DiverXO

DiverXO is the restaurant of Dabiz Muñoz, the most celebrated Spanish chef of his generation, and it holds three Michelin stars, making it the only restaurant in Madrid with the top rating. Muñoz trained in London before returning to Madrid, where he opened the first, tiny DiverXO in the Tetuán district. The restaurant gained its stars one by one, and Muñoz became one of the youngest chefs in the world to hold three, at the age of 33. Today it occupies a dramatic dining room inside the NH Eurobuilding hotel on Calle del Padre Damián, in the north of the city.

The cooking is bold, playful and hard to categorise. Muñoz mixes Spanish produce with techniques and flavours from across Asia and Latin America, and the meal is served as a single long tasting menu, known as La Cocina de los Cerdos Voladores, the kitchen of the flying pigs. The dining room itself has a theatrical design that is part of the experience. Wine pairings and a non-alcoholic drinks pairing are offered alongside the menu.

This is a special-occasion restaurant with prices to match, and it suits adventurous eaters who want a once-in-a-lifetime meal rather than a quiet dinner. The menu is long, so plan for an evening of several hours. Reservations are made online for two or more diners and should be booked well ahead, as tables are in high demand. There is no dress code, so guests can wear what they like.

There are practical limits to note. The restaurant does not offer a vegetarian or vegan menu, and some allergies and intolerances cannot be accommodated, so contact the team before booking if you have dietary requirements. It is not suitable for children under ten, and there are no high chairs or children's menus. If you want to try Muñoz's cooking more casually, his StreetXO restaurant serves a more informal, street-food inspired menu.

The NH Eurobuilding is close to the Paseo de la Castellana, a short walk from Cuzco metro station on line 10, and around ten minutes north of the Santiago Bernabéu. A taxi from the city centre takes around fifteen to twenty minutes depending on traffic.