the weather is good, eating in the terrace is lovely but bear in mind that they add a 10% to your bill for eating outside.
The beautiful restaurants in Madrid: Tatel
There's a restaurant in Madrid owned by Rafa Nadal, Pau Gasol and Cristiano Ronaldo. That is Tatel. This beautiful restaurant is great for celebrating special occasions with friends since its dining halls have curtains that can be closed for privacy. Another strong point of this place is that there's always live music.
Needless to say, the quality of the food is exquisite. Be sure to order the spinach, goat chees and berry salad and a rice to share.
The beautiful restaurants in Madrid: El Invernadero de los Peñotes
Invernadero is Spanish for greenhouse. El Invernadero de los Peñotes is a beautifully decorted restaurant inspired by nature. It's called like this because the restaurant is located in a former greenhouse. The restaurant is huge, with three areas each decorated in a different way. Portions are small but the cuisine is delicate and they use good quality ingredients. It's not located in the city center, it's in the north of Madrid close to A-1 road but still worth a visit.
Prior or after your meal, you can shop next door at one of the biggest garden shops in Madrid, Los Peñotes.
Tip: even though the restaurant is big and located outside of Madrid, it's usually fully booked. If you can find a table here, they have a smaller restaurant next to it equally beautiful, La Cupula de los Peñotes.
The beautiful restaurants in Madrid: Ultramarinos Quintin
Ultramarinos Quintin belongs to the same group as Numa Pompilio, El Paraguas restaurant group. I also recommend you try10con10 and El Paraguas belonging to the same group.
Ultramarinos Quintin is part market, part restaurant which focuses on Spanish food made with fresh local ingredients. The menu is pricey but given the quality of the products it's worth it. The light inside is quite low which creates a cozy ambiance. We started with pumpkin soup, then had a seafood salad to share and my main dish was pork with red cabbage and caramelized chestnuts. Those caramelized chestnuts, it's one of the most exquisite things I've ever had! I wish they had sold it in jars to buy it. Finally, for desert we had their delicious homemade ice-cream.
The beautiful restaurants in Madrid: Amos at Rosewood Villamagna
Villamagna is one of my favorite hotels in Madrid. It offers many activities for people who are not staying like a Swiss chalet and an ice-skating rink in winter. Their cafeteria Flor y Nata serves high tea and offers the most delicious treats in a cozy and exclusive ambiance.
Cenador de Amos is one of the restaurants at the brand new Rosewood Villamagna hotel in Madrid. They specialize on Cantabria cuisine a region in Northern Spain where you can find delicious food. Restaurante Amos offers traditional Spanish cuisine with a modern twist. They use excellent ingredients and cooking techniques to serve exquisite dishes.
Your dining experience at Amos starts with a set of appetizers including tapas, homemade bread and highest quality virgin extra olive oil. They charge 4€ per person for this. For starters we ordered anchovies and fried calamari. These are the top dishes in Cantabria, you can find them everywhere around the region. The main dishes were fish and meat. Their scrumptious desserts include chocolate in different textures with coffee ice-cream and Pasiego cheesecake among other delicious treats. Their desserts are small, delicate and taste like heaven. To finish the meal they serve a set of cinammon macarons.
Tips: Amos is pricey, but worth it. Here are two insider tips to make the most of your experience.
- Your booking includes 2 hours of free parking.
- If you have a The Fork account you can get 20% off.
I hope you enjoyed this post about 5 of the most beautiful restaurants in Madrid. Let me know if you've tried any of them or if you end up going to Amos, Los Peñotes, Numa Pompilio, Tatel or Ultramarinos Quintin!