When the thermometer rises and the city fills with light until late into the night, Madrid becomes the perfect stage for outdoor dining. Terrace restaurants in Madrid are one of the most coveted assets of the capital, and the offerings keep growing: rooftops with panoramic views, hidden gardens in hotel courtyards, urban beach bars in the city centre, and classic neighbourhood terraces that have been operating for decades without needing to reinvent themselves. The key, of course, is knowing which ones are worth it for what they serve and not just for the setting.
Because it’s worth clarifying from the start: not all beautiful terraces have a kitchen that matches their charm. But there are places where the environment and the dish go hand in hand without either losing out. Those are the ones that truly deserve an advance reservation.
Rooftops with High-Level Cuisine: The Best of the Heights
The Terraza del Urban, located on the bustling Carrera de San Jerónimo, has been a benchmark for decades and continues to renew itself without missing a beat. The new menu from Mordiscos by CEBO, created by Javier Sanz and Juan Sahuquillo —directors of the Michelin-starred restaurant Cebo— offers informal yet thoughtfully crafted bites: Joselito ham croquette with sheep's milk, tuna tartare croissant, or Iberian pork brioche with payoyo sauce. The views over Calle Alcalá and the backdrop of Retiro Park, along with a high-level cocktail bar, make it an almost infallible choice. The average price is around 50 euros, and access to the bar is free without needing to stay at the hotel.
Also in the heights, the Sép7ima restaurant occupies the rooftop of the Only YOU Atocha hotel and is open 365 days a year. Chef Joel Tomás Hernández offers a menu where traditional cuisine is reinterpreted with a certain boldness: ajoblanco with burrata and red tuna, broken eggs with Iberian sausage, squid with parsnip, or low-temperature pork shoulder in the style of Café de París. The space is fully air-conditioned, making it equally suitable in the height of summer as on a cool spring night.
Dani Brasserie, on the rooftop of the Four Seasons Hotel Madrid on Calle Sevilla, is another one of those rooftops that works beyond mere aesthetics. Dani García has brought some of his most iconic creations there —the nitro tomato, the tortilla with onion and blue cheese, the Andalusian-style squid with almonds— alongside new seasonal proposals. Every afternoon, from 4 to 7 PM, the terrace offers a spritz and snacks menu designed to celebrate the season with cocktails like the Perséfone or the Primer Verdor, crafted by head bartender Alonso Domínguez.
On the rooftop of The Madrid EDITION, The Roof is the outdoor space of the Oroya restaurant, where Diego Muñoz proposes a journey to Peru with traditional corvina ceviche, nikkei-style tuna tiradito, and tempura red prawn. The Rooftop Sessions with a DJ at sunset complete an experience that has established this spot as one of the hot spots of the season. Also noteworthy is Cornamusa, the project by Grupo Azotea atop the Palacio de Cibeles, offering some of the best panoramic views of the city and a menu that includes Guadarrama beef tenderloin, smoked rice with goat cheese, or crispy lamb belly.
Secret Gardens and Enchanting Hotel Terraces
Not everything is about rooftops. Some of the best terrace restaurants in Madrid are hidden in the gardens of historic hotels that seem detached from the city's noise. The Terraza del Santo Mauro, on Calle Zurbano, is a perfect example: the garden of the palatial house offers a multisensory experience where signature cocktails coexist with shareable dishes like the famous Iberian pork loin bikini with comté cheese, cod gildas, or grilled oysters. In the background, live music —jazz, bossa nova, flamenco— transforms the after-meal moments into something hard to leave behind.
The Patio de Claudio has just opened in the newly renovated Hotel Único, in the heart of Salamanca. Chef Mario Valles, known for his time at Hortensio and Narciso, leads a kitchen with a bistronomic European soul and Mediterranean accent. The steak tartare made to the diner’s specifications, confit suckling pig, croquettes that rival any, or the sea bass ravioli are all compelling reasons to reserve. The kitchen is uninterrupted, and the garden is one of the prettiest in the area.
The Amós restaurant, in the Rosewood Villa Magna hotel on Calle Ortega y Gasset, features a secluded and cool terrace where dishes from Cantabrian chef Jesús Sánchez arrive: Santoña anchovies, hake in green algae sauce, stuffed squid, or chicken rice. Between Wednesday and Friday, they offer a daily menu for 49 euros. Access is also possible from Paseo de la Castellana.
The Jardín de Orfila, in the hotel of the same name, is another of those corners where peace is almost as important as the food. Mario Sandoval's summer menu includes proposals like mango salmorejo with confit tomato, crustacean ravioli with champagne and saffron sauce, or scallop aguachile. The sound of water and the greenery do the rest.
Sea, Grills, and Fresh Product Cuisine
Mar Mía, in Plaza de Isabel II opposite the Teatro Real, has the soul of an urban beach bar despite being in the heart of the capital. Behind the project are the teams from Estimar, Manero, and Casa Elías, hinting at the level of the offering. Alicante-style rice dishes, fresh seafood, well-executed fried dishes, and the lobster roll with royal crab are some of their star dishes. The outdoor terrace has views of the Opera; the interior transforms into a lush garden.
Rubaiyat focuses on grilling and cuts of beef from their own breeding under the direction of chef Mariana Argeoli, with a menu that fuses Brazilian tradition and high-quality products. The tapioca cubes with chili jam, octopus rice, or steak tartare with soufflé potatoes are served in one of the most spacious and green environments in Madrid, available year-round.
Villa Verbena, by the lake at Casa de Campo, is the project of Triciclo and The Hat in one of the largest parks in Europe. Nearly 600 square meters of space welcome families and groups of friends in front of a grill menu featuring Discarlux meat and fish from Pescaderías Coruñesas. The bravas, croquettes, tripe, or grilled monkfish coexist with creative nods like cochinita pibil tacos. Pure Madrid-style festivity.
Classic Terraces That Never Fail
Sacha, on Juan Hurtado de Mendoza, is the favourite terrace of foodies and chefs in the city. Sacha Ormaechea practices that simple, tasty, and true cuisine that withstands the test of time: steamed clams, lazy tortilla, carabineros, razor clams, mussels, beef escabeche. In summer, the indoor dining room closes, and all life moves to the garden. The best thing is to let the host guide you.
Berria, opposite the Puerta de Alcalá, is the most gastronomic wine bar in the square. The wine list —with thousands of references and impossible vintages— coexists with precise and unpretentious cuisine: tempura cod, prawn salpicón, and gildas that approach perfection. The terrace overlooking Plaza de la Independencia is one of the most privileged in the centre.
Numa Pompilio, at Velázquez 18, may not be the most exciting Italian in Madrid, but its terrace certainly is: tranquil, elegant, with romantic greenery and that feeling of being in a bourgeois summer night’s dream. The tagliolini with mushrooms in Pecorino wheel or the vitello tonnato are the dishes to order. And to finish with an absolute classic, L'Entrecote Café de París, on Calle Félix Boix in the Chamartín district, remains a must-visit for summer nights with its sliced entrecôte and the secret sauce created in 1930 by Monsieur Boubier.
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