MADRID, SPAIN. I stumbled on this restaurant when looking for an outdoor terrace on a hot day in Malasaña. Naif was a welcome surprise, with large portions, good food, and a hipster environment. I felt cool and ate well!
The menu of the day cost 10,00 euros (11.50 euros if you sit in the terrace). For the first plate I ordered a salad with goat cheese, which with came with tasty arugula (no lettuce) and nice presentation. For a second plate I got a burger with everything, which came with bacon, grilled onion, and cheese. This was the best burger I’ve had so far in Madrid. The food came with plantain chips and a tuna spread (an interesting and tasty replacement of the traditional bread and olive oil), a drink, and desert or coffee.
The servings sizes were huge making us very full. We felt that we got our money’s worth of food. The restaurant primarily serves salads, sandwiches, and burgers. The food is mostly non-Spanish, with its burger section and untraditional sandwiches with guacamole and humus.
The service was slow, which was upsetting (but understandable for Spanish service). We also had to wait to sit because the terrace was so busy that day. The terrace is directly in the sunlight, with no tables with shade, so this is a warning to those who get hot or sunburned fast.
The interior has a really cool vibe, with graphic drawings on the wall and cushioned vintage seats. The waiters were all young, bearded, and dressed very well, creating the hipster vibe. The restaurant is also smack in the middle of Malasaña, in the same plaza as the great La Bicicleta Café (go there for coffee after).
Naif
Calle San Joaquín, 16
28004 Madrid
Tel. +34 910 072 071
Neighborhood: Malasana
Metro Stations: Tribunal, Chueca
Hours: Sun to Thur 12:30 pm – 1:00 am
Fri to Sat 12:30 pm – 2:30 am