Madrid’s Mexican Food Scene Booms, Offering More Than Just Tacos
From Michelin-recognized kitchens to authentic street-style birria, a new wave of restaurants is redefining Mexican cuisine in the Spanish capital.
Madrid is witnessing a surge in Mexican restaurants, prompting diners to seek out establishments that honor the country’s rich culinary heritage. For those navigating the expanding scene, the Copil seal has become a trusted benchmark, recognizing excellence in authentic Mexican gastronomy in Spain.
Inside the Casa de México, Puntarena offers an authentic reinterpretation of coastal cuisine with independent access and hours. Standout dishes include the tuna chicharrón with guacamole and tortillas, charcoal-grilled fish “a la talla” prepared with a multi-chile paste, and the “carabinero atropellado,” a carpaccio with cucumber, mint, and citrus.
At Barracuda MX, chef Roberto Ruiz brings the flavors of the Mexican Pacific to the forefront. The menu features a sublime guacamole served with pork rinds and a coastal salsa, and an Acapulco-style prawn ceviche with a vibrant roasted jalapeño sauce. Other highlights include the wagyu cecina huarache and a charcoal-grilled rib-eye taco with blistered Padrón peppers and a chile morita salsa. The grilled bone marrow with seared red tuna tostadas and a serrano chile emulsion is another signature dish.
Near the Puerta de Alcalá, Bakan focuses on ancestral cooking techniques and highly selected ingredients. The restaurant is known for its classic tacos made with homemade tortillas from ancestral criollo corn—its famous nixtamal—and oak-fired roasts in the style of Oaxacan markets. In December, Bakan received the “Distintivo T,” an award granted by the Consejo Regulador del Tequila (CRT) to establishments that promote and serve tequila according to official standards.
For agave enthusiasts, Corazón Agavero Mezcaloteca on Calle del Humilladero is a temple to Mexican spirits, boasting over one hundred varieties of tequilas, mezcals, and sotoles. The cocktail bar serves margaritas, micheladas, and Mexican snacks, and regularly organizes tastings.
Frida Kahlo Gastro Galería, located on Paseo del Pintor Rosales, merges Mexican gastronomy with art and history as the world’s first official gastro-gallery dedicated to the iconic artist’s life. The menu includes dishes such as nopal salad, ribs in three chiles, pasta with chipotle octopus, and black mole enchiladas (enmoladas).
With over 17 years of history, Tepic is the only Mexican restaurant in Madrid holding a Bib Gourmand distinction from the Michelin Guide. Popular shared plates include the shrimp aguachile, sopecitos al pastor, Yucatecan panuchos, and alambre with a choice of pastor or chicken.
El Bajío, a favorite of chef Ferran Adrià, offers traditional Mexican dishes that transport diners to the country. The menu features antojitos like octopus and prawn in red escabeche, mole croquettes, and a green aguachile with corvina. Other notable items are the marinated sirloin sope, prawn or carnitas tacos, and the classic Xóchitl soup.
A recent opening, Ome Taller Gastronómico, introduces Madrid’s first Mexican omakase. Chef Roberto Ortiz Blanco, with experience at elBulli, Arzak, and The French Laundry, delivers a contemporary experience focused on seasonal products and technique. The menu is not fixed; it is built daily based on available ingredients and direct interaction with the diner. Sample creations include a tostada of aged picaña with grilled bone marrow, confit pork belly tacos, and grilled squab with mole and plantain.
Ticuí, part of the Puntarena Group, is another destination for authentic Mexican flavors, earning recommendations from both the Michelin and Repsol guides. Its cuisine is rooted in tradition, with tortillas made by hand each morning and a focus on fresh fish and quality ingredients.
On Calle de San Andrés, Mami Tacos stands as the capital’s first birriería, a street food concept centered on a single recipe: birria. This rich, traditional stew from Jalisco is the specialty of mother-daughter duo Patricia and Gabriela. The beef birria taco is a must-try, as is the Birriamen, a fusion of birria and ramen noodles.
Finally, in the bustling Tirso de Molina market, Cuxta Antojitos-Drinks & Shop serves a variety of classic street foods, including nopales enchiladas, tamales, chilaquiles, sopecitos, burritos, and guacamole.
