So excited to be returning to Spain in early October. We have been to Seville a few times before but never to Jerez or Cadiz. Locals have always told me that I need to go to Cadiz so excited for it.
This is my first post here so glad to see so many fodors friends like Erica and Maribel!
Looking for food and other suggestions for our trip. 2 nights Jerez, 3 Cadiz and 4 Seville.
So far I have: Jerez: La Carbona , horse show and Lustau tasting
Seville: Sobre tablas, La Bartola, Barra Baja, Bodega de Gongora La Flor del Toranzo, Blanca Paloma, Las Golondrinas, Bodeguita A Romera (is there a preferred location? We have have been before but I don’t remember). Last visit, over Christmas in 2022, we ate at Tradevo Centro twice we enjoyed it so much. Is it still good? I know about Azaharsevilla site and will use it also.
So many suggestions for you!
For Jerez:
La Carboná most definitely, Lustau sherry tour before and the horse show plus the new Arima Gastribar (Basque–I loved it in March) and the even newer Martié (tasting menu with Michelin star promise), plus Churrería Manuel, next to the market.
For casual but yet very good, the tiny Matria (reservations essential due to popularity and size).
Also we think that Ismael Ramos’ Albalá just can´t be beat and even better, it makes a great, convenient lunch stop after the horse show!. Always interesting special menu items and truly lovely service.
Jerez is this year’s Gastronomic Capital of Spain.
Here´s my HO write up from our recent visit’’
Sevilla:
Sobretablas definitely, as the female chef was the first to earn the coveted Revelation Chef of the Year at Madrid Fusion and her partner, the somm worked at El Celler de Can Roca.
We also love Barra Baja (make sure to reserve one of the 8 seats at the bar), Taberna Zurbarán and for seafood, Salmedina, La Barra de Cañabota and La Barra de Inchausti. Tradevo Centro is still very good and I would include it.
In Triana, Las Golondrinas and Alfarería, along with a visit to the market. Augurio is very good.
If you get up to the Alameda de Hércules area, we love Disparate (must reserve and must order the huevos estrellados El Gallinero de Sandra!)
There are now 4 locations of Bodeguita A Romero, but for us, the best is the one at Antonia Díaz 19, which is our last stop on our evening rotation after stopping into the venerable Hijos de El Morales, a time warp, on Calle García de Vinuesa, where Shawn (Azahar) still gives her sherry classes. So atmospheric if you can snag a high table in the back room decorated with huge clay wine casks.
For Cádiz, Código de Barra definitely, Almanaque and for the best selection of almadraba tuna in many different guises, along with sherries by the glass, the atmospheric Taberna Sorpresa with a Repsol solete (little sun).
El Faro de Cádiz is also a must in my book in the Barrio de las Viñas, and I never fail to stop for a bite on my way at the venerable “time warp”, Casa Manteca, a legendary spot filled with bullfight memorabilia and photos of the famous. And here the “must order” are the chicarrones de Cádiz.
In addition to Maribel’s advice for Cadiz, strongly consider renting a car or arranging a car service for a lunch at nearby El Campero or Antonio to try the Almadraba tuna. The experience justifies the extra effort and expense. Only Japan in season can compete at this level for tuna.
Contraseña by the same people at Codigo de Barra was excellent. We liked it better than Codigo. I suggest you take a look at the menu for both and see which dishes interest you the most.
Maribel, thanks so much for all these suggestions. It seems like old times when you always helped me on fodors! I am getting so hungry!!
Question-we depart Jerez on Fri so we could go to the horse show, have lunch and then arrive later in day to Cadiz. Is horse show that good?
also, we only had a glass of sherry in seville with peter, who did the food tour for Shawn. I think it was at Las Teresas. I don’t remember liking it. There was a winery in Jerez that also looked good, Luis Perez, but we won’t have a car so not sure if a cab makes sense or we should focus on Lustau…
I think the horse ballet is worthy, but I’ve seen many since dressage interests me, even though I´m not a rider–it’s much better than the one at the Caballerizas Reales in Córdoba, almost as exciting as visiting the horse farm with spectacle at the Yeguada Cartuja and as good as the one in Lisbon at the Portuguese School of Equestrian Art and the Alter Real Stud Farm in Alter do Chão in the Alentejo.
No, please focus on Lustau. We were just at Luis Pérez for a visit and it would be very, very difficult without a car, as you´d have to wait forever to get a taxi back to Jerez. We went to both Luis Pérez and Forlong because we have an interest in the vinos de pasto that they produce, which are unfortified sherries. You just need a car to reach either!
If you see La Escribana by Luis Pérez on a wine list, please order it! We just had it last week at La Catapa. 100% palomino grape, but again, unfortified and different.
My husband, actually, is a bigger sherry fan than I am. I prefer the new wave vinos de pasto that are being produced now in Jerez.
