Osa
Madrid, Spain · Moncloa - Aravaca
Insider Compass
An expert assessment built on data, context and gastronomic judgement.
RECOGNITIONS
About Osa
Tucked into a charming chalet with a garden along the Manzanares river, Osa offers one of Madrid's most intimate fine dining experiences, where chef Jorge Muñoz marries Spanish terroir with French technique and Japanese precision. The kitchen's bold, wild-focused concept showcases game charcuterie, nose-to-tail preparations, and matured river fish, executed with the kind of technical refinement that earned the restaurant a Michelin star within its first year and recognition as Tapas Best New Restaurant 2023. Expect a journey through inter-connecting dining rooms, an open kitchen, and a remarkable 3,600-bottle wine cellar curated by sommelier Silvia Pérez, formerly of Etxebarri and Culler de Pau. This is cooking for those who appreciate ingredient provenance, preservation techniques, and the quiet confidence of a young kitchen hitting its stride.
Good to know
Book well ahead and request a table in one of the quieter, more private dining rooms rather than near the kitchen if you prefer a more hushed, romantic experience.
The chef
Jorge Muñoz
Jorge Muñoz built his culinary foundation through stages at some of Spain's most influential kitchens, including Mugaritz, DiverXO, Coque, and La Tasquita de Enfrente, before opening Osa in 2023. His training also includes time at El Pedrusco, Picones de María, Pedegrú, and Lafayette, as well as formal studies at Escuela de Hostelería Lago, giving him a rare breadth of technique spanning traditional Spanish cooking and avant-garde experimentation. At Osa, Muñoz channels this diverse background into a wild-focused philosophy that emphasizes respect for product origin, seasonality, and preservation techniques like curing, smoking, and maturing. His cooking is rooted in the rhythms of the hunt and the river, with a clear reverence for ingredient provenance that he communicates by bringing raw materials tableside before they're transformed into refined, technically ambitious dishes.
The Insider Compass
Four dimensions, each assessed independently against the same criteria everywhere we rate.
Plate
Muñoz's cooking is technically exacting yet deeply soulful, built on a foundation of smoking, curing, and maturing that brings out profound umami in seasonal game and seafood. Standout dishes like red mullet amazake, smoked eel with roe on rye, endive with garum, and stuffed pig's trotter demonstrate a kitchen unafraid of strong, earthy flavors—every sauce, reduction, and fond is meticulously crafted with the precision you'd expect from someone who trained at Mugaritz, DiverXO, and Coque. The tasting menu balances delicacy and boldness, with raw ingredients sometimes presented tableside to explain provenance and technique before they're transformed into something memorable.
Vibe
IntimateThe atmosphere is intimate and residential, with just a handful of tables spread across warmly lit rooms finished in light wood that create a cozy, almost Nordic-inspired calm. You'll catch the seductive scent of wood smoke from the street, setting the tone for an evening that feels more like dining in a private home than a formal restaurant. The upstairs chillout lounge and terrace add versatility, though acoustics between rooms could benefit from better isolation on busier nights.
Service
The service is polished, warm, and genuinely hospitable, with staff who make you feel like part of the Osa family for the evening. Each dish arrives with detailed explanations of technique and sourcing, delivered with enthusiasm but never pretension. Sommelier Silvia Pérez brings serious credentials and a knack for surprising pairings, particularly from her deep French and Italian selections, though English fluency varies across the team—expect effort and charm rather than seamless multilingual polish.
Setting
The restored Spanish villa sits on a quiet, tree-lined residential street, worlds away from Madrid's tourist center, with a garden entrance that instantly transports you. Inside, the open kitchen greets you at the entrance, followed by a series of inter-connecting dining rooms with clean, contemporary lines and warm wood tones. The wine cellar on the top floor houses approximately 500 labels, heavily focused on France and Piedmont, and the space is designed to feel like a journey through the building, culminating in dessert served on the terrace when weather allows.
These four dimensions are a handful of the attributes we review. The Insider Rating also draws on research the compass does not display — among them the wine programme, the size and quality of the cellar, the location, and how long the house has operated. It is not an average of the scores above.
Go for
- Technically refined tasting menus that balance French precision with bold, wild Spanish flavors
- An intimate, romantic setting in a charming villa away from the city's tourist hubs
- A world-class wine cellar with rare French and Italian selections curated by a sommelier with Etxebarri pedigree
Don't go for
- A quick or casual meal—this is a multi-hour commitment best suited to special occasions
- Timid palates uncomfortable with game, offal, or assertive umami-driven flavors
Wine list
Osa1036 winesDetails
C. de la Ribera del Manzanares, 123, Moncloa - Aravaca, 28008 Madrid, Spain
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