Madrid’s best restaurant views come from three directions. Gran Vía and the dome of the Metrópolis building fill the windows at Ático, on top of The Principal hotel at Marqués de Valdeiglesias 1, where a six-course tasting menu costs €75. The Royal Palace sits across the square from Café de Oriente at Plaza de Oriente 2, at €45 to €60 a head. The whole skyline, out to the mountains, is visible from Élkar, 33 floors up at the north end of the Castellana. Dinner service starts at 20:00 at Café de Oriente and at 20:30 at Ático and Élkar.
What are the best restaurants with a view in Madrid? For Gran Vía, Ático (€75 tasting menu) or the Azotea del Círculo grill. For the Royal Palace, Café de Oriente, €45 to €60 a head. For the highest view in the city, Élkar on the 33rd floor. On a budget, the free-entry food hall at Gourmet Experience Callao, or Picalagartos’ €42 set lunch.
Which Madrid restaurant with a view should you book?
| Restaurant | Best for | How to book | Cost |
|---|---|---|---|
| Ático | A special dinner facing the Metrópolis | +34 91 532 94 96 | €75 tasting menu, wine pairing €29 |
| Café de Oriente | Dinner after visiting the Royal Palace | +34 91 541 39 74 | €45 to €60 a head |
| Élkar | The highest table in Madrid | reservas@restauranteelkar.com | Over €60 a head |
| Picalagartos | Weekday lunch on Gran Vía | WhatsApp +34 910 059 171 | Set lunch €42, €47 at weekends |
| Ginkgo | Casual lunch, then drinks on the terrace | Online or +34 91 595 55 12 | Mains €22 to €29.50 |
| Gourmet Experience | A quick bite with no booking | Walk in | Stall prices |
Do you have to pay to get onto a Madrid rooftop?
This catches many visitors out. At Ginkgo, on floor 12 of the VP Plaza España Design hotel, walking onto the terrace costs €10 with a soft drink or €16 with a cocktail, according to Ginkgo, and it is free if you have booked lunch or dinner in the glassed-in dining room.
The Círculo de Bellas Artes sells its rooftop ticket separately from a table at the restaurant, as our guide to the Círculo de Bellas Artes rooftop explains. Gourmet Experience on the top floor of El Corte Inglés in Callao charges nothing to go up.
Where to eat with a view of Gran Vía
Ático is the one for an occasion. The menu runs to six courses, bread included and drinks extra, and the sommelier’s pairing adds €29. It serves 13:30 to 15:30 and 20:30 to 23:00 every day. Banco de España Metro (L2) is about 190 m away.
Picalagartos at Gran Vía 21 is the lunchtime choice: the eighth-floor dining room opens 13:00 to 1:00, and its daily rice set lunch, €42 or €47 at weekends and public holidays, includes sharing starters, dessert and a glass of Rueda or Rioja. The ninth-floor terrace above is a separate cocktail bar. El Jardín de Diana, on the tenth floor of the Hyatt Centric at Gran Vía 31, has a covered section for cooler months and a Sunday brunch from 12:30 to 15:30.
The Azotea del Círculo grill, 56 m above Calle de Alcalá, lists Almadraba tuna tartare at €28 and sea bass for two at €52.
Where to eat facing the Royal Palace
Café de Oriente opened in 1983 in the vaulted cellars of the former San Gil convent, and you look straight out at the palace. Lunch runs 12:00 to 16:00 and dinner 20:00 to midnight. Ópera Metro (L2, L5) is about 180 m away, and cheaper places near the Royal Palace are a short walk off.
Ginkgo, about 100 m from Plaza de España Metro, mixes tapas with Japanese dishes: Russian salad at €12.90, bluefin tuna tataki at €28, cheesecake at €7.50. It serves until 2:00, or 2:30 on Fridays, Saturdays and holidays, and asks for smart-casual dress.
The highest restaurant in Madrid
Élkar fills the 33rd floor of Torre Emperador Castellana, at Paseo de la Castellana 259D. Its Mediterranean market cooking is overseen by chef Fran Vicente. According to Madrid City Council, lunch is Tuesday to Saturday, 13:30 to 15:30, and dinner only Thursday to Saturday, 20:30 to 23:00. Begoña Metro (L10) is about 500 m away. It is roughly 7 km north of Sol, so plan it as an evening of its own.
Timing your table for sunset
Local meal times run late: lunch starts around 14:00 and dinner after 21:00. In November and December the sun goes down around 18:00, between the two, so book a late lunch somewhere with all-day service. In June sunset falls after 21:30, right in dinner service. For the view without the bill, the best free viewpoints in Madrid cost nothing.
Tipping is optional in Spain, and a cover charge is only allowed if the menu announces it, as tipping in Madrid explains.
What might disappoint you
- Paying just to go up: Ginkgo and the Círculo charge for the terrace separately from a table.
- Not every table has the view: at Ático and Picalagartos the full panorama is on the terraces, so ask for a window table.
- Short hours at Élkar: no dinner Sunday to Wednesday.
- Gourmet Experience is a food hall: you order at each counter and sit in shared areas that fill up at lunch.
For drinks afterwards, see Madrid’s rooftops and their closing times; if food matters more than the view, start with where to have dinner in Madrid.
FAQ about Madrid restaurants with a view
Which Madrid restaurant with a view is best for sunset?
In November and December the sun sets around 18:00, between lunch and dinner service, so pick somewhere that serves all day: Ginkgo or Picalagartos from 13:00, the Círculo rooftop from 10:00, or Gourmet Experience at Callao. In June sunset falls after 21:30, during dinner at Ático or Café de Oriente.
Do Madrid rooftop restaurants charge an entry fee?
Some do. Ginkgo charges €10 with a soft drink or €16 with a cocktail to get onto its terrace, but entry is free if you book lunch or dinner in the glassed-in restaurant. The Círculo de Bellas Artes sells its rooftop ticket separately from a restaurant table.
What is the highest restaurant in Madrid?
Élkar, on the 33rd floor of Torre Emperador Castellana at Paseo de la Castellana 259D, in the Cuatro Torres business district about 7 km north of Sol. Expect more than €60 a head, and note that it serves dinner only Thursday to Saturday.
Is there a cheap place to eat with a view in Madrid?
Gourmet Experience on the top floor of El Corte Inglés at Plaza de Callao 2 is free to enter, with food stalls at their own prices and views over Gran Vía towards the Royal Palace. Picalagartos also does a €42 rice set lunch with wine.
Book the meal and the view comes free; turn up for the view alone and you pay at the door.