Cardumen
Cardumen
Cardumen grills fish and seafood on Avenida de la Albufera, in an industrial building in Palomeras Sureste, out in Puente de Vallecas. The Guía Repsol lists it as Recomendado. The room is elegant, modern and quiet, with an open kitchen, the day's catch on display and a wine list that stands out. It's closed on Mondays.
Social
From restaurantecardumen on Instagram
Nos tomamos un pequeño descanso 🤍 En @restaurantecardumen también necesitamos parar unos días, recargar pilas y disfrutar de unas merecidas vacaciones. ✨ 📅 Del 10 al 23 de agosto permaneceremos cerrados por vacaciones. Volveremos el 24 de agosto con más ganas que nunca, renovados y preparados par
🥩 Steak tartare en Cardumen, una receta tradicional llevada a la excelencia. Elaborado con la mejor carne de vacuno, cuidadosamente cortada a cuchillo y aliñada al momento para respetar todo su sabor y textura. Un clásico imprescindible para los amantes de la buena gastronomía, donde la calidad del
🔥 Comenzamos una nueva semana en @restaurantecardumen 🔥 Nuestra parrilla ya está en marcha para ofreceros el mejor género del mar, siempre fresco y preparado al momento. Como estas espectaculares gambas a la brasa, con todo el sabor que solo consigue el fuego y la mejor materia prima. ¿Os apuntái
🍷 Hay vinos que se disfrutan y otros que dejan huella. En @restaurantecardumen hemos tenido el privilegio de descubrir Teso La Monja 2018, un vino de carácter excepcional que refleja la esencia de la D.O. Toro. Elegancia, profundidad y una extraordinaria complejidad aromática se unen en cada copa,
🐟 Hoy os destapamos uno de los grandes imprescindibles de Cardumen. Un espectacular sashimi de ventresca de atún rojo, un corte excepcional por su textura, jugosidad y sabor, acompañado de la exclusiva salsa de la casa, elaborada con tomate natural, aceite de oliva virgen extra y un toque de salsa d
🔥 ¡A toda brasa! 🔥 Ese es el lema de Cardumen, un restaurante donde el fuego es el gran protagonista y donde podrás disfrutar de algunos de los mejores pescados y carnes a la brasa. En esta ocasión, Nacho Sandoval y Víctor Collado os destapan las espectaculares carnes de Discalux, cocinadas a la pa
Background
About Cardumen
The Story
Cardumen grills fish and seafood inside an industrial building on Avenida de la Albufera, out in Puente de Vallecas, a long way from where Madrid's seafood restaurants usually sit. It's run by the brothers Raúl and Luis Sánchez Vega, whose family business is fish: their father opened a fishmonger's on Calle Pont de Molins in the Alto del Arenal in 1988, and the wholesale arm, Pescados Madrid, now keeps its warehouses in this same estate. Cardumen opened in March 2021, built during the pandemic across the way from La Lonjería, the family's casual canned-fish bar. The Guía Repsol lists it as Recomendado. It's a unit in the Edificio Vallausa, so it pays to know the door number before you arrive.
The Cuisine
Fish and seafood cooked over coals, with the daily catch as the organising idea: by the venue's own account, careful sea produce given a juicy texture and an unmistakable smoky aroma, worked with traditional and modern technique. There are top meats and sides alongside, and a wine list that stands out. The kitchen is open, and the produce is displayed on the way past it.
A Restaurant That Supplies Itself
The point of opening out here was the fish. The brothers buy at Mercamadrid, unload in the estate and pick pieces for the restaurants first, and whatever doesn't sell in the day goes to the fishmonger's counter the next morning. That rotation is why the display case carries wild and rock fish you rarely see on Madrid menus, from urta and pargo to virrey and borriquete, alongside red tuna, turbot, John Dory, carabineros and gambas, landed at ports from Galicia and Castellón to Huelva, Cádiz and Portugal. The house advice is to let the floor staff tell you what's best that day; whole fish are grilled for the table and priced by weight. Starters stay simple: oysters, several red-tuna plates, roasted peppers, and a zamburiña ceviche that won the head chef her job.
The Kitchen and the Cellar
Head chef Belén Cedeño came from Yakitoro and Grupo Larrumba, and starts each day at the fish counter choosing the catch. The room, designed by the Triscaideca studio, splits into three spaces: the obrador with the open kitchen and grill, a walk-through wine cellar, and a small ultramarinos corner. The wine list is the other reason people make the trip: it opened with around 800 references and has since passed 1,000, from everyday bottles to Pétrus, with a deep Champagne section. Most tables order by the bottle rather than the glass. The team has also run monthly pairing dinners, so ask when you book.
Getting There
Cardumen sits inside the Edificio Vallausa estate behind a car dealership, near the end of Avenida de la Albufera before the old village of Vallecas. Head for Puerta 1, Naves 5-6, and walk up the ramp: the fishmonger's counter comes first, then the restaurant. Parking inside the estate fills up. Weekend tables book up well ahead, so reserve early for Friday or Saturday.
The Sommelier
Ruth Ortiz (Sommelier)
Highlights
What Diners Say
Consensus
Cardumen Ratings & Reviews
Professional Ratings
decor 7.0/10, service 7.1/10, typical spend 60€
Diner Ratings
4.5
793
TripAdvisor
4.5
16 reviews
Cardumen ranks #216 of 1001 rated restaurants in Madrid. Diners rate it 4.5/5 on TripAdvisor (16 reviews).
Reservations
How to Book Cardumen
Booking
Reservations by phone or online via the website.
Experience
Cardumen Dining Experience
Cardumen grills fish and seafood over coals inside an industrial building on Avenida de la Albufera, out in Puente de Vallecas, a long way from where Madrid's seafood restaurants usually cluster. Inside, the register turns elegant, modern and quiet, with an open kitchen and the day's catch on display on the way past it, and the wine list is a standout.
Navigate
Cardumen Location & Neighbourhood
Address
Albufera 323, Edif. Vallausa, Pta.1 Nave 5-6, 28031 Madrid, Spain
Get directions→Getting There
Avenida de la Albufera 323, Edificio Vallausa, Puerta 1, Naves 5-6, 28031, in Palomeras Sureste, in the Puente de Vallecas district. It's a unit inside an industrial building, so it's worth knowing the door before you set off.
Nearby
Palomeras Sureste is a barrio in the Puente de Vallecas district, in southeastern Madrid, where warehouses and industrial units sit alongside residential streets. It is a working, unglamorous part of the city, and its few restaurants serve locals and the surrounding business park rather than visitors.
Details
Cardumen Reservations, Hours & Contact
Opening Hours
| Day | Hours |
|---|---|
| Monday | Closed |
| Tuesday | 13:30–01:30 |
| Wednesday | 13:30–01:30 |
| Thursday | 13:30–01:30 |
| Friday | 13:30–01:30 |
| Saturday | 13:30–01:30 |
| Sunday | 13:30–18:30 |
Cardumen hours verified 2026-08-10. Contact the restaurant to confirm.
Contact
Good to Know
Questions
Cardumen FAQ
Does Cardumen have a Michelin star?
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No. The Guía Repsol lists Cardumen as Recomendado, and it isn't in the Michelin Guide.
When is Cardumen open?
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Closed Monday. Tuesday to Saturday it serves continuously from 13:30 until 01:30, and Sunday from 13:30 to 18:30. It also closes for a summer break in August.
What kind of food does Cardumen serve?
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Grilled fish and seafood worked from the daily catch, over coals, with an open kitchen and the produce on display beside it, plus top meats and a standout wine list.
Where is Cardumen, and is it hard to find?
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Avenida de la Albufera 323, Edificio Vallausa, Puerta 1, Naves 5-6, 28031 Madrid, in Palomeras Sureste in Puente de Vallecas. It's a unit inside an industrial building and the access isn't obvious from the avenue, so it pays to know the door number before arriving.
How much does dinner cost at Cardumen, and what's on the menu?
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Roughly €51 to €100 per person. The carta runs from ración classics up to specialty items like whole gamba roja by the kilo (€160) and Beluga caviar, priced from €25 for 10g.
How do you book a table at Cardumen?
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By phone or online through the reservations link on the venue's own website, restaurantecardumen.com.
Who runs Cardumen?
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The brothers Raúl and Luis Sánchez Vega, whose family runs the Pescados Madrid fish wholesaler and La Lonjería, the casual canned-fish bar across the way. The restaurant opened in March 2021, and Belén Cedeño leads the kitchen.