Varra

This restaurant in the elegant Salamanca district of the city is run by two young chefs, Jorge Velasco and Joaquín Serrano, and is usually full every day. It offers two highly distinct dining concepts: the informal Varra Fina on the ground floor (with a bar and bare tables), focusing on tapas such as Joselito ham croquettes, crispy bull’s ears, Russian salad etc), and the gourmet restaurant called Varra, upstairs. In the latter, somewhat confined in space but with a more refined decor and an exclusive menu completely different to Varra Fina the floor below, the level of cuisine rises several notches thanks to options such as snow peas with green asparagus and ham, and the chicken cannelloni with a truffled bechamel sauce and game jus. Make sure you book ahead and specify where you want to eat.