DEPARTURES 100 and fine, DEPARTURES 100 and fine, English-inspired cuisine are also draws – and taste equally good with or without gin accompaniment. bristolbar.es The whitewashed, light-filled courtyard at Chueca's Only You a choice of hearty snacks in addition to a number of varieties of its namesake alcohol, vermouth, which is experiencing a renaissance across the city. plateamadrid.com 3 LA PANAMERICANA Peruvian cuisine is fusion at its best: first, the native and colonial diets melded; then came inspiration from Japanese, Italian and French immigrants – and it’s this mélange in dishes like octopus ceviche and sweet sushi that makes La Panamericana such a culinary delight, one heightened all the more by the simple, unpretentious surrounds. lapanamericana.es 4 LE COCÓ Hopping all day long, from breakfast to way past dinner, the airy atmosphere of Le Cocó offers soulful contemporary Spanish snacks, salads and delectable mains like grilled sardines with almonds or tuna tartar with avocado. Night owls will enjoy the stellar range of expertly mixed classic cocktails. lecocomadrid.com 5 MAMÁ FRAMBOISE It’s not just the savoury treats that are impossible to resist – sweets from the pâtisserie are also particularly difficult to forgo, especially those from perennially packed Mamá Framboise. Macaroons, pastries or fine cakes – almost every order here is torture because any choice made means missing out on all the other temptations. mamaframboise.com 6 DEL DIEGO Madrid’s nightlife options are ample and can be roughly divided into two groups: hyper-cool party destinations that disappear as quickly as they pop up, and places like Del Diego, a half-hidden treasure that’s now run by the second generation of the eponymous family. Unimpressed by gimmickry, Fernando del Diego and sons serve timeless classics with impeccable style – and the superb bartenders are always willing to create bespoke elixirs. deldiego.com 7 BRISTOL BAR Though some barkeepers are already foretelling the bust of the Spanish capital’s gin boom, at the moment the juniper-infused spirit is still the undisputed queen of Madrid’s nightlife, and nowhere serves it better – or in more varieties – than at British expat Ellie Baker’s Bristol Bar. And it’s not just the endless gin and tonic combinations that attract: brunch, tea The city at dusk as seen from The Balcony, the rooftop bar at Melia's Innside Madrid Suecia 8 THE BALCONY The 127-room Innside Madrid Suecia, a property by the Meliá group, may have just debuted, but its history beckons nevertheless: the edifice was once home to the storied Hotel Suecia, where Hemingway among others stayed, and which remains unbeatably central. Outfitted with contemporary verve throughout, its rooftop bar, The Balcony, is a magnet for locals who are drawn to the refreshing swimming pool, the extraordinary views and first-class cocktails on offer late into the night. melia.com 9 LE MARCHÉ AUX PUCES Translated directly from the French, this “flea market” is anything but: Swiss Armin Hildebrandt opened his boutique filled with stylish, offbeat men’s clothing and accessories on the site of a former book shop. The wood panelling and shelves have remained, but now they play host to Dries van Noten and Balenciaga in addition to a number of up-and-coming labels. +34 913 19 80 19 10 MALABABA A true Madrid original, Ana Carrasco and Jamie Lara’s Malababa is known across the country for its quirkily stylish handbags, jewellery and accessories. Every piece is made in traditional Spanish jewellery and leather workshops – and The soaring spaces at the new food market Platea international acclaim is slowly building. A shooting star. malababa.com 11 GUILLE GARCÍA-HOZ Mathematics-obsessed Guille García-Hoz has never forgotten his passion for numbers, and it remains obvious throughout his lighthearted interiors boutique, which boasts everything from unique wallpapers and contemporary Azulejo tiles to porcelain jewellery and modernised hunting trophies. guillegarciahoz.com 12 PEZ Ten-year-old Pez – comprising two shops, one for each gender, a stone’s throw from each other – has long been one of the city’s top addresses for stylish pieces from international labels like Humanoid or Masscob. Its carefully curated selections of jewellery, bags and accessories are also among the best in the city. pez-pez.es ♦ CLOCKWISE FROM TOP LEFT: © ONLY YOU HOTEL & LOUNGE , © PLATEA , DAVID RALITA 38 DEPARTURES-INTERNATIONAL.COM
WHAT’S THE BUZZ? THE FINE JEWELLERY ROOM Boodles Boucheron Bvlgari Cartier Chanel Fine Jewellery Chopard De Beers De Grisogono Faraone Mennella Garrard Graff H.Stern Harry Winston Mikimoto Piaget Theo Fennell Tiffany & Co. Van Cleef & Arpels www.harrods.com +44 (0)20 7730 1234
