As in many cities around the globe, Madrid’s city center has been transformed by tourism over the years. Several old taverns and traditional shops have been replaced by chains and souvenir stores, and the streets are usually packed with tourists—which is why locals often avoid the center. But there are independent businesses in and around Sol that are worth a visit, and now’s the best time to go.
So, I decided to go on a little adventure with my food partner in crime and search for hidden gems near Sol. Our first stop: Amicis Restaurant.
A terrace that transports you to a small town in a big city
What first lured us in was Amicis’ spacious terrace. Situated right across from Mercado de San Miguel and Plaza Mayor, Amicis has its own private square surrounded by centuries-old buildings and a pedestrian street. So it feels like you’re dining anywhere but smack in the city center. We like that.
Fresh products straight from the market
Local, fresh ingredients are the base of all their dishes, and there’s something on the menu for everyone. We started out with two recommendations from our server. First, the fresh guacamole that came in a mortar and pestle, so you get to smash the large chunks of avocado yourself and then slather them on your tortilla chips.
Second, the Peking duck tacos that we’ll be coming back for. You can’t go wrong with either of these.
As for the main dish, I have a rule now: “If they name a dish after the restaurant, I eat it.” For many years, I had problems deciding what to order, so I decided to always ask for anything that the restaurant considers deserving of its own name.
Today’s choice is the Classic Amicis Burger: a generous piece of meat, fresh tomato, arugula, melted cheese, caramelized onion and the secret (I forgot to ask what it was) house sauce. It made me very happy.
We also ordered the red tuna tataki that hit the spot.
After dinner, we had the chance to chat with one of the owners, Fabio, who’s originally from the UK and has Italian and Spanish heritage. During our meal we saw him greeting everyone in different languages, including all the street musicians by name. Fabio knows about good service; he started working in hospitality at the age of 12, cleaning his father’s Italian restaurant back in the UK.
Years later, Fabio and his partner Maria—who’s also from the UK and grew up in a family food business—stumbled upon a closed taberna that was in desperate need of a renovation. They remodelled it entirely, including the downstairs bodega which is now used as an intimate room for private dinners (apparently Fabio gives you an iPad with Spotify and lets you stay there for hours).
Fabio talks with passion about their restaurant, team and menu, and he hopes they can continue with their personal venture for many years to come.
Amicis restaurant:
- IG: @amicisrestaurant_madrid
- Web: https://amicisrestaurants.com/
- Address: Plaza del Conde de Miranda, 4
- Metro: Ópera
- Phone: +34 91 058 78 80
- Schedule:
- Bar 13:00/00:00 (Fri & Sat 13:00-01:00)
- Kitchen 13:00/16:00 · 20:00/00:00 (Sat & Sun 13:00/ 00:00)
