Located in the heart of Madrid de los Austrias, next to the Royal
Theatre and opposite the Royal Palace. Café de Oriente is one of the
landmarks of the Plaza de Oriente, very close to the Sabatini Gardens.
It is halfway between the Almudena Cathedral and Calle Mayor.
On the other side of Café de Oriente is the Plaza de Ópera, which
leads to the pedestrian street of Arenal that goes to Puerta del
Sol, one of the busiest centres of the city.
Our restaurant is located under the vaults that once belonged to the 17th century Convent of San Gil, with different rooms suitable for every occasion such as family gatherings, meetings with friends or professional meetings, with the capacity to cater for all kinds of events.
Its vaulted rooms show off the remains of the 17th century convent and much later, in the 20th century, the space was occupied by a large printing press, until 1983 when Don Luis de Lezama decided to open Café de Oriente.
It soon became a place for social gatherings. Its regular customers include figures from the worlds of art, politics, music…
The prestigious Spanish cartoonist Antonio Mingote found his inspiration for the cartoon of the day in the ABC newspaper at table number 9. Nowadays, this table is a corner that pays tribute to the talent of a great friend of Café de Oriente.
Not only because of its location on the Plaza de Oriente and opposite
the Royal Palace, but also because it is open 365 days a year.
Any time of the day is the perfect time to sit and
enjoy both the views and atmosphere of the area.
Our gastronomic proposal has come from the mind of our chef Roberto Hierro since 1989. He is responsible for opening all of the Lezama Group’s spaces and stands out for being passionate about the creation and decoration of each dish, but always starting from a traditional base while respecting the flavours, as he considers it very important not to lose them, neither their roots nor the tradition.
A congressman in haute cuisine courses, gastronomic advisor and pioneer in dignifying cuisine, as well as being head chef along with four other chefs at the Royal Pavilion of EXPO 92 in Seville, Roberto Hierro is currently Executive Chef of the Lezama Group in Madrid.
Together with his great kitchen team, they work with the utmost dedication and detail, to offer a unique gastronomic experience under the motto “we are what we eat”.
EST. 1983
Our room on the main floor, with a maximum capacity for 100 people, has a décor reminiscent of traditional French bistros, with a romantic and delicate style, which combines perfectly with the beautiful views from its windows overlooking the Plaza de Oriente.
The Salón de San Gil owes its name to the Convent of San Gil, a site that was a convent for monks in the 17th century.
This room is, together with the Salón de la Abuela, the largest. It has a maximum capacity for 70 people.
The Salón de la Abuela is the most dazzling room, with spectacular views of the Royal Palace. It has a maximum capacity for 35 people, as well as a private bathroom and a separate entrance.
The Salón del Rey is located in a 17th century cave. It has a glass round table for eight people, supported by an inverted capital as the base. The seating capacity can be increased to 10 people.
This room is located in the original quarters of the 17th century Convent of San Gil, whose walls are made of brick, in the lower part of the café. It is set apart, to give more privacy to a maximum of 10 people.
Next to the Sala Blanca, this room is also located in what was originally the Convent of San Gil. An intimate and charming little corner for 6 people.
