A European king shows up by surprise to eat at a restaurant and the chef reacts surprisingly: “feed him”
The King of Spain made a surprise appearance at a local restaurant, shocking the chef.
On July 16, 2025, a renowned Colombian‑Spanish fusion restaurant in Madrid welcomed the most unexpected of guests. Poncio, the famous yet still accessible establishment, which has won various awards over the years, suddenly became the stage for a moment of royal spontaneity, as Spain’s King Felipe VI dropped by for a bite to eat.
Rodrigo Carretero, Poncio’s head chef, was in the zone, busy with service, when a server rushed to tell him, “Your king is at the door.” His first thought? “He looks like him—maybe.” Nervously, he phoned his wife for advice, unsure if he should initiate any formal protocol. Her response? “Feed him.”
Speaking in a TikTok video, Carretero explained that the King and his entourage “loved the food and, above all, the service,“ adding that, ”it’s true—we treat everyone here like royalty.” As for the menu, he revealed the royals enjoyed “ribs, among other things, and of course the gilda,” a Basque olive and anchovy skewer.
@poncio_madrid Y así, sin previo aviso, los Reyes de España se sentaron en nuestro restaurante 👑🍽️ Y por supuesto, los atendimos como Reyes! Igual que a todos nuestros clientes ☺️ 👉🏻 Reserva en www.ponciowm.com/reservas #restaurante #madrid #guiamichelin #cocinadeautor #poncio #restaurantedeautor #michelinguide
♬ sonido original - Restaurante Poncio Madrid - Restaurante Poncio Madrid
Visits like this give a glimpse of Felipe VI beyond ceremonial duties—more approachable, enjoying casual outings like any other foodie. Spanish newspaper La Razón noted how these unexpected appearances humanise the monarch and spark nationwide interest—people naturally wonder, where will he turn up next?
In recent months, Felipe VI and Queen Letizia have made headlines for similar low-key dining trips. The King has been spotted enjoying simple, regional cuisine—be it roast lamb in a roadside rest‑area in Guadalajara — a restaurant known more to truckers that has a 2.4 rating on TripAdvisor and a lot of 1-star reviews — or indulging in Asturian cheese in the north.
They have also been spotted eating in a seafood-focused restaurant located near Plaza de Oriente, as well as popping up at a well-known — yet still, not expensive — bar/restaurant that also doubles as a hardware store.
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