It is well known that the Basque Country offers everything anyone can dream of: dream landscapes, unique gastronomy, and absolute respect for the product. Perhaps this is what unleashes the homesickness of Madrid’s people to enjoy the Basque Country’s culinary jewels. If you are also one of them, we invite you to take a gourmet trip through the best Basque restaurants in Madrid. And it is not surprising that Basque cuisine has excellent prominence among the gastronomic offer in Madrid; technique, flavor, and tradition come together to offer a unique gourmet experience.
Aitatxu: Claudio Coello, 122
A small step separates the bustle of Madrid from this haven of calm created for you to enjoy a unique gastronomic offer in Aitatxu. Every detail of the menu results from the relentless search for the best product and the hands of a young team of chefs led by Alvaro Gonzalez de Audicana, who make the kitchen a temple of respect for the aromas and flavors. All this, of course, without renouncing the latest culinary techniques. It is one of the best Basque restaurants in the center of Madrid. The name Aitatxu -which in Basque is the affectionate diminutive of father- alludes to his Biscayan roots with that connotation of affection that González also puts in his elaborations: authentic flavors, games of textures and use of technology at the absolute service of the raw material.
The excellent interior design between minimalist and vintage hides an almost private lounge and different reserved areas where you can enjoy the chef’s menu at the table. These, as it could not be otherwise given the place’s success, are subject to availability. From Aitatxu’s carefully selected menu, you can’t miss the steak tartare, the txipirones stuffed in its ink with thai sofrito, the sea bass with carrot marinade, sour apple and cheese cream, or the Iberian feather, thai mushroom ragout and bbq artisan sauce. As a finishing touch? A lemon pie to die for.
Arima: Ponzano, 51
Arima, which in Basque means ‘soul,’ is the flagship of Nagore Irazuegui from San Sebastian. Undoubtedly, one of the best Basque restaurants in Madrid in an ‘it’ enclave. Ponzano is the trendiest place in the capital where to worship the alternate. Thus, Irazuegui brought Chamberí the flavor of the Basque farmhouses and the pintxos of his land in an evolved version, from the Gilda Joxefa 2.0 – homage to his great-great-grandmother – to the tiger mussel that faithfully follows the recipe of A Fuego Negro of San Sebastián, passing through the black pudding of Basain that is already a classic of the house or the innumerable vegetables that arrive every two days directly from orchards of Guipúzcoa and Navarra.
Steel, clay, and brut wood. The decor is that of a modern northern tavern that hides six coveted tables in a small room behind a bar that is always noisy and crowded. From Arima’s discreet but outstanding menu, we suggest its pintxos, an assortment of vegetables, and turbot as a gourmet festival. And although it may seem like a short and simple menu, it has nothing to do. Open your mind, and let yourself be surprised by the technique and taste of the best Basque food in Madrid! In addition, as an end of the party, solid desserts show us the best tradition of the north of the hand of the great Rafael Gorrotxategi.
Goizeko Wellington: Villanueva, 34
Among the Basque restaurants in Madrid, there is one that stands out. Its name and surname? Goizeko Wellington. Goizeko Wellington opened its doors in Madrid in 2000, offering a refined cuisine of succulent and round recipes, already classics of the capital’s gastronomy. Its extensive menu maintains these classics, but it also provides Japanese-influenced and fusion dishes, which give options to other palates. The house’s spirit continues to emphasize Basque cuisine, with an above-average products and exquisite service.
The well-kept dining room is at the height of the project of its creators, Jesús Santos and María Medina, who, after years in Bilbao and other establishments in Madrid, opted for this place to offer their more than 40 years of experience. Its simple, clean, natural, and organic cuisine invites you to taste at the table. Among the dishes, you can not miss the Galician lobster and butterfish ceviche, the red tuna tataki in sauce, the txipironcitos encebollados, the txangurro baked like in Bilbao, the kokotxas al pil-pil or the steak tartare. In addition, of course, to its star dish, cod Ranero club style.
Asador Donostiarra: Infanta Mercedes, 79
The taste of traditional Basque cuisine has an authentic sanctuary in Madrid: Asador Donostiarra. Among the Basque steakhouses in Madrid, this one has a great background and prestige given its regular clientele: politicians, soccer teams, cultural personalities… Pedro Abrego Velasco is the eternal smile, tireless dedication, and love for making others happy with his legacy in Asador Donostiarra. It was in 1976 when this temple of Basque food in Madrid opened its doors to offer a typically Basque-Navarre cuisine. Something due, as he indicates, to his faith in the excellence of the products of his native land and the unmistakable style of this cuisine.
The secret of Pedro Abrego is a cuisine of suitable raw materials and traditional style with a Basque accent. Proof of this is its menu, adapted season by season to offer the best product to each diner. Enjoy seasonal artichokes, Iberian ham, spicy clams, grilled prawns, or prawns with two sauces as starters. For fish lovers, the kokotxas de merluza al pil-pil, the hake a la bilbaína or the grilled sole. If you enjoy meat, try the grilled entrecote of an old cow, the sirloin steak, or its tartar; you will want to come back!
El pimiento verde: Lagasca, 43
The best of the Cantabrian Sea in Madrid since 1998 is enjoyed at El Pimiento Verde. In this Basque food restaurant in Madrid, the product is the absolute protagonist. El Pimiento Verde does not look for its ingredients in remote countries, nor does it allow itself to be dragged along by fashions that contribute little or nothing to its gastronomic project. They will be betting on a more sustainable and honest business model in the ports, fields, and Spanish orchards. El Pimiento Verde’s proposal is based “on the cuisine we inherited from our elders since Basque homes began to receive fresh products from the sea and pieces of meat that most could only dream of before that first gastronomic revolution in the second half of the 19th century”.
The cuisine of the grandmothers, added to the spirit of their gastronomic societies, concentrates the identity and the direction of El Pimiento Verde in its Madrid adventure. A cuisine with an easy palate that everyone likes, with a fundamental base of vegetables, legumes, and fish rather than meat. A recognizable cuisine that summarizes the culture of a territory. There, at the bottom of the pots, in the embers of the vine shoots, and the hypnotic chup of the frying pans, you will find the true essence of El Pimiento Verde.
