I’m visiting Madrid for 4 days this fall and plotting out a number of prospective lunch / dinner spots. There are so many new and exciting looking places that have opened since I last visited about 10 years ago. I was wondering if anyone has had any experiences at any of the following spots, or could make recommendations of places that are of a similar style to these that you’ve enjoyed:
Eter
Bolboreta
Adaly
VelascoAbella
Thanks so much in advance for any feedback!
I haven’t yet been to the 4 on your list, although I have all 4 on mine. Interesting places all.
There have been this year so many new and potentially exciting openings it’s hard to keep up with them. (I have an 8-page dining list!)
Of the 4, the one I most want to visit is Bolboreta (also the most “affordable”) For a splurge, for elegant dining, we will go to VelascoAbellà in the fall, as this veteran husband and wife team come from Sant Celoni.
(Other notable newcomers in Arganzuela: Lur, In-Pulso, Barra Fina & Bardero)
Bolboreta (“Butterly”), in multicultural Lavapiés, was opened by a Galician woman and her English partner who worked together in London. Again, it’s small with rustic, bare tables. There will be English touches in his dishes and the small plates (about 15) menu changes with each season. I sampled their cooking when they were at the now closed D’Speak.
Adaly, in the Salamanca district by young chef Eduardo Guerrero, offers 3 tasting menus and an emphasis on game dishes in the fall/winter. I can only do (short) tasting menus at lunch, never at night, so I plan to opt for the luncheon 59 euro “Essence” tasting menu. There is an a la carte option.
VelascoAbellà in the northern business district would by my splurge choice, and it’s on the top of my list. The husband and wife team do offer an a la carte menu in addition to the tasting menu. Montse Abellá’s desserts are supposed to be heavenly. And here you’ll also find one of the city’s best cheese carts, a carry over from when they headed up Santceloni. Elegant. Two Repsol suns, one Michelin star and impeccable service.
Another splurge choice I do know and highly recommend is Desde 1911, belonging to Pescaderías Coruñesas, Spain’s finest seafood purveyor. Our luncheon treat was perfection.
The menu is structured so that there are daily changing options before and two desserts after the main fish course, which the chef chooses–the best specimen that has arrived that day.
Of the daily starter options, one can choose 3, 4, 5 or 6 that are elegantly presented to the diners. I chose 3. After the starters, the maitre presents the fish specimen of the day.
To end the meal, diners have the dessert options plus the most extensive cheese
tray in the city, a groaning board, just phenomenal. And with coffee, a delightful box of treats that were taken home. And the wine list is exceptional. We only had wines by the glass.
Gastro critics rate Desde 1911 in the top 5 dining experiences in the city.
Semi-new, in the moderate price range that we enjoy very much:
Tres por Cuatro by Alex Marugán, in the Salamanca district
Quinqué in Salamanca
La Llorería in Chueca
Brutalista, near the Plaza Mayor, in Argüelles, if you enjoy escabeches
New, with a Michelin star from chef trained at Arpege: Pabú, also on my list.
A Michelin star “under the radar” that recently impressed me: Clos
Of course, there are the usual “stand by” spots that have been written up extensively here: Lakasa, Sacha, La Tasquita de Enfrente, La Manduca de Azagra (for Navarran vegetables), Fismuler, all the Retiro district gastro tabernas and the terrific high stools market dining but… you asked for the new and exciting places. 
Quinqué is in Chamartín? (It’s on my list for our visit later this month, since it’s up near where we’re staying.)
@plragde
I left you a note about one great place just a 2-minute walk from your hotel on your other thread. I think you didn’t see it?
It’s La Guisandera de Piñera at Rosario Pino.
Quinqué, yes, is in Chamartín, NOT Salamanca, my mistake. Too late to edit!
It would be a 13-minute walk from the Meliá Castilla, on the other side of the Castellana Boulevard.
We had a lovely lunch there with another HO couple, and it´s well worth the walk!
The snails were in season and were fantastic. It’s moderately priced and service, very attentive. It flies under the radar but quite recommendable.
I did see it, thank you! The speed with which edits are no longer possible here is quite amusing, when it is not annoying. Fortunately, nothing is high stakes, details are cross-checked on restaurant websites and map apps anyway.
Amazing intel, many thanks. I happened to already book Pabu, as it looked quite appealing, and am waitlisted at Desde. I will definitely try a few of these places and will report back. Madrid seems to really be exploding these days on the culinary front!
I hope you can snag that reservation at Desde. It was my best, most memorable meal of 2024 with great HO company. Macarfi lists it at number 2, after DiverXO.
Yes Madrid is exploding, and we haven’t even talked about all the dozens of new Asians and Peruvians…But they’re not my priority.
On Desde, it now typically books out 6months ahead within 24 hours of seats being released, with some midweek dates in summer and winter hanging on for 2-3 days. If you are on the waitlist, my suggestion is to call them 1-2 weeks before your trip and see if they can squeeze you in. This was the recommendation of the front of house manager the last time we went in 2024.
Appreciate the tip, and will definitely try to do that!
Also if one of your 4 days fall on national holidays (there is one around Oct 12th and then Nov 1st) try that date. It was how we got in the first time as some people cancel due to long weekend plans.
@tigerjohn
Another very recent newcomer that interests me: Caja de Cerillas, in Chamberí, a modern bistrot or contemporary “casa de comidas” or “tasca castiza”, brought to the city by Enrique Valentí. 8 tables.
It’s been written up extensively in the Madrid gourmet press.
It’s on my “moderately priced” list for the re-entry.
Looks great. I’ll put it on our list as well.
