Jerez Restaurants

The specialities of Jerez’s hearty peasant fare are berza and puchero, which are a chickpea, cardoon and sausage stew, and a chicken vegetable soup respectively. Rabo de toro (braised ox tail) is delicious, as is venao en salsa (game meat in a sherry sauce). Riñones al Jerez are kidneys, also cooked in sherry. Jerez benefits from its close proximity to the ocean and you will find pescao frito (a selection of fried dogfish, cuttlefish, baby squid or shrimp). In summer there is the well known gazpacho (tomato liquid salad) and Jerez produces a heartier, thicker variation on the served hot in the winter months: ajo campero (country garlic, tomato, pepper, garlic and wheat).

Many restaurants offer a menú turístico, which usually very good value and includes 2 dishes, bread, a drink and dessert. If you are visiting from late November to mid March, it is customary to drive out to one of the small country restaurants (ventas) on the outskirts of Jerez, where you can sample traditional food and mosto (the grape juice removed from the sherry making process and consumed in great quantities by the locals) . The alcohol content is much lower than sherry but mosto still packs a punch! Some of them stage flamenco performances which are advertised in posters around the city centre. Because they tend to be out of the way, it is worth hiring a car to get to these restaurants. When trying to find a ventas keep an eye out for the red flag on the road which indicates the establishment has mosto.

There are literally hundreds of restaurants to choose from in Jerez, but to try and steer you in the right direction we have listed below some of the ones that come highly recommended.

El Bosque
Av. Alcalde Alvaro Domecq
Tel: +34 956 307 030
Mon-Sat 1:30-5:00 pm and 8:30pm-midnight

Located north of the bullring 1.6km north east of the city centre, El Bosque is an elegant restaurant which opened just after World War II. It is quite up-market with a garden and a favourite with the sherry-producing aristocracy. Décor has a strong emphasis on bullfighting memorabilia, and specialities include rabo de toro (oxtail stew, gazpacho, hake Seville style, rice with king prawns and baby shrimp omelettes. Desserts here are good, especially the pistachio ice cream.

Gaitán
Calle Gaitán 3
Tel: +34 956 345 859
www.restaurantegaitan.com

Sun 1-4:30pm; Mon-Sat 1-4:30pm and 8:30-11:30pm. Reservations recommended

Gaitan is a small restaurant within walking distance of the riding school and near Puerta Santa Maria. It has brick arches decorated with colourful ceramic plates and photos of well known diners. It gets busy with business people at lunchtime offering a traditional Andalusian menu with a few tasty Basque dishes. When in season the wild mushroom fried in olive oil with garlic and parsley makes a great starter. For a more substantial meal try the stewed bull’s tail.
The lamb cooked with honey is based on a very old recipe that dates from the Muslim occupation, and for dessert the almond tart is a real favourite.

La Carboná
C/San Francisco de Paula, 2
Tel: +34 956 347 475
(Closed Tuesdays)

This restaurant is famous for its huge platters of barbecued meat and fish

Mesa Redonda
Manuel de la Quintana 3
Tel: +34 956 340 069

Mon-Sat 1:30-4pm and 9-11:30pm Reservations required. Closed last week in July and 1st 3 weeks in August

Behind a plain exterior, lies one of the best traditional restaurants in town, using recipes once served in the homes of the aristocratic sherry dons of Jerez. The restaurant is like a private residence, complete with a library filled with old recipe books and literature about food and wine. They only have 10 tables which fill quickly. The menu is ever changing, but specialties include the albondiguillas marineras (fish meatballs in shellfish sauce) and hojaldre de rape y gambas (a pastry filled with monkfish and prawns). The highest recommendation goes to the filetes de lenguado con zetas (filet of sole with mushrooms) and cordero asado (grilled lamb). For dessert try f the superb lemon-and-almond cake.

La Posada
Arboledilla 2.
Tel: +34 956 337 474

Tucked away behind a bar in a side street of central Jerez, La Posada is close to Hotel Avila. It has a tiny white washed dining room, decorated with iron grillwork with just a few tables so booking is essential. The restaurant has a limited but excellent menu specialising in very fresh meat and fish dishes.

Tendido 6
Calle Circo 10
Tel: +34 956 344 835
Mon-Sat 1-4pm and 8-11:30pm Closed 2nd week of August. Reservations recommended.

Located near the bullring opposite gate number 6 - hence the name - this well-run local restaurant has been serving good, affordable food since 1960. It started out as a small wine shop serving olives and chicken with garlic and gradually expanded as a bar with an open-air terrace was added, and eventually it became a full-fledged restaurant. The tapas and regional wines are among the best in Jerez, served in a typically Andalusian setting with a patio decorated with bullfighting posters draped with bright red tablecloths. Since Jerez is fairly near the sea the fresh catch of the day is certainly worth trying. It might be anglerfish in a savoury green sauce or perfectly grilled swordfish cooked over firewood. Also recommended are the grilled sirloin with pepper sauce, artichoke with clams and wild asparagus croquettes.

 

If you are planning to explore the area outside of the city centre and play some golf or go to some of the more out of the way beaches then you might consider hiring a car. There are a number of car hire firms based at Jerez Airport who will be pleased to have a vehicle awaiting your arrival. This also cuts down on transfer costs for you and your family.

To make sure you get the most from your visit to Jerez, we have written a Jerez Area Guide detailing the best Shops in Jerez as well as Jerez Local Markets and Golf Courses in Jerez.. There is detailed information on the Jerez Beaches and recommended Restaurants in Jerez. If you want to find out something about the local culture and history of the area then visit our Jerez Local Attractions Guide