Sala de Despiece

Sala de Despiece, which translates as cutting room, is the restaurant that helped turn Chamberí's Calle de Ponzano into one of Madrid's liveliest food streets. Chef Javier Bonet opened it in 2013 on Ponzano with a simple idea: serve seasonal, produce-led tapas at a bar in a room designed to look like a butcher's workshop. In 2024 the restaurant moved to larger premises on Calle de Alonso Cano, a few blocks away, keeping its original spirit.

The decor is still the talking point, mostly white and styled after a traditional butcher's cutting room. The menu focuses on top-quality seasonal ingredients prepared with a light touch and served as tapas for sharing. The drinks list includes wines and, unusually for a Madrid tapas bar, Japanese sake, which suits many of the dishes.

The new space seats up to about sixty diners at the bar and at tables, so it is easier to get in than the original tiny room, though it is still busy. It suits couples and friends who enjoy sharing plates and want something more modern than a traditional tavern. The atmosphere is buzzing rather than formal, and the bar seats are the liveliest. Dishes are designed for sharing, so order a few at a time and keep going.

The restaurant is open every day for lunch and dinner, with a break in the late afternoon and service until after midnight. Booking online is recommended, especially for dinner at weekends. The team also runs two sister restaurants: Sala de Despiece 0 on Calle de Ayala in Salamanca, and Sala de Despiece 2 near Puerta del Sol, on Calle de la Virgen de los Peligros, which is handy if you are staying in the centre.

Calle de Alonso Cano is in the residential district of Chamberí, north of the centre. Alonso Cano metro station on line 7 is right by the restaurant, and Ríos Rosas and Iglesia stations are also close. After dinner, Calle de Ponzano, a few minutes' walk away, is lined with bars for a drink in a part of Madrid that sees fewer tourists than the old town.