plenty of top-notch spots to taste more traditional local fare, too. As part of our partnership with Madrí Excepcional – the Mediterranean-style lager inspired by the soul of modern Madrid – we’re celebrating all things contemporary Madrid, from its food to its street art and drag scenes. Read on to find out where you should eat when you visit this sunny city…
he Spanish capital is known as a global food hub, attracting talented chefs from across the world and blending cuisines and techniques in mind-blowing ways. Of course, there’s also
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Best enjoyed with a Madrí Excepcional, of course – which you can find at all these great spots
A shelter during the Spanish Civil War, La Sifonería is now home to a vast collection of glass soda siphons — a tribute to the owner Celso Fernández Sangrador’s grandfather, who was an avid collector of bottles and siphons. Once you’ve taken in the glassware in this unique corner of Argüelles neighbourhood, why not enjoy a vermouth and a fantastically unusual tapas selection? Anyone for foie gras mousse with beer jam, violet sauce and flatbread? Or how about butterfish carpaccio?
The name of this fusion restaurant is an acronym for ‘Cooking Kitchen Madness’, which pretty much says it all. Situated in the neighbourhood of Argüelles and founded by eclectic chef Daniel Esteban, Cokima offers a variety of unique flavour combinations. Try the artichokes in a truffle and orange sauce, topped with grated Idiazabal cheese, and then move on to the seabass Bloody Mary ceviche, which incorporates grilled sweetcorn and avocado.
Located in the Castellana neighbourhood, La Morena blends Asian, Latin and European cuisine in an array of flavour-packed dishes. The anchovies in mango pickle with finely chopped nuts and sweet chilli are a must-try dish, and the squid stuffed with meat in a tom yum sauce is also highly recommended.
La Sifonería
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Cokima
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La Morena
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This restaurant’s great cuisine, friendly staff and dedication to sustainability will make this an experience that you’ll want to repeat. In this restaurant in the hip neighbourhood of Chueca, you’ll find mussels in green curry and coconut sauce, and other delicacies like courgette flowers stuffed with goat’s cheese and celeriac remoulade.
El Social
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La Lorenza
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In the picturesque, multicultural neighbourhood of Lavapiés, La Lorenza merges taberna tradition with modernity. Famous for its deliciously yolky tortilla de patatas, La Lorenza also offers less traditional dishes like smoked potato foam, served with gyozas filled with octopus caldeirada (a Portuguese and Galician fish stew).
In the former newspaper building of El Imparcial, which ceased publication in 1933, this restaurant fuses the past and present in its reworked versions of traditional dishes. In the heart of El Rastro neighbourhood, classics like black squid ink rice with seafood are presented with an unexpected addition of ginger aioli and alga wakame, and the croquetas are not filled with jamón ibérico, but roasted pumpkin and truffle.
El Imparcial
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restaurants
Six must-visit
You’ll find bold flavours, innovative twists on Spanish cuisine and impeccable vibes at these top Madrid restaurants
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This restaurant and bar in King’s Cross is bringing Spanish vibes to the capital, with tapas, platters, brunches all across the menu. Head here with a group of friends for a lively atmosphere, set against an informal brick and wood space that encourages relaxed hangouts. If you luck out with the weather? There’s an outdoor terrace that acts as quite the suntrap in the warmer months. Madrí Excepcional, small plates and sun tanning will all make you feel like a Madrid native, we’re sure.
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If you’re craving the alfresco drinking habits of the Spanish capital, then head to the Oast House next time you’re in Manchester. This place channels the European way of life with its relaxed atmosphere, generous outdoor space and live music roster. Make sure to catch it on a sunny day, you’ll be cracking out the Factor 50 and the pints of Madri Exceptional like you’re on a summer holiday.
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Madrid is world famous for its top-quality culinary talents. So, you’ll be pleased to know that The Cornerhouse in Cardiff takes its cuisine just as seriously. Championing all the finest in food, each dish here is beautifully constructed, with the use of seasonal ingredients sourced from local farms. In fact, this is the kind of spot you could bring a date for a romantic dinner that isn’t too fancy.
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Glasgow is a city that’s alive with music, much like Madrid. So when you’re there, you want to make sure you’re getting the whole shebang. Cut to a night at Kitty O’Shea’s. This fun-loving spot hosts bands seven days a week, meaning you’ll get to witness a widespread variety of musical genres and styles every time you stop by. Perfect for channelling a carefree attitude on the dancefloor.
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Get into the Spanish spirit with post-work drinks done right. Digbeth Dining Club is home to some of the UK’s top food vendors and one unmissable spot for a Madrí Excepcional with mates. Assemble your squad before heading over to Herbert's Yard, where you’ll sit on long tables, sharing plates of food and nattering about the week you’ve had. If this kind of socialising isn’t emulating Spanish vibes, we don’t know what else is.
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Josefita Bar
Located in Malasaña neighbourhood, Josefita Bar is the brainchild of Sol Pérez-Fragero, who took inspiration from her grandmother Gloria’s recipes to create not one, but two restaurants — Bar La Gloria, just a ten-minute walk away, and Josefita Bar, which she named after her grandparents’ childhood nickname for her. The menu at Josefita Bar combines a light-bite selection of molletes (open-faced sandwiches) and refreshing dishes like aguachile with red tuna.
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in Madrid in 2023
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Photo: Josefita Bar
Photo: La Morena
Photo: Adrian Baulde
Photo: Sam Doyle
Photo: @thecornerhouse_cardiff
Photo: Kittle O'Shea's
Photo: Tom Preece
Photo: The Oast House
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moments that take you back to the best parts of your misspent youth. Metronomy did just that, and then some, when they took over London’s HERE at Outernet on February 1. A band that regularly headlines festivals and has released fantastic music for the best part of a decade, they're not someone you'd expect to see in an intimate venue under Tottenham Court Road. But this was made possible through BRITs Week presented by Mastercard for War Child.
Opening with ‘Love Factory’, it immediately felt like a special occasion, as lines like ‘Each day's her little victory / She knows how to win a fight’ resonate with those who have ever come out of a fraught relationship. Through beams of light and smoke, it felt like the band was pulling the audiences into a warm embrace. Magical stuff.
My highlight? Probably the instantly recognisable synthesisers of ‘The Look’. Lyrics like ‘We didn't read it in a big book / And now we're giving you the look, look / Just remember how we shook, shook,’ captured the fleeting sensation of teenage freedom and took me back to the underground club that I'd go to as a uni student. It felt fitting then, that the band performed 'It’s good to be back', as frontman Joseph Mount announced it was the first time they'd played in central London for years. I bet they'd never been anywhere like this before. HERE’s high-tech light displays meant we were bathed in a kaleidoscope of colour with every key change; it was the kind of gig that revellers will look back at fondly.
ometimes you just need a healthy dose of nostalgia. In fact, I'd argue that the best gigs have sing-along
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Photo: La Morena
Photo: The Oast House
Photo: @thecornerhouse_cardiff
Photo: Kittle O'Shea's
Photo: Tom Preece
Photo: @lalorenzataberna
Photo: Sam Doyle
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It takes a lot to be named London’s best pub.
But Skehans has managed to do just that. A lively neighbourhood local, this place has a Madrid sensibility for its melting pot of community influences and styles. Here, you’ll find everyone from Nunhead locals and dedicated drinkers to art school students and the Goldsmiths crowd. Pull up a chair, sip on a pint and get to know your neighbours, Skehans is all for friendly vibes.
London
Skehans
Photo: Sam Doyle
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It takes a lot to be named London’s best pub.
But Skehans has managed to do just that. A lively neighbourhood local, this place has a Madrid sensibility for its melting pot of community influences and styles. Here, you’ll find everyone from Nunhead locals and dedicated drinkers to art school students and the Goldsmiths crowd. Pull up a chair, sip on a pint and get to know your neighbours, Skehans is all for friendly vibes.
London
Skehans
