Image by Claudia Ortega

There are several wanna-be diners in Madrid that don’t come close to a “real” American diner. Tommy Mel’s is the exception because the food is pretty authentic – think chili, hot dogs, fries, milkshakes and burgers – and the atmosphere is complete with 50′s music blasting and energetic waiters in timely costume.

To bridge the Spanish-American gap, you can order cocktails, beer and wine and have cheese fries with local blue-cheese topping. But, the majority of the menu is reminiscent of the movie Grease and is probably cooked with plenty.

Don’t miss the dessert and milkshake menu: the pecan pie gets my stamp of approval. The restaurant has been so successful, they’ve opened more around Madrid and are branching out to different Spanish cities.

Details about this spot (Show on map)
Tommy Mel’s | Snacks, Restaurants (American) | Classic burger € 6.35
Pedro Jeixeira 8 | Castellana | +34914178744
Mon – Thu 13:15 – 00:00, Fri 13:15 – 02:30, Sat 09:00 – 02:30, Sun 09:00 – 00:00

Copyrights Spotted by Locals Madrid

Image by Eco Centro

A bit tricky to find the first time, EcoCentro is one of the only and in my opinion, the best vegetarian and natural food offerings that Madrid has.

It has one store for dried goods and household items, another for produce/dairy and then a restaurant downstairs and a café on the ground floor.

In the café they offer a great menu for lunch during the week, but you can also create your own salad at the salad bar which has an amazing variety of fresh stuff that you can’t find elsewhere; quinoa, brown rice, fresh beets, seaweed, etc.

The place is perfect for people with food allergies or if you just need a break from fried tapa-dom. For dessert they often have a dulce de leche yogurt which is to die for and you can’t feel too bad because it’s yogurt!

Details about this spot (Show on map)
EcoCentro | Shopping, Restaurants (Vegetarian) | Mon – Fri lunch menu € 8.50
Calle Esquilache 2- 6 | Chamberi | +34915535502
Store & cafe 10:00 – 00:00 daily | Restaurant 13:00 – 17:00 & 21:00 – 00:00 daily

Copyrights Spotted by Locals Madrid

Image by Nikko Hinderstein

If you need your fill of tasty burgers and sandwiches with specialties like really spicy chipotle pepper chicken or a tandoori-spiced burger all made from organic meats, this is your place.

Owned by a French Canadian Chef who has made Madrid his home, the upscale diner-themed restaurant has gained popularity as it’s the only place in Madrid to get an organic beef burger. It’s absolutely necessary to have a reservation to eat there most nights of the week. In good news however, they offer take-out and they’ve opened two other branches in the city center.

Don’t miss the variety of homemade desserts.

Details about this spot (Show on map)
Home Burger Bar | Snacks, Restaurants (Burgers) | Classic burger € 8.75
Calle Espiritu Santo 12 | Chueca & Malasaña | +34915229728
Mon – Sat 13:30 – 16:00 & 23:00 – 00:00, Sun 14:00 – 16:00 & 20:30 – 23:00

Copyrights Spotted by Locals Madrid

Image by Nikko Hinderstein

Satisfying my greatest needs for good sushi, Oishi is just off central Plaza Callao and full of great food. There are two magnetic bands twirling platters of sushi around the tables where you can help yourself, or you can order soups and noodle dishes from the menu.

Be sure to specify if you want the soba (buckwheat) or udon (wide wheat) noodles. If you don’t see the sushi you want, just ask the sushi chef and he’ll whip up something fresh. At the end of the meal, your bill will be totalled based on the colors of the plates you’ve chosen.

Top off your meal with some sesame and green tea ice cream.

Details about this spot (Show on map)
Oishi | Snacks, Restaurants (Japanese) | Sushi plate € 3.50
Miguel Moya 6 | Gran Via & Princesa | +34915227574
13:00 – 16:00 & 20:00 – 00:00 daily

Copyrights Spotted by Locals Madrid

Image by Nikko Hinderstein

Just down from the Mercado de San Miguel (check the San Miguel article), the Mesón del Champiñon is a cave with fungi-esque decor.

They specialize in fantastic mushrooms drenched in olive oil, garlic and adorned with bits of chorizo, but in addition to the tapas, you get entertainment. There is a guy playing the electric piano for tips and you can make song requests (his repertoire is vast, but random) and then sing along group-style.

The last time I was there a microphone was taken out for a few customers who reminded me of characters from an Almodóvar film; they sang Spanish ballads, danced and we applauded.

Details about this spot (Show on map)
Mesón del Champiñon | Bars, Music, Restaurants (Tapas) | Mushroom tapas € 6.00
Cava de San Miguel 17 | Sol | +34915596790
Spring – Summer Sun – Thu 18:00 – 01:30, Fri – Sat 18:00 – 02:30, Winter lunch 12:00 – 16:00

Copyrights Spotted by Locals Madrid

Image by Nikko Hinderstein

For being a Michelin-ranked restaurant, El Buey is surprisingly affordable and makes for a fun interactive meal!

The restaurant, one of two in Madrid, is famous for the high quality of ox meat which you can order in a stew or in raw slices to cook on a hot ceramic plate. The ox-tail stew, though spectacular, is nothing compared to the raw meat with big grains of salt, seared on your plate. Don’t rush and try to cook all of the meat slices at once, if your plate gets cool, ask the attentive waiter for another one.

The menu is short, with some fish and vegetable options and the waiter will also tell you about any daily specials as well. Added bonuses are the excellent house wine (which you can buy on your way out) and aged cheese that is served as you sit down at the table. My only complaint would be that the fried potatoes served with most of the dishes are unimpressive in comparison with the rest of the food.

Details about this spot (Show on map)
El Buey | Restaurants (Spanish) | Dinner € 25.00
Plaza de la Marina Española, 1 | Gran Via & Princesa | +34915413041
Mon – Sat 13:00 – 16:00 & 21:00 – 00:00

Copyrights Spotted by Locals Madrid

Image by Nikko Hinderstein

The intimate setting of Toma is like a classic diner grown-up, there might be Bruce Springsteen playing, but the fresh flowers and soft candle-light give it a nice romantic edge.

Perhaps you’ve been craving fried chicken? Or a full brunch with a breakfast burrito and mimosa? Toma, which roughly translated means “take that”, delivers. Their brunch is arguably the best in Madrid when counting the niceness of the waitstaff, the food options (it’s a big carb load, but you can walk that off at the Prado) and the price.

The menu changes seasonally (strawberry pie now!), but maintains a few basics along with delicious desserts like cheesecake and brownies.

Toma is very small with about 6 tables and a bar, be sure to make a reservation.

Details about this spot (Show on map)
Toma | Restaurants (American/Intern.) | Brunch € 18.00
Calle Conde Duque 14 | Gran Via & Princesa | +34915474996
Tue – Sun 21:00 – 02:00, Sat – Sun 13:00 – 16:00 & 21:00 – 02:30

Copyrights Spotted by Locals Madrid

Image by Nikko Hinderstein

Hidden just off the busy shopping street, Fuencarral, Jhambala is a secret trove of food, teas and chill-out lounging. Pulling their inspiration from Buddhism, the decor is tranquil, the food tasty and the music relaxing.

During the day it’s nice to stop and have a tea from their extensive menu, a salad or one of their exquisite desserts. On a nice day, enjoy the terrace outside. At night the mood turns more festive with exotic cocktails and eclectic dishes.

Details about this spot (Show on map)
Jhambala | Bars, Coffee & tea, Snacks, Restaurants (Spanish/Arabic)
Pérez Galdós 3 | Chueca & Malasaña | +34915222061
Mon – Thu 10:00 – 00:00, Sat – Sun 10:00 – 02:00

Copyrights Spotted by Locals Madrid

Image by Nikko Hinderstein

Just off San Bernardo, this new spot has great prices and fantastic food. Instead of offering a huge menu-del-día that you can’t finish, they have several dishes per day depending on the season and the Chef’s mood. On the regular menu, try the Tuscon burger that has avocado and goat cheese.

The tapas are great too, I’ve tried the spicy sliders (little hamburgers) that were great, and at brunch on Saturday AND NOW SUNDAY, they have the regular favorites like french toast and eggs benedict.

Details about this spot (Show on map)
Carmencita Bar | Bars, Snacks, Restaurants (Spanish-American) | Breakfast burrito € 6.50
San Vicente Ferrer, 51 | Chueca & Malasaña | +34915238073
Tue – Fri 13:00 -16:30 & 19:00 – 01:00, Sat 12:00 – 02:30, Sun 12:00 – 17:00

Copyrights Spotted by Locals Madrid

Image by TM

What’s good in this local spot? It’s fast, cheap and a good option if you’ve gone out and want to eat something quickly. Not a lot of places offer food later than midnight. You can eat fast food like burgers, hot dogs, fries, milkshakes…

What’s not so good? TM Burger & Fries was made mainly for taking away your meal, so eating in the local it isn’t a memorable experience. The tables are small and the decoration, reminding you of the american restaurants in the fifties, are quite cold and don’t invite to stay there.

Details about this spot (Show on map)
TM Burger & Fries | Snacks, Restaurants (Fast food) | Burger € 2.95
Espíritu Santo, 3 | Chueca & Malasaña | +34915220372
Mon – Thur 13:00 – 01:30, Fri – Sun 13:00 – 02:30

Copyrights Spotted by Locals Madrid