Why DiverXO matters.
DiverXO is a three-MICHELIN-starred avant-garde restaurant where Hispanoamérica's cosmopolitan character meets Dabiz Muñoz's dramatic approach to international gastronomy, the technical sophistication of contemporary Spanish cooking and one of the most influential culinary enterprises in Madrid.
Positioned within NH Collection Madrid Eurobuilding on Calle del Padre Damián, the restaurant occupies a prominent setting between Paseo de la Castellana, the Santiago Bernabéu stadium complex and the residential streets surrounding Avenida de Alberto Alcocer. Its entrance introduces a theatrical interior conceived by designer Lázaro Rosa-Violán, whose decorative scheme incorporates surrealist imagery, elaborate furnishings and the restaurant's distinctive flying-pig motif. Sculptural elements and contrasting textures establish an unconventional atmosphere throughout the dining room, complemented by carefully controlled lighting and boldly arranged tables. The service environment incorporates elaborate presentation surfaces that transform individual courses into carefully staged compositions. The restaurant's position within an established luxury hotel provides a discreet entrance to a dining room characterized by visual experimentation and exceptional technical ambition. The result is a distinctive gastronomic setting whose theatrical interiors establish an immediate connection with the creative ambitions of one of Spain's most celebrated chefs.
What defines DiverXO.
DiverXO is best known for establishing Dabiz Muñoz as one of the leading figures in international avant-garde gastronomy and returning three-MICHELIN-star recognition to Madrid after more than two decades. Born David Muñoz Rosillo in Madrid in 1980, the chef developed an early ambition to establish a restaurant devoted to his own interpretation of international cooking. His professional training included appointments at Viridiana under Abraham García, where he encountered an influential approach to Spanish ingredients and global culinary influences. Subsequent work in London introduced him to the technical foundations of Asian cooking through restaurants including Hakkasan and Nobu. These experiences became central to his development of a repertoire combining Chinese, Japanese, Southeast Asian and Spanish culinary traditions. Returning to Madrid, Muñoz invested his savings in an independent restaurant project developed with limited financial resources and a small professional team. DiverXO opened in 2007 in the Tetuán district, introducing an ambitious tasting-menu format that attracted attention for its unconventional combinations and elaborate presentations. Its early success established a growing reputation among Madrid's gastronomic community, encouraging the chef to expand his professional ambitions. Muñoz received the National Gastronomy Award for Best Chef in 2009, recognizing the significance of his contribution to contemporary Spanish cooking. DiverXO earned its first MICHELIN star in the 2010 guide, establishing the restaurant among the capital's distinguished fine-dining establishments. A second star followed in 2012, confirming the rapid development of its technically demanding culinary program. The restaurant received its third MICHELIN star in 2013, making Muñoz, then thirty-three, among the youngest chefs internationally to achieve the distinction. The award also restored three-star recognition to Madrid for the first time in twenty years, establishing an important milestone in the capital's gastronomic development. In April 2014, DiverXO relocated to NH Collection Madrid Eurobuilding, introducing a larger and more elaborate environment for its increasingly ambitious tasting menus. The partnership with the hotel established a lasting relationship between the restaurant and one of the capital's prominent international hospitality properties. Muñoz subsequently expanded his culinary enterprise through StreetXO, a more informal restaurant concept that translated elements of his cooking into a lively counter-service format. Additional projects included RavioXO, devoted to contemporary interpretations of pasta and dumplings, and GOXO, which extended his cooking into alternative dining and delivery formats. International recognition continued through The Best Chef Awards, which named Muñoz the world's leading chef in 2021, 2022 and 2023. DiverXO also reached fourth place in The World's 50 Best Restaurants rankings in both 2024 and 2025, strengthening its position among the most internationally recognized restaurants in Spain. Plans for a substantial relocation to La Finca in Pozuelo de Alarcón were subsequently abandoned, preserving the restaurant's established location. In March 2025, DiverXO and NH Collection confirmed an extension of their partnership through December 2027. Muñoz reaffirmed in March 2026 that the restaurant would continue at Eurobuilding, concluding an extended period of uncertainty surrounding its future premises. The restaurant retained its three MICHELIN stars in the 2026 guide, sustaining its position as Madrid's only establishment with the distinction. Its significance rests on this sustained progression from a modest independent restaurant into an internationally influential culinary institution, connecting Muñoz's professional development with the emergence of Madrid as a major destination for experimental fine dining.
Dabiz Muñoz's cooking develops through an unusually ambitious combination of Asian culinary techniques, Spanish ingredients, concentrated sauces and contrasting expressions of sweetness, acidity, heat and umami. His approach draws upon extensive international travel and a continually changing repertoire, establishing combinations that connect familiar ingredients with unexpected preparations. The restaurant's principal tasting menu, La Cocina de los Cerdos Voladores, develops through a sequence of elaborate courses conceived as individual compositions. Its structure emphasizes technical precision and the progressive development of contrasting flavors, allowing the kitchen to move between seafood, vegetables, meat and carefully constructed desserts. Soba noodles with grilled-tomato consommé, tomburi, aromatic herbs and Huelva white shrimp provide a representative expression of this approach. The preparation connects Japanese noodle traditions with the concentrated character of Spanish seafood and the smoky sweetness of carefully prepared tomatoes. Red shrimp accompanied by xiao long bao introduces another combination, bringing the richness of Mediterranean shellfish into a preparation associated with Chinese dumpling craftsmanship. Its composition emphasizes the relationship between delicate wrappers, concentrated cooking juices and the natural sweetness of exceptional seafood. A contemporary interpretation of paella presented as nigiri develops a complementary relationship between Spanish rice traditions and Japanese culinary technique. The preparation concentrates familiar elements of a regional Spanish dish into a smaller composition whose structure draws upon the precision of sushi. Green curry of partridge with whisky and bergamot introduces greater aromatic complexity, combining the substantial character of game with the layered spices of Southeast Asian cooking. Its accompanying citrus notes and carefully controlled richness establish a distinctive balance across the preparation. The menu also incorporates contemporary interpretations of Korean and Sichuan cooking, extending the kitchen's exploration of fermentation, chili heat and concentrated seafood flavors. In 2026, Muñoz introduced Metamorfosis, an elaborate alcohol-free liquid menu conceived to accompany the restaurant's principal tasting experience. The program develops beverages as independent culinary compositions, incorporating ingredients and techniques associated with contemporary cooking. Guests may select a shorter or more extensive liquid progression, complementing the restaurant's separate wine-pairing programs. The wine collection supports several approaches to pairing, ranging from distinctive independent producers to internationally celebrated bottles. DiverXO's culinary distinction emerges from this integration of technically accomplished global cooking, elaborate presentation and an ambitious beverage program, establishing one of the most experimental interpretations of contemporary gastronomy in Europe.
How DiverXO fits.
DiverXO works as the dining culmination of an exploration connecting Madrid's twentieth-century sporting achievements, the development of its scientific institutions and the preservation of international political history, placing the restaurant within the cultural landscape of Chamartín and the northern Paseo de la Castellana.
Begin at Santiago Bernabéu Stadium, the historic home of Real Madrid Club de Fútbol and one of Europe's most consequential sporting venues. Inaugurated in December 1947, the stadium developed under the leadership of club president Santiago Bernabéu, whose ambitious expansion of Real Madrid transformed the institution into an internationally recognized football enterprise. Its architectural development included successive enlargements and extensive modernization, culminating in a major twenty-first-century renovation designed by the GMP-L35-Ribas architectural consortium. The contemporary stadium incorporates a retractable roof, an advanced playing-surface system and an elaborate exterior of metallic architectural elements. Its museum preserves the club's extensive collection of domestic and international trophies, connecting the building's architectural development with the history of European football. Continue to Museo Nacional de Ciencias Naturales, the distinguished scientific institution whose origins date to the Royal Cabinet of Natural History established by King Carlos III in 1771. Its founding collection developed through the scientific interests and extensive holdings of Pedro Franco Dávila, whose specimens and library became central to the institution's early development. The museum subsequently evolved into one of Spain's principal centers for the study of biodiversity, geology, paleontology and natural history. Its permanent exhibitions incorporate mineral collections, fossils, taxidermy and material associated with the evolution of life on Earth. The institution's relationship with the Spanish National Research Council reinforces its continuing contribution to scientific research and public education. Conclude at Parque de Berlín, the landscaped public park established in 1967 through an initiative commemorating Madrid's relationship with the German capital. Its development followed discussions surrounding a proposed visit by West Berlin mayor Willy Brandt, connecting the park's origins with the political geography of divided Europe. The grounds incorporate mature trees, landscaped paths, ornamental water features and sculptures associated with German cultural heritage. In November 1990, three original sections of the Berlin Wall were installed within the park, preserving graffiti from the structure that had divided the German capital during the Cold War. The surviving fragments establish a tangible connection between Madrid's public landscape and the political transformation of Europe following the fall of the wall in November 1989. The progression connects the architectural transformation of an internationally celebrated football stadium with Spain's scientific heritage and concludes at a public monument to European reunification, establishing the broader historical setting surrounding DiverXO.
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