The Best New Restaurants to Try in Madrid in 2018

Chef, sommelier and front of house manager, brothers Mario, Rafa and Diego Sandoval brought their exciting restaurant into the heart of Madrid in August 2017 when they opened Coque in the neighbourhood of Chamberí. The restaurant’s luxe interiors are an integral part of the dining experience; courses – a modern twist on Spanish cuisine – are eaten in different spaces of the restaurant, from the cocktail bar to the extensive wine cellar. For a truly immersive dining experience, you couldn’t get much better.

Among the Art-Deco interiors of Madrid’s Hotel Urban is Glass Mar, the latest project by acclaimed Spanish seafood chef Ángel León, who holds an impressive four Michelin stars across two different restaurants in Cádiz. Glass Mar is León’s first Madrid restaurant and its menu is a love letter to seafood. From a riff on the classic Madrid calamari sandwich to marinated baby shark, it’s an adventurous selection for seafood lovers.

This new restaurant, which opened in late 2017, goes back to basics and keeps things natural by cooking over wood and coals and avoiding artificial ingredients. The menu keeps things simple with traditional Spanish flavours – including paella – and a good range of meat and fish dishes, using in-season ingredients for the freshest possible flavours.

The latest project from Spanish chef Carlos Nuñez, Skull St. is a modern riff on traditional Spanish cooking, with a few international flavours thrown in, right in the heart of Chueca. Decor is cool and laid-back and there are wooden tables, a neat bar area and walls that look like the side of shipping containers, giving the whole area a modern, industrial vibe. A cool place to hang out with friends and a great new addition to Chueca’s hip restaurant scene.

Madrileños could not believe it when this Madrid classic closed its doors in 2015. Luckily, it has reopened, and its new owners, while refurbishing the space, have retained the café’s key features. They have also added a cool new upstairs restaurant and cocktail bar designed by Madrid in Love studio, which channels vintage glamour.

If you’ve had your fill of bocadillos de jamón (ham baguettes) and are looking for a sandwich that’s a little bit more creative, John Barrita is the place to go. Just-baked bread and gourmet fillings give this sandwich shop a high-end edge. Try the Brioche & Steak – steak and spicy mayonnaise on toasted brioche – or the Chapata & Calamares, a take on Madrid’s classic bocadillo de calamares with a garlic chapata filled with squid, mayonnaise and lime.

This new Italian restaurant is like stepping into the sumptuous rooms of an 18th-century Italian aristocrat. Decor is sumptuous with a more-is-more aesthetic throughout – a welcome change in this age of pared-down Scandinavian design. Don’t expect pizza: the menu features starters, freshly-made pasta, fish and meat dishes from around Italy. Go on a sunny day and enjoy the beautiful outdoor terrace.