A tricolor oasis in the heart of Salamanca, where Italy tells its story through iconic dishes, signature atmospheres, and a success that grows day by day: Bel Mondo boasts annual revenues of €8 million, while the group to which it belongs—Big Mamma—has reached €270,000.
Photo of the chef: @A. Martín
The restaurant
For those who don't know, yes: there is also a Little Italy in Madrid. In the heart of the sophisticated Salamanca district, there is a place where Italy is not just talked about—it is lived, breathed, and eaten. It's Bel Mondo, the restaurant of the French group Big Mamma, which since 2020 has been bringing an authentic immersion in the taste and spirit of the Bel Paese to the Spanish capital. Bright colors from pink to salmon, opulent details, a joyful atmosphere: Bel Mondo is a movie set that smells of basil, Parmesan cheese, and memories of home. It has quickly become a cult address, despite opening in the midst of a pandemic. Bel Mondo is one of 27 Big Mamma restaurants spread across Italy, France, Germany, the United Kingdom, Belgium, and Monaco. The group, which joined McWin, a private equity fund manager, in 2023, has over 3,500 employees and a turnover of €270 million.
But beyond the numbers—which are important but not the main focus—what really defines Bel Mondo is a clear philosophy: authenticity, conviviality, and uncompromising Italian ingredients. It is no coincidence that 70% of Bel Mondo's staff is Italian: 100 employees, 55 of whom work in the kitchen. "The human resources office is in Milan. From there, we form the teams: that's how you create a family, an atmosphere that then reaches the customer,“ Daniele Tasso, Executive Chef of Big Mamma in Spain, tells El País. A 35-year-old from Genoa, Tasso fell in love with the project in 2020: ”When I arrived, Bel Mondo had just opened and the owners had contacted me to invite me to the restaurant. They told me there was a line outside the door. I didn't believe it, but they paid for my ticket so I could see for myself. When I arrived, it had snowed heavily in the city. People were arriving on skis and waiting at the entrance to get in. I thought: this place has something special. I'm staying."
The heart of Bel Mondo is pasta, the undisputed queen alongside pizza. From the early hours of the morning, the in-house laboratory produces everything: fresh egg pasta, dried pasta, and filled pasta. So good that it even won over Dabiz Muñoz: when the three-star chef opened RavioXO, a restaurant specializing in pasta, he chose staff from the Bel Mondo laboratory for his team. “Muñoz hired staff from our workshop. The fact that he sought out members of our team filled us with pride, because it means we are doing things right. We strive to be as traditional as possible and to remain faithful to authentic recipes,” continues the chef. Eight different types of pasta are prepared every day, but the signature dish is CarboMamma: spaghetti for two served directly inside a pecorino cheese wheel from Murgia, crispy Tuscan guanciale, and mind-blowing creaminess. Pier Paolo La Petina, head waiter, has a mission: to tell the story of the real Italy.
So every morning before service, he gathers the staff to encourage them to introduce the Spanish public—and others—to lesser-known Italian dishes such as pici pasta topped with ragù, Parmigiano Reggiano, and bay leaf powder. As for pizza, Bel Mondo is considered one of the best pizzerias in the capital; here, each pizza is cooked in a wood-gas oven at 400° for just 90 seconds. Every day, six pizza makers—pizzaiolo, sous pizzero, baker, and conditore—bake over 300 pizzas. The most popular? La Mammargherita: San Marzano tomatoes, fiordilatte cheese, Parmigiano Reggiano, basil, and The Royals: buffalo mozzarella, Parma ham, and Taggiasca olives. Almost all the ingredients come from Italy: more than 170 suppliers stock Bel Mondo's pantry. Only meat, fish, and fruit are sourced locally.
Bel Mondo speaks Italian not only through its dishes, but also through every detail of its surroundings - which cover over 900 m² and seat 250 - with the aim of recreating a summer residence on the shores of Lake Garda . “All the objects come from Italian markets. Even the ceramics are handmade by artisans from our country”, says Tasso. The open kitchen comes to life in the early hours of the morning, as the team kneads, rolls, bakes, and prepares every detail. From 1 p.m. onwards, the restaurant begins to fill up with a steady stream of guests arriving with enthusiasm and curiosity. Every day, Bel Mondo welcomes around 1,000 people, all looking for a gastronomic journey through Italy... without ever leaving Madrid.
