I have to admit that when I was first invited to try a new Persian food restaurant in Madrid, I had my doubts. Until then my knowledge of Persian food was very limited. But if there is something that I love it is trying new things. So of course, I accepted.

Banibanoo describes itself as a restaurant offering Persian market cuisine. It is owned by a young woman named Banafsheh who, after working six years in marketing, decided to pursue her dream of becoming a chef and restaurant owner. One day she left her job and went to London to study in Le Cordon Bleu School. Upon returning to Madrid, she discovered that Iranian food was little known in the Spanish capital. So she decided to open her very own restaurant where people could enjoy these wonderful dishes.

The name of the restaurant is also very personal: Bani is short for her full name Banafsheh and Banoo means Miss. So Banibanoo means Miss Bani.

Banibanoo’s owner Banafsheh

The restaurant is small and cozy, perfect for a fantastic meal with friends or with your partner. Apart from the food, what I love the most about Banibanoo is how bright it is and that the food is on display at the bar. That way, you can see all the food they serve before you order. It also has an intimate and familiar feeling, as if you were entering a market and wanted to eat something from a particular stand.

Banibanoo.

Fresh ingredients and beautiful homemade dishes are all the decorations you need

Banibanoo

According to Banafsheh, Iranian shares a lot in common with Mediterrean cuisine; the ingredients are all very similar. But for me, each dish at Banibanoo tastes unique and exotic, for the mixture of flavors and variety of ingredients on each plate.

Food on display

Food on display

The food

Banibanoo offers a simple menu, consisting of traditional and original dishes, all made with fresh ingredients and a lot of love. If you’re the kind of person who struggles when it comes to ordering, no problem. At Banibanoo you have the option of choosing a menu with three different dishes on one plate. Banafsheh likes to change up the menu every two weeks, offering different recipes along with the old ones. Banibanoo also offers wonderful breakfasts. On Saturday and Sunday, for example, she offers a very special breakfast that will be the highlight of your weekend: a “burnt” brioche bun with cream cheese and jam.

When I went for lunch with two friends, Banafsheh suggested we try out different dishes so we could all share. I have to say that was a fantastic idea. The first three dishes we tried were:  broccoli with roasted cherry tomato in a yogurt sauce and tahini; beetroot hummus with feta cheese and hazelnuts; and gourmet purple potatoes with yogurt sauce, cherry tomatoes and cardamum.

Menu 1

For the second place, we ordered: sweet potato with red onions, yogurt sauce, almonds and pomegranate seeds; couscous with cheese, mint sauce, cilantro and parsley; and Kuku Kadoo: zucchini ‘frittata’ with mint and cheese.

Menu 2

Our last plate included: roasted beets with cherry tomatoes, feta cheese and a pomegranate and Sumac sauce; Shirin Polo, Persian rice, saffron, orange zest, carrot and pistachio (this was one my favorite, amazing!); and Kuku Sabzi: similar to a ‘frittata’ with herbs, walnuts and cockles.

Menu 3

For dessert we had an incredible carrot cake (really, please try it!) and a brownie-like chocolate cake. Also delicious.

Carrot cake

Guinness Chocolate cake

All this feast of food could only be accompanied by a typical Iranian drink, infused with cucumber, flowers and other refreshing ingredients. How can you describe something that tastes so good?  They now have two different drinks based on this one: One is call Tejebin: The same drink but with tea and Cafejebin: The same but with coffee.

Banibanoo drink

What can I say? If you want to enjoy healthy and traditional food with an exotic taste, this is your place! Fantastic Recommendation – thank you Jose and María for taking me to this wonderful place.

INFO

Address: Calle Martires Concepcionistas 19, Madrid

Price: €12.95, 3-dish menu plus coffee and drink during the week; €13.95 During the weekend, without drinks; Breakfast goes from €2.50 with coffee or tea to €5.50.

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On Calle Apodaca, just around the corner from the Mercado Barceló, is a little restaurant called Bar Pajarita. And I’m so excited to be able to do the honor of writing about it for Naked Madrid. Why, do you ask? It’s been on the go-to list for quite a while, and also on mine. One of my friends, who constantly raves about it, kept saying that I needed to go. This furthered my intrigue, but as time went by, the timing wasn’t right for me to get my first Pajarita experience. And then, one hot, summer night (one of many in this never-ending Madrid heat wave), I FINALLY got to see what Pajarita is all about. I was in luck as she was my partner-in-crime for the evening, helping decide which dishes to try.

We split four items, which was a perfect amount for dinner. The chef plays with a lot of different flavor profiles; this you can get a vibe for right away when you see the black napkin folded in the shape of a bow-tie (and in Spanish pajarita does in fact mean bow-tie) on top of your place-setting. This fusion of traditional ingredients and unique preparations is what makes it so playful, and so good. And that’s the point of the experience at Pajarita; they want you to have fun eating. You can eat with your standard fork and knife, or you can take the chopsticks at hold the napkin as a bow-tie when you walk in and eat that way too (or, as they say on their website if you dare).

We first started off with the quekas, which are quesadillas with mushrooms. The pico de gallo and the sunflower seed pesto were placed perfectly in the middle. While quesadillas often make for a challenge, these were perfect finger-food

Quekas

The next one, which was my hands-down favorite, were the huevos divorciados. Now don’t let the name (divorced eggs) fool you; the thing is that one one side that looks like potatoes is actually the egg white. As the name implies, the whites and the yolks are separated. And like a good Spaniard, you put the egg white as if it were a potato by dipping it in the yolk and mixing bites of seeds and lima beans.

Huevos divorciados- the “must-have” dish

We rounded out dinner with bacalao (cod) on top of a sweet potato purée and little squirts of mayonnaise…

Delicia de bacalao

…and one of my favorite meats, solomillo de buey on top of a pimientos de padrón mustard.

Coruñés 53

It definitely lived up to my friend’s hype, and I can’t wait to go back again and again. I also need to go back because we didn’t have dessert.  I’ll definitely work through as much of the menu as I can, but I will be (and still am) dreaming of the huevos divorciados going right into my mouth. On a quiet street in Malasaña, Bar Pajarita is a perfect place for dinner with great food and playful fun. It’s more fun if you have someone (or a few people) to have fun eating with.

Restaurante Pajarita

With temperatures reaching well over 100 ºF (38 ºC), there are only two places you should be in Madrid right now: either in a swimming pool (in the city or the mountains) or on a rooftop bar. If you’re stuck with the latter, not to worry—Madrid has plenty of rooftop bars for you to escape to. To help you find them, Naked Madrid came out with a 3-part series on Madrid’s best rooftop bars last summer, and we’ve been meaning to come out with part 4 ever since. And it’s finally here! All the rooftop bars in this article are located in the center of Madrid, yet each one offers something completely different. Hope you enjoy them all!

Oh and you should also know that part 5 is already on its way…. so stay tuned!

1) The Hat (Sol/Plaza Mayor)

You’ve never seen a hostel like this before; the word ‘hipster’ does not even begin to describe it. High ceilings, art-scrawled walls and an international crowd are what you’ll find here. The Hat’s rooftop bar is open all year round, serving up cocktails and delicious tostas (my favorite is with goat cheese and caramelized onions, and comes with a shot of salmorejo and potato chips), quiche, and some pretty damn good tortilla de patata. Here’s a full post on The Hat for more info.

2) Mercado del San Ildefonso (Malasaña)

We all know Madrid’s market culture is off the hook. We’ve got Mercado de San Miguel in Sol for the tourist crowd; Mercado de San Antón (whose rooftop bar we also love and mentioned in Round 1) in Chueca for the cooler and more urban crowd; and Mercado de San Fernando in Lavapiés for the more authentic and cultural crowd, just to name a few. And now we have Mercado de San Ildefonso, which takes the cake for its architecture and impressive use of space. Once an average neighborhood market, San Ildefonso now boasts three stories of gourmet food stalls and two outdoor patios sandwiched between its adjacent buildings. Here’s a full article on Mercado del San Ildefonso.

3. El Jardín Secreto (on Calle Montera, Gran Via)

Jardín Secreto feels like a tiny rooftop garden in somebody’s private home. You wouldn’t expect that it’s actually situated on top of an accessories store – Salvador Bachiller – and on Calle Montera, no less. Smack in the center of the city, in between metros Gran Vía and Sol, you can enter this normal-looking store, pop up to the top floor and take in the fresher air with a drink and a bite to eat. It might not have any views, but it sure has a unique ambience and surprise factor that’s worth experiencing. Here’s a full article on Jardín Secreto for more info.

4. Innside Madrid Suecia (near Alcalá/Plaza de Cibeles)

I haven’t actually been here yet but many of my friends have raved about it. Judging by its location, the new rooftop bar at Innside Madrid Suecia Hotel looks a bit more upscale than the others on this list – probably best for a night out of cocktails mixed with a killer view. It’s owned by the Meliá Hotel chain, which also owns the famous “The Roof” in Plaza Santa Ana, previously mentioned in Round 3), and situated on a street behind Calle Alcalá and El Círculo de Bellas Artes (with yet another stunning rooftop, “Tartan Roof”, mentioned in Round 1). For now, I’ve taken these photos off of the Hotel’s web, yet I plan on replacing them as soon as I get the chance to treat myself to such an experience.

5) Gourmet Experience at El Corte Inglés (Callao)

Madrid’s number one department store, El Corte Inglés, finally decided to give itself a much needed facelift and revamp the 9th floor of its location in Callao, turning it into ‘Gourmet Experience’; and it truly is an experience. With an outdoor rooftop and dozens of food stalls, one of which is StreetXO, an affordable version of Madrid’s famous young Michelin-starred chef, David Muñóz’s DiversoXO, you’ll also find stalls serving Mexican, Italian, Spanish and Japanese food, as well as cocktails, ice-cream and much more. Here’s  full article on Gourmet Experience at Callao.

We’re already working on Round 5 of Madrid’s top rooftop bars. Any suggestions?

In case you haven’t seen rounds 1-3, here you are: 

• Madrid’s Best Rooftop Bars, Round 1

• Madrid’s Best Rooftop Bars, Round 2

• Madrid’s Best Rooftop Bars, Round 3

It was love at first sight for me with La Bicicleta. La Bicileta Café fills a void in a city filled to the brim with bars serving coffee, but sparsely populated with the type of homey workplaces that I hold dear to my heart. There is something comforting about spending hours holed up in a cafe, calmed by the stop and go of an espresso machine. I like to search out spots where I can stake out territory and sit while minutes tick into hours, my fingers hammering at a keyboard or eyes scanning over pages of a book. La Bicileta is one such spot where this is possible and encouraged and might I say, all the rage. It fosters productivity and sociality and the consumption of caffeinated and alcoholic beverages: what could be better?

La Bicileta bustles at pretty much any given hour of the day. While the sun is still out, it functions more or less just as it bills itself: a cycling workplace and café. You will see people perched in the windowsills with their laptop and coffee within equal reach. Cyclists come and go with their bikes. They barge through the front door and head downstairs to where they store or repair their rides. All of this while waiters bustle about with salads and tostas, cañas and coffees. Once the sun goes down, it becomes progressively unlikely to find anyone doing work. The place metamorphosizes into a social hub with so much traffic that the entryway is hardly ever free of spillover customers.

 Coffee drinks come in all shapes and sizes. The standards are available, but innocent intentions of ordering a cortado may be redirected upon a glance at the spunkier options on the menu like the oreo frappuccino, for example. As can happen at the Bicicleta, one may feel torn between alcohol and caffeine. Options abound on both listings. The food landscape includes sandwiches, salads, tostas, a [pricey] brunch menu on the weekends, and a display case stocked with baked goods: cookies, cakes, and the like.

As Yogi Berra once said: “Nobody goes there anymore. It’s too crowded.” Well, not quite. There are still plenty of people at La Bicileta; but Yogi was right, it’s definitely crowded. Real estate is hard to come by despite the plethora of sofas, elongated work tables, and quaint table and chair setups available to patrons. While it attracts a determinedly international crowd who may not (probably are not) natives to Madrid, it feels like that good ol’ neighborhood joint on the corner.

Info

Just around the corner, you’ll find these amazing spots:

Mercado de San Ildefonso – Malasaña’s new food palace

Naif: King of Burgers

Greek & Shop in Malasaña

La Paca – the perfect Malasaña café

Aiò – Sardinia, pizza and bike haven in Malasaña

Not too long ago, Madrid’s breakfast scene was limited to traditional croissants, toast and churros. Now, however, it’s rivalling cities like New York and London. How did this happen so quickly? Don’t know. But boy are we loving it… One of the best places for brunch in Madrid is Federal Café, which may look like a stylish restaurant in Soho, but it’s actually located in Malasaña, near Conde Duque.

Last Sunday, I went for brunch with three lovely ladies – Cat, Aifric and Helen.

We all started with fresh smoothies. Mine had pomegranate and organic apple juice – health in a glass.

To eat, I ordered toast with avocado, poppyseed and lemon.

Aifric got the same, although with poached eggs (smart choice).

Helen had a veggie burger with freshly squeezed orange juice.

Then there’s Cat, who wins first prize by a landslide with her full-on plate of poached eggs, bacon, potatoes, sausage and toast. Damn. 

The first time I went to Federal was actually over a year ago with my friend, Nina (who’s sitting in the window looking at the little kid). We stumbled upon Federal while strolling around and were instantly lured in by the comfy window seats that allowed us to dangle our legs onto the sidewalk.

We started with a coffee.

That ended quickly. The menu featured such a wide variety of dishes that were chock full of local, organic and fresh ingredients – we just couldn’t help but order something to eat. I got a sandwich with feta cheese, spinach and olive tapenade. Nina had a burger. Simple but so good!

So if you’re looking for a hip place with healthy food in the center of Madrid, I think you’ve found it!

Info

You may also like:

Best Brunch on a Budget in Madrid

Little Big Café – my little big pick-me-up

Toma Café – Fuel Up, Feel Hip

Mamá Campo – a Restaurant/Market of Organic Delights in Plaza Olavide

My friend Natasha would often sing praises of Munchies, an American-style snack bar situated in Huertas that is open for business until 6am. Always ecstatic to have more options besides kebabs & pizzas during late-night outings in my new barrio, I sampled this location in order to share my findings with my beloved expat community. Munchies lives up to its namesake, hitting the spot during intoxicated bouts of hunger. It is a cozy and charming spot reminiscent of the American small town diners that I am ever so fond of.

This location provides swift and efficient service, and although I’ve only tasted their burgers, they also offer arepas, salads, hotdogs, homemade cakes and other sweets. Amber, the owner and culinary master of this establishment, gently applies condiments and toppings to the burgers with cariño. I admire her discipline, remaining awake and alert into the wee hours of the night in order to aid drunk people as they preemptively combat the next day’s hangover with greasy edibles. It is for that reason that I bestow upon this establishment the Dcat Seal of Approval.

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For someone who spends pretty much every waking (non-working hour) flitting back and forth between Chueca and Malasaña, I disappointingly don’t actually live in either barrio *luckily this is soon to be rectified and therefore watch out for a spike in Gin sales along Calle Espiritu Santo.

Therefore, it’s always beyond exciting when I discover, or in this case I’m introduced to, a little gem in my barrio which is way up North in the Castellaña neck of the woods. I’ve sampled brunch at my local, Pipa & Co on more than one occasion and it’s never failed to please but I’d never noticed what lurked below; Juanita Cruz. Discreetly hidden under a little arch is a bar/restaurant which can only be described as feeling half like a speakeasy and half like the kind of refurbed warehouse bar, that most of East London is made of. On entrance I basically wondered why I’d never been there before upon spying a place that is right up my street in terms of décor and drinks.

The night that I first went was perfect in terms of both company and the cosy vibe that was largely created by the amazing singer who was warming up her vocal chords quite happily in the corner. Turned out we’d stumbled across an open mic night, which completed the laid back and low key atmosphere perfectly. Cocooned on the kind of battered old sofa that I wouldn’t mind for my new flat, it was the perfect place to while away a few weeknight hours (although I’ve also been told that it gets pretty lively come the weekends when the Spaniards really let their hair down, obvs).

The food menu is definitely worth more than a glance with treats that won’t break the bank but they may have you booking in a spinning class the following day; provolone, carpaccio and the like were all delish.

It’s a clandestine feeling gaff with echoes of post-civil war Spain (according to the blurb on their website) but what I do know is that they sell G’Vine, they played good tunes and as far as a first date venue goes, it wasn’t too shabby for me.

Save pennies for a cab, take a trip up North. Oh and pack your dancing shoes, come Friday and Saturday it’s time to show off your moves.

Info 

Also check out:

Gin O’clock – Time for Madrid’s finest G&T’s

El Patio del Fisgón – Feel like You’re in Narnia

1862 Dry Bar – Perfection Served in a Glass

Best Date Ideas in Madrid – 3-part series

Among the constant crowds along Calle Montera, there is a hidden little paradise nestled atop the rooftop of an accessories shop: El Jardín Secreto de Salvador Bachiller. Access to this magical new rooftop bar is still a secret, so enjoy it before the word gets out.

At night, the shop is empty and the security guard invites you to take the elevator, which makes you feel just like you’re in  a James Bond movie. As you walk in, you no longer feel as though you were in the city centre but rather, in a lush and soothing garden. The place offers a romantic atmosphere with flowers everywhere and dim lighting.

The cocktail menu offers creative drinks, ranging from a Mango Margarita to a Berry Mojito, which sets them apart from more traditional bars in the area. Also, candies are served with your cocktails and a bowl of nuts with your wine.

Image from FB

As for the food, it’s healthy and served with multi-grain bread. Perfect for breakfast or a merienda (afternoon snack). And for dessert, I highly recommend the exquisite Coulant de Chocolate with passion fruit.

Image from FB

The prices are rather high but the experience is unique and worth it. A terrace tax of 20% will be added to orders.

Info

• Facebook
• Address: Calle Montera 37
• Phone: 915 31 02 60

Also check out:

• Discover the Hat’s Secret Rooftop Bar. You’re welcome.

• Madrid’s Best Rooftop Bars, Round 1

• Madrid’s Best Rooftop Bars, Round 2

• Madrid’s Best Rooftop Bars, Round 3

Madrid may be landlocked, but it has some pretty unbelievable rooftop bars, and you’ll find my favorite at The Hat. Why? Because it’s laid-back, central and totally unexpected.

Just a stone’s throw from Plaza Mayor, The Hat is a hotel — but the kind you’ve never seen before. The first hotel in the city to run on biomass energy and appeal to ‘smart travellers’, The Hat boasts ultra-modern interior design and also holds free walking tours and markets.

But the best part is the rooftop bar, where you can enjoy the quaint views of Madrid’s old buildings while basking in the sun and sipping on your favorite iced drink… How could you not want to spend the whole day up here?

James and I first discovered this secret terraza during winter, thanks to a small yet very clear sign out on the street.

With outdoor heating and a nice indoor space, The Hat’s rooftop bar quickly became our spot. It’s cozy on even the coldest winter night in Madrid. Along with a glass of red, I always ordered the tosta de queso de cabra con cebolla caramelizada (toasted bread with goats cheese and caramelized onions) and James got the pincho de tortilla. Both come with a side of potato chips and a shot of salmojero (a wonderful little addition to an already delicious treat). I’ve also got my eye on their quiche, although I haven’t tried them yet.

Yesterday, we finally made it up to The Hat’s rooftop bar for the first time this Spring. On one of those perfect sunny days in Madrid, we thought it would be impossible to find a table — but we did! And it was simply the nicest place to spend a day like that in the bustling city center. The only downside is that if you don’t get a seat in the shade, Madrid’s sun can be quite intense. So remember to get something to cool off — I recommend a mojito or tinto de verano.

The Hat will certainly be included in the upcoming round four of our series on Madrid’s best rooftop bars, though it deserved its own post too. 

Info

Also check out:

Madrid’s Best Rooftop Bars, Round 1

Madrid’s Best Rooftop Bars, Round 2

Madrid’s Best Rooftop Bars, Round 3

In my youth (to be said in granny-esque tones) I had many love affairs, with many different tipples. You name it; I’d tried it (and more than likely I would have had the hangover to show for it). Malibu and Pineapple, Archers and Lemonade, Amaretto and Coke followed by a brief dalliance with Vodka and Cranberry. They’d all been enjoyed (or endured) until I finally met my drink soulmate; the G&T.

Being a Brit, it’s fair to say that they’d had always been on my radar, but upon moving to Madrid my unabashed obsession with them reached fever pitch. Clearly encouraged by the sheer abundance of gin bars that positively litter the calles of pretty much every barrio. To this end I’m going to share my gin aficionado tips on where to grab the best G’Vine in the city.

La Prudencia

Situated on one of my favourite streets in Madrid, this small but perfectly formed bar is ideal for a romantic rendezvous due to its gorgeous low lighting and shabby chic decor, as well as being the perfect place for a few pre-club copas. It was here where I first sampled a Brockman’s gin (one of my current faves in case you’re curious) but should you fancy a gin that’s served exactly as it should be then put La Prudencia on your list. The bar is piled high with fruits, herbs and even rose petals which the expert bar staff use with flair. They explain why certain flavour combinations have been matched and don’t make you feel like a numpty for asking. Most gins start at around 10 euros which (given that they’re the size of your head) is in my opinion, money well spent.

The Gin Room

Now here’s a bar that is slightly out of my comfort zone (and by that I mean it’s not in Malasaña) but if you’re looking for reason to get out of your skinny jeans and into an LBD whilst sipping on a gin, this place is it. Extremely slick and stylish, The Gin Room has a gin list quite literally as long as my arm. Whilst the atmosphere there was slightly lacking on my last trip, the gins certainly packed a punch. By default I always tend to revert back to G’Vine (it’s French and fabulous).  Here it came served with grapes which complimented the delicate floral flavour of G’Vine perfectly. Before the night was through I’d managed to blitz about 70 euros on six gins (not all for me might I add) so this is definitely not the place to visit when there’s too much month left at the end of your money. Saying that, as a payday treat it’s a great place to enjoy a glamorous gin o’clock.

Shuzo’s

Shuzo, Shuzo, Shuzo, it almost pains me to share this hidden gem for fear that I’ll never be able to perch on a bar stool there again. First things first, it is tiny (we’re talking the size of a wardrobe) and secondly the array of gins that they stock is a gin lovers delight – I think I genuinely clapped and whooped on arrival, admittedly it doesn’t take much! This bar has the old classics such as Hendricks, Bombay and the like as well, as some very quirky brands such as Monkey 47, an unusual (yet potent) gin hailing from the Black Forest in Germany. The atmosphere here is laid back but rest assured you definitely feel as though you are ‘someone in the know’ upon entering into this wee Aladdin’s cave.

So folks, there’s three to get you started and remember — it’s always gin o’clock somewhere in the world…so bottoms up!

Looking for more on Madrid’s best cocktail bars? Check out:

1862 Dry Bar — perfection served in a glass!

Madrid’s best cocktail bars — Martinis, Cosmopolitans and more…