Winged pigs on the ceiling, stratospheric addition: the DiverXO Madrid restaurant shakes up the codes of haute cuisine. At the helm, Spanish chef Dabiz Muñoz has transformed his table into a permanent laboratory of emotions. And this story is far from fixed.
Approaching the 20th anniversary of its opening, DiverXO is the only 3-star Michelin restaurant in the Spanish capital, regularly cited among the best restaurants in the world. With a clear credo as a common thread: . It remains to be understood how this motto is translated, day after day, on Madrid’s plates.
DiverXO Madrid: from the hotel school to the myth of Tetuán
At 17, Dabiz Muñoz entered hotel school while working in the evening, passing through Abraham García’s Viridiana then London and Hakkasan, where he explored Asian techniques and spices. This mix of influences will become the backbone of his cuisine.
Back in Madrid with little money but a fixed idea, in 2007 he opened DiverXO in a small premises in Tetuán. Spotted by Madrid Fusión, it earned three stars in a few years, becoming the only 3 Michelin stars in the city. Then installed at the NH Collection Madrid Eurobuilding, decorated by Lázaro Rosa-Violán, the restaurant appears to be governed by the motto of its site, , reported Food et Sens.
A cuisine without borders and a duo with Cristina Pedroche
On the plates, Madrid meets Bangkok, Tokyo, Mexico or London in the same dish. A Spanish product is combined with an Asian sauce, a Mexican mole or a French technique. The contrasts follow one another, acidic, smoky, fatty, spicy, bitter, to compose a cuisine that is sometimes excessive but with millimeter precision, a sort of , in his own words.
The chef claims to reject fashion, at a time when many iconic restaurants focus on simplicity. On the contrary, he asserts: In this adventure, he relies on his wife, the presenter Cristina Pedroche, investor and co-director of the XO universe, whose role is judged in the functioning of the group.
Metamorfosis: the new face of DiverXO Madrid
Almost twenty years after the small premises in Tetuán, DiverXO Madrid remains on the move. The moving project was abandoned, but the kitchen is intended to be more readable without losing intensity. With , presented at Madrid Fusión 2026, Dabiz Muñoz talks about his cuisine, a double solid and liquid journey born from years of research on fermentations and 0.0 drinks, he explained during the congress, cited by Madrid Secreto.
In this experience, the is no longer used to water the dishes: it becomes an autonomous entity, designed to provoke flavors, and not. The client chooses a path that is mostly solid, mostly liquid or both almost in parallel; all together places DiverXO among the most expensive restaurants in the world, and the chef affirms that an establishment of this level.
How much does Metamorfosis cost at DiverXO Madrid?
Solid 450 euros, liquid 450 euros, together around 900.
What style of cuisine does DiverXO Madrid offer?
Avant-garde cuisine without borders, very contrasting and generous.
What is the role of Cristina Pedroche?
Wife of the chef, she invests in and co-directs the XO universe.
