Autumn laid out on the table

Garden and forest ingredients give Madrid’s typical dishes their flavours and aromas at this time of year. November is here and chefs are on hand to offer the finest seasonal cuisine. You’ll find mushrooms and a whole lot more!

Published in esMADRIDmagazine in November 2023

Come on! The hot ones are coming out now! There was a time in Madrid when street vendors selling chestnuts were a quintessential November sight. It was a trade reserved exclusively for women, who wore black kerchiefs on their heads and gloves on their hands as they roasted chestnuts to warm up passers-by. They multiplied in the 18th century and remained a common feature of the city’s streets for many years. The smell from the stoves in their stalls brings back fond memories for many Madrileños, who only feel autumn has truly begun when the modern stands that have followed in their wake start to roast and sell these seasonal treats. Other foods available right now include artichokes, squash, sweet potato, game and—of course— mushrooms. However, you can enjoy the latter all year round in a restarurant in the Chueca neighbourhood that has become a Madrid institution: El Cisne Azul (No. 27 Calle de Gravina), which has been delighting mushroom lovers for over forty years. Our journey starts here and includes many other restaurants which have put together some delicious offerings for us to enjoy this autumn.

QÚ BY MARIO SANDOVAL

Sevilla, 2. SEVILLA / SOL. Tel. 91 418 97 70

“The old roots are the new roots. The best thing about a root is the promise it contains. QÚ is the constant renewal of that promise through cuisine that’s rooted in the land, with its eyes set firmly on the future”. This philosophy underpins the latest restaurant opened by Madrid chef Mario Sandoval, which is in the heart of the city in the JW Marriott Hotel in Plaza de Canalejas; a growing foodie hotspot. This establishment serves gourmet contemporary Spanish cuisine with a very cosmopolitan flair, which at this time of year translates into appetising dishes like creamy seasonal vegetable and mushroom rice or grilled artichokes with cured Ibérico ham and sherry sauce. First-rate and, in particular, local ingredients take centre stage on a very well put-together menu. A fantastic brunch is served on Sundays and public holidays

ABYA

José Ortega y Gasset, 32. NÚÑEZ DE BALBOA / LISTA. Tel. 91 005 43 04

“Abya”, a word first used by distant tribes which means “land of vital blood” or “land in full maturity”, is the oldest known term used to refer to territory on the American continent. This is a declaration of intent one should be aware of before stepping into this restaurant, located in Saldaña Palace, which is an eclectic, experiential space. Here, Aurelio Morales uses culinary symbiosis to create original cuisine, a new trend that aims to connect Latin America to the best that the world has to offer by means of gastronomic and cultural syncretism. On one of this season’s tasting menus, Starred Classics, the chef brings back some of his most iconic dishes. Two of these epitomise the autumn: Calçot-Ninyoyaki-Otoño, a small Japanese cake stuffed with green onions and seasonal mushrooms, and lacquered Wagyu beef shank over fire-roasted aubergine.

GAYTÁN

Príncipe de Vergara, 205. CRUZ DEL RAYO. Tel. 91 348 50 30

A real surprise. That’s what you get at Gaytán, where Javier Aranda provides an original culinary experience with dishes cooked before diners’ eyes. At this time of year, he invites us to try venison marinated at dawn with creamy tree tomato sauce, cinnamon-infused Lombardy cabbage extract, berries and beetroot. For dessert, there’s textured chocolate with squash praline and crispy spiced bread.

OVILLO

Pantoja, 8. ALFONSO XIII. Tel. 91 737 33 90 / 627 82 38 66

Cannelloni stuffed with boletus and hedgehog and chantarelle mushrooms, milk cap fungi stew, and venison with berries and sweet potato are three very autumnal dishes created by Javier Muñoz-Calero, whose traditional cuisine has an international feel to it. His menu revolves around intensely flavoured creations and recognisable food that varies based on what’s in season.

SADDLE

Amador de los Ríos, 6. COLÓN. Tel. 91 216 39 36

A deep appreciation for ingredients and a skilful blend of classic and modern techniques sets the cuisine at Saddle apart. Tradition and elegance are the pillars of the dishes created by chef Adolfo Santos, who invites us to try seasonal mushrooms, Mont Royal pigeon and pigeon tortelloni at this time of year.

EL PATIO DE ATOCHA

Atocha, 34. ANTÓN MARTÍN. Tel. 91 088 77 87

His goal of serving as a point of encounter between flavours and cultures is what guides Eduardo Gutiérrez in this restaurant. Located at the hotel CoolRooms Palacio de Atocha, this season we’ll be able to enjoy ravioli stuffed with boletus, and prawns with royale de foie gras and forest sauce, which is a chicken broth reduction infused with rosemary and thyme and enriched with shiitake mushrooms.

TRIPEA

Vallehermoso, 36. QUEVEDO. Tel. 91 828 69 47

There’s no doubt in Roberto Martínez’s mind, what he wants is for people to enjoy their dining experi - ence at his stall in Vallehermoso Market. Here, the aromas of Peru blend with those of Southeast Asia in a veritable jungle of intense flavours. One example of this is his fried artichoke confit with peanut condiment, huacatay leaf Béarnaise sauce, cured meat, pickled red onion, sansho pepper and lime.

EL BROTE

Ruda, 14. TIRSO DE MOLINA. Tel. 652 17 33 19

The founders of El Brote—Pablo Roncal (head chef), Eduardo Antón and Álvaro De La Torre—are expert mushroom foragers, and fungi take centre stage on their menu. The main aim of this inviting restaurant, which is open from autumn to spring and features a set menu, is to maximise synergies between the finest seasonal foods and passionate cuisine.

TREZE

General Pardiñas, 34. GOYA / LISTA. Tel. 91 541 07 17

This restaurant, whose owners define themselves as market and seasonal cuisine lovers, just cele - brated its thirteenth anniversary. “Everything tastes better when it’s harvested at the right time, doesn’t it? During the hunting season, we work—and they say we’re not half bad at it—with game”. This is the philosophy behind their star dish for this autumn: roasted fallow deer with mushrooms and quince.