My partner has a meeting for several days in late July (timing not under our control, I know it will be hot!) at the Mélia Castilla Hotel in Chamartín. The nearest Metro stations are Cuzco and Valdeacederas. While we can (and probably will) take the Metro into the centre to favourites from our earlier trip like La Lloreria (probably the furthest north we ate last time), Sincio, Lalopez, and Barmitón, are there places near the hotel, or more north of centre than these, to consider? I know Sacha and DiverXO are close, but the previously mentioned places are more in our league. Also, since I am completely at liberty while my partner is at work, any tips to beat the heat outside the hotel room would be appreciated!
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We had a wonderful dinner at ita. Tiny place run by a lovely couple-- she’s the chef and he works front of house. Food was very good and wine selection interesting. For frame of reference, we really liked La Lloreria and Barmitón, too
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piragde,
The area around the Meliá Castilla in the barrio of Tetuán is somewhat of a gastronomic wasteland, with the exception of the high end seafood temple, O Pazo (but it does hava a bar for small plates dining). I used to live in that area.
If you’re willing to walk south, down to Avenida General Perón 10 (20 minutes), you have Viavélez, which is much loved by chefs, and we also like it a lot. Updated traditional cuisine. You can dine on high tables in the upstairs bar or in the formal dining room downstairs. It’s very consistent.
Or there is a brand new Taberna Arzábal inside the remodeled Estadio Bernabeú, the third one in the group. While we haven’t visited it yet, we go to its original often in the Retiro district on Av. Menéndez Pelayo.
On the other, nicer, eastern side of the Castellana Boulevard, within a 12-minute walk, you have El Qüenco de Pepa by female chef Pepa Muñoz, which would be a great place for July, as this much loved chef is known as the “tomato queen”. Her vegetables come from her own garden, and she was also the Madrid coordinator for the World Central Kitchen food relief program in the Valencia province, after the Dana, and was given an award at the Repsol awards for her humanitarian effort.
https://quencodepepa.com
A place that gets solid reviews that I’ve yet to visit is Latasia, a fusion place. It would be within an easy walk south at La Castellana 115. It would be more similar to La Llorería.
Viavélez and El Qüenco de Pepa would be my two choices for you that are within a reasonable walking distance. Of course you could take the Cuzco metro and go anywhere…Its line 10 will take you down to the Gregorio Marañón metro, where you could walk south for 10 minutes to our favorite Las Tortillas de Gabino, where we go for their wonderful tortilla and fantastic veal scallop, the famous Armando.
A family favorite and a member of the La Ancha group. It never fails.
As to beating the heat, I would take refuge in museums as much as possible. Or soak in the Meliá pool.
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The Ita wouldn’t be walkable, but it’s in a very fashionable area of the Salamanca district (also my former home) and is charming. Take a taxi.
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I am fortunate, then, that my partner is not likely to have small group dinners that I have to advise on (as she did on our Paris trip just concluded) because those tend to be close to the venue for logistical reasons. As always, @Maribel, your detailed and far-ranging recommendations are much appreciated!
