Viva Madrid

The tiled facade featuring Cibeles, hand-painted by Casa Mensaque in the 1920s and now part of Madrid's cultural heritage, is the first thing you notice on arriving at number 7 Calle Manuel Fernández y González, in the Barrio de las Letras, across from the actors' exit of the Teatro Español. Viva Madrid has occupied this space since 1856. Inside, there are details worth stopping for: the ceiling with its harpy figures is original to 1856, along with a long zinc bar and period tiles still standing exactly where they shone decades ago. Viva Madrid has been gathering history within its walls ever since. In the 1920s, it drew a notable clientele of intellectuals, artists, and prominent figures of the era. Decades later, during the Movida, the tavern filled once again with musicians and creatives who found in this corner of the Barrio de las Letras the perfect starting point for a night with no plan.

It wasn't until 2018 that Diego Cabrera, a cocktail expert and founder of Salmón Gurú, repeatedly recognized by the renowned The World's 50 Best Bars list, took it over. The idea was clear: bring it back to life without stripping away its soul.

"Unusual" is how this tavern describes itself. Cabrera's celebrated cocktails sit alongside a traditional yet forward-looking kitchen, which the Salmón Gurú Group calls "new Madrid cuisine." Classic tapas with touches of other cultures that give them their distinctive edge: sticky croquettes with an Asian twist, smoked Russian salad, patatas bravas with a nod to Mexican heat in the sauce... Time-honored dishes, made with seasonal produce and that unexpected touch that pairs perfectly with tradition.

*During the month of the Grand Prix, Viva Madrid is preparing a special MADRING cocktail for anyone who comes on behalf of MADRING.