Gran Via & Princesa Madrid – All our local tips

Noodles, tempuras, seaweed… and sushi and maki sushi, of course. This Japanese restaurant has good raw material and well presented in a minimalist lounge for forty people maximum, and the price is reasonable.

It’s resembles its big brother, restaurant 99 Sushi Bar, but menus are cheaper - from €14,83 to €49,50. I recommend, apart from sushi and maki sushi, the tasty Tartar de atún (Tuna Tartare) and, as a dessert, Brownie de chocolate templado con jengibre (Chocolate warm brownie with ginger).

19 Sushi Bar has eighty different wines available.

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19 Sushi Bar | Restaurants (Japanese) | Average € 35.00
c/ Salud 19 | Gran Via & Princesa | +34915240571
Mon – Fri 13:30 – 16:00 & 20:30 – 00:00, Sat 20:30- 00:00

Located on the 9th (top) floor of the commercial centre called El Corte Inglés (don’t worry, there are escalators or several lifts to get there), this coffee shop is one of the best examples of how beautiful Madrid is from the roof.

You´ll never imagine that inside a huge commercial centre, in its cafeteria, you´ll find such a fantastic atmosphere. But it´s real!! And there´re still a few privileged people who can enjoy it. I say “just a few” because the large window from where you can observe the whole city is available for a maximum of six-seven tables. The rest of the coffee shop is a regular venue where you can order your meals or drinks.

It gets so crowded during lunch time, that I won´t recommend it because you even have to wait your turn to sit beside the window. So the best moment to enjoy your coffee with “tortitas con nata” is just before dinner, in the late afternoon (between 16:00 – 19:00).

This is an ideal place for a drink while you see how it gets dark, either to impress your friends or your couple with an exquisite place. It´ll depend where you sit, you´ll be able to see the Royal Palace, the Opera, Gran Vía, or even Casa de Campo.

Enjoy the view!!

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Cafetería El Corte Inglés | Coffee & tea | Main meal € 12.00
Plaza de Callao, 2 | Gran Via & Princesa | +34913798000
Mon – Fri 10:00 – 22:00 (11:00 – 21:00 on holidays)

Best visited in warmer weather, this tiny pedestrian street near Conde Duque has several tapa restaurants to choose from. My favorite sight is seeing a group of older Spanish women enjoying their afternoon cañas (beers), a tradition that starts in teir youth and never stops. You’ll also find couples smooching and families pushing strollers.

For restaurants, you can choose from the more contemporary Canela that has brie and foie options, or Taberna de la Canasta and Tabernilla del Leon which offer more standard croquettas and fried potatoes. Calle Cristo is perfect to have a late afternoon or early evening snack before hitting the bars nearby or strolling down Gran Via.

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Calle Cristo | Bars, Coffee & tea, Snacks, Restaurants | Tapa € 8.00
Calle Cristo | Gran Via & Princesa
10:00 – 23:00 daily

Located across from the post office in Plaza de Cibeles, Casa America is also a beautiful and majestic building, encompassing an old palace, a restaurant, film and lecture theatres and exhibition space.

Their main goal is to share American culture (both South and North) with Spain. There is always something going on, be it a photography exhibition from Mexico, an independent film from the US or a singer from Argentina.

There are tours of the old palace that must be reserved ahead of time (€ 7.00) and a film and concert schedule with small to big acts. Concert and film prices vary depending on the gig, but exhibitions are free.

The entrance is on the backside of the building (walk up Castellana).

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Casa America | Art & culture, Bars, Cinemas, Coffee & tea, Music | Free
Plaza de la Cibeles, 2 | Gran Via & Princesa | +34915954800
Mon – Sat 11:00 – 20:00, Sun 11:00 – 15:00

Whenever I do not have any plans I try to join a cultural activity. Sometimes, Casa de America is the right place!!

Created in 1990 in the heart of Madrid, this place was built with the purpose of generating a forum of ideas and debates concerning economic, political, scientific, technological and cultural aspects of Latin America.

There are thousands of activities every day. From book presentations to art exhibitions, story telling workshops or poetry series.

I love its garden, called Jardin Brugal-Casa de America, inspired in the Dominican nature, and also its restaurant called Bistronómico.

The projection room is very good and most of the times the shows are free, so you can see interesting documentaries or attend fascinating conferences.

Highly recommended for people who have a soft spot for culture!! Do not miss it!

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Casa de América | Art & culture | Free
Plaza de la Cibeles, 2 | Gran Via & Princesa | +34915954800
Mon – Fri 10:00 – 21:00

There are several book stores of Casa del Libro in Madrid, as it´s a franchise. So why do I choose and recommend this one in particular? From my point of view, Gran Vía is a great location and I always find those rare books I’m looking for easier than in other shops. I think it’s because they have more clients and they need more variety… The good news is that there´s no problem when they don´t have the book that I want, as I just ask for it and they will call me in a few days when they have received it.

I normally check first the first pages of the books on their website in order to have a rough idea of what I´m looking for. The problem is that, when I’m there, I get so fascinated with EVERYTHING that I´m always tempted and I end up buying more than expected! There´re specific and more general books from all genres, good literature and the latest releases. And sometimes you get good discounts!

This is actually a very traditional bookstore in Madrid. Founded in 1923, it started in the city and expanded to more than 19 places right now in different parts of the country.

Because of my job as a Journalist I interview authors very frequently, so that´s why I highly recommend Casa del Libro as it offers a good chance to go to book presentations almost everyday.

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Casa del libro | Art & culture
Gran Vía, 29 | Gran Via & Princesa | +34902026402
Mon – Sat 09:30 – 21:30, Sun 11:00 – 21:00

I love the gregarious waiters at Casa Mingo – some of whom have been working there for over 25 years. They help set the jovial mood of this sprawling restaurant which gets even bigger in warmer weather with a sidewalk and rooftop terrace.

Casa Mingo is famous for its home-brewed (sweet, apple, alcoholic) 5-euro-a-bottle cider which comes from the Asturian region of Spain, but everyone will tell you that the real house specialty is the roasted chicken. The menu only has a handful of options for sharing like the whole roasted chicken, tortilla de patata (potato omlette), “cabrales” cheese (like blue cheese) and delicious cider-cooked chorizo sausage. For dessert they even have a cider-made cheese cake, but I prefer the almondy Tarta de Santiago which also comes from the North of Spain.

Of note, the indoor tavern is non-smoking, they only accept cash and they don’t take reservations. Casa Mingo is a bit off the beaten path, a 10-15

minute walk from the Principe Pío metro stop, but the economical and tasty meal is worth it. For an added bonus, don’t miss the Ermita de San Antonio de la Floridanext door with Goya’s frescos and tomb.

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Casa Mingo | Restaurants (Asturian) | Whole roasted chicken € 9.50
Paseo de La Florida, 34 | Gran Via & Princesa | +34915477918
11:00 – 00:00 daily

There is a 1 euro charge per person to enter the café which seems ridiculous at first, but the food prices are reasonable and I always leave thinking I got the bargain. On weekends, pay another euro and go up to the rooftop terrace to enjoy a spectacular view of Madrid. It’s breathtaking.

The Circulo de Bellas Artes (The Circle of Fine Arts) is a beautiful old building from 1880; back in the day there was a student named Pablo Picasso who took painting classes. Now they offer daily events ranging from classical to contemporary music concerts, dance performances, art exhibits and films, but my favorite part is the cafe because it sums up all of the modern “artsiness” and classic glamour.

It’s a cool place to hang out and talk about art, or if you don’t know about art, the things that you like.

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Circulo de Bellas Artes | Art & culture, Bars, Restaurants (Spanish) | Entry € 1.00
C/ Alacala 42 | Gran Via & Princesa | +34913605400
Mon – Thu 09:00 – 01:00, Sat – Sun 09:00 – 03:00

This restaurant is truly recommended for its authenticity and for being one of the eldest Arab restaurants in Madrid. The place is very modest, not fashionable; you can have dinner at the floor sitting on cushions.

The meals are really tasty, the servings are big, and the service is splendid. Furthermore, if we realise that the final price -drink, tea, and more dishes than you’d eat- add up to €15 per person, it becomes to be the best recommendation if you like this kind of cuisine.

Cuscus, hummus, nefinsa, pastela,… All delightful! You must book a table if you want to eat here. Remember it!

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Cocina del Desierto | Restaurants (Arab) | Main meal € 15.00
Calle Barbieri 1 | Gran Via & Princesa | +34915231142
13:30 – 16:00 & 21:00 – 00:00 daily

Located just off Gran Via, Curry’s is one of the nicer traditional Indian spots in Madrid offering a variety of Indian styles from vegetarian to meat and fish dishes.

The menu is Spanish-ized, ie:not spicey, but if you ask the waiter, they’ll spice things up for you.

Aside from charming waiters, the food is spectacular as well – from the sizzling tandoori platters to the garlic naan. I especially like the dishes with the Korma (creamy almond) sauces and the Punjabi Tikka Masala (lamb with yogurt sauce) and the Palak Paneer (spinach with homemade cheese) AND the Butter Chicken.

They have a fixed price lunch option and give a 10% discount for take-away orders. Don’t forget to try a Taj Mahal or Kingfisher beer and to order dishes for sharing.

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Curry’s | Restaurants (Pan-Indian) | Lunch menu € 10.95
Calle Silva 16 | Gran Via & Princesa | +34915234570
13:00 -16:00 & 20:00 – 01:00 daily, Sun closed in summer

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.

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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

El Jardín Secreto has long been one of my favorite tea and dessert spots because they have a huge menu of chocolate drinks and desserts and rich tea flavors.

The decor is ample as well; full of knick-knacks and mismatched furniture items, funky garage-sale sculptures and Hawaiian luau lamps (most of which are for sale). It can be overwhelming at first look, but the atmosphere is fun and the food is great.

For savory options, they have exotic oddities like Carpaccio de Reino (reindeer!), fish patés and vegetable ravioli – all on big sharable platters. The desserts rate high in my book and not only because some mention death by chocolate or chocolate orgasm (imagine!), but because they are obviously homemade and well thought out combinations.

My only complaints are the smoking (in warmer weather the big side windows open) and sometimes you get stuck with an uncomfortable chair, but El Jardín Secreto is unique and memorable.

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El Jardin Secreto | Restaurants (Eclectic) | Desserts € 5.00
Calle de Conde Duque 2 | Gran Via & Princesa | +34915418023
Mon – Thu 18:30 – 01:30, Fri – Sat 18:30 – 02:30, Sun 17:30 – 00:30

This restaurant brings back the traditional flavors that makes eating out a really enjoyable experience. It is 100% Spanish food and wants to honor the quality of the Mediterranean products such as the olive oil. You can find traditional recipes such as meat balls and or soups. The kitchen is in view so you can watch the cooks prepare all the meals. Please try the hamburger with “Manchego” cheese!

In the afternoon, downstairs, you’ll find the GIN CLUB, situated at De La Reina Street. The Gin tonics are supposed to be really good. Unfortunately I can’t test that since I don’t like them. They have nice wines by the glass too!

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El Mercado de la Reina | Restaurants (Spanish) | Main meal € 15.00
C/ Gran Vía, 12 | Gran Via & Princesa | +34915213198
Mon – Fri 09:00 – 00:00, Sat 10:00 – 01:00, Sun 10:00 – 00:00

El Tigre is a bar near Gran Via avenue in Madrid, that is always full of young people, students and Erasmus guys. Here you can have a drink with your friends for a correct price and the waiter gives you a little sort of Spanish traditional food: potatoes with sauces, bread with ham and potatoes omelet (traditional Spanish: tortilla de patatas)

You should know that you have to be patient and it is important to don’t get to this place really hungry because you will probably have to wait. The “sport” of this place is to catch a waiter for order something to drink.

Don’t stress yourself! Just take a breath and enjoy the moment.

Enjoy your meal!

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El Tigre | Bars, Restaurants (Tapas)
Calle Infantas 30 | Gran Via & Princesa | +34918819901
Wed – Mon 12:00 – 02:30

FNAC is Madrid´s largest and most well-known stop for books, films, music, DVD´s and electronic hardware. Here you can find a wide variety of titles as well as current newspapers. They also have a fairly extensive travel and local interest sections.

Madrid´s building is actually the first FNAC in Spain. After opening it, there came Barcelona, Valencia, Zaragoza… up to more than 16 in the whole country.

Here it´s possible to listen to those CDs you have been looking for (there are headphones available) and also to sit down and read the first pages of that magazine you have just picked up randomly. On the book´s section there is an area (which can get crowded sometimes) for those who´re tired of wandering around. You just choose a spot, open your book and enjoy the reading!!

FNAC Callao also has an specific area where, from time to time, there´re concerts, book presentations and different events.

It´s impossible to miss this huge building in Callao´s square. Its big sign is now more than a symbol in the city.

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FNAC Callao | Shopping
C/ Preciados 28 | Gran Via & Princesa | +34915956100
Mon – Sat 10:00 – 21:30, Sun 12:00 – 21:30

If you happen to be walking in Plaza España, you might wonder why there is a faint smell of Chinese food. Hidden in the hallway to the parking garage (take the stairs down to the parking garage) is an authentic Chinese restaurant – as deduced because it’s always packed full of Chinese patrons.

There are few tables, so you might find yourself elbow to elbow with other eaters. Try the hot noodle soups or dumplings on cool days.

If it’s nice weather outside, skip the queue and place a take-out order to eat in the plaza above – ask for extra napkins as the food can be on the greasy and drippy side (yum!).

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Jia Xiang Xiao Chi | Snacks, Restaurants (Chinese) | Dumplings € 3.80
Under Plaza España | Gran Via & Princesa
10:00 – 00:00 daily

This retro style pub (even kitsch with pieces of leopard patterned in some walls) is almost hidden in a street close to Gran Via. It has a long wooden bar in a narrow space just at the entrance. But at the back you find a cosy lounge with little tables and comfortable stools.

It’s a really nice place to take a cocktail and chat with friends, among other reasons, because the music are enough low and the lights of the old-fashioned lamps are faint and warm. The clients are cool people in their thirties, mainly.

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Jose Alfredo | Bars, Music | Beer € 3.00
Silva 22 | Gran Via & Princesa | +34915214960
Mon – Sat 18:00 – 02:30, Sun 20:30 – 02:30

Having a good beer and a ‘pintxo’ makes oneself think that the world seems such a perfect place. Here you find some of the examples that the Basque cuisine can cook: the pintxos!

There are a lot of them: hot, cold; savoury, sweet; with fish, with meat,… the most difficult thing here is to figure out what they are made of. This is how it works: you choose what pintxo you want to eat and at the end you must show to the waiter how many toothpicks you have (each pintxo has one toothpick) and then you pay for it.

A good way of have something to eat, varied, and not expensive at all. Enjoy your meal!

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Lizarrán | Bars, Restaurants (Basque cuisine) | Pintxo € 1.50
Calle Princesa 13 | Gran Via & Princesa | +34915416450
09:00 – 23:30 daily

If you’re like me, you dream of unlimited sushi rolling onto your plate and into your mouth. That’s just about what happens at Pink Sushiman as sushi chefs prep the sushi in front of you and place it on the conveyor belt that travels through the room.

It’s by no means the best sushi I’ve had, but it is fresh and clean and mighty tasty, served in a non-smoking and very cool futuristic atmosphere.

It’s also the perfect spot to unwind after a hard shopping session on Gran Via or around Sol.

Don’t forget to try a hot dish like tempura from the kitchen menu as well, but be careful because the more plates you stack up, the more you’ll end up paying on the way out!

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Pink Sushiman | Restaurants (Sushi) | weekday lunch menu € 10.00
Calle Caballero De Gracia 8 | Gran Via & Princesa | +34913605608
13:30 – 00:00 daily

There are two options:

1) Loving their food and making it to be the favourite place to spend dinners with your friends every weekend.

2) Disliking it from the beginning, maybe because of the smell of the restaurant (the first impression you get is like being in China eating in a typical place), maybe because of how crowded it can be all the time from midday to the evening, and mainly in weekends. But who thinks that a whole day crowded place can have inedible food?

Reading the menu really gives the impression of being in another atmosphere with dishes like “El plato que favorita mi hija” or “Los langostinos en casa del rey”, among others. To eat, for sure tallarines, combined with vegetables, prawns, duck or chicken with curry. Some people prefer rice or dim sum, on the other hand. Prices are around € 15.00 to € 20.00, in good balance with the amount of food.

The place is especially different: the walls are old; the waiters run from one side to the other, serving dishes with woks; the waitresses hardly speak Spanish and giving the impression of not getting even a word when you order; and the sweating Chinese cook seems to have dedicated his whole life to making the best Chinese food abroad to persuade you to visit China from Madrid.

Really recommendable.

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Rey de Tallarines | Restaurants (Chinese ) | Main meal from € 15.00
Calle San Bernardino 2 | Gran Via & Princesa | +34915426897
12:30 – 18:00 & 19:30 – 00:00 daily

Arabs inhabited the Iberian Peninsula for eight centuries. Christians that live in Arabic territory of Al-Andalus some centuries ago were called mozárabes. This can help you understand what this tabern is: Spanish with an Arab air.

Here you can find good tapas as “Croquetas de jamón” (€7.50), “Tostas de paté casero” (€2.80), “Carne asada a la pimienta” (€7.00) in a warm ambient.

They have a few wooden tables, arab-inspired lamps, brick walls and wonderful stained-glass windows. Ideal for cold afternoons for eating something and drink a liquor, wine or a the.

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Taberna Mozárabe | Bars, Coffee & tea, Snacks | Coffee € 1.40
c/ Reyes 6 | Gran Via & Princesa
Mon – Sat 11:00 – 02:30

Nestled into Parque Oeste on the West side of town is one of Madrid’s amazing treasures – an Egyptian temple which is striking by day and luminous by night.

The Temple of Debod was a gift to the government of Spain after helping to save various historical buildings from the Nubia region in 1960 which was under threat of flooding from the construction of the Great Damn of Aswan. The temple’s construction was started in the 2nd century BC to be dedicated to the goddess Isis (representing the perfect qualities of motherhood and nature) and over the centuries, different emperors added their input.

It graciously arrived bit by bit to Spain in 1968 and stands in open air with a view of the far West of Madrid (on clear days you can see out to the Guadarama mountains). Several other temples were given to other countries; the Temple of Dendur stands inside the Metropolitan museum in New York, Temple Taffeh is in the Netherlands and the Ellesiya Temple is in Turin, Italy.

My favorite time to go is to watch the sunset behind the temple; it’s a popular place for young and o

ld couples to go and make-out (you’ll find a very easy-going public kissing policy in Madrid). If you go during a hot day, you can admire the temple from a shady trail and then find a nearby terraza to enjoy a cold drink or ice cream.

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Templo de Debod | Art & culture | Free
Calle Pintor Rosales | Gran Via & Princesa | +34913667415
Apr – Sep: Tue – Fri 10:00 – 14:00 & 18:00 – 20:00, Sat – Sun 10:00 – 14:00 Oct – Mar: Tue – Fri 09:45 – 13:45 & 16:15 – 18:15, Sat – Sun 10:00 – 14:00

Tempo brings in some of the best soul, hip-hop and funky sounds to Madrid. The stylish upstairs lounge is great for hanging out with your friends while sipping a mojito. But before you get too relaxed, be sure to see who the DJ or group is that is playing downstairs. When you’re ready, descend into the dark and vibrant dance room and get ready to groove until the early hours of the morning.

I’ve caught several inspiring African groups that really got the crowd moving as well as DJs from around the world that bring a variety of beats for our pleasure. Entrance prices for downstairs range from 6 to 15€, while midweek happy hour has 2×1 drinks from 23:00 to 00:00.

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Tempo Club | Bars, Music, Relaxing | Weekend mojito € 8
Duque de Osuna 8 | Gran Via & Princesa | +34915477518
Lounge Fri – Sat 18:00 – 03:30, Sun – Thu 18:00 – 03:00
Dance Fri – Sat 23:00 – 06:00, Wed – Thu 23:00 – 05:30

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. There 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, but maintains a few basics along with delicious desserts like cheesecake and brownies. Last time I was there I had monkfish wrapped in pancetta with roasted fresh figs and young garlic shoots.

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

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Toma | Restaurants (American/International) | Brunch € 17.50
Calle Conde Duque 14 | Gran Via & Princesa | +34915474996
Tue – Fri 14:00 -16:30 & 21:00 – 02:00, Sat – Sun 13:00 – 17:00 & 21:00 – 02:30

This little organic product store is hidden in the city center. There are handmade soaps and lotions, imported clothes from afar and bag and shoes made from recycled materials.

Everything there is organically made, ethically constructed and good for your soul. The prices are fair enough (and even better when there are sales) – hemp and cotton pants will run 30-60€ and handbags are under €20.00.

I really love the natural soaps because there is a chocolate-scented one with shea butter that smells delicious. For everything in the shop, the Cameroonian owner has a story to tell about where it came from or how it is made, which is part of the fun of shopping there.

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Trê Chic Nature | Shopping | Soap gift box € 7.50
Abada, 4 | Gran Via & Princesa | +34608094096
Mon – Sat 10:30 – 14:30 & 17:30 – 21:30

Have you ever thought about drinking a real natural juice in Madrid? It´s really hard to find a place like this one, so that´s maybe why it´s one of my favourites spots for a juice or a shake in the middle of a long day shopping in the city.

Vitamina is located in one of Gran Vía´s side streets, so if you don´t know it, you´d probably miss it. I´d say it´s actually a good alternative to other type of fast food restaurants in the area. In fact, I think it´s the only place of this type in Madrid!

There´s a good mixture of healthy food and amazing freshly squeezed juices served in huge or regular sized glasses. When I go there I don´t go just for the food, but specially for the pleasure of choosing among the more than 40 types of juices.

You can ask for a classical juice, just with one fruit, or a combination of up to three different fruits. They even have exotic fruits or you can add milk to them!! Try the delicious mango juice and you´ll see what I mean…The tropical pineapple pizza is one of the best though! And there´re salads as well…

The amazing thing about this place is that, now that they have renovated it, there are heaps of flat screen televisions where you can watch football matches. And even outside, from the street!!

Buen provecho!!

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Vitamina | Snacks | Menu € 9.90
C/ Chinchilla, 9 | Gran Via & Princesa | +34915227162
Mon – Fri 09:00 – 23:30, Sat – Sun 12:00 – 01:00