Gastronomy suggestions in Usera

The neighbourhood, which has the largest concentration of the Chinese community in Spain, has become one of the references for fans of Chinese food.  Calle Nicolás Sánchez is its culinary epicentre as it is home to many Chinese restaurants (along with the parallel and adjacent streets) boasting a long culinary tradition and extensive regional variety, with food from Canton to Sichuan, as well as Yunnan or Shanghai.

However, this neighbourhood to the south of Matadero Madrid also boasts restaurants for all types of palates.  Discover the intense cultural life in Usera and round off your day in one of its restaurants.

CHINESE FOOD

Royal Cantonés

Calle Olvido, 92. Metro: Almendrales (L3), Usera (L6)

This restaurant is considered by many to be the best Chinese restaurant in Madrid.  It has been preparing the finest dishes from Cantonese cuisine for more than ten years and many customers travel from different parts of the city to Usera in order to savour its dishes.

From Cantonese roast meat to Dim Sums, as well as fresh vegetables and seafood, its menu includes the most popular dishes, such as sautéed rice or Peking-style duck, along with a selection of other less well known dishes, such as beef tendons, gooses legs or lamb intestines. Don’t miss the spicy prawns, roast duck or meat in oyster sauce.

Hong Kong 70

Calle de Nicolás Sánchez, 11. Metro: Usera (L6)

This restaurant serving traditional Cantonese cuisine is located in the heart of Usera, where the authentic street atmosphere of 1970s Hong Kong can be perceived. Its menu consists of home-made dishes in which vegetables, dim sum and Cantonese roast meat prevail, without forgetting desserts.

The establishment’s peculiar décor focuses on old Chinese films, so film posters, box offices and neon lights can be found on its walls, inviting diners to take a photo to immortalise the visit.

Lao Tou

Calle Nicolás Sánchez, 35. Metro: Usera (L6)

This restaurant is located in a curious establishment which used to be a bullfighting tavern and has now been turned into a temple of cuisine from Wenzhou , a city in the province of Zheijang, which used to be home to most of the Chinese community resident in Spain.

The cuisine that characterises this region merges the spicy Sichuan cuisine with the more refined Cantonese gastronomy and is based on sea products.  100% traditional cuisine for people who are looking to sample new textures and flavours.

Picante de Sichuán

Calle de Dolores Barranco, 10. Metro: Usera (L6)

Fans of spicy food must visit this restaurant where they can discover true Chinese food specialising in the fiery cuisine of the Sichuan region.

It is a simple restaurant with green walls and a traditional menu featuring shaokao, twice-cooked pork, mapo tofu, kung pao chicken (chopped into small pieces, with chilli peppers and peanuts), hui guo pork (cooked twice) or yu xiang (in fish-flavoured strips).

Igo Pasta

Calle de Dolores Barranco, 88. Metro: Usera (L6)

Igo Pasta is a Chinese restaurant that stands out for its home-made ramen and its delicious menu of the day. Its menu features Chinese dishes, such as duck, veal dishes, noodles or fried rice. These dishes are also accompanied by Japanese cuisine options.

BAMMBAO Asian Street Food

Calle de Nicolás Sánchez, 54. Metro: Usera (L6)

This restaurant specialises in Asian fusion street food with its gastronomic proposal led by the young chef,  Wukun Xu.

It stands out for its Asian street food concept with a menu made up of dishes such as duck with Chinese citrus, purple dragon (Chinese aubergine with pickled mustard, Chinese bean sauce and crispy onion with lemon), pork and chicken gyozas or  lingote de otro chino (braised bacon with mayonnaise and Chinese cumin).

Hong Du

Calle de Nicolás Sánchez, 16. Metro: Usera (L6)

Authentic Chinese take-away restaurant with a few tables at the entrance to the establishment.  At the rear of the restaurant, there is a counter above which all of the specialities have been photographed and their names are written in Chinese phonemes.

Its specialities include steamed bread baozis stuffed with stewed pork, you tiao, Chinese churros, and chaomian, hand-cut noodles stir-fried with bean sprouts, bacon and egg.

Helaotai

Calle de Dolores Barranco, 13. Metro: Usera (L6)

Do you like ramen? This restaurant, characterised by the red lanterns hanging from its door, specialises in one of the most popular Asian dishes, ramen, especially lamb ramen.

This popular Japanese noodle dish passed down from Chinese cuisine can be accompanied by other dishes, such as home-made gyozas which are prepared daily or its rich rice cakes that have just the right amount of stickiness and a touch of toasted sesame.

Guo Rong

Calle de Dolores Barranco, 52. Metro: Usera (L6)

This restaurant specialises in southern Chinese food, with seafood and fresh fish standing out. It has become a popular establishment, so it is necessary to book if you want to get a table at the weekend. The spicy crab, sautéed lobster or the razor clams and oysters are particularly recommended.

OTHER RECOMMENDATIONS

La Casa del Pulpo

Calle Almendrales, 17. Metro: Almendrales (L3), Usera (L6)

It is also possible to savour authentic Galician cuisine in Usera thanks to this restaurant which is popularly known as “Bar Los Gallegos”, which features octopus as its speciality.  This dish is prepared in the traditional way, in a copper pot brought from Ourense, with the finest oil and adding the exact pinch of salt and paprika.

As well as octopus, it serves portions prepared with Galician products and wines served in a mug, offering diners an experience like that of eating in Galicia.

El Carbón de Granada

Calle de Antonio López, 246. Metro: Almendrales (L3), Usera (L6)

Restaurant specialised in meat and seafood dishes cooked on a charcoal grill. It combines the best of charcoal-grilled meat and fish in a cosy atmosphere that invites diners to hang around.

The quality of the ingredients and the art of grilling make this place a must for fans of authentic flavours. Its specialities are spider crab, grilled red meat, pink mountain tomato seasoned with black salt and black garlic and spring onion, and charcoal-baked cheesecake.

Taberna Andaluza Sacromonte

Calle Mercedes Manjón, 3. Metro: Usera (L6)

Visit this warm and cosy tavern in the Moscardó neighbourhood, in which wood and natural materials stand out in the décor.  It is the perfect option to enjoy its wide selection of wines, tapas and pintxos at the bar during the day.

Salads and toasted bread (up to eleven different options) take precedence in the evening and until the early hours, especially vegetarian toasted bread, which is a universe of flavour, and the Guacamole Sacramonte. 

El Fogón de Usera

Calle de Ramón de Madariaga, 10. Metro: Almendrales (L3), Usera (L6)

This restaurant serving traditional Spanish cuisine and specialising in stews is located alongside Usera Market.  It offers a family atmosphere and is adapted for people with reduced mobility with a spacious lounge-dining room.

Its menu features dishes like fried eggs, home-made ham croquettes, Madrid stew, Asturian bean stew, kidney beans with cockles or clams and prawn rice.

La Parrilla de Usera

Calle de Antonio López, 160. Metro: Almendrales (L3), Usera (L6)

Quality cuisine based on grilled meats.  This restaurant has exclusive menus prepared with the finest denomination products. Its menu features premium beef T-bone steak matured for 40 days, grilled T-bone steak and leg of roast lamb. Its innovative cocktails and home-made desserts are also a must.