Beautiful dining spaces

It’s not always easy to take in your surroundings when you’ve got a plate of food in front of you, but sometimes you need to look up and around to appreciate the finer details. They all work together to create balance. That’s why a restaurant’s décor is key to ensuring a complete culinary experience.

Published in esMADRIDmagazine September 2024

Every year when September rolls around, Madrid becomes the capital of design as it hosts Mercedes-Benz Fashion Week, which focuses on fashion in general and Spanish brands in particular. What’s more, the Open House event allows us to visit studios where today’s most outstanding designers work to transform our lives in a variety of ways. Architecture Week and Madrid Otra Mirada soon follow, two events which spark the curiosity of residents and visitors alike, who can see the interiors of buildings which are usually closed to the public. Autumn is a time for inward reflection, a time to observe the details that surround us every day, which sometimes go unnoticed. There are numerous restaurants scattered across every neighbourhood, some with a traditional feel and others embracing the latest culinary trends. And it’s not just about the menu. All these places have one thing in common: dining here is a visual treat as well. They’re simply lovely!

SMOKED ROOM

Paseo de la Castellana, 57 (Hotel Hyatt Regency Hesperia). GREGORIO MARAÑÓN. Tel. 91 108 62 77

Two Michelin stars attest to the excellence of this sensational venture by Malaga-born chef Dani García, the global winner in the Small Space category of the 2022 Restaurant & Bar Design Awards.

With the added incentive of visiting the establishment named the world’s most beautiful small restaurant, customers enter through a dark corridor and arrive in an intimate, exclusive space. The studio Astet was tasked with the design, achieving a balance between the simple and the complex, prioritising not only aesthetics but also aiming to reflect the experience of the restaurant itself, which is inspired by the Japanese dining room concept. Black bricks, metal and mirrors dominate the space, which has a bar with capacity for six diners and a room where up to eight guests can observe the food being cooked. The single set menu—as the restaurant’s name might suggest—revolves around smoke. Chef Massimiliano Delle Vedove runs the kitchen.

BASCOAT

Paseo de la Habana, 33. SANTIAGO BERNABÉU. Tel. 680 40 42 57

Menu options here include Bakio anchovies, San Sebastian-style spider crab ravioli, grilled turbot and Vaca Vieja steak. With Rodrigo García in the kitchen and maître d’ Nagore Irazuegi at the helm, the best hosts you could imagine are determined to bring gourmet Basque cuisine to Madrid.

They proudly describe the menu here as designed for bon vivants. In 2023, Bascoat came ninth on the list of Europe’s top new restaurants, which is compiled every year by Opinionated About Dining, one of the most renowned culinary rankings.

Slate, chestnut wood and Latxa sheep’s wool have a heavy presence throughout the space. These fine materials connect deeply with the restaurant's roots and identity, which is evident in its two dining rooms. It's clear that this establishment aims to leave a lasting impression on its guests. Take note: the entrance to the space pays tribute to Spanish sculptor Eduardo Chillida.

LA BORDA DEL MENTIDERO

Ronda de la Comunicación, 5. RONDA DE LA COMUNICACIÓN. Tel. 91 108 88 10

This elegant mountain hayloft is modelled after a typical Pyrenean hut but with a contemporary, urban flair. Light takes center stage in this restaurant, located about 30 minutes from the city centre. The design also features fine reclaimed wood, along with materials like wool, leather, and linen. Upholstered wood adds a touch of the British Isles, while Spanish cuisine and regional ingredients combined with charcoal create an impressive menu.

TRAMO

Eugenio Salazar, 56. CONCHA ESPINA. Tel. 620 09 98 81

Many Madrileños still remember when this venue was one of the city’s biggest music hubs, established during the La Movida movement in the neighbourhood of Prosperidad. Today, this brutalist-style industrial warehouse has become a restaurant committed to the environment, which prioritises local ingredients, artisan processes and the return of traditional trades.

Its spectacular appearance is down to the efforts of a team led by Selgascano architecture studio and designer Andreu Carulla.

The establishment is spread over various levels to create different atmospheres, with the kitchen serving as the common visual centrepiece. The original roof structure, consisting of thin concrete trusses and steel cables, has also been given a new life, and new skylights have been added.

The uber-healthy menu includes pan-fried aubergine, stewed chicken with pâté and charcoal-grilled sea bass.

UMIKO

Los Madrazo, 6. SEVILLA / BANCO DE ESPAÑA. Tel. 91 493 87 06

“A trip to Umiko is a journey for the senses, a one-of-a-kind culinary experience”. Juan Alcaide and Pablo Álvaro Marcos run this fusion restaurant which blends Japanese food with other cuisines to create unique dishes. Every detail here counts, including the decoration. It’s impossible not to notice the colourful murals by Okuda San Miguel or the way light is used to create an especially intimate setting.

FISMULER

Sagasta, 29. ALONSO MARTÍNEZ. Tel. 91 827 75 81

“The quality of the food is the only thing that matters here”. That’s the motto of this restaurant located in the semi-basement of a century-old building found in the neighbourhood of Chamberí. Smoked rice with squash and maitake mushroom, line-caught baby squid, rib steak tartare with toasted pan payés bread… All of the food at this establishment is delicious, and the interior, designed by Arquitecta Invisible and Alejandra Pombo, is based on two concepts: simplicity and austerity.

Everything here is very subtle, allowing you to observe the wine cellar, kitchen, dining rooms and courtyards one after the other while also appreciating the quality of the materials, such as the texture of the plastering.

Previously existing openings in the load-bearing walls were reopened to let natural light into the space. The antique chairs have been restored and the tables are made from reclaimed driftwood.

LLAMA INN

Conde de Xiquena, 2. COLÓN / BANCO DE ESPAÑA. Tel. 91 556 15 48 / 657 11 10 36

This establishment—one of Madrid’s trendiest Peruvian restaurants—combines tradition and innovation on its delicious menu which leaves diners spoilt for choice! With dishes like calamari ceviche, grouper tiradito with almond cream sauce and lomo saltado steak pieces, it’s easy to understand why it has legions of fans, who also love the décor. Ceramic and wood are the most prominent materials, combined to perfection with carefully chosen furniture and plenty of artwork on the walls.

CALUANA

Bolsa, 12. SOL. Tel. 689 53 33 49

The menu here combines the rich flavours of Italian cuisine with the authenticity of traditional Spanish gastronomy to create dishes like oxtail lasagna.

But take a good look around you. Yes, your instincts are spot on: you’re inside a former 16th-century Baroque chapel which was once part of Santa Cruz Church.

The original barrel vault has been preserved and the restaurant boasts an almost clandestine space called Maldita Gioconda, which fuses cocktails with art.

BIBO MADRID

Paseo de la Castellana, 52. GREGORIO MARAÑÓN / RUBÉN. Tel. 91 805 25 56

Lázaro Rosa-Violán designed the décor of this restaurant by Dani García, which features 7,000 light bulbs to recreate the lights at the Feria de Málaga festivities.

A hot-air balloon over the bar evokes travel, serving as a reminder that the menu is utterly international. There’s also a large sculpture of a bluefin tuna, the chef’s favourite ingredient.

SLVJ VELÁZQUEZ

Velázquez, 62 (BLESS Hotel Madrid). VELÁZQUEZ / SERRANO. Tel. 91 108 88 18

Think spike mirrors, cages, a stone bar, decorative panels made of leather and other fabrics, plush furniture and a huge gold rhino hanging from the ceiling. That’s what you’ll find at this lush Japanese fusion restaurant.

CHISPA BISTRÓ

Barquillo, 8. BANCO DE ESPAÑA. Tel. 91 751 81 56

Black and grey tones dominate this restaurant with an industrial feel, which features round tables and Nordic-style chairs. Helmed by Argentinian chef Juan D’Onofrio, its short menu is rounded out by a varied selection of cheeses.