Malabar Bistró Nómada

The story

Malabar Bistró Nómada: Contemporary Cuisine in Collado-Villalba, Spain

Malabar Bistró Nómada: A Nomadic Spirit in the Sierra de Madrid

In the small town of Becerril de la Sierra, just outside Collado-Villalba, Malabar Bistró Nómada has become a quiet revelation since opening its doors in June 2019. The restaurant’s name tells its story: “bistró” for the unfussy, quality-focused spirit of a French bistro, and “nómada” for the restless, world-traveling approach of its creators, chefs Cecilia and Yago.

The couple met in 2008 while working under Martín Berasategui. Their shared path then took them from Shanghai, where they opened a restaurant for the Basque chef, to Buenos Aires, and eventually back to the Sierra de Madrid. This global perspective is the backbone of their contemporary cuisine. The menu is deliberately short and changes frequently, driven by seasonal produce and trusted suppliers. Every dish is designed to be shared, with all plates available in full or half portions, encouraging diners to taste widely.

The dining room is simple and spacious, with a welcoming patio for warmer months. The atmosphere is direct and unpretentious, letting the cooking speak for itself. Desserts, always homemade and crafted by Cecilia, blur the line between sweet and savory, creating a natural flow through the meal.

This focus on quality, value, and a genuinely personal dining experience earned Malabar Bistró Nómada a Michelin Bib Gourmand award, recognizing it as a place for good quality, good value cooking. It is a restaurant that feels both grounded in its mountain setting and open to the world, a reflection of the two chefs who built it.