12 Best Restaurants in Malasaña, Madrid

A 19th-century bodega (wine vendor), with barrel tables and dusty gewgaws hanging from the walls, Bodega de la Ardosa is a welcome anachronism in modern Malasaña and a tourist magnet for good reason. The bar's claim to fame—and the dish Madrileños make special trips for—is its award-winning tortilla española, or Spanish omelet, always warm with a runny center. The fried ortiguillas (sea anemones) dunked in lemony aioli are the menu's sleeper hit.

Whether you pull up a stool at at the marble bar or sit down for a soup-to-nuts feast in the azulejo-lined dining room, you're in for some of Madrid's finest traditional tapas with a twist here. Madrileños come from far and wide to share heaped plates of ensaladilla rusa, a house specialty, as well as textbook-perfect croquetas and hefty steaks served with sherry gravy and house-cut fries. Vermouth (on tap) is the nonnegotiable aperitif, and there are always several Spanish wines to try by the glass.

From the owners of Hola Coffee, Madrid's preeminent third-wave coffee shop, comes this über-trendy roomier outpost two blocks from Gran Vía. Beyond the single-origin espressos and other classics made from roasted-in-house beans, there are warming chai lattes, shrubs, and (seasonal) cold brew. Misión quietly makes some of the best pastries in town—try the house-made croissants or zippy lemon–poppy seed cake—in the abutting Misión Bakehouse. There are plenty of plant-based options on the breakfast and lunch menu as well.  Tables are for coffee-sipping and dining only, so if you brought your laptop, sit at the high-top communal table or on the wooden "bleachers." 

Your reward for overlooking the soulless IKEA furnishings of this family-run dinette is honest home-cooked food served at exceptionally reasonable prices for the neighborhood. Try Cordoban-style flamenquines (ham-and-cheese-stuffed pork), salmon tartare, or (on Sunday) a crave-worthy paella Valenciana.

Reservations are a must for Sunday lunch; call ahead or visit the website to book a table and preorder your paella.

When this centenary café—one of the oldest in Madrid—shuttered in 2015, ostensibly for good, the public outcry was so great that it inspired a local restaurant group to buy the property and give it a much-needed revamp. In a dining room that combines original elements (huge mirrors, carved wooden columns) with new high-design fixtures, feast on a menu that's a dance between Café Comercial classics, including ham croquetas and tuna-topped ensaladilla rusa (potato salad), and novel creations by chef Pepe Roch.

The grandmotherly upholstery, fringed lampshades, plush wingback chairs, and wooden bookshelves make Café de la Luz a cozy spot to curl up with a book, catch up with friends, or get some work done. Coffees will run you about €2 apiece, and if you're peckish, there's a good variety of sweets and open-faced sandwiches to sate your appetite. Come evening (closing time is 2 am most nights), the lights get dimmed and coffees turn into cocktails.

Ooey-gooey oversize croquetas stuffed with hot béchamel and any range of fixings (start with the classic jamón) are the tapa to order at this snug neighborhood hangout.

Cheese geeks unite at this pocket queso bar with enough Manchego, Idiazabal, Mahón, and other delectable national varieties to make you an armchair expert on Spanish cheeses. There's another, newer, location in Barrio Salamanca at  Calle de Castelló 38.

The first thing you'll notice about this teeny seafood-centric tapas bar is its bright blue walls, a nod to the sea. Sure, you could cobble together a full meal from the menu of delectable cheeses, cured sausages, hams, and conservas (canned seafood; seek out La Pureza and Ana María brands), but La Colmada is better suited to casual, booze-fueled snacking. In love with a certain cheese or chorizo? The staff will happily sell you a goodie bag.

Diverging in spirit from the stuffier baroque-style cafés of the neighborhood, this cozy spot with mismatched vintage furniture attracts an artsy crowd. 

At this secret local hangout tucked behind Gran Vía and Mercado de los Mostenses, €12 gets you an appetizer, entrée, dessert, and drink—and a free cordial if the old-school waiters take a liking to you. The menu is a highlight reel of Spanish soul food including cocido madrileño (meat and garbanzo stew; served on Wednesdays when it's cold out), salmorejo (chilled tomato-garlic soup), sherried kidneys, Asturian fabada, and huevos rotos (lacy fried eggs and potatoes).

The originator of Madrid's third-wave coffee revolution, Toma—with two other locations in Chamberí (Toma Café Olavide and Proper Sound)—is a favorite among expats and local coffee geeks. After satisfying your cold brew, flat white, or pour-over cravings in the newly renovated digs, indulge in any of the delicious open-face tostas. Natural wine is also available.