Restaurants in unique spaces

A church, a bookshop, a hardware store and even an X-rated cinema... Discover these spaces around the city that were abandoned but are now home to bars and restaurants with a special charm.

A Church: Caluana

Caluana restaurant is located at number 12 Calle de la Bolsa, whose gastronomic proposal presents a harmonious fusion of two culinary traditions: Italian and Spanish. This restaurant occupies the former 16th century Chapel of the Executed, which was previously the official headquarters of the Madrid Stock Exchange.

It stands out for its unique structure and is divided into three areas: two restaurants and a cocktail bar, each decorated with a different atmosphere. El Olivar restaurant is located inside a baroque chapel that was part of the Temple of Santa Cruz, later known as the Chapel of the Executed. The structure maintains its classical style, with a baroque barrel vault. El Invernadero restaurant is decorated with natural elements and mirrors, and the third space, the Maldita Gioconda cocktail bar, is a 16th century cantina located in the city's underground tunnels.

A Bookshop: Padrino Cocktail Bar

Behind an iconic 19th century façade in Chueca, the Padrino Cocktail Bar occupies the space that once housed the Padrino bookshop. This bookshop bar at Calle del Barquillo, 21, is part of the Only YOU Boutique Hotel Madrid and offers a new concept that combines culture with gastronomy and cocktails inside a historic space filled with numerous copies of books of all genres.

Despite the passing of the years, its façade is still intact, which gives this place a special charm. Open from midday until night-time, you can grab a bite to eat at lunchtime, have a drink in the afternoon or enjoy one of its elaborate cocktails at any time of the day.

A Newspaper’s Editorial Offices: El Imparcial

In La Latina, on Calle del Duque de Alba, 4, there is an elegant space that is a restaurant, shop and meeting point for various cultural activities. El Imparcial occupies a former palace which housed the editorial offices of El Imparcial newspaper at the beginning of the 20th century. It was a liberal Spanish newspaper published between 1867 and 1933, with significant circulation and influence during the Reign of María Cristina.

The establishment now has two floors housing a bar and a restaurant, as well as a space devoted to the sale of gifts, specialised magazines or craft beers, among others.
 It offers revamped traditional cuisine with a menu featuring dishes such as patatas bravas, oxtail croquettes or a squid roll with black garlic sauce, as well as meats from La Finca and international dishes, such as pizzas, tacos or hamburgers.

An X-Rated Cinema: Sala Equis

Sala Equis is a space devoted to leisure, particularly the film culture through themed cycles. It is located in a historic building in the city centre, which housed the last porn cinema in Madrid, the Duque de Alba cinema, which closed its doors in 2015.

This cinema has been turned into a restaurant and leisure centre with a street food that encourages social meet-ups. It has four differentiated areas: the Terrace, a wide corridor at the entrance with an alley structure that welcomes visitors; the Ambigú, one of the first meeting and discussion areas with low tables; Sala Plaza with a large skylight that lets natural light in and which boasts a large projection screen and a bar with a selection of gastronomic proposals; and Sala de Cine, with 55 seats devoted exclusively to film cycles.

A Hardware Store: La Ferretería

La Ferretería Restaurant is located at Atocha, 57 in what used to be a 19th century hardware store.  The restaurant has maintained the essence of its former life, keeping most of the furniture and utensils that were used there, giving the place a special charm.

Ferretería Restaurante was founded in 2015 by the restaurateur, María Antonia Escapa, also known as "the Big Boss". Recommended by the Michelin Guide, it serves revamped traditional cuisine with high quality products. This restaurant is undoubtedly a must-visit, as it has rescued a historic hardware store and its rooms are located in a 16th century coal cellar.

A Theatre: Mo de Movimiento

The Mo de Movimiento restaurant is located in the Chamberí neighbourhood, on Calle de Espronceda 34, where the former Espronceda Theatre used to be, and later the EFE Agency's television studio.

Felipe Turell and Javier Antequera, through their company Proyectos Conscientes, created this gastronomic project that serves lunch and dinner based on quality ingredients, home-made and organic products.

The establishment has a large covered terrace, in the space that used to be the stalls, and two vaulted ovens where the pizzas are baked. The walls bear traces of its past and various objects have been reused for different purposes.

A Palace: Abya

The Abya restaurant is located in the heart of the Salamanca District, in the Saldaña Palace, formerly known as the palace of the Marquis of Hijosa de Álava.
This new gastronomic concept, which opened its doors in 2023, is the new adventure of the chef Aurelio Morales with a unique space spanning more than 1,000 m2 distributed over four floors.

The restaurant’s decoration is the work of its owner, Manuel González, along with the interior designer, Paulina Morán and other decorators. Its interior also houses approximately 100 works of art by artists such as Vladimir Cora, César Lope Negrete, Miguel Milló or Paola Martínez. Abya is presented to the public as a place designed to stimulate diners through gastronomy, culture, rhythm and art.

A bank: Dani Brasserie

Dani Brasserie, which has become one of the trendiest summer terraces in Madrid, is located on the seventh floor of the Four Seasons Hotel, in the Canalejas Complex. It is located in the former operations hall of the Spanish Credit Bank, which was installed in the building known as the Equitativa Palace as it belonged to the American insurance company of the same name.

The chef from Malaga, Dani García is at the helm of this restaurant that crowns the rooftop of the luxury hotel with amazing views over the Madrid skyline and a gastronomic proposal that represents a global vision of the famous chef's cuisine. It features a contrasting cuisine, offering everything from reinvented classics to main courses prepared with the finest products from the sea and land.