Amets

Amets in Madrid works if the goal is modern Basque cooking in a relaxed, intimate room rather than a long, formal fine-dining night. The picture is focused and concise: chef-owner Diego Sánchez serves modern Basque small plates in a cozy, modern, bistronomy-style space with just a few tables and a small bar. For someone planning a meal, the clearest strategy is to build around shareable plates and leave room for one of the kitchen’s listed sweeter finishes.

The strongest reason to go is the format. This is modern Basque small plates rather than a grand-occasion script, which makes it flexible for a table that wants to share. A first meal can be a survey of the house style: start with the Gilda Amets, add the spinach sponge with miso cream and nori, keep the pumpkin crème brûlée with sour cream and seeds in mind as the closer.

Modern Basque plates for sharing

Chef Diego Sánchez’s cooking gives the place its point of view: Basque references, a contemporary feel, a shareable structure that works well for diners who want to compare plates rather than sit through a highly formal meal. The room is small and cozy, with a few tables and a small bar, so the energy should suit diners who want a close, conversational meal. It is better framed as upscale casual than as a dress-code-heavy dining room.

The practical ordering strategy is simple. Treat the meal as a set of shared choices: include one of the signature dishes, add another plate that shows the modern side of the kitchen, finish with the pumpkin crème brûlée with sour cream and seeds if that is the kind of dessert you want. The $65 per person price point makes most sense for diners who want a polished but not overly formal Madrid meal.

The venue’s own positioning includes signature wines, so the better move is not to overbuild the meal. Choose a wine direction that keeps the table moving, then let the small plates define the pace. That makes Amets feel less like a trophy dinner and more like an intimate, modern Madrid restaurant built around shareable Basque cooking.

Who should prioritize it, who should skip it

Prioritize Amets if you want Basque cooking without the weight of a traditional dining room. The Macarfi 7.4 Food Rating for 2026 is a useful trust signal: this is not just a cozy room with a good concept, but a restaurant with outside recognition in Madrid’s dining conversation. It is also a good choice when the brief is upscale casual: polished enough for a date or low-key celebration, relaxed enough that the evening does not feel overplanned.

Skip it if the group needs a larger or more formal restaurant. The appeal is the combination of modern Basque small plates, a few tables, a small bar, an intimate atmosphere. Diners who want a more expansive or highly formal setup may be better served by other Madrid dining rooms.