With regular appearances in countless best-restaurant lists across the world, Spanish cuisine is becoming a force to be reckoned with on the international scene. There are hundreds of fantastic restaurants in Madrid, especially if you venture away from the tourists traps lining Gran Va and the Plaza Mayor (travellers tip: never enter a restaurant if it lists its menu in more than four languages). If you really want a taste of the best cooking Madrid has to offer, splash out on one of the nine Michelin-starred restaurants in the centre.
One-star restaurants
Zalacan,Calle de Alvarez de Baena, 6
Credentials: Founded in 1973 and credited with bringing nouvelle cuisine to Spain,this traditionally opulent restaurant regularly attracts Spanish royalty and celebrities.
Style: Classic French cuisine with Basque and Spanish influences in historic settings.
Recommended dishes: Oysters with caviar and sherry gravy, monkfish ragout.
Club Allard,Calle de Ferraz, 2
Credentials: Formerly a members-only private club, Club Allard is located in asumptuous early modernist building close to the Plaza de Espaa. Head chef DiegoGuerrero has won numerous awards for his simple dishes.
Style: Exquisitely crafted prize-winning dishes designed to confuse your eyes andyour tastebuds, served in exclusive surroundings.
Recommended dishes: Beef terrine with foie cream, garlic bread churros.
Diverxo, Calle de Pensamiento, 28
Credentials: Head chef David Muoz previously worked at Hakassan and Nobu amongst others. Located in the Tetan district, home of Madrids Asian restaurants and specialist stores, so you know youre getting the most authentic ingredients.
Style: Fusion Iberian-Oriental cooking which is inventive, hugely popular and highly praised its often impossible to get a table.
Recommended dishes: Spanish tortilla maki, rabbit and carrot dim sum.
La Broche (Hotel Miguel Angel), Calle de Miguel Angel, 29-31
Credentials: Part of the luxury Hotel Miguel Angel, this restaurant was formerly presided over by Sergi Arola. Its now run by Angel Palacios, another El Bulli graduate fast making a name for himself after running the American incarnation of La Broche in Miami.
Style: Minimalist dcor plays host to fresh market ingredients and a great deal of experimentation and creativity.
Recommended dishes: Raw seafood and seawater gele, fois gras with roasted apricots and cocoa.
Ramon Freixa (Hotel Selenza Madrid), Calle de Claudio Coello, 67
Credentials: The Catalan chef who lends his name to his restaurant, formerly of Barcelonas one-star Rac den Freixa, honed his craft in Barcelona, Belgium and the French countryside, giving him a passion for seasonal cooking and fresh ingredients.
Style: Seriously over the top extravagant dining situated on one of Madrids most exclusive streets.
Recommended dishes: Sauted wild mushrooms with octopus, mini pancetta meatballs.
Kabuki Wellington (Hotel Wellington), Calle de Velzquez, 6
Credentials: Head chef Ricardo Sanz began his career in a tapas bar, then trained for four years at the famous Tokyo Taro. This led to the creation of Kabuki style cooking, with the different disciplines informing each other.
Style: Variations on Japanese classics using local Spanish ingredients. Whats more, desserts are crafted by Oriol Balaguer, one of the worlds top pastry chefs.
Recommended dishes: butterfish with black truffle nigiri, beef mushroom and noodle soup.
Two-star restaurants
Santceloni (Hesperia Madrid Hotel),Paseo de la Castellana, 57
Credentials: Owner Santi Santamaria i Puig is one of the finest chefs in Spain, earning three Michelin stars over the course of his career, with the first star awarded to Santceloni when it had only nine tables.
Style: The focus of this restaurant is on seasonal fare, offering the best of whats available in Mediterranean flavours over the course of the year. It also offers one of the best wine lists in the whole city.
Recommended dishes: Terrine of tuna and foie gras, quails eggs with onion consomm and black truffle.
La Terraza del Casino, Calle de Alcal, 15
Credentials: With Ferran Adria of the world famous El Bulli restaurant at its helm, La Terraza offers what they call an auteur kitchen: think the creativity of Heston Blumenthal infused with Spanish traditions and flavours.
Style: A typical Spanish menu deconstructed and reimagined, with spectacular views over the city. A great way to sample the cooking style of El Bulli for a fraction of the price.
Recommended dishes: Paella in the style of Rice Krispies, liquidised croquetas, mojito served with dry ice.
Sergi Arola Gastro, Calle de Zurbano, 31
Credentials: Sergi Arola, formally of La Broche, trained for 8 years under Ferran Adria in Barcelona. He claims he doesnt believe in having more than 3 ingredients on the plate at the same time.
Style: This restaurant specialises in tiny bite-size delicacies, crafted with great care and creativity. The service has also been highlighted as impeccable.
Recommended dishes: Fresh anchovies with apple salad and cider syrup, venison in Moroccan spices.
