El 22

El 22, Colmenar Viejo: The Verdict

The tasting menu at El 22 fills up — and in a town the size of Colmenar Viejo, that happens faster than you'd expect. If you're planning a special occasion dinner or want to experience what a Michelin Plate recognition looks like at the €€ price point, book before the week is out. This is a kitchen doing genuinely ambitious fusion work at a price that undercuts almost everything comparable in the wider Madrid region, and the dining room is not large.

What El 22 Actually Is

El 22 sits on Calle de Salvadiós in Colmenar Viejo, about 30 kilometres north of central Madrid, and it earns a Michelin Plate (2025) for cooking that moves between culinary traditions with more confidence than the price tag would suggest. Stews and game sit alongside tiraditos, kimchi preparations, and curries on the same menu — not as a gimmick, but as a coherent statement about how the kitchen thinks. The execution, according to Michelin's own assessors, is consistent across those disparate influences.

The flavour profile here is genuinely wide-ranging: sharp acidity from Latin American preparations, the fermented depth of Korean-influenced dishes, the weight of Castilian game and slow-cooked stews. Those contrasts are the point. If you want a single regional cuisine presented in a classic format, El 22 is the wrong room. If you want a kitchen that moves fluidly between traditions and makes each dish work on its own terms, this is a serious option at a price that removes most of the risk.

The wine list is worth noting separately. The selection skews toward lesser-known producers , the kind of list that takes more effort to build than simply stocking recognisable labels. For a special occasion dinner, that matters: you're less likely to encounter the same bottles you've seen everywhere else, and the list is priced in keeping with the €€ positioning of the food.

Special Occasion and Date Night Framing

El 22 works well for a celebration or date dinner precisely because the tasting menu format gives the evening structure without requiring you to manage it. The range of the menu , small bites that reference different culinary traditions, then more substantial dishes , creates a natural arc to the meal. The Michelin Plate recognition gives the occasion a credible anchor: this is not just a neighbourhood restaurant, it is a kitchen that has been formally assessed and found to be cooking at a level above its surroundings.

At the €€ price range, it is also an occasion dinner that does not require a significant financial commitment. For context, a tasting menu experience at DiverXO in Madrid , also fusion-forward, but at €€€€ , costs multiples of what El 22 charges. The gap in price does not represent an equivalent gap in ambition or execution at El 22's end. For a celebration where the food matters more than the prestige of the address, this is a genuinely strong choice.

The executive menu option means there is also a more accessible format available for business lunches or occasions where a full tasting menu feels like too much commitment. That flexibility is useful and not always present at restaurants operating at this quality level.

Late Evening and Timing

Hours are not confirmed in our data, but in the context of Spanish dining culture in the Madrid region, evening service typically runs later than northern European equivalents , main dinner service often beginning at 9 PM or later. El 22's fusion format and small-bites approach make it well-suited to the later end of that window: the menu's structure works as a longer, exploratory meal rather than a quick sitting. If you are coming from central Madrid, factor in travel time north to Colmenar Viejo and aim to book a table that gives you a full evening rather than a rushed sitting before a last service cutoff.

For the full experience, the tasting menu requires time. Do not book El 22 on a night when you have a hard finish time. The kitchen is doing considered, multi-influence cooking, and the meal should be treated accordingly.

Booking and Getting There

Booking at El 22 is rated Easy. The Michelin Plate recognition will have brought it to more people's attention, but it is not operating at the booking difficulty level of a starred restaurant in central Madrid. A week's notice should be sufficient for most dates; for weekend evenings or a specific occasion date, two weeks out is a sensible margin. The address is C. de Salvadiós, 36, Colmenar Viejo , reachable from Madrid by car in under an hour from most central locations, or by commuter rail to Colmenar Viejo station followed by a short transfer. Driving is the more practical option if you are coming as a group.

Google reviewers rate El 22 at 4.7 across 284 reviews , a high score on a sample size large enough to be meaningful for a restaurant at this scale in a smaller town. That consistency across a broad base of reviews is a more reliable signal than a handful of critic mentions.

Quick reference: €€ price range, Michelin Plate 2025, 4.7/5 Google rating (284 reviews), Easy booking difficulty, Colmenar Viejo, Madrid.

How It Compares

Explore More in Colmenar Viejo

• Our full Colmenar Viejo restaurants guide
• Our full Colmenar Viejo hotels guide
• Our full Colmenar Viejo bars guide
• Our full Colmenar Viejo wineries guide
• Our full Colmenar Viejo experiences guide

Similar Fusion Restaurants Worth Knowing

• Ajonegro , Fusion in Logroño
• Arkestra , Fusion in Istanbul

FAQ: El 22, Colmenar Viejo

Is El 22 worth the price?

• Yes, clearly. At the €€ price point, El 22 holds a Michelin Plate (2025) and a 4.7 Google rating across nearly 300 reviews. The tasting menu format with multi-influence fusion cooking , tiraditos, kimchi, curries, game, stews , delivers a range and ambition that is rarely available at this price in the Madrid region. Compare it to DiverXO, which operates in a similar fusion register but at €€€€: El 22 is not the same experience, but the quality-to-price ratio is considerably stronger. If you are looking for serious cooking without a serious bill, this is one of the better options within reach of Madrid.

Is El 22 good for a special occasion?

• Yes, and specifically for occasions where the food quality matters more than the restaurant's address or prestige. The Michelin Plate recognition gives it credibility as a destination. The tasting menu provides the occasion with structure and length. The €€ pricing means a celebration here does not require significant financial planning. For a date dinner or birthday meal within 30 kilometres of central Madrid, El 22 is a strong choice , more interesting than most restaurants at this price, and more accessible than the city's starred options.

How far ahead should I book El 22?

• Booking difficulty is rated Easy, so a week's notice covers most scenarios. For weekend evenings or if you have a fixed date for a celebration, two weeks out removes any risk. The Michelin Plate (2025) will have raised its profile, so do not leave it to the last minute on a Friday or Saturday. The tasting menu seats are the ones to book early , the executive lunch menu is likely easier to secure on shorter notice.

What should I wear to El 22?

• No dress code is confirmed in our data. Given the €€ price positioning and the Colmenar Viejo location, smart casual is a safe default , the kind of outfit you would wear to a well-regarded neighbourhood restaurant rather than a formal city dining room. The Michelin Plate signals culinary seriousness, not formality. Avoid beachwear or very casual clothing out of respect for the kitchen's standard, but there is no indication that strict dress requirements apply.

Can El 22 accommodate groups?

• Seat count is not confirmed in our data, but as a Michelin Plate restaurant in a smaller town, the dining room is likely compact. For groups of four or more, contact the restaurant directly before booking to confirm availability and seating configuration. The tasting menu format works well for groups with a shared appetite for varied cooking , the multi-influence menu means there is enough on the table to generate conversation. For larger groups of six or more, early contact is advisable rather than attempting an online booking without confirmation.