Opened by two British men, Alan and Rick, Tuk Tuk is a low-key restaurant with two locations near Bilbao and Chueca. All their dishes are based on Asian street food recipes, particularly from Bangkok, Hong Kong and Saigon. With an international wait staff (many of whom are native English speakers) and a range of flavor-packed dishes (plentiful and affordable to boot), it’s no wonder why Tuk Tuk has become so popular among the city’s expat community and Madrileños alike.

Tuk Tuk’s menu features noodles, rice bowls, soups, curries and barbecued meat platters. Chock full of different types of vegetables and spices, your tastebuds get a mix of tangy, spicy, coconuty and sweet ingredients in every bite. Tuk Tuk can please any palate. And it’s vegetarian friendly, too.

You’ll find my favorite dish in the photo below: Babi Panggang (barbecued pork with a caramel-like glaze and thick soy sauce). It came on the Pat Pong Party Platter (€30), a great starter for a big group. Just look at the four dishes it includes:

I also like the mango and cucumber salad as an appetizer to share. As for main dishes, so far I’ve tried a soup, rice bowl and Thai curry. Although I don’t remember their names, I’d happily eat all of them again. My advice: just go in, run your finger down the menu and choose whatever you land on. You can’t go wrong!

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Menu if you feel you need to prepare beforehand

Average price per person: €15-20

Tuk Tuk has two locations now, one near Bilbao and the other, Chueca:

<M> Bilbao: Calle del Cardenal Cisneros 6 |  Reservations: 914 45 91 80

<M> Chueca: Calle del Barquillo 26  |  Reservations: 915 23 25 56

More Asian restaurants featured on Naked Madrid:

• Ramen Kagura, Madrid’s (almost) perfect ramen bar
• Kintaro – Oy Vey
• Sumo – This Japanese restaurant’s name says it all
• Chuka Ramen Bar – Madrid’s hottest ramen restaurant
• Hattori Hanzo – Japanese food, straight up. No sushi.
• Nippon 2 – top quality yet affordable sushi, finally!
• Soy Kitchen – a fusion of Asian flavors
• Karachai – A cozy and elegant Thai restaurant in Alonso Martínez

It’s very easy when living in Madrid to slide into a certain pattern and become all about the booze. Wine’s cheaper than water (seriously, I’ve paid more for a Perrier than I have for a Pinot on more than one occasion). Cañas replace coffee and without realising, you’ve wound up on an unintentional liquid diet that’s bad for both your purse strings (as well as your head).

Having said that, there are times when you want to chow on down without breaking the bank and dress up for dinner – Lady Madonna has got this nailed. Tucked away on Calle Orellana 6 (a stone’s throw from Alonso Martinez metro) it is a little oasis amongst the local eating options that include Burger King *that said there’s a time and place for a Whopper but maybe not on a Friday night!

First discovered on a random Thursday whilst on a quest for a trendy terrazza, I experienced what can only be described as the best cake that I have ever had in Madrid. It involved Chocolate. It involved Guinness. Weird you say? Nope, more like a party in your boca and everyone should be invited. There literally aren’t enough superlatives to describe its deliciousness – instead I suggest you order it on arrival and wrap up your dins with another one come desert time (again, speaking from experience).

Not only is the food borderline orgasmic (not just my opinion, it’s been uttered by my dining companions if I seem too easily pleased) but the décor is literally like something torn from the pages of Wallpaper Magazine. In other words, not a piece of Ikea furniture in sight and somewhere that I’d quite happily move into after kicking out time. You’re greeted with gorgeous tiled floors, plates that almost got swiped and popped into my handbag and lighting that seemed to create an Instagram filter effect which is never a bad thing in my book. Lady Madonna is completely cornering that New York warehouse vibe.

I’m steadily working my way through the menu but the following things stood out as being calories well spent: the Gambones a la Brasa managed to tempt a confirmed carnivore into seafood submission, whereas the Ensalada de Burrata even had me eating my greens. If like me, dinner isn’t a delight without some decent red action fear not, a glass of Rioja is “una ganga” at 2 euros 50 a pop.

Gambones a la brasa – grilled shrimp

I was warned by the hip (but not scarily so staff) that if you want a table on a Saturday night you need to be booking up about a week in advance. My concern is that after a rave review that might up the ante to a fortnight. Either way, Lady Madonna is the kind of place that cocoons you with its culinary chicness but has you pining for your Oysho jammies by the time you pay the bill (or maybe that’s just me/an attack of my eyes being bigger than my belly!).

Try it, you might like it.

All images from Lady Madonna

Lady Madonna

• Facebook & Instagram: @ladymadonna_restaurante
• Address: Calle Orellana, 6
• Metro: Alonso Martínez
• Phone: 915 02 41 82

When I used to live right near the Museo Sorolla and took the Number 16 bus every morning to work, I had to be out the door in time for my first coffee run before the bus would take me over the Castellana to Chamartín. Like clockwork, I would be out of my apartment around 7:55 so that I could be one of the first in line at 8 AM sharp when the doors of the Pancomido Café would open. I would walk in, order my coffee with skim milk and sweetener in a to-go cup, and as I had the amount it cost memorized, have the change ready to give out at a moment’s notice so I could merrily sip my coffee as I fell asleep on the bus to the colegio.

Sometimes, on Saturday mornings, I would drink that coffee more slowly (and albeit in a much more madrileño manner than a New York one) while one of my friends would order a croissant with raspberry jam and butter, but I stuck with my coffee. But the robin egg blue (or better Tiffany blue) inside and out with the menu items offered on a blackboard allured me.

One of the biggest disappointments of having to move after the holidays was not being able to stop there on my daily commute. After my move, I decided to have a breakfast adventure to celebrate being able to actually order something other than coffee.

Besides coffee with skim milk (and having skim milk is a vital component of my coffee consumption), Pancomido has a whole variety of breads and pastries.

As you can tell…

The French-style pastries look absolutely exquisite (even though I can’t have any), and you can take my friend’s glowing recommendation for croissants as proof.

If you happen to be in the vicinity for lunch, there are also a number of salads and sandwiches as well as soups that look like an excellent little menú.

The Zurbano location has plenty of seating space in the back which I have taken full advantage of reading The New York Times on my iPad on one of those weekend mornings after a long, hard workout at the gym.

If you’re on the other side of the Castellana in Barrio de Salamanca, there’s another Pancomido very close to IE Business School and the US Embassy.

Your bread will most certainly be eaten up, as the name pan comido implies, and your little breakfasts wil have an extra spring in your step.

Plaza de Olavide is one of Madrid’s hidden gems. Situated in the heart of Chamberí between the Iglesia, Bilbao, and Quevedo Metro stops, it’s a perfect place to sit on spring days or balmy summer nights. This leads me to Mamá Campo, another one of those places I discovered thanks to an exquisite brunch photo on the Cup of couple Instagram account. Mamá Campo has an organic market as well as a restaurant and children’s store/center.

The Mamá Campo restaurant serves all ecological products, epitomizing the eco trend all over the city. One Friday in between doctor’s appointments, interviews, and private lessons, I took advantage of the first of many sunny Madrid spring days to FINALLY get a chance to eat lunch at Mamá Campo.

The décor inside the restaurant is very cool. There’s reusable wood and other products, making you feel one with nature. There are communal tables (where I sat as I was flying solo), very reminiscent of Le Pain Quotidien, as well as normal tables for groups of friends. The best part about sitting  at the communal table was being perched high above on the stool (especially choice for taking pictures with my iPhone).

As for for choice of dish, I ordered a grilled sea bass filet with sorted vegetables. I was also given an aperitivo of salmorejo with some delicious whole-wheat bread. I was extremely satisfied with my choice and can’t wait for my next visit.

But, like I said, the magic of Mamá Campo isn’t just that it’s a restaurant. The market, on the part of Calle Trafalgar more towards the Bilbao Metro stop just off of Olavide, has a great selection of products to enjoy at home.

As you walk in, the whole left wall is full of a whole range of produce. You can also buy a sample of organic breads that look absolutely amazing, as well as bio embutidos, sauces, rice milk, almond, coconut milk, and more.

The aesthetic is very similar to the restaurant, with minimalist painting on the walls, splashes of color, wooden cartons to store all of the produce (as you can see here), and classic woven baskets to store your wares. And it looks like that this could have been kale…

which for this New Yorker is definitely great news if kale can be found.

The next time you discover Olavide on a sunny day and are looking for some organic produce or a delicious, sustainable meal, then Mamá Campo is your go-to place in this little hidden rincón of Madrid.

Krachai is yet another seemingly upscale establishment that was first introduced to me by my Dad’s friend, Rafael. This fantastic Thai restaurant, situated near metro Alonso Martinez, offers a satisfying 13€ menu del dia. My friend Diana and I have eaten here on a handful of special occasions; somehow each time it slips my mind to reserve a table. This is strongly advised due to the location’s popularity, otherwise diners are condemned to wait in line. The wait was worth it today. This spot is cozy, dimly lit, and has two floors. The ambiance is calming and the servers are highly attentive and efficient.

Diana and I were well aware of what we would be ordering off of their menu del dia by the time we were seated. We both got the mixed appetizers which consists of the chicken and peanut sauce skewer, a spring roll, and a crispy shrimp dumpling. Diana followed this up with the spicy red curry with chicken strips, vegetables and jasmine rice. My main course was a yellow curry with prawns and vegetables. I am a huge fan of shrimp in all of their various forms.

I voiced that all of my life decisions were validated due to their preceding the moment where this indulgent feast was in front of me. By the time the rice expanded in our stomachs, our desserts arrived. I had a scoop of strawberry ice cream, and Diana a small flan, in order to end our experience on a sweet note. I strongly recommend this location and its menu del dia when you have a craving for Thai cuisine.

I think it was first on Instagram when I saw something from Cup of Couple. It was a fantastic breakfast setup with an exquisite-looking cup of coffee. Then Lovely Pepa posted another. Ever-curious, I clicked on top of the pin and found the address. What luck! It was only five minutes from my apartment. So one Sunday afternoon, I entered The Little Big Café for the first time. It’s now one of my favorite spots to write, read The New York Times, or to just clear my head. In fact, it was here where I wrote my Helena Rohner article.

Opened last year by Max and Cris (both with experience living and working abroad), the area of Chamberí between Moncloa and Argüelles now has a perfect oasis.

Now, you’ve already heard about Little Big as a place for the best brunch on a budget in Madrid, and let me tell you, it is absolutely heavenly (my go-to is the tosta de huevos a la plancha al estilo árabe on whole-wheat bread). But this cozy café great for more than brunch. Open from 9 am to 8 pm during the week, you can go to Little Big at almost any hour.

And with that there are several menú options (and let’s face it, a menú del día is one of Spain’s greatest little pleasures). In the morning until 1 pm, you can enjoy the breakfast menu (menú de desayuno). This includes one breakfast plate (I love the bocatín de jamón on whole-wheat…) and a coffee or tea. To round out my special breakfast, I always get one of the make-your-own smoothies. While you can put in yogurt or milk, I prefer to get mine with water so it’s more like a juice.

There are two lunch-time menus, the TLBC (which has a sandwich, salad, and drink for €11), or the menú del día (with two courses, a side dish, drink, and dessert for €10.50). And then on the weekends, the brunch menu is also an amazing meal (you’re way full afterwards).

If you’re just craving something sweet for your afternoon snack, then the baked goods at the counter and window are calling your name. The banana bizcocho is gluten and sugar-free, but everything else,  in spite of the fact that I can’t eat them, looks fabulous. One of my roommates had the cake made with beer and loved it.

Then, of course, let’s not forget what first my caught my eye in the first place on Instagram: the coffee. With a plethora of variations…

you’ll see why their slogan is: “a little café with a big heart.” With to-go cups and a VIP program where you can put your Polaroid on the wall, this is also a place that coffee lovers can love. With the VIP program, you can make The Little Big Café part of your heart the way the owners have seemed to have conceptualize it.

As evidenced by my presence on the wall, the little café with a big heart has become an extension of my home and my little big pick-me-up.

Info: 

You may also like: 

Coziest Cafés in Chamberí

Best Brunch on a Budget in Madrid

Best Cafe-Bookshops in Madrid, Round 1

Best Cafe-Bookshops in Madrid, Round 2

Toma Café — Fuel up, Feel hip

The district of Chamberi is the heart of Madrid’s university life. During the week, the neighborhoods of Moncloa, Islas Filipinas, and Guzman El Bueno are bustling with students. It only makes sense that some of Madrid’s best cafes are located in this area. After all, university students need their caffeine! The following is a short list of my personal favorites. These four cafes are all perfect for that much needed study break!

1. La Rollerie

I discovered this adorable cafe about a year ago and fell absolutely in love with it. And I’m not the only one! Any day of the week you can find La Rollerie filled with people, especially during lunchtime. What I love most about this cafe, besides its friendly staff, is its extensive menu. La Rollerie is the perfect place for a coffee break (a delicious cappuccino) or a full meal (try their beef burger or their salad with goat cheese).

2. Chocolate y Nata

What’s really nice about this cafe is how small and quiet it is. Never very noisy, Chocolate y Nata provides a cozy and authentic atmosphere. Enjoy their mixed croissant or any of their succulant cakes! As its name would suggest, this cafe offers some of the best chocolate pastries in the area.

3. Salon des Fleurs

Out of the four cafes on this list, Salon des Fleurs has been open the shortest amount of time. Still, it has created the biggest buzz! Customers are eager to enter into the unique experience that results from the fusion of a cafe and a flower shop. The flowery decor paired with a delicious selection of teas, coffee, and pastries sets Salon des Fleurs apart. You can also check out a previous article on Salon des Fleurs here.

4. Miga

Miga is a popular choice for students of Saint Louis University Madrid and CEU because of its convenient location, delicious coffee, and young (good-looking) staff. Often you will find Miga packed with customers but in the afternoon the cafe proves a perfect environment for unwinding and conversation. Miga provides a warm and friendly atmosphere definitely worth checking out. Try their delicious chocolate muffins!

Photos provided by Charlotte Geier, instagram: @charlotte_geier

You may also like:

La Paca, the perfect Malasaña café

Pepe Botella, a coffee place where you can think

Toma Café, Fuel up, Feel hip

El Cafelito, a trendy spot for cafe lovers in Lavapiés

Madrid’s best cafe-bookshops, round 1

Madrid’s best cafe-bookshops, round 2

Every day is Spring inside Salón des Fleurs. Step inside this quaint store that doubles as a florist and tea room, with a side of vintage products, and breathe in the fresh smell of flowers that are carefully displayed throughout the space.

Twinkling lights adorn the large paneled windows, adding to the charm of this café, if you could even call it simply that. Bright pink, red, and orange flowers are displayed outside next to small tables for those wanting to soak up the sun in good weather.

Sink into one of the comfy armchairs as you consider the all-encompassing tea list. There is nothing standard about the menu at Salón des Fleurs, descriptors such as “black tea,” and “green tea” are merely side notes offered to try to explain the flavoring of such teas as Apple Pie, Cookie, and Champagne and Strawberries.  Coffee is offered too, but with such exotic tea flavors, why bother?

Served in beautiful painted mugs, the tea puts your morning Earl Grey to shame. If you’re looking for a side treat to indulge in, Salón des Fleurs offers cakes and desserts also, including a two-layered fluffy carrot cake topped with rich cream cheese frosting.

Once you have savored your tea as long as possible, explore the rest of the store a bit. There is more than meets the eye, and you might find yourself discovering little quirks throughout the store, such as the multiple clocks in unusual places, all displaying a different time.

A spiral staircase leads to an upstairs vintage section, while the downstairs is more dedicated to the flowers, with a florist freshly cutting stems.

Like their alluring tea selection, Salón des Fleurs offers a variety of flowers, in bright colors, in pots, long stemmed; come here for any occasion and you won’t regret it. Don’t need flowers? Browse the vintage section or warm up with a mug of tea, any excuse to visit this charming spot will do.

Salón des Fleurs

It’s noon on a Sunday, you have just peeled off the covers and opened the blinds, and it’s decision time: breakfast or lunch? Who says you have to choose? Brunch, combining the best of both meals, is a concept quickly growing in Madrid, and with multiple affordable options, you don’t have to break the bank to enjoy a delicious meal!

1. Ojalá (featured in the cover photo and rightly so)

Located on one of Malasaña’s narrow streets, you might walk right past Ojalá without realizing the hidden treasure that lies inside. At first glance, this café appears to be another one of Malasaña’s trendy locales, with groovy colored light bulbs dispersed around the café, and bleacher-like seating across from the kitchen, with a clear window allowing a look inside as mouth-watering food is being prepared. Head downstairs for more seating, and you will find yourself being transported quite literally to a sandbar, with sand serving in place of carpet or wood flooring. Get comfy on the lounge chairs and tables low to the ground, feeling warmed immediately by the heat lamps for added effect. A tikki bar completes the look at one end of the “beach.”

The extensive brunch menu offers a little something for everyone, and is all-encompassing, including a coffee or tea (taking care of caffeination needs), and the choice of juice, soda, beer or wine. No detail is overlooked, with fresh juice accompanied by a paper crafted straw served in a tasteful glass bottle.

As for the food, options include something for those looking for something on the sweeter side, with offerings of pastries and fresh fruits, or savory platters, including “World Mix”: organic cornbread with hummus, guacamole, poached egg, and a side of fruit salad and arugula lightly dressed, artfully served on a wooden plank.

It’s hard to leave the oasis that is Ojalá, but it provides the ultimate refuge for a weekend afternoon no matter the season, with outdoor seating when the weather permits.

2. Little Big Café

With less than 10 tables inside, the Little Big Café is a cozy spot situated in Chamberí, with chalkboards inside advertising the expansive menu offerings. You are drawn in immediately by the cakes, pies, brownies, and other assorted bakery items displayed on the counter before you have even glanced at the brunch menu. (Don’t worry, the sweets are on that menu too).

This café, with the tagline “A little café with a big heart,” is just that, with friendly staff willing to spend time explaining the menu to you. Wooden benches and tables add to the neighborhood feel of the café, along with the bulletin board with Polaroid’s of the “Club VIP” of Little Big.

The brunch menu allows diners the “Menu Cerrado,” a hearty offering that includes both a savory and sweet dish, choice of beverage, a dessert (head to the counter to survey which pastries suit your fancy), and a coffee or tea. Alternatively, diners can pick and choose from sandwiches, French toast or pancakes with your choice of toppings, or the brunch classic Eggs Benedict. The Eggs Benedict don’t disappoint, with an accompanying delicate side salad, and the pancake topping selection is overwhelming, served alongside the thin “tortitas” that won’t last long on your plate.

But the real star of the show is the previously mentioned dessert. Options vary, but the carrot cake is perfection, while the chocolate frosted chocolate cake will delight chocoholics. The best thing about the vast selection of desserts: you’ll have an excuse to return and try them all.

3. Martínez Bar

For those who have given up on finding any resemblance of a bagel in Madrid, wander over to Martinez on Sundays for a gourmet Bagel Brunch at a reasonable price. Soft jazz greets you as you enter Martinez, followed by mouth-watering smells you’ll find yourself hoping are coming to your table. The aesthetically simple design of Martinez has an antiquated feel reminiscent of times past, and the small tables lining the restaurant make it an ideal destination for smaller groups.

Start off with a fresh orange or grapefruit juice, and then dive into the bagel selection. Bagels are served with a variety of accompaniments, including the salmon and cream cheese, hummus, or goat cheese and marmalade. The warm, freshly toasted bagel is presented on round wooden boards, with the option of a supplemental Bloody Mary or Mimosa to complement your meal. The bagel toppings are not overpowering, and allow diners to enjoy the simplicity of the bagel below at the same time.

The brunch concludes with a coffee of tea, and one of Martinez’s fresh desserts. The cheesecake, topped with a berry jam and a perfectly thick graham cracker crust is a guilty pleasure to be enjoyed slowly. Other dessert options include a brownie, carrot cake, or apple tart.

The simplicity of Martinez’s Bagel Brunch is what makes it so enjoyable-minimal ingredients allow diners to enjoy fresh flavors without any unnecessary additions. 

4. Carmencita Bar

Located on an unassuming street in Malasaña, Carmencita is anything but ordinary. Reservations are a must here, and you might even find yourself out of luck if you dare call past Thursday for the coming weekend. A popular expatriate hangout, you will hear a fair amount of English spoken here, and the restaurant offers a language exchange on Tuesday evenings starting at 9pm.

You can’t mention Carmencita without talking about the 1€ mimosa. Little hair of the dog never hurt anyone! You can treat yourself to one (or two, who’s counting?) without putting a dent in your wallet.

The brunch plates include Huevos Rancheros, Eggs Benedict, French Toast, and the “American Plate” complete with fried egg, sausage, bacon and hash browns. The fixed price brunch menu is generous: Eggs Benedict with your choice of salmon, avocado, or bacon, your preferred side (hash browns, potatoes, or salad), dessert of the day, coffee and mimosa.

The hollandaise sauce can be a bit excessive, but by the time you get to the hash browns you will have forgotten; these crispy potatoes are beyond compare, and a rare find in Madrid at that.

If you find yourself still having room left for a bit of dessert, you can’t go wrong with the dessert of the day. The fluffy cakes are featured on the counter of this small restaurant, so you will be tempted throughout your meal. Finishing the last sips of your mimosa you might find yourself already planning your next trip to Carmencita.

La Gringa (Carmencita Bar’s sister restaurant a few doors down)

Carmencita Bar has a sister location right down the street called La Gringa that serves the same delicious brunch. When it’s not holding brunch, it’s a fun Mexican restaurant that organizes language exchanges and offers great deals on Mexican beers, cocktails, tacos, burritos and micheladas. Here’s a sneak peak of their brunch menu, filled with a variety of burgers, egg dishes and of course, mimosas and bloody marys.

5. The Toast Café

From the hanging light bulbs encased in mason jars to the freshly squeezed orange juice served in champagne flutes, The Toast is an Instagrammer’s paradise, and will satisfy your grumbling stomach too. Just one street over from the Little Big Café, The Toast is nearly always full of content diners lingering over the tasty two course brunch (coffee or tea and juice included) offered on weekends.

Start off with a generous Bloody Mary as you consult the comprehensive brunch menu. The first plate options include pancakes, tostada, salad with light vinaigrette, or a croissant.

The fluffy pancakes don’t disappoint, while the mixed greens salad is artfully topped with fresh vegetables.

The first course is just a warm-up for the second plate options: the obligatory Eggs Benedict, Huevos Rancheros, Breakfast Burrito, omelet, or salmon bagel.

The breakfast burrito is complemented with guacamole, pico de gallo, while the filling inside surprises with potatoes.

The Toast is a popular weekend destination, so make sure to reserve a table ahead of time, so that the toughest decision will be whether to top your Eggs Benedict with salmon, avocado, or bacon!

By Meredith Parmalee

Madrid’s pop-up culture can overwhelm a normal bar goer like myself. Every weekend there’s a pop-up market, a pop-up restaurant or a pop-up this or that. If you can’t go to all of them, go to this one — The Hovse has eighty designers and food stalls taking over a beautiful three-story mansion on Calle General Arrando, 40, from 12pm-9pm every day until December 24th. Do not miss it.

There’s something whimsical about this old house that makes it the perfect place to create a Christmas time pop-up market. I found it wonderfully entertaining to walk up each flight of stairs to discover what was in store, all the while wondering what the house might have looked like when it was once occupied by tenants. Now, on the first and second floor you’ll find stands selling clothing, jewellery, furniture, Christmas decorations and other nicknacks. But my favorite part is by far the third floor (where you’ll find the drinks) and of course, the rooftop!

The ones responsible for all this are called Better, a young Madrid-based agency that throws pop-up events to promote different brands and venues. They’re currently holding another event called The Table By at Hotel Urso, where 6 leading restaurants from across Spain are invited to Madrid for one month at a time. As you can see, Better’s approach to marketing and event planning is to take over unexpected spaces and give them a new light.

And that’s exactly what they’ve done with The Hovse.

After browsing, climb up to the third floor. Get yourself a glass of vermouth, wine or limonada, or a cup of coffee. Then grab a seat on the couch or pop up to the roof.

One of the main provides of drinks at The Hovse is La Vermutería. a pop-up bar that travels around the city like a nomad, taking over different venues and throwing vermouth-inspired events where DJs, good ambience and up and coming vermouth brands are all at play. At The Hovse, you can get a glass of ridiculously good vermouth for 2€ and choose from a selection of tapas. Other food stalls such as Ma Petite Creperie and El Huerto de Lucas are also serving up sweet and savoury treats.

Where do you sit back and relax? In the living room… of course.

Or on the rooftop terrace!

Info:

The Hovse by Better

Address: Calle General Arrando 40

Metro: Alonso Martínez, Rubén Darío, Iglesia

When: 12pm-9pm until December 24th

Check out our events calendar to find out about other pop-up markets in Madrid

You may also like our post on “Best Christmas Markets in Madrid 2014”