La Santita restaurant: terracotta wall tiles capture the essence of Mexico

La Santita restaurant sits on the emblematic Madrid street of Fuencarral. Inside, chefs prepare traditional Mexican food over a flame, the same element that we use here at todobarro to fire our tiles and azulejos. We love the idea of two artisanal traditions, the culinary and that of creating functional terracotta pieces, coming together in a unique space designed by one of the most cutting-edge interior design studios working today: Madrid in Love.

Mexican spirit without the clichés

Most Mexican restaurants look alike. You know what we mean—over-sized sombreros above the table, images of Frida Kahlo plastered everywhere and walls painted in bright, garish colors. The idea is often to seek instantaneous recognition through symbols readily associated with Mexico. Unfortunately, this decorative style achieves little more than to dilute the true essence of Mexico, practically transforming the restaurant into a tourist attraction.

But naturally, this is not the case for La Santita. This restaurant does away with all the clichés, both in its visual style and in its cuisine, opting instead for an elegant aesthetic inspired by the pristine beaches and Mayan heritage of Tulum. The minds behind this winning concept are Juan Luis Medina and Naroa Quirós. They are the co-founders of interior design studio Madrid in Love, which is responsible for some of the most interesting interior design projects in the hotel and dining sectors anywhere in the capital.

Artisanal terracotta wall

Their idea for La Santita was to take guests on a more authentic and sophisticated trip to Mexico. They do this through earthy colors, natural materials such as bamboo or clay and indigenous motifs. Wicker chairs, wooden trunks and decorative plant life transport us to a world of traditional Mexican artisanship and reassure us that the gastronomic delights we are about to experience will be bound up with the natural world and thoroughly authentic in every sense.

The walls of the space take on an imposing presence in the restaurant. Madrid in Love designed a gorgeous tessellation from our artisanal terracotta tiles, using one of our most popular formats: our Triángulo 20 in pizarra (slate) with our Antique texture. The finish is reminiscent of all things tribal, while the texture calls tradition to mind. What’s more, their juxtaposition against modern elements and signature flourishes from Madrid in Love, like the use of neon, lend the restaurant a unique personality that’s difficult to forget.