There is always something happening in Madrid’s Salamanca district. It is one of those neighbourhoods that never quite stands still: a venue changing hands, a brand arriving in Madrid for the first time, a new restaurant everyone is talking about. But this autumn, the pace has picked up considerably, and in just a few weeks, its streets have welcomed a host of new openings, from restaurants to boutiques, that are well worth exploring at leisure.
Global cuisine has found a home in the neighbourhood, offering the chance to travel without ever leaving it: from Indonesia to an Argentinian-inspired grill, with Basque recipes infused with Mexican influences along the way. At the same time, traditional Madrid cuisine is enjoying a renewed spotlight, with classic taverns serving seafood at the counter and the return of one of the great historic names in the city’s culinary scene. Meanwhile, the world’s leading jewellery, watchmaking and fashion houses continue to choose these streets for their latest boutique openings.
New Restaurants in Salamanca
Bresa, the Aparicio Brothers’ Most Personal Project
Paco and Javier Aparicio, the creators of Salino, La Raquetista and Cachivache, opened Bresa on 12 October on Calle Villanueva. It is their most ambitious project yet: a fine-dining restaurant centred on Spanish cuisine with a maritime influence, built around a network of suppliers they worked with for months before opening. The menu features around twenty dishes and changes with the seasons. Early highlights include smoked red tuna parpatana, Motril prawns with ajoblanco, and Burela hake tail stuffed with cabbage. The restaurant offers table service only, with no bar or high tables, and an average spend of around €90 per person.
Bresa. Calle Villanueva, 21.
Lhardy Café, a Madrid Classic on Calle Velázquez
Lhardy, one of Madrid’s most distinguished culinary institutions, has opened its second location on the ground floor of the Wellington Hotel, in partnership with Pescaderías Coruñesas. Lhardy Café serves guests from breakfast through to dinner, across two floors and with a terrace. The menu combines the house’s great classics, such as consomé served from a samovar, Evaristo sole and soufflé, with lighter options suited to any time of day. Its wine list features around seventy champagne selections.
Lhardy Café. Calle Velázquez, 8.
El Alfiler del Callejón, Javier Muñoz-Calero’s Neighbourhood Tavern
After years at the helm of El Ovillo, chef Javier Muñoz-Calero opened this tribute to Madrid’s traditional taverns in September. A metal counter, continuous kitchen service and an unpretentious menu set the tone: daily seafood, house-cured fish and homemade escabeches, alongside the city’s great classics, from tripe and pig’s ear to Russian salad, croquettes and calamari sandwiches. As tradition dictates, the perfect aperitif is served in the form of sea snails accompanied by pins. The average spend ranges from €20 to €60 per person.
El Alfiler del Callejón. Calle Puigcerdá, 16.
Tigre, Wood-Fired Cooking Opposite Puerta de Alcalá
Mexican group Grupo Costeño, which has already won over Madrid diners with Hotaru and Ichikani, has arrived at number 1 Calle Serrano with Tigre, its most international brand. At the heart of the restaurant is an oak-wood grill that never goes out, used to prepare premium cuts of meat such as aged Simmental beef rib steak, bife de chorizo and picanha. An open kitchen with Italian influences and a cocktail bar serving both classic and Mexican creations complete the experience. The average spend is between €50 and €70 per person.
Tigre. Calle Serrano, 1.
5 Gallos, Basque Roots with a Mexican Twist
Five university friends with Basque and Mexican roots are behind this September opening on Calle Diego de León. Their concise, seasonal menu draws on the food they grew up with: a gilda with confit piquillo pepper, a taco made with 100% Iberian pork feather steak, a Baja-style battered fish taco and txuleta steak from mature beef. The house cocktails, with mezcal taking centre stage, are an essential part of the experience.
5 Gallos. Calle Diego de León, 24.
Muara, Indonesian Cuisine Arrives on Calle Maldonado
Ever since your trip to Bali, there has hardly been a day when you have not thought about going back. You know the feeling. It may not be quite the same as being there, but perhaps you do not need to travel so far. In the more residential part of the neighbourhood, Muara has brought some of the most authentic Indonesian cuisine to Madrid, led by chef Desak, who has recently arrived from the island. It is a place to rediscover those familiar flavours or experience them for the first time, without ever leaving Madrid.
Muara. Calle Maldonado, 64.
New Shops in Salamanca
Richard Mille, Fine Watchmaking and Hospitality on Calle Ortega y Gasset
The Swiss watchmaker opened its first standalone boutique in Spain on 28 September, right in the heart of Madrid’s Golden Mile. The space spans more than 400 square metres across two floors, connected by a circular glass lift. The upper floor is dedicated to retail, while the lower level serves as a welcoming space for clients, complete with lounges, a dining room, a bar and a private room. It is an approach to retail that feels closer to a private residence than a traditional shop.
Richard Mille. Calle José Ortega y Gasset, 10.
Van Cleef & Arpels, the Maison’s First Boutique in Madrid
Just a few metres away, the French high-jewellery maison opened its first Madrid boutique in April. Spanning more than 450 square metres across two floors, it brings together some of the street’s most carefully designed interiors: a plaster-and-mother-of-pearl staircase, a Poetic Salon lined with mirrors, and a glazed Winter Garden with a dedicated bar area.
Van Cleef & Arpels. Calle José Ortega y Gasset, 8.
Birkenstock, a Tribute to Madrid’s Traditional Corrala Buildings on Calle Claudio Coello
At the end of July, Birkenstock opened its second standalone store in Madrid, and its third in Spain, on Calle Claudio Coello. What makes the space particularly interesting is the way it draws inspiration from the city itself. The design pays homage to the corralas of the 17th century, with planters evoking their balconies, tables and shelving that reinterpret traditional espadrille workshops, and objects reminiscent of El Rastro flea market. Cork, jute, leather, aged limestone and walnut travertine come together to create a warm, distinctly Mediterranean interior. Alongside its regular collections, the store showcases the premium Birkenstock 1774 line, including its collaboration with Repetto, as well as the Care Essentials body-care range.
Birkenstock. Calle Claudio Coello, 44.
P.A.R.O.S.H., Italian Fashion on Calle Claudio Coello
The Italian womenswear label relocated its Madrid boutique to Calle Claudio Coello this October. The space covers around 70 square metres and features a minimalist, all-white interior designed to let the collections take centre stage, with their distinctive embroidery, sequins and intricate embellishments.
P.A.R.O.S.H. Calle Claudio Coello, 95.
Experiencing Salamanca at Street Level
What makes the neighbourhood so distinctive is not only the quality of its individual establishments, but also the variety packed into just a few streets. One stroll can take you from a leisurely breakfast in a historic café to a visit to the new boutiques on Calle Ortega y Gasset, followed by a vermouth at the counter of a traditional Madrid tavern and a dinner centred on exceptional ingredients at a chef-led restaurant. And all of it is just a few minutes’ walk from home.
This diversity also has an important real estate dimension. The fact that established groups such as the Aparicio brothers, Pescaderías Coruñesas and Grupo Costeño, alongside maisons such as Van Cleef & Arpels and Richard Mille, are choosing the neighbourhood for their latest projects confirms its appeal to a discerning audience of both residents and visitors. Street life, retail and the dining scene, together with the quality of its architecture, are among the factors underpinning housing demand in the area and are highly valued by those looking for their next home in Salamanca.