I originally posted this on Food Talk Central, but the European boards are dead over there - a few users suggested I post here, where I can see there is very thriving European dining discussion!
I’ll be in Madrid for a few days in November. I’ve previously done the fine dining circuit - DiverXO remains one of my all time favorite meals.
This trip I am going with a group that wants to avoid tasting menus and pricey meals (let’s define pricey as >=150pp) and we are not chasing Michelin stars, though I wouldn’t turn a place down just because it has a star. Open to any cuisine. What are the best non-tasting menu, <~150pp, restaurants in Madrid?
(CC @Maribel , as I see you are the resident Madrid expert).
Also, I am staying in Salamanca, so perhaps a slight edge to places closer to there, but I know how easy it is to get around in Madrid - I am not afraid of walking or public transport.
2 of my favorites from my visit to Madrid last year were Fismuler, the caramelized leek tart with mortadella was outstanding and La Lloreria , great vibe, wine and food. So many fantastic restaurants to choose from, have fun!
Had a superb lunch at Sala de Despiece 2 when we were there in March. Really cool concept with interesting interior. The food was excellent the staff very nice. Every dish comes out semi-prepared with final cook/touches being done at the table. It’s all high-top seating, mostly a long bar, the end of which extends being the kitchen and has a few seats on either side. Also a handful of individual tables iirc.
@loaxley
I´m glad to read a solid report about Sala de Despiece 2, as the original, for me, is no longer recommended.
I can second PedroPero’s recommendations of Fismuler and La Llorería, both which I like a great deal.
Another that just never fails us is Lakasa in Chamberí. Highly recommended and about 65/pp.
Also in Chamberí and walkable from Salamanca is the Navarran La Manduca de Azagra.
For a non tasting meal in the Salamanca district, you might consider the new Ramón Freixa Tradición on Velázquez, which opened a couple of months ago to rave reviews. Chef friends of mine have been…I have not… but plan to go soon. The chef departed his one Michelin starred restaurant in the Hotel Unico to open this beautiful, elegant space. Although there is a tasting menu in the small private dining area, his Atelier, the Tradición space is dining a la carte. Open daily.
Also in the upper Salamanca district, you have Taberna Verdejo, with female chef known for her escabeches.
And 2 favorites on General Pardiñas in Salamanca, especially in November for their game dishes, Treze and Santerra, well below your budget.
For bistro dining from an iconoclast much-loved chef, there’s Sacha in the northern business district. Dinner should run about 90/pp.
The area of Madrid now that provides the best value is the Retiro district (easily walkable from any Salamanca neighborhood hotel)–all of these HO favorites will come in well below 150/pp. I happily dine in any of these, but reservations are absolutely essential as they’re wildly popular:
Taberna la Catapa
Taberna Laredo
La Montería
La Castela
La Raquetista / Salino (same owners)
I live in Los Angeles which is an utter wasteland for Spanish cuisine. I am very much looking forward to this trip and a bunch of surely memorable meals
Fellow Angeleno! I was just lamenting with a friend today how Spanish restaurants are destined to fail here. She was telling me about Basqueria in Malibu. Have you been?
Are Spanish restaurants in LA destined to fail, or are there so few genuine attempts? Probably a bit of both.
I have not heard of Basqueria, and Malibu would possibly be the last place I would expect a new Spanish restaurant in LA to open! It’s hard to find many details and their website is quite sparse, but it looks like it’s a speciality goods store with an extremely limited selection of daily bocadillos? Certainly interested in trying out a sandwich next time I venture into Malibu.
This reminds me I need to book La Lloreria for our upcoming stay!
I don’t have much to add to Maribel’s list but I would highlight Santerra for game season as I think they do some dishes in a different style than treze or the classics in the Retiro. Note that they have three different menus with the bar version being the closest to classic dishes. I recommend the restaurant for game season.
@loaxley
Santerra in its downstairs dining room does do excellent game dishes in his “Monte Bajo” (scrubland in English) and “Veda Abierta”(open season) tasting menus. These tasting menus must be ordered by the entire table.
But…there is also an a la carte option downstairs as well as tapas and raciones in the upstairs bar space with low tables. Plus his award-winning croquettes are some of the city’s best.
The Chef, Miguel Carretero is from a small town in the Ciudad Real province, Castilla La Mancha, surrounded by hunting grounds, and he has been a hunter since his youth.
Santerra does now have 1 Michelin star plus a Repsol sun.
