Movida Adding Rooftop Bar, Dining Room
Adding 70 seats and private event space to Spanish restaurant in Walker's Point.
Site of Movida at Hotel Madrid, 600 S. 6th St.
Business is booming at Movida — so much so that the restaurant is planning an expansion to its dining room, bringing 70 additional seats, a rooftop patio and a private event venue to its space within Hotel Madrid, 600 S. 6th St.
The changes have been a long time coming, according to Sean Wille, director of marketing and public relations for Stand Eat Drink Hospitality Group, who said the project’s “wheels started turning” back in 2020.
That’s when the restaurant, which first opened in 2014 at 524 S. 2nd St., relocated to its current space. The timing of the move worked in tandem with pandemic-era restrictions by providing plentiful outdoor seating, which allowed Movida to continue operations throughout the summer and beyond.
Three years later, the demand for patio dining remains high — not just on weekends but every day. Meanwhile, the restaurant is juggling event inquiries and a high volume of daily diners. The extra space, said Wille, will ease the pressure on the business while improving the experience for customers — a win-win.
“It just made sense,” Wille said.
Construction plans for the project include a two-story addition featuring a four-season rooftop patio with outdoor access. The flexible space will have retractable walls in order to adapt to the ever-changing weather.
Throughout the clement months, guests can expect an alfresco experience that overlooks the Walker’s Point neighborhood. But the space will remain open — albeit modified — even as temperatures drop.
The restaurant will also build out an additional kitchen space, which will be able to operate independently for private events, or combine with the existing kitchen to take on higher-volume services.
New dining and bar areas and a private event space are also in the works.
Construction for the project has already begun, and is expected to complete in the coming months. The new space is tentatively set to open in February 2024.
In the meantime, Movida aims to continue operations as usual. “The hope, provided everything goes well, is to be able to do this expansion project without sacrificing a single day of service,” Wille said.
As the larger project progresses, Movida marked another achievement in reintroducing its brunch program last weekend. The service takes place Saturdays and Sundays from 9 a.m. to 2 p.m.
The brunch menu features an array of Spanish-inspired dishes — from starters like churro funnel cakes and pan con tomate, to mains such as the pulled pork omelette, birria grilled cheese and apple pie french toast.
In a playful departure from Movida’s more sophisticated dinner menu, brunch offerings also include shareable monkey bread and a hot pink shaved ice dessert topped with strawberry syrup and rose water whipped cream.
During the evening hours, the restaurant is widely known for its tapas and paella, but also serves street noodles, curry noodles and wings — all inspired by popular street food and late-night eats in Madrid.
An extensive beverage list features a wide variety of wine, beer, sangria and both traditional and zero-proof cocktails.
To view menus or make a reservation, visit Movida online.
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