Iberian Incursion 2025: Madrid Food Scene

 November 13-17, 2025

There is such a thriving food scene in Madrid. The 3.5 million people that call it home support an incredible number of restaurants, cafes, tapas bars and watering holes.  It is truly incredible! The gastronomic alternatives span the entire gamut of choices and with 10,000+ restaurants, there can be different experiences every day of the week. Why is it so good in Madrid? Well, it is undoubtedly related to the economy and since the capital is where all the high-paying jobs exist, there is a high level of disposable income.  But being able to support this massive food and beverage industry also has to do with  Spanish culture. The Spanish people love to eat long lunches of 2-3 hours while socializing with friends family and colleagues, and then, they do it all again at dinner time. Lunches typically begin around 2pm and run to 4pm and this is the biggest meal of the day. Dinners don't come until after 8pm with many restaurants not opening until 8:30pm. At dinnertime the locals go out again because most of them live in  small, cramped apartments, with little room for entertaining. They meet up in tapas bars or  a taberna to socialize and enjoy a lighter evening meal before calling it a day. This makes Madrid a great place for tourists because the locals help keep the food and beverage industry buoyant, giving visitors a plethora of options to enjoy all the various culinary options.

With numerous high-end boutique hotels and upscale apartment blocks in the Retiro, Salmanico and Centro administrative districts, many of the best spots on trip advisor were within easy walking distance for our hero Gym, his lovely wife, son Chris and Shawna. The travellers were exploring the city and its many sights during the day and sitting down for their big meal when the restaurants were just opening at around 8pm. It wasn't until after 9pm, well after the travellers had finished their main courses, that the locals were starting to arrive and fill up the more popular establishments. Out of the five evenings in town, the travellers enjoyed four great dining experiences which included a Spanish eatery, a great sushi spot, an Italian trattoria and a Mexican fine dining establishment that had a Michelin Star chef  (see below for the details). After visiting the royal palace in Centro one afternoon, they also found a fantastic place for empanadas and wine spritzers. Everyone had fun on all these occasions.

The details:

1. Just off of Puerta de Alcala and the main gate of Retiro Park is a local Spanish eatery called: 

El Perro y La Galleta - this place has a cozy library feel to it with many impressive antique knick-knacks and funny caricatures of dogs lining the walls. The food is a good mix of surf, turf and Spanish country fair and is surprisingly affordable.

2. North of Retiro Park about 3 or 4 blocks, on Jorge Juan Street, is a good Japanese Place called:

Robata | Restaurante japonés Barrio Salamanca - a cool hole-in-the-wall sushi place. The nigiri and sashimi includes some delicious choices not available in North America, like dorada (bream) and lumina (European sea bass). Rolls are great here too. It has a very modern and upscale vibe.

3. There is an Italian Ristorante/Trattoria in an out-of-the-way part of Retiro west of the park called:

Trattoria Sant Arcangelo - a tastefully and almost elegant, ground level Italian place where Tony Soprano and his crew would be very comfortable. The pasta was great and the service was on point. The standout was the starter of baked provolone al forno with tomato.

4. On their final night the travellers did some Mexican at a restaurant a short distance from their hotel called:

Barracuda l Restaurante Mexicano Madrid - this was a standout evening. This place was amazing! The decor was stunning, the service was outstanding and the food was unforgettable. This is Chef Roberto Ruiz's establishment, he is a Michelin Star chef. Try the incredible cocktails and definitely get the bone marrow tacos. 

5. We were in Centro to see the Royal Palace and the Cathedral of St. Mary the Virgin of Almudena and Shawna spotted a cool place for lunch called:

Mercado de San Miguel - Shawna spotted this place. It is a beautiful iron and glass structure chalk full of tapas. In the middle you can grab a cocktail or a wine spritzer and carry it with you from stall to stall as you pick up some tapas. Shawna and Gym tried several different Empanadas.

pics to follow