How to find the best restaurants for business meetings in Madrid

When a meeting room in Madrid is not available, a good restaurant may be the best alternative. A bad choice can lead to stress and discomfort. For example, if someone is left hungry, this can lead to poor decision making. Or imagine a customer is selling you something, but you can't hear anything they say because it's noisy in the restaurant. Or the menu is terrible, leaving you hungry and in a bad mood. You might prefer to go to a quieter place to enjoy a cup of coffee, peace and quiet.

A business lunch is not a conventional meal. It is an extended meeting and, supposedly, much more pleasant than a formal office gathering. It is a way to please or even seduce a client. It is therefore important to familiarize yourself with their tastes and preferences.

"Restaurants for business meetings in Madrid

1. La Bien Aparecida

This restaurant, which has the best views of the Monument to the Discovery of America, has two gastronomic lines. On the one hand, classic and simple recipes (croquettes, salad, hake, meats, rice, etc.), and on the other, signature cuisine that serves as a vehicle for the chef, José Manuel de Dios, to show off, although the classic line is at a high level.

The more traditional line is the one that makes up most of the menu, while the gastronomic option is offered through a tasting menu for 70 euros. In this case, the price may increase depending on the product available and what you want to pay. It is recommended to try their surprising lamb shoulder and their famous steak tartar steak tartar. Visitor satisfaction is one of the main objectives of this place and its fascinating service greatly favors this task.

The interior design by Tarruella-Trenchs in the dining room and the inviting air-conditioned terrace on Jorge Juan street make this place a sober, elegant, warm and noble place. The place is fresh and contemporary at the same time, with a fun decorative and culinary wink to the patron saint of Cantabria that gives it its name and whose region is felt in the stoves and in the crown, reinvented with cutlery, which is one of the most photographed elements of the place. The atmosphere, sophisticated and lively, never disappoints and perfectly complements a business lunch or an intimate dinner.

The restaurant has earned the place where it is located. Everything works perfectly. It is a safe value to meet with a client, colleagues, to close an important deal...

1. Web: restaurantelabienaparecida.com
2. Address: Calle de Jorge Juan, 8
3. Phone: 911 59 39 39

2. Kabuki Wellington

Ricardo Sanz, chef at Kabuki, was the pioneer of Japanese fusion cuisine in which oriental flavors are mixed with Spanish products. In fact, the trend that he inaugurated, almost 20 years ago, is called "japocastiza".

Ricardo was introduced to the Japanese culinary art by Masao Kikuchi, who offered him to work with him at the legendary Tokyo Taro. After four years of apprenticeship, he created with other partners the first Kabuki restaurant, where he was head chef and where he developed what is known as "Kabuki Cuisine".

The menu begins with a quote from Matsuo Basho: "We must not follow in the footsteps of the classics, we must seek what they sought". This is the leitmotiv that drives them to offer a more classic Japanese side and a twist on certain dishes that they Spanishize. The restaurant offers a tasting menu for 110 €.

The dining room is elegant and minimalist, the service is correct and the wine offer is extensive. Apart from a lounge in the upper part, the rest of the restaurant is located around the sushi bar, which is the epicenter of the restaurant. Diners appreciate the good service offered by the staff.

Resting and eating in this place is always a pleasure. A nice decoration and its charming atmosphere help customers to feel relaxed. In short, it is a restaurant of impeccable quality where you can enjoy a very good cuisine and that allows, depending on the taste of the diner, to try some more classic dishes or other more innovative ones.

1. Web: grupokabuki.com/en/restaurants/kabuki-wellington
2. Address: Calle de Velázquez, 6
3. Telephone: 915 77 78 78 77

3. Hortensio

At the helm of the kitchen is Mario Valles, a Colombian chef who applies to his cuisine everything he learned in France and at El Celler de Can Roca in Girona.

Hortensio's menu is extremely sybaritic and refined. Its dishes respect the formality of French haute cuisine, with elegant dishes and very elaborate proposals, where the product is the protagonist. For this reason, it reminds us of the great gastronomic temples of the neighboring country.

The chef innovates very subtly and sometimes incorporates ingredients from his own place of origin, with starters such as oysters, foie gras with muscatel and lulo confit or caviar accompanied by freshly made blinis.

Its Madrid beginnings took place in a small and discreet place in Chamberí. When we saw its door closed during this endless pandemic we feared yet another sad case of disappearance of one of the best restaurants in Madrid. However, the good news soon arrived. Hortensio was not closing, it was just crossing the Castellana to occupy analready historic : the large dining room of the Hotel Fénix.

After a four-month renovation, the restaurant has been inaugurated with a more relaxed, classic and contemporary air thanks to the interior design of Juan Pablo Domínguez. On this occasion, Hortensio has been welcomed by a more traditional building and a larger room that has set new guidelines. "In Hortensio now earth tones predominate, the intensity of the light in the room has become more intimate and we have opened the windows that were not so important before", explains the chef.

The restaurant has a more stately and spacious setting, something essential to comply with anti-COVID measures. Its managers have not been satisfied with the move, but have worked with talent and dedication so that their new menu reflects another leap forward in the ranking of the best restaurants in the capital. Without the slightest hint of failure, Hortensio is already one of the greats.

1. Web: hortensio.es
2. Address: Calle de Hermosilla, 2
3. Telephone: 910 02 35 54

4. Ten With Ten

Ten con Ten has already become an institution in Madrid. Spaniards and foreigners who travel to Madrid, for pleasure or business, and ask for a place to dine at night, will probably be sent to this restaurant.

In the evenings, clients are in their forties and older and have a good purchasing power. Many of them are foreigners, mainly Mexicans and Venezuelans, although there are people of all nationalities. The bar at the entrance is always crowded, which gives the deceptive sensation that it is small. The part occupied by the restaurant is huge and has a very pleasant winter terrace that fills up practically every day, on a first-come, first-served basis. In addition to the main dining room, the restaurant has several rooms where the atmosphere is quieter.

If you want to go on the weekend, it is advisable to reserve a table up to a month in advance. At midday, it is easier to get a place as there are fewer people. The average price of a meal is 55 euros.

1. Web: restaurantetenconten.com
2. Address: Calle de Ayala, 6
3. Telephone: 915 75 92 54

"Restaurants in Madrid to create a network of contacts

1. Pelotari

The name of this restaurant, inaugurated in 1990, is a tribute to the Frontón Recoletos which, by that time, had been demolished long ago.

Pelotari is as good as the first day and is the very image of those discreetly luxurious Basque restaurants: red and black on the outside; blue, white and with boiseries on the inside. Undoubtedly, for the customers of the new generations, it is a way of getting to know what those restaurants that were so successful in Madrid were like.

In their grill you can order dishes from the Mediterranean and Spanish cuisines. Their cooks prepare a tasty steak, an appealing brandade and a homemade laing. Their customers recommend ordering the amazing cheesecake, the generous ice cream or their well-crafted apple pie.

The wine list is very extensive. In it, all visitors can find one that satisfies their taste. You can also have an excellent café cortado, an extraordinary hot chocolate or a sensational lemonade. Diners say that the staff is helpful and their service is always superb.

It has a spectacular decoration and its charming atmosphere helps customers to feel relaxed. It is ideal for a business lunch or to go with someone with classic tastes. In conclusion, the place is cozy, the service is correct and the atmosphere is 100% for business meals.

1. Web: pelotariasador.com
2. Address: Calle de Recoletos, 3
3. Telephone: 915 78 24 97

Ramses

It is the trendy terrace, which does not close any day, where everyone seeks to recover normality in Madrid. Its emblematic premises, facing the Puerta de Alcalá, has been decorated by Philippe Starck and has different spaces to suit every occasion. The gastronomic restaurant on the second floor has received the advice of Arzak Instructions and has been developed by Sergi Sanz.

Its particular decoration full of vegetation and the large awnings that provide shade allow the space to be completely filled with light during the day, and with a special and intimate magic during the night. This feature gives the terrace the character of a multi-space. The place remains air-conditioned all year round, night and day, and allows you to choose between high tables with stools or low tables with more comfortable chairs, always in a relaxed and informal atmosphere.

To all this is added a quality kitchen that is the extension of the interior restaurant, Kitchen, inaugurated in September 2020. From its grills, fed with oak charcoal and working with the techniques of the best rotisseries in northern Spain, come dishes in which seasonal vegetables are the protagonists.

In addition to all this, there is an extensive cocktail menu, as Kitchen has one of the best bars in Madrid, with an offer ranging from the most classic to the most innovative and surprising cocktails. The average price on the terrace is 40 euros.

1. Web: ramseslife.com
2. Address: Plaza de la Independencia, 4
3. Phone: 914 35 16 66

3. Alma Club

Club Alma is located at 9, Príncipe de Vergara Street and is an elegant mansion built in 1910. It is usually attended by businesswomen interested in culture, live music and good food. The kitchen is run by chef Iván Sáez from Martín Berasategui's cooking school (awarded the BIB Gourmand prize by the Michelin Guide, 2016).

The marble dining room opens onto the street through imposing windows. Members can enjoy a menu at 25 euros, which changes daily and which they receive promptly by e-mail.

As a club, it also has an agenda of events that includes exclusive presentations, workshops, masterclasses, conferences, lectures and after-work sessions. afterwork sessions with live music every week.

1. Web: almasensai.com
2. Address: Calle del Príncipe de Vergara, 9
3. Telephone: 918 19 51 70

4. Ultramarinos Quintín

It is located in the Barrio Salamanca, where it occupies the corner of Jorge Juan and Lagasca. The decoration is very nice with wood and stone walls that give it a rustic air in a very cozy atmosphere.

Its curious concept, a restaurant inside a grocery store, leaves no one indifferent. The store works and you can buy cold meats, cheeses, fresh fruits and vegetables, oils and other products to cook at home. There is a bar where you can have a quick bite to eat, although if you want to stay longer, there is nothing better than sitting at one of the tables in the dining rooms located on the street level or on the upper floor.

Its cuisine tends to the traditional with some modern touches. For the elaboration of their dishes they scrupulously select the raw materials. In their menu there are salads, pasta and pizza, stews, fish and meats. Highlights include quinoa cous-cous, vegetables and lamb; fried rice with pheasant; artichoke and duck rolls; wok sirloin steak, chestnut and red cabbage stew or artichoke and leek lasagna. The average menu price ranges between 26 and 35 euros.

Quintín also becomes a nightclub during the evening. Therefore, it is normal that, from 8 pm onwards, you will find customers having a drink at the entrance.

1. Web: ultramarinosquintin.es
2. Address: Calle de Jorge Juan, 17
3. Telephone: 917 86 46 24

"Restaurants for business meetings in Madrid: teams and team building

1. El Cielo de Alcalá: the terrace of the Hotel H10

Most of us Madrileños like rooftops, and if they have a pool, all the better. That's why El Cielo de Alcalá, the terrace of the H10 hotel in Puerta de Alcalá, is a magnificent space to consider. In addition to the phenomenal views, the sun loungers and the pool on this terrace, you can have a snack from the menu designed by the French Basque chef Arezki Marouf.

Highlights include Galician-style octopus on potatoes revolconas, crumbled duck confit with red fruits or the infallible stew croquettes. It also has a wonderful cocktail menu.

1. Web: h10hotels.com/en/hoteles-madrid/h10-puerta-de-alcala/restaurantes
2. Address: Calle de Alcalá, 66
3. Phone: 914 35 10 60

2. Warehouse Madrid: from farm to table

Warehouse Madrid proposes a farm-to-table farm-to-tableThe Hacienda Zorita Organic Farm is a unique contemporary farming project created in a protected natural area in the heart of the Duero Valley.

So that you can visualize yourself in this place, we tell you that its terrace is located in a garden of the palace of the Marqués de la Concordia, among trees, plants and even a vineyard with all the grape varieties of Hacienda Zorita. The average price of the menu is approximately 30-35 €.

1. Web: the-haciendas.com/zoritas-kitchen/madrid.php
2. Address: Calle de María de Molina, 25 (corner with Calle de Lagasca, 148).
3. Telephone: 607 50 76 33

3. Platea Madrid

One of the most fun and original restaurants in Madrid is Platea, a magical place where something is always happening. It is a refuge where you can relax and enjoy and a meeting point where every detail makes sense. Platea combines spectacle and gastronomy in all its splendor.

The space consists of almost 6,000 square meters with access from Goya, Hermosilla and Marqués de Zurgena streets, distributed over two floors, three stalls and a sweet area. With this offer, it aims to become the main exponent of gastronomic leisure in Madrid and one of the most outstanding references at national and international level.

1. Web: plateamadrid.com
2. Address: Calle de Goya, 5 / 7
3. Telephone: 915 77 00 25

"Restaurants for business meetings in Madrid: one to one

1. La Carbonera Castelló

La Carbonera opens its doors for lovers of decoration and gastronomy, in the central street of Castelló. It is an urban grill where you can find high quality products in an atmosphere that accompanies, welcomes and pampers the diner from the beginning to the end. Here the raw material is respected and customer service is unquestionable.

It is a space inspired by French bistros, colored in earth tones and decorated with wooden furniture that invites, with its dim light and aroma of embers, to feel at home. This sensation is reinforced by the way the staff treats you and, above all, by the good taste it leaves on your palate.

1. Web: lacarboneramadrid.com
2. Address: Calle de Bernardo López García, 11
3. Phone: 911 10 06 69

2. Die

Troquel has been the latest to arrive on the successful Jorge Juan street. It opened its doors at the end of 2017 betting on Mediterranean fusion gastronomy, where top quality ingredients are its strong point. Its carefully selected menu, suitable for different tastes, includes a selection of fish and seafood, garden produce and meats.

It is a fun space, where the decoration is well cared for and wooden tables and chairs of Scandinavian air alternate with industrial touches. The place is divided into three areas. We found a first area with a very large natural limestone bar to enjoy tapas and an interesting cocktail bar. The dining room, in neutral tones and brightly lit, is the perfect place for lunches and dinners, a little quieter. And finally, a third space consisting of two terraces, one indoor and one outdoor.

Among its gastronomic proposals we highlight the quality of its meats. In addition, they have a careful selection of wines and craft beers, as well as a signature cocktail bar. The location of Troquel makes it a perfect restaurant to eat and enjoy an interesting afterwork. The average price is 40 euros.

1. Address: Calle de Jorge Juan, 50
2. Telephone: 910 58 61 96

"Where thou goest, do as thou seest

In Japan, a business dinner consists of a series of meals with lots of alcohol and nightclub visits, intended to put the guest in debt to the hosts. In France, three meals used to be held to reach a business deal. Today they have become more pragmatic and have reduced them to one, with a possible celebratory lunch once the deal is closed. In Italy, a meal is an icebreaker where business is often the last topic of conversation.

In most parts of the U.S., business meals are not usually held. The exception is New York, where both breakfast and lunch are more important than dinner. Some executives in this city have as many as two back-to-back breakfasts a day with different clients. In Los Angeles, this first meal of the day is considered more of a stalking maneuver before serious negotiations. In other places, such as Las Vegas, almost no top-tier restaurants are open for lunch, so rather lavish business dinners are held in the evening or in private dining rooms.

In the Madriles we eat while we talk about less important things, leaving the more serious matters for coffee or liquor.

"Types of meetings that can be held in a restaurant

In general, regardless of the type of meeting, it is essential to choose a venue that is not too large, noisy or modern. Hotel dining rooms are usually the best choice because they are accustomed to catering specifically to business guests. Tables should be well separated to ensure, or at least appear to ensure, privacy.

But to be successful, you have to go into more detail. Here are four types of meetings, classified according to the objectives to be achieved in each one, and the types of restaurants that best suit each option.

1. Closing an important deal

When we want to close a sale, we should look for a restaurant that has a certain category and a quiet atmosphere.

It is a mistake to choose a noisy restaurant, with tables too close together, as the noise will not allow us to hear what is being said. We need an intimate environment that facilitates honesty on the part of the potential client and transparency on our side when negotiating terms. In addition, if the premises do not respect the separation between tables, our interlocutor may fear that others are listening, which will prevent the conversation from having the warmth that the situation demands.

We must look for a restaurant with good food and impeccable service for a long time, so that we have plenty of room to close the deal. The first part should be invested in building relationships and the second part in closing the deal, asking directly for the business. The last part should be reserved for working out the details or, if the magic is not happening and we see that the deal is slipping away, clarifying why.

2. Create networks of contacts

Networking is essential for referrals and is a perfect lunchtime activity. To do it successfully, you need to choose the right venue. When you are going to have a meal with your network and you do not know the financial situation of the new members, it is a good idea to choose some restaurants that are within a reasonable distance and with affordable prices, to let them be the ones to make the decision. If a new member has dietary restrictions that you don't know about, it's best to leave the ball in their court and let them choose the place.

3. Hold a team building

If you want to build a strong team, it is recommended that you take them out to lunch at least once a month. It's a way to help the team improve relationships and get to know each other better, while enjoying food and drink at no cost to them. Budget constraints make it not the easiest task, but it is a necessary one to undertake.

The best restaurants for meetings in Madrid are those that facilitate fraternization among team members. Therefore, we may need to invest a little time in finding something motivating, such as a themed bar or a unique venue, to get out of the comfort zone or invite participation in something new.

4. Meet one on one

Meeting with a partner for a meal can be a lot of fun or a dreaded moment, where you have to give and receive feedback in boring chats. In all cases, you should always have a goal during the face-to-face.

This is a good opportunity to get to know the employee better, so ask him or her to choose the restaurant, as long as it is within budget and within walking distance. If he chooses something out of budget, it is preferable to offer him other options that are feasible and explain why.

AUTHOR: MÓNICA COCA

Freelance writer and screenwriter looking for good stories to tell. She can be found in all formats: articles, podcasts, novels and whatever comes up.