This is the type of restaurant that makes everyone wish they were a regular, coming in for dinner every week and leaving in the wee hours. It offers the epitome of elevated comfort food: so-called “faux” ravioli stuffed with txangurro (king crab), marinated oysters, bone marrow with a side of sirloin, and wine — lots of wine. And if you spot owner Sacha Hormaechea greeting guests, make sure to shake his hand. He’s quite the character.

Think of Charlie and the Chocolate Factory, Alice in Wonderland, dreams and nightmares — this is the imaginative spirit chef David Muñoz brings to his three-Michelin-star restaurant located inside the Eurobuilding hotel. At DiverXO, Muñoz breaks the boundaries of avant-garde cooking, using intense flavors in two tasting menus that aim to surprise diners with dishes that imitate works of art both in their aesthetics and their taste.

Expect homemade food and traditional recipes at this quaint restaurant, run by the same family since the 1950s. While it may be a bit far from the city center’s main restaurant circuit, it’s too close to ignore (and a 15-minute train ride from Puerta del Sol). Here, guests can try some of Madrid’s staple dishes, such as callos a la madrileña — some dare to say they are the best in town — anchovies brought straight from the Cantabrian Sea and drenched in pil pil, as well as a can’t-miss mix of potatoes, fried bacon, and eggs called patatas revolconas.

Proprietor Javier Bonet took an old butcher shop and transformed it into this meat-focused restaurant. There are no tables, just several long counters where orders are taken on tablets and dishes are served on paper-lined metal trays. Open since 2013, Bonet’s innovative, product-focused culinary concept is still a buzzing dinner destination that now has two replicas: one on Calle Ponzano and another on Virgen de los Peligros, near Puerta del Sol.

Markets are evolving in Madrid. In order to attract new, younger clientele — and coax them from supermarkets — markets are now installing gastropubs next to traditional fruit, meat, and dairy stalls. Mercado de Vallehermoso has gotten in on the trend by giving a home to Tripea, the culinary project of chef Roberto Martínez Foronda (an alum of Nakeima). His stall consists of a small open kitchen and a communal table where the chef challenges taste buds through Spanish, Asian, and Latin flavors. In a la carte selections and a perfectly executed tasting menu, Foronda entertains with shared plates filled with excitement, novelty, and hard-hitting flavors.

Tortilla española may seem overrated to some, but for locals, it’s quite the comfort food. It is offered everywhere in the city, but only a few bars and restaurants serve the potato omelet fresh and cooked to perfection. For that, head to Casa Dani, a family-owned bar and restaurant that makes more than 200 a day. Also known as tortilla de patatas, the version here is beloved for its well-done exterior and gooey interior. At lunchtime, the place gets packed, so go around 11 a.m. to enjoy a slice with a café con leche without having to fight for a seat at the counter. While there, also give the callos a la Madrileña (Madrid-style veal tripe) a try.

Update: March 7, 2023: Casa Dani is closed indefinitely.

Baristas Nolo Botana and Pablo Caballero have become two of the most recognized faces in specialty coffee in Spain. First they opened Hola Coffee, a small shop in the Lavapiés neighborhood where they serve coffee-based drinks made with beans they toast themselves (and distribute around the city). At Misión Café near Plaza de España, coffee-based drinks are still the main focus here (think cold-brew sangria in the summer), but pay equal attention to the incredible homemade pastries, like praline-stuffed brioche or croissant-muffins, aka cruffins. Outstanding breakfast items are available from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. and include options such as sourdough toast with chickpeas; overnight oats with berry-soaked coconut milk, apricot, pecans, and caramelized banana; and a portobello and shiitake mushroom sandwich with herbed tofu cream, Chinese cabbage, and spicy apricot chutney.

Barman Alberto Martínez challenged a neighborhood to leave its cañas and wine glasses behind in favor of cocktails. At 1862, anyone who enjoys a good mixed drink will meet their match in a powerful cocktail menu that focuses on classics.

When wild mushroom season hits in the fall, this is the place to be. El Cisne Azul specializes in all the varieties that grow around Spain, cooked in simple ways that enhance their essences without disguising their true flavors. Look for dishes like cantharellus (chanterelles) with fried eggs, squash blossoms with wine salt and truffle oil, boletus mushrooms with torta del casar cheese, and king trumpet mushrooms with garlic. The owners also have a second restaurant down the street, but the original location still wins out for its loyal customers and old-school staff.

Veal tripe, trotters, and snout. Fried pig’s face. An omelet with brains and cod tripe. Offal has always had a place in Spanish cookbooks, but up until recently these dishes were considered outdated. Chef Javi Estévez takes advantage of this void in the culinary scene at La Tasquería, a tribute to yesteryear’s flavors with today’s techniques.

Casa Salvador is an outstanding casa de comidas (eatery) that evokes an era in Spain’s history when bullfighters were considered rock stars. Here, the walls pay tribute to matadores fans such as Sophia Loren and Ernest Hemingway alongside their idols, like bullfighter Manolete. The broadly appealing menu features dishes like traditional oxtail stew and fried hake. Proof that this place isn’t too stuffy? Anthony Bourdain loved it.

Whatever cocktail culture Madrid has, it owes in large part to Del Diego Cocktail Bar. Owner Fernando del Diego died in 2016, but his legacy lives through his two sons. Together, they continue to welcome locals and tourists, celebrities and restaurateurs, with a classic cocktail menu that impresses all.

Decorated with photos of visiting celebrities and located right around the corner from Puerta del Sol, Chocolatería San Ginés is the first stop for anyone coming to the city looking for decadent churros con chocolate. Both the churros and porras (a thicker version of the churro) are made with flour, water, and salt, and can be sprinkled with some sugar before being dipped in chocolate. This place is open 24/7 and is a popular post-club breakfast spot come 6 a.m.

Sherry is the pride of Spain, and this historic gem of a bar is where it should be enjoyed. One of Hemingway’s favorite haunts, it allows neither photos nor tips. (Urban legend has it that the photo ban was put into place during the Franco era because spies captured their enemies on film here, and the tipping ban honors the bar’s Republican views.) Bartenders only serve sherry — don’t bother asking for soda, water, beer, or wine, because they don’t have any — accompanied by tapas such as salted tuna, Campo Real olives, cheese, and anchovies. Fino, manzanilla, palo cortado, amontillado, and oloroso all pair perfectly with the retro decor, the black cat wandering around the tables, and the servers, who keep track of what you drink by jotting it down with chalk on the bar counter.

Chuka is hands down the city’s most successful ramen bar. The baos come stuffed with pastrami, king crab, or pig’s ear, and the three different ramen on the menu change throughout the year. Order the brothless hiyashi chuka, but don’t stop there: Try a superb skate with black butter, broccolini, and lime; fried cauliflower with fish sauce, butter, and crispy chili; and the wild Iberian boar fried in panko. Book in advance — walk-ins are welcome but usually never get lucky.

Celebrity bartender Diego Cabrera’s cocktail bar Salmon Guru is a favorite among the city’s restaurateurs, bartenders, and cocktail lovers. A perfect stop before or after a meal at nearby Chuka Ramen or La Venencia, the menu focuses on both classic and avant-garde cocktails served by a young and courteous staff.

It’s not easy to find food from the Canary Islands in Madrid, but the Spanish islands are well represented at Gofio in the Literary Quarter. At the small but outstanding restaurant, the tasting menu focuses solely on the flavors of the archipelago without relying on stereotypes. Cooks play creatively with the ingredients and seasonal produce of the islands, and they bring the same energy to the wine list and dessert. Gofio is a mind-blowing experience that proves Spain has much more to offer than just paella and sangria.

Flamenco, dinner, and a show may sound like a cliché, but you won’t regret paying a visit to arguably the most famous tablao in the world. Guests not only get to witness the true soul of flamenco, with an awe-inspiring show that rotates every week, but they also get to sample chef David García’s Michelin-starred tasting menu honoring Basque roots — in an exclusive setting of just four tables. As for the evening’s beverage, let David Ayuso, the restaurant’s sommelier and sherry expert, guide the way.

A neighborhood favorite, La Sanabresa is a must-visit. Its three servers (one is the owner) attend to the entire dining room — and even though they don’t say or smile much, they’ll remember guests when they come back. Go for the atmosphere, but the menu offers more than 30 different homey dishes with prices beyond cheap.

There are plenty of restaurants in the city center that do traditional Spanish stews, but none match Cruz Blanca Vallecas. The restaurant — independent from the chain that shares its name — has won every single award possible for its outstanding cocido Madrileño (Madrid-style chickpea and meat stew), callos (veal tripe), and fabada (Asturian bean stew) that chef–owner Antonio Cosmen has been cooking with care for the past decade. Just a heads up: Book your table months in advance.

Clara Diez has made artisan dairy producers the main characters at Formaje, her cheese shop located in the Chamberí neighborhood. She’s helped put many brands on the city’s culinary radar, getting them served in some of the best restaurants and bars in town, while spreading education about aspects of the cheese trade that had been long forgotten. A visit to the shop might include creamy Olavidia goat cheese, named best cheese in the world at the World Cheese Awards 2021; queixo do pais, a Galician staple; Hornkase, a raw cow’s milk from Germany that’s one of Diez’s favorites; and Savel, a blue cheese from Galicia inspired by Stilton.

Comparte Bistro has been delighting Madrileños, the media, and visiting gourmands since opening in late 2021. Chef Mario Sánchez serves flavors from his hometown, the southern city of Cádiz, but items are also drenched in French tradition. There are beignets stuffed with choco (cuttlefish) and coquelet pithiviers (chicken pie) with pepitoria, all accompanied by French sommelier Charlotte Finkel’s spectacular wine selection. 

This is, without a doubt, the place in Madrid to explore natural wines. The project comes from the mind of Fede Graciano, owner of Acid Café and Acid Bakery. The cellar encompasses bottles from all over Spain, although international labels are more than welcome. Servers are keen to inform guests about each bottle’s producer, region of origin, grapes, and even details about the specific production methods. The wines pair with a daily selection of small dishes, which draw from Nordic, Italian, and Japanese inspiration: daikon with vegan dashi, soy sauce, and vinegar; pasta with garlic and broad beans; or a hot, savory carrot custard decorated with flowers and carrot leaves.

Madrid is well known for aperitivo hour, the moment in the afternoon when friends and family gather at a bar to enjoy vermouth and bites of pickled snacks. Hermanos Vinagre gives the tradition a charming update starting with the bar itself, replacing the usual, old-school decor with exquisite design from Cristina Carullo. Cañas and vermouths hit the steel bar alongside gildas, cockles with chile sauce, escabeche ahumado (mussels with smoked brine), or ox chorizo. The modern take has proven successful with locals; the owners opened a second location in the Chueca neighborhood.

Younger generations have come to know Lhardy as the location for C. Tangana’s music video for “Comerte Entera,” but the restaurant has been serving traditional Spanish food with French influences since 1839. It’s at the heart of the city, both metaphorically and geographically, located right next to Puerta del Sol. The restaurant has recently come under the ownership of Pescaderías Coruñesas, one of the best fish and seafood providers in Spain, but things inside the restaurant remain as they have been for more than a century: The famed Madrileñian stew is as sophisticated as ever, the consomme still comes in a silver samovar, croquettes are still filled with puchero (chickpea, vegetable, and meat stew), and the oxtail is still accompanied by Robuchon smashed potatoes and a souffle that makes Instagram green with envy.

Kuoco offered casual street food when it first showed up in the middle of the Chueca neighborhood, but it eventually showed its true colors with a playful, globetrotting menu that moves fluidly through the flavors of Asia, Latin America, and Europe. Chef Rafael Bergamo leads a young team who keep the experience informal, but every single dish is worth a star. Indulge in French oysters dressed in Nikkei dressing, Pekin duck croquette, long finned tuna aguachile with coconut cream and tomatillo, or the outstanding pigeon with mole.

Chef Dani García has mastered the art of culinary omnipresence, showing up in several restaurants seemingly all at the same time. He’s behind Dani Brasserie at the Four Seasons Hotel, and Lobito de Mar and Bibo in the Salamanca neighborhood. But make time to visit his smoke-focused steakhouse, Leña. For García, fire becomes the perfect dressing for each dish; it characterizes avocado from Málaga cooked on the grill, delicate smoked burrata, roasted chicken croquettes, and plates of grilled blood sausage and sobrasada. Score one of the 14 seats in the Smoked Room to try the fire omakase menu, which includes García’s famous nitro tomato — a tomato filled with smoked eel prepared using nitrogen and gelatin — served here with a wonderful smoked eel mousse.

This tavern and family restaurant has been a favorite among chefs and media since 1965. Doña Julia Bombín maintains her loyal clientele with recipes focused on the flavors and produce of Asturias, including what many claim is the best fabada (bean) stew in town (though the marinated sardines with tomato soup will steal your heart). Her sons, owners Alberto and Belarmino Fernández Bombín, know their wines too, so feel free to explore their amazing selection of Spain’s best labels.