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Per's Restaurant Guide

And now a few words on restaurant life in and around Costalita. Most of the section is based on my own experience, which, of course, leaves quite a number of restaurants without mention. In order to simplify your search within certain areas, please find below a few links for direct access.

Restaurant offerings differ considerably between high and low season, most obviously during July-August, when restaurants spring up like mushrooms. Everything is then open, while during the low season restaurants either are closed or open over the weekends only.

It is relatively common that restaurants, especially smaller ones, are closed one day a week, usually Mondays. Below, I will note on which day a restaurant is closed if I know. Spanish restaurants are mostly open for lunch only from 11 am to 3 pm and/or 7 pm later for dinner. Thus, it is not advisable to get hungry between 3 pm and 7 pm. A tip or service charge is normally not included in the bill, so usually 5-10% should be added, depending on your degree of satisfaction. A few restaurants have adopted the bad habit of adding a 10% VAT to their official prices (most restaurants don't do that, though). For the restaurants where I am aware of this, I have indicated it in my comments below.

Many restaurants have their own web page where further info can be found. When that is the case, a simple click on the restaurant name below will take you to that page.

Since January 1 2011 Spanish law forbids smoking in all public premises, among them also restaurants. The only possibility that remains for smokers to practise their vice is to find a restaurant with an outdoor dining area, where smoking might still be allowed.

Today, more and more restaurants offer their patrons free wireless access to the Internet, so called WiFi. Restaurants offering this possibility are indicated by the text WiFi.

As an indication of the price level at each restaurant, I have introduced a price index based upon the price of Gambas Pil Pil, referred to as PPI (Pil Pil Index). A higher PPI indicates a higher price level and a lower PPI a lower price level.

PilPil at Casa Miguel

To be honest it should be said that also the quality of this dish varies considerably between restaurants, which has not been taken into consideration when establishing the PPI for the different places. A higher PPI does not necessarily correspond to a higher quality dish. To illustrate this I above show an example of the (in my meaning) best PilPil on the coast ie. the one from Casa Miguel in Cancelada PPI=9,7.

Close to Costalita

Let's start with restaurants located at a maximum of 15 minutes walking distance from Costalita and which can be accessed also by bike or by car without having to enter the carretera. In order to, already from start, pick the right direction, the close-by restaurants below are split into sub-groups related to their geographical location.

Costalita area

Restaurant la Antigua

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La Antigua (tel 952 88 39 64), our closest restaurant, reopened in 2020 in a brand new building, almost exactly two years after the old restaurant was levelled with the ground on orders by the Mayor of Estepona. Their new design is very appealing and also well thought out. Two flors are at the disposal of the guests where the idea is to use the top floor for enjoying a glass or two while the ground floor is the place for something to eat. Why not start off with a drink on the top floor and after that move down to the ground floor for a meal? Sometimes live music can be enjoyed on the top floor, often on Friday or Saturday evenings. Open 10 am - 8 pm, Mondays and Tuesdays closed. Smoking is allowed outdoors. The restaurant offers free WiFi. PPI = 13,8 (October -24). Open for the season.

New paint, fresh and well entertained

Looking forward to something to eat

Pepe's Mojito is a must. Try it!

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Pepe's Beach (tel 952 883 761), on the beach east of Costalita, is a beach shack-type restaurant (chiringuito) with simpler food. They offer typical "beach food" such as hamburgers and the like, but their menu also includes other things such as a decent paella. As most chiringuitos they close at All Saints Day and open again at Easter. However, this may vary a few days depending on weather conditions. Open 11 am - 6.30 pm. Closed on thursdays. Smoking is permitted outdoors. PPI = 16,5 (October -24). Closed for the season.

The FLAG hotel

Seven M (tel 951 400 858) is the name of the restaurant which is part of the new hotel FLAG located in the northeastern corner of Costalita. The restaurant adds a 2.50€ table fee per person. Open daily 7 am - 11 am, 1 pm - 4 pm and 7 pm - 11 pm. PPI = 19 (March -24).

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Restaurant Ammos

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Isola, italian restaurant

Lola's bar at the pool

Azure, beach restaurant

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Mett Hotel & Beach Resort (tel: 952 000 320), previously named Iberostar Hotel, is a four star hotel with 253 guest rooms, in the western part of Costalita, down by the sea. The hotel offers a number of options for eating. Restaurant Isola serves mediterranean food with inspiration from southern Italy and restaurant Ammos, new for this year, with entrance directly from the street, serves Greece inspired foodfood inspired by the greek kitchen. Down at the beach you will find the beach restaurant Azure Beach Club and next to the pool Lola's Bar's offering is typically Spanish, such as tapas, wine and the like. PPI = 24 at the beach restaurant Azure, new record for the coast! Closed for the season.

By the Sea Beach Club

offers fantastic sea views

and live music during high season

By the Sea Beach Club (tel 952 88 91 50), previously named Beach Club Villa Padierna, is the name of the beach restaurant just west of the Mett Costa del Sol Hotel. Their menu goes more in the direction of International than Spanish or Mediterranean cuisine. The food is tasty and well presented, the price level is relatively high, maybe as it should be in a restaurant belonging to one of Spain's most luxurious hotels (Michelle Obama stayed for a week at this hotel in the summer 2010 and also took the opportunity to sunbathe on the beach in front of this restaurant). Unfortunately, it is not only the price level that is high but also the sound level. There is nothing to reduce the sound level in the room, such as curtains or carpets, which is why all sounds are amplified and echoed back. During our visit, there was also ONE Spanish family present who made any conversation impossible in the rest of the room (Spaniards are not known for speaking in a low voice and using the minimum number of words). They add 10% VAT to the prices on the menu. The restaurant is during the season open for lunch as well as for dinner but tend to reduce their hours as we enter the winter season, often closing completely during the darkest months (December-February). PPI = 26 (October -24). Closed for the season.

Shrimp Croquettes Pil Pil

Villa Padierna salad

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The Grill Club (tel 651 596 253) is today the name of the restaurant belonging to the VP Racquet Club, the Tennis and Padel court area north of the restaurant mentioned above. Information on opening times or food offering vary, depending on who, or when, you ask. Therefore it is recommended to make a check beforehand. According to information we got at our latest visit (February 2019) they serve only tapas on Mondays and Tuesdays, while, other days, there are also other options. Saturdays and Sundays there is also a barbeque option. Also information on pricing vary depending on where the information is given. The price for their Caesar Salad is, according to their menu on the web (updated 2019) 7,50 Euros while the menu that you are presented on site shows the price 11,50 Euros. No traditional Pil Pil is served, this dish is replaced with a version referred to as Shrimp Croquettes Pil Pil (Croquetas de Gambas Pil Pil). Very tasty, but with no relation to the ordinary Pil Pil dish. In connection to this restaurant (and the courts) there is also a children's playground. The restaurant is, open Monday-Saturday 9.30 am - 1.30 pm / 5.30 pm - 9.30 pm and Sundays 9 am - 3.00 pm. Indoor or outdoor seating. Smoking is allowed outdoors. PPI = 8,50 (For their version of Pil Pil, February -19). The restaurant is for the moment closed.

West of Costalita

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The area next to the west from Costalita is named Villacana and you get there either by a walk on the beach or by crossing the bridge in the northwestern corner of Costalita. It is also possible to access this area by car and/or bike without having to use the carretera. In Villacana there are a number of interesting restaurants.

Restaurant Gregorio's..

..is located in this building

Their grilled sole is delicious

Gregorio's paella

Gregorio´s (tel 608 246 332) is located a little bit up from the sea. If you access Villacana through the bridge, continue straight on, turn left at the end of the street, and turn right when you arrive at the big parking and you will find this restaurant right in front of your eyes. They offer an extensive menu with fish as well as meat and also typical Spanish dishes such as eg. paella. However, we would like to strongly advise against the latter (please see photo above), more like a stew of some kind and definitely completely without saffron. In- and outdoor seating. Open 8.30 am - 7 pm all days except for Sundays and Mondays. PPI = 10,9 (January -23).

Ninety Miles (tel 952 885 580) is more of a pub than a restaurant and is found a little bit in from the beach. From their terrace they offer splendid sea views, as the restaurant is located on the first floor. During high season they offer live music, mostly from the 60's, several days a week. Patrons sit at their tables enjoying the music, some even dance. Thursdays are Quiz nights. Open 11.00 am - 11.00 pm every day of the week except for the Wednesdays when they are closed. During low season open just over the weekends. PPI = 11 (March -24).

Only the pool separates the terrace from the sea

Enrique checking the lamb

The view from the terrace is astonishing

Enrique´s (tel 636 142 122) is the closest neighbour to Ninety Miles. Enrique himself, far from a beginner in this business after more than 20 years of experience running the El Paraíso Golf restaurant, is now concentrating on this restaurant, situated close to the sea. A very positive experience for us, both when it comes to quality and selection of food. A good pick is the three-course menu for 19€ (raised in 2018 from previously 17€) where among the first courses you can choose; Shrimps Pil Pil or gratinated asparagus; from the main courses go for fillet of pork with pepper sauce or a tender fried fillet of sword fish. For an extra two Euros a delicious Entrecôte could appear on your plate. Open 11 am - 5.30 pm. Thursdays closed. In- and outdoor seating. The outside terrace has wonderful views of the sea and the beach. Take-away food is available. Smoking allowed outdoors. The restaurant offers free WiFi. PPI = 11,5 (March 2024).

Barraka Beach

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Ready for sardine skewers!

Barraka Beach (tel 951 272 007) is a beach restaurant in front of Enrique´s. In 2021-22 the old restaurant building was demolished and new, more robust, premises were raised a few metres closer to the sea. Here you can enjoy tasty Spanish food at affordable prices. On their menu you will find a good selection of lamb as well as fish dishes. A little special is the fact that, as their chef has got Asian roots, the menu also includes a selection of Thai dishes. This restaurant is open during the summer only and closes normally on October 30th. Open daily 10 am - 11 pm. Smoking is allowed outdoors. PPI = 14,5 (October 2023).

Chiringuito Heaven in flames

Heaven Beach was on April eigth 2018 exposed to arson and burnt down to the ground. In the beginning of summer 2024 a building for a new Heaven was erected but it is not clear wheather there will be a new Heaven.

Restaurant El Caserio

El Caserio (tel 952 790 104) is next neighbour to Agro Jardín in the Estepona direction. Offers á la carte dishes or fixed menues. Saturday evenings they have live music. In- and outdoor seating. Open every day except for mondays 7 am - 1 am. On mondays 7 am - 5 pm. PPI = 9,5 (October -24).

Cancelada

Cancelada is the name of the little village right across the main road from Costalita. The simplest way to get there is by crossing the pedestrian bridge situated roughly 100 metres to the west of the Costalita entrance, to which the simplest access is by the (car) bridge located in the northwestern corner of Costalita. From there, follow the road and then take the first street to the right.

Burger King - not difficult to find

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Burger King, opened in July 2014, is a hamburger restaurant right across the main road from Costalita. They also provide "drive in" service for those coming by car just to buy a quick meal. Open 12.00 am - 1.00 am.

Kalma & Kaos

Kalma & Kaos (tel 663 699 493) is the name of a new restaurant, opened in April 2023, located right to the right after the car bridge crossing the carretera (the way to Lidl). It constists of the parts: Kalma and Kaos, where Kalma, as can be guessed from its name, is the more calm resaurant. The price level of their dishes is relatively high. The restaurant adds a 2.50€ table fee per person. Opening times are for Kalma 1 pm - 4 pm and 7 pm - 11 pm and for Kaos 1 pm - midnight (kitchen closes at 11 pm).

El Carnicero

El Carnicero (tel 952 886 307) is a good Steak House found directly across the main road (in Cancelada village). You get there by the pedestrian bridge to the left of the Costalita exit (seen from the sea). As the best choice for your money, we recommend their three-course menu for 27,50€ (During lunchtime 1 pm - 3 pm, 24.50 Euro). Other dishes are priced at a "North European" price level. The set-menu dishes are still very tasty. You can pick, for example, shrimps and avocado or tempura shrimps as a starter and continue with a large and tasty Entrecôte (250 g) as a main course. Something to think of for the non-Spanish is that the degree of how you want your meat done may differ a bit from what you are used to at home. Normally, there is a one-step difference, so if you want your meat medium (termino medio), you should ask for it well done (bien hecho), and correspondingly for the other degrees of doneness. Having your meat really well done according to our norms is considered as destroying the meat, and it is not always easy to get the chef to agree to this request. The restaurant is open daily, 12.30 am - 11.00 pm. Tuesdays closed. The restaurant offers free WiFi. PPI = 15 (October 2024).

Incontro restaurant

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Incontro's version of Tiramisú.

Incontro (tel 744 657 280) is since May 14th 2021 the name of the restaurant located where restaurant Carmelina earlier was. It is a classical Italian restaurant, located on the street parallel to the Carretera in the same bulding as hotel Doña Matilde. A few disappointments met us already at our first visit. The first one already with the first course, the compulsary gambas PilPil. There was no bread to accompany the dish! Bread, which is a must to soak up the delicious sauce. The second disappointment came with the desert when testing their version of the classic Tiramisu. This dish, one of the jewels of the predecessor, as it was part of a show being prepared at your table now more looked like something found at one of the local supermarkets, maybe at Mercadona. They add 10% VAT to the prices on the menu. The restaurant is open daily, except for Wednesdays, 12.30 pm - 4.30 pm for lunch and 7.00 pm - 11.00 pm for dinner. PPI = 14,20 (October -23).

Restaurant Cuore di Puglia

Restaurant boss Michele takes care of you

Cuore di Puglia (tel 650 328 408) is, since August 25 2021, the name of Incontros clostest neighbour westwards. This restaurant had earlier activities in Laguna Village which was burnt down to the ground a while ago, but have now decided to start from scratch again here in Cancelada. Also this restaurant is a classic Italian one offering Pizza, Pasta and Risotto among other dishes. They are open daily 12.30 am - 11.00 pm, except for Wednesdays. The restaurant offers free WiFi . PPI = 14,50 (October -23).

Restaurante V Centenario

V Centenarios speciality - baby pig

..accompanied by a good wine

V Centenario (Fifth Century) (tel 952 885 200) is a small cosy restaurant consisting of just six tables, these situated on the ground floor of a house and those located just a little further up the same street but on the opposite side to the above-mentioned restaurants. Family-managed, the restaurant provides a delightful cosy familyatmosphere; the manager himself attending personally to the patrons' requirements while his lady happily engages herself in the preparation of the various dishes. The food is authentically Spanish, though with a light, high-quality touch. Among the interesting dishes on the menu is wild boar in port sauce (only available, unfortunately during the winter hunting season). Open daily for dinner7 pm - 11 pm, Sunday for lunch only. Closed on Mondays. PPI = 8,70 (November 2019). For the moment closed for "renovation".

In the centre of Cancelada, alongside the main street, are half a dozen 'hole in the wall' type restaurants and bars, well worth a visit for those who wish to avoid the worst tourist traps. Here you can feel a little more like a real Spaniard, entering one of these places for a glass of wine and something to taste at a very reasonable cost; among them there is also a pizza restaurant. This is the area we tend to visit when the weather is fine and we just wish to partake and enjoy a cup of café con leche.

Restaurant Casa Miguel in the house to the right

..started 1966

Cozy outdoor nights

Casa Miguel (tel 952 883 592) is found to the left of the main street, up where the chemistry is, in the house to the left of the pedestrian street portal. It is one of the oldest restaurants in Cancelada. Here you will find typical Spanish food at moderate prices. In the summer and when the weather so permits you can install yourself at an outdoor table on the big open plaza next to the church. Open 7 pm - 11 pm. Tuesdays closed. PPI = 10,9 (January -23).

Entrance to the Cancelada pedestrian street

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La Bodeguita Santa Maria

Next right to the pharmacy, behind a magnificent portal, you will also find the entrance to Cancelada's pedestrian street, where quite a few restaurants could be found, normally quite small, but growing in size during the summer, when they move their activities outdoors on to the street. The largest and most well-known among these is La Bodeguita Santa Maria (tel 677 15 34 46), open 1 pm - 4 pm (high season only) and 7 pm - midnight. Mondays closed. PPI = 12,50 (october -24).

La Parcela - view from the seaside

La Parcela - bar, pizzeria and steak house

Pizzeria don Giovanni

La Parcela (tel 952 904 214), one of the restaurants in the centre of Cancelada is a steak House with simple décors and prices (of the meat dishes) matching those of El Carnicero. Their offerings, however, are considerably more limited. La Parcela has, as a result of the depressed economy, merged with pizza/sandwich restaurant El Tropezón de Pepe, which appears to be something of a step forward. Now in the same restaurant one can choose to eat simpler/cheaper food or something more advanced/expensive. If you are looking for something really delicious, I would recommend the entrecôte at 34,50 € (it has to be ordered for two). The red house wine, a Tempranillo from Estremadura at 12 €, is highly recommended. Diners can eat indoors or outdoors; smoking is allowed in the outdoor section. They are open 12.30 am - 4.00 pm and 7 pm - 10.30 pm and keep closed on Wednesdays. PPI = 9,50 (April 2023).

Pizzeria don Giovanni (tel 691 122 583), is yet another of the pizzerias in the center of Cancelada, maybe the best one. It is not so large but small and cozy why it is recemmended to make a reservation before going there. Open 6 pm - 10.30 pm. Sundays closed.

Restaurant El Legado seen from the pedestrian street

Restaurant El Legado

El Legado (tel 662 470 974), opened in 2014, is a sister restaurant to Casa Miguel next to the church in Cancelada. The simplest way to get there is to start from the pharmacy and follow the pedestrian street until it ends where you will see a sign directly across the street saying "Restaurante", and there you are. If you go there by car, you pass restaurant V Centenario (see above); turn right at the second street and then right again at the Calle España; when you reach the small square, you are at your destination. The menu is international and offers delicious meat as well as fish dishes. An interesting alternative is their three-course menu for 14,80 Euros, with, among other dishes, also a 250g Entrecõte, among the choices. They are good at preparing the meat exactly as wanted by their guests. Open 7 pm - 11 pm and closed on Sundays. PPI = 10,9 (January 2023). The restaurant is for the moment closed.

Restaurant El Cortijo

Restaurante El Cortijo (tel 622 79 00 99) which changed its name from Venta el Horno in 2018, is located a little bit higher up in the same street as El Legado. "In the countryside but with sea views" as they introduce themselves in their publicity. They serve "home cooked" food with a touch of barbecue. For children there is also a playground. Open 1 pm - 11 pm. Closed on Mondays. PPI = 17 (October -24).

East of Costalita

East of Costalita there is a large number of restaurants accessible by foot, by bike or by car. Of interest is that the closest restaurants on the carretera sea-side, all the way to Hotel Senator, can be accessed by car on the parallel road without having to enter the carretera itself, but to go back to Costalita you should enter the carretera, drive to the Benahavis exit and there turn around and go back westwards to Costalita.

Restaurants eastwards, below the carretera

Hoyo 1, "Hole 1" is a restaurant housed in an old windmill by the main road, direction east, next to the gas station. This restaurant closed for good in August 2014 and is now for sale.

Restaurant Pancho Villa

A new inhabitant 2016

Pancho Villa at night

Their Crème Brûlée is delicious

Pancho Villa (tel 667 957 153) is, as maybe is obvious from its name, a Mexican restaurant situated near the main road, right after the petrol station. The food is Tex-Mex rather than Mexican, serving nachos, tacos and burritos. One dish that I found tasty is the so-called Pistolero, a hotter version of a burrito (soft taco). After some research, I also found the traditional "Pil Pil" dish on their menu, although disguised as Langostinos Acapulco (number 44), a bit more spicy than traditional Pil Pil, which I appreciated. On Saturday nights during the high season there is live music. The restaurant, also offering take-away food, is closed on Wednesdays. Open and 6.00 pm - 00.00 pm. Smoking is allowed outdoors. PPI = 13 (October 2024).

Restaurant Cortijo Chambao

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Grill Chambao (tel 634 671 125), located right below the main road, around 200 metres eastwards (after the petrol station and then a little bit further) where earlier the pizza restaurant Da Mario/Cortijo Chambao was located. You can still find Italian classics such as pasta, but pizza is no longer served. They serve a variety of tapas and, not to be mentioned, meat dishes of high quality. They are open daily 1 pm - 00.00 pm except for Tuesdays. The restaurant offers free WiFi. PPI = 13 (October -24).

Restaurant Yiu & Gabo

Restaurant La Locanda del Paradiso

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Wood owen baked pizzas is a must

La Locanda del Paradiso (tel 951 272 371), the next restaurant, is Italian, ie. there pizza, pasta and risotto, just to mention a few of their specialities, can be enjoyed. Open 12 am - 12 pm. Wednesdays closed. PPI = 10,5 (February -24).

Yiu & Gabo (tel 952 756 755), an Asian restaurant, comes next at the same premises that previously housed Mandarin Palace. Open 7 pm - 1 am.

.	Restaurant Chilli

Chilli (tel 602 837 104), with a sister restaurant in La Duquesa, refer to themselves as an Indian & TexMex restaurant and offers dishes from these cultures on their menu. It also deserves mentioning that their beef dishes are based upon the excellent Angus Beef. Their address is Urbanisation Benamara, which is simplest described as right before Hotel Senator coming from Costalita. Their food is tasty, eg. their PilPil, which has a different look, but is perfectly prepared with all the right ingredients. Their personnel is friendly and attentative. With the bill comes automatically a free glass of your choice. The restaurant is open all days of the week from 1 pm until midnight and offers free WiFi. PPI = 9,95 (October -24).

.	Robin Hood Inn

Robin Hood Inn (tel 951 272 288), is the very last restaurant before arriving at the Hotel Senator. Their menu is strongly influenced by British cuisine, for example you will find excellent fish and chips here. They add a table fee of €1.50 per person. The restaurant is open Tuesday - Friday 5 pm until late, Saturday and Sunday 1 pm until late. PPI = 14 (October -24).

Atalaya Park (tel 952 889 000) is a hotel situated two kilometres east of Costalita, on the very tip of the tongue of land that can be seen when looking left from our terrace. The hotel, open all year round, is frequently used by travel organizers during the winter season. The most interesting thing about the hotel, apart from housing a number of traditional hotel restaurants, is the flamenco show usually held in the hotel bar on Thursday nights at 9.30 pm.

Eastward restaurants, north of the carretera

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The simplest way to cross the carretera in order to access restaurants located on its other side eastwards is to take the pedestrian bridge a little bit east of Costalita, a few hundreds metres after the gas station. By car is it a little bit more complicated, you have to enter the carretera, follow it and leave it at the Benahavís exit and enter it again in opposite direction.

Restaurant Jaipur Purple

Jaipur Purple (tel 952 888 353), in the Bel-Air area, right between Mercadona and Supersol, is the only genuine Indian restaurant close to Costalita. They also provide food for take-away/delivery. Open Wednesday - Monday 2 pm - 12 pm.

Alan's Hong Kong Restaurant

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Restaurant La Grappa

Alan's Hong Kong restaurant (tel 951 272 447) is, as can be guessed from its name, a Chinese restaurant located right to the east of restaurant Osaka in the Costasol area. This restaurant, which has existed since many years is found on the first floor. They also offer food for take-away. Open daily 12.30 am - 4 pm and 6 pm - 11 pm.

La Grappa (tel 952 884 065), which is an Italian restaurant, is found a little bit further in the Marbella direction in the Benavista area. Open all days, except for Mondays 5.30 pm - 11.30 pm. Mondays closeda.The restaurant offers free WiFi. PPI = 10,95 (January -23).

Take-away food

The take-away places mentioned below are within walking distance from Costalita, but in order to use them you may need strong feet and not worry about too much of sun and heat. I have made special reference to the places that offer a home-delivery service.

Peggotty´s (tel 952 883 666) is a fish-and-chip shop located below the Urbanisación El Pilar on the main road towards San Pedro, Km 168. Drive eastwards to the Benahavís crossing, turn around, drive back in the Estepona direction, pass the Diana Center, and you are there. The restaurant is found on a back street, behind the golf shop. The fish is flown in from the UK, as the Spanish can't supply the quality of cod, haddock, and plaice required for the dish. Their whole-rack BBQ baby back ribs for 9,80€ are recommended (Superb!). An (enormously) large portion of chips can be had for 2,50€. The menu includes dishes such as fish, burgers, pies, barbecued chicken, and spare ribs in different forms. The restaurant also offers eating-in facilities and, as this is enormously popular, reservations are very necessary. Opens daily at 6 pm, orders taken up to 11 pm (midnight at summertime). Closed Sundays.

Estepona

Within Estepona, there are quite a number of restaurants, many in the old town and also along the beach walk. Another area of great interest, when it comes to restaurants, is Estepona Port situated on the far side of the town; you have to pass through almost all of Estepona before arriving there. Take the road alongside the sea; turn left just after passing a lighthouse on your left-hand side, down towards the sea. Estepona’s Sunday market also takes place within the port area. My suggestion would be to combine your visit to the market with, say, a Sunday lunch. There are quite a number of restaurants in the area offering anything from traditional Spanish to Chinese or Italian food, all at fairly modest prices.

Also along the main road taking you to Estepona there are a number of restaurants out of which could be mentioned:

Restaurant Playa Bella

Gratinated sole

Pineapple Salad

Playa Bella (tel 952 801 645) is found in the Estepona direction (Km 162). Turn off at the Selwo exit, and then take the reverse direction back toward Costalita to the first exit. Don't be fooled by the restaurant's unimpressive exterior; once inside, the impression is most positive. The dishes are culinary surprises at moderate prices. Try, for example, their pineapple salad, one of their specialities. It consists of a shrimp cocktail mixed with pineapple cubes served in the scooped-out interior of a fresh pineapple. As a main course, you should try their gratinated sole. Other options include barbecued baby pig, lamb steak, or their fish of the day that has made the restaurant famous. Open 7 pm - 11 pm, Saturdays and Sundays also open for lunch from 1 pm. Closed on Wednesdays. PPI = 9,00 (Oct -18).

Kempinski's, a hotel belonging to a large Swiss-German chain of the same name, is situated next to the beach on the left-hand side of the main road one kilometre before Estepona. The hotel, a large terracotta-coloured complex visible from the road, is easy to find. On the other hand, you will have to tbe very alert in order to find the entrance to the car-parking area. The hotel does not differ noticeably from other international chain hotels and it offers no less than four restaurants, all of them magnificent, but expensive. One restaurant is for breakfast only, one is a steakhouse, one is an Italian restaurant, and last, but not least, there is one restaurant by the pool. My recommendation is overwhelmingly the pool restaurant, Spiler Beach Clud, which not only has the most pleasant location but also the most attractive price level. To access this restaurant, you must first pass through the hotel and then continue down towards the sea. On the menu, you will find several tasty fish dishes; to my taste their paella is divine. All restaurants at this hotel add a compulsory "table fee" of 3€ per person to their prices. The pool restaurant is open daily 1 pm - 4:30 pm and 6:30 pm - 11:00 pm. PPI = 22 (October 2024).

A popular type of restaurants on the Costa del Sol are the so-called chiringuitos, "beach restaurants", a simpler type of restaurants built on the beach itself, close to the sea. In Estepona there are still a lot of those, even though authorities try hard to reduce their number. For you, interested in visiting a chiringuito, my proposal is to aim for the beach La Rada, the first beach you will see when entering from the east. Take the bus or park your car around Carrefour and from there start your walk in the Estepona direction. Please note that during the "off" season the opening times may vary considerably and sometimes the restaurants close completely why you are recommended to make a check before heading for a specific one. Another method, if you are not heading for a specific chiringuito, is to simply walk along the beach promenade and look for restaurants that are open and look welcoming. A selection of the restaurants you will see are as follows:

Blue Dolphin

Chiringuito Palm Beach

Chiringuito Africa Beach

Chiringuito El Madero

Chiringuito Bahia Beach

Chiringuito La Peseta

Restaurant Central Beach

Blue Dolphin (tel 620 231 737) is the first chiringuito on your left as you enter Estepona, right on the beach after having passed Carrefour. Open 12:00 - 00:00 all days except for Wednesdays when they are closed.

Palm Beach (tel 952 113 556), totally refurbished in 2019, comes next. Open 11 am - 7 pm all days except for Mondays when they are closed. PPI = 14 (March 2024).

Africa Beach (tel 952 113 299). Open 10:00 - 23:30 all days except for Tuesdays when they are closed. PPI = 12,5 (March 2024).

Chiringuito El Madero (tel 951 264 831) offers Mediterranean food on their menu, emphasizing on fish and sea food. El Madero is part of an EU project focusing on the creation of climate neutral restaurants mainly operating on Solar energy. Open 10:00 - 23:30 all days. PPI = 17 (October 2024).

Bahia Beach (tel 625 478 657). Open 11:00 - 01:00 all days.

Chiringuito La Peseta (tel 952 113 299) is named after, and located next to the La Peseta monument, raised in 2002, when Spain replaced their currency with the Euro. Open 11:00 - 00:00 all days. PPI = 10,9 (october 2024).

Central Beach (tel 671 671 848) is the name of the chiringuito located in the "middle of" Estepona, from there on you will arrive in its western parts. It might be so that its name arose from that detail. Open 10:00 - 00:00 all days. PPI = 12,5 (March -24)

Chiringuito Paco

Chiringuito Paco (tel 952 113 980) comes next. Their specialities are fish and sea food. PPI = 14,7 (October 2024). Closed for the season.

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Deep fried small fish, a speciality

La Rada (tel 952 79 10 36) we got to know through our Spanish neighbours. It's a fish- and seafood restaurant on the righthand side at the beginning of the street following the beach in Estepona. Located under the very same street there is a large underground parking why access to the restaurant is easy. Park your car at the beginning of the parking and then simply take the stairs or the elevator up to the restaurant. There is also a bus stop right outside. In- and outdoor seating. It's a restaurant loved by the Spanish, with a little bit of luxuary touch but not that expensive. An alternative to the usual way of picking one dish each, as we are used to from home, is to select a number of dishes that are then served in order one by one and shared by everybody. This is something that the Spanish often do and something that we have come to love ourselves. A delicious dish we recommend, a snack while waiting for your food, is their shrimp tortilla - tortilla de camarón. Open 12 am - 4 pm, 7 pm - midnight. Mondays closed. PPI = 17 (March 2024).

El Nuevo Embarcadero (tel 951 31 83 67) is a fish restaurant located at the far western side of the port, on the first floor offering panoramic sea views. It is a kind of Club Restaurant for boat owners, but don't let this fact scare you off. Their speciality is fish in different forms, the price level is reasonable and portions are more than adequate so it's well to be really hungry when you arrive. Sharing a portion between two is OK. Open daily 12 am - 4 pm, 7 pm - 11.30 pm.

Las Gitanillas restaurant

Pork fillet with pepper sauce, tastes delicious

Paco offers a "small one" after the meal

Las Gitanillas (tel 952 806 847) is found at the beginning of Estepona between the second and the third parallel street up from the Beach Promenade (between Calle Málaga and Calle Caridad). It is a simple restaurant with a large variety of dishes at very attractive prices. They call them selves a tapas restaurant, but are also offering "ordinary" fish and meat dishes. The tapas dishes are large ("raciones") why it is recommended to share a number of these between several persons. The house wine is complying to all of Per's requirements, ie. low price and high percentage of alcohol. The restaurant is by the locals referred to as the "workshop" (El Garaje) as one of these earlier occupied the premises PPI = 5,50 (February -14).

San Pedro de Alcántara

In San Pedro, four kilometres east of Costalita, there are a number of restaurants along the main street, the street crossing San Pedro in the south-north direction, all the way from the Church square and down to the sea. On the right-hand side (down towards the sea) its name is Avenida de Mediterráneo and on the left-hand side it is Avenida Marquéz del Duero. On the left-hand side there are several "simpler" restaurants while down towards the sea there are a number of more expensive ones. There are of course, as always, exceptions from this. Today, San Pedro offers plenty of places to park, either free of charge along the new Boulevard and along the part of the main street heading down towards the sea or paying a few Euros to park in the underground parking situated under the main street.

Pil Pil

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Brüning's Restaurant (tel 952 786 156) is again the name of the restaurant that for a while changed its name to Luz's Bistro. However, the owner and the chef are still the same: the couple Udo from Germany and Luz from the Philippines. The restaurant is found on the right-hand side of the part of the main street heading in direction of the mountains. A more detailed report will follow when we have had the time for a visit. The restaurant offers free WiFi. to their guests. Open 1 pm - 11 pm except for Sundays and Mondays when they are closed. PPI = 13,50 (April 2022).

Restaurant Da Bruno

Restaurant Glotón

Gastro Restaurant Benisty

A hot dish from Benisty's menu

Da Bruno (tel 952 786 860) is an Italian restaurant, part of a chain with the same name. Da Bruno restaurants are also found in Marbella (several restaurants), Cabopino, and Mijas Costa. In San Pedro it is located on the left-hand side of the extension of the main street down towards the sea, right below the Boulevard. Its price level is relatively high, but the food is tasty and the service good. Table reservations are recommended for this well-patronised restaurant. They also offer food for take away. Open daily 12 am - midnight. PPI = 16,50 (December 2022).

Glotón (tel 951 480 549), closest neighbour below Da Bruno serves "Mediterranean Food". Open 10 am - 01.30 am, except on Wednesdays when they keep closed. PPI = 9 (February 2019).

Benisty (tel 951 899 938), right below Glotón (see above) is a restaurant with international food, where they really have made efforts to make their dishes nifty. Tasty, well prepared dishes and good service, portions though may be a bit too small and price level relatively high. You could even say that the dishes, their presentation, their size and their price level points in the direction of a restaurant with ambitions to be discovered by the Guide Michelin. Table Fee = 2,00 Euro. Open 1 pm - 3.30 pm during the winter and 7 pm - midnight during the summer. Sundays closed. PPI = 16 (December 2022).

Restaurant Tanino

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Tanino (tel 952 604 848), almost a neighbour to Da Bruno, is found a little bit further down the street (Av del Mediterraneo) towards the sea. This restaurant offers an interesting menu with influences from most parts of the world: Mediterranean, France, Italy, India, Thailand and Peru, just to mention a few. Open daily 12 pm - 02 pm. PPI = 13 (December 2022).

La Casa di Sergio (tel 952 605 398), below Tanino, is the last of the restaurants in this collection. The restaurnt which is relatively new, opened in March 1st 2019, has got an Italian profile and is not that cheap. We will be back with our comments as soon as we have the opportunity to visit. Open 1 pm - 11.30 pm, tuesdays closed. PPI = 16 (October 2019).

Golden Sun (tel 952 783 769) is a Chinese restaurant situated below the Ronda crossing into the eastern part of San Pedro, on the second parallel road to the A7, Calle Las Petunias. They are next-door neighbours to old Gambasol, where one can buy frozen fish and shrimp. Golden Sun has low prices; portions are large and tasty. For two persons, their "menu A" at 21,60€ is well worth a try, accompanied perhaps by their red house wine for just another 7€. Take-away food is also readily available. Open daily 12.30 pm-4.30 pm and 6.30 pm-midnight.

The San Pedro McDonald's

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The McDonald's closest to Costalita is found on the lefthand side of the road built on top of the tunnel, before entering San Pedro. To get there you take the last exit on the coast road before entering the tunnel. They also have a Mc Drive, a lane allowing one to buy burgers directly from the car. The price level is about the same as in the UK. The second closest McDonald's in found on the righthand side of the road entering Estepona and there is also a McDonald's at La Cañada commercial centre.

Restaurant Alfredo

Alfredo's (tel 952 786 165) is one of the oldest San Pedro restaurants and also one of the most popular ones. It is found on Calle Andalucia, a street parallel to the Boulevard a few blocks further up. The food could simply be described as Spanish/Andalusian. They serve mostly meat even though fish is also found on their menu. Open daily noon- 00.30 pm. PPI = 11 (January -22).

El Comercio restaurant

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Their Pil Pil is delicious

El Comercio (tel 952 853 644) is found to the left of the road built on top of the tunnel as well, a few streets east of McDonalds. It is mainly a "Tapas place" but "normal" food is served as well. In- and outdoor seating, the indoor section is quite large which is an advantage as the restaurant is very popular. If you are planning a dinner for a larger company, a pre reservation is recommended. Open daily 12.30 pm - 01.30 am. PPI = 9,5 (October 2016).

Benahavís

Benahavís is a charming mountain village (exit in the direction towards the mountains, around one kilometre before San Pedro Alcántara). The village is traditional Spanish in character with white houses, cosy restaurants (a local speciality is fillet of pork roasted whole, in Spanish: solomillo de cerdo), and fine views. As in many Spanish villages, the streets are narrow, often one-way, and without the slightest possibility of parking. My advice, therefore, is to park before entering the village and from there to go by foot. Fortunately, distances are short. My portfolio of restaurants is as follows:

Rufinos (tel 952 855 262) is situated on the left hand side of the main street, sighted almost immediately as one enters the village. Their speciality is fillet of pork roasted whole with garlic. The restaurant maintains a price level a little below that of its competitors without losing anything in the quality or presentation of its dishes. Huge portions. Open for lunch and dinner. Closed on Wednesdays. PPI = 8,8 (March 2007).

Restaurante Rufino

La Escalera

La Escalera (tel 952 855 235) is found on the first street going down to the right after entering Benahavís. The speciality of this restaurant is fillet of pork roasted whole with garlic. The restaurant is run by a former waiter at La Sartén who has sworn to put even more garlic on his fillet of pork than he used to when working for his previous employer. Thrilling! Closed on Thursdays.

Cook School, Escuela de Hostelería de Benahavís, (tel 952 855 701) could be an interesting alternative for those looking for an experience out of the ordinary. It's located on the right hand side of the main street, Avenida de Andalucia (#31), just before entering Benahavís. The restaurant, open for lunch every weekday from 1.30 pm, offers a special sampling menu for 30 Euros as well as á la carte dishes. Reservations are recommended. Open Tuesday - Friday, 1.30 pm - 3 pm.

Puerto Banús

This small town is the Eldorado on the coast for amusements, including restaurants. There must be more than 200 restaurants in Puerto Banús, the Costa del Sol's great grand port for large and luxurious boats and yachts. Sightseeing and walking around the port are highly recommended. You might finish the walk by dining in one the many restaurants and then, at your leisure, go on to visit the port's many discotheques.

Reading the menu

Picasso (tel 952 813 669), on the seafront, is my personal favourite Banús restaurant. It seems also to be the favourite of many others as there are often no tables available and then often a long winding queue of hungry patrons extends itself along the beach walk. Picasso is a Crêperia and Pizzeria which in itself explains the contents of their menu. Open every day from noon. PPI = 15,95 (March -23).

Los Bandidos (tel 952 815 915) is a Swedish-owned good, but not cheap, restaurant, much favoured and patronised by the Swedes. Their food is international, but with some preference towards meat. PPI = 24 (October 2022).

Nueva Andalucía

Up at the square in "old” Nueva Andalucia (the area is named La Campana) there are many restaurants.

Baloobas Irish Bar

Baloobas Irish Bar (tel 622 627 470), now taking over the premises where we earlier have seen Johnny Bar and restaurant Warao is the latest addition to restaurants in La Campana. As reconstructions still are taking place we haven't, so far, had the opportunity to visit the restaurant why we will come back later with our comments. Smoking allowed outdoors.

Red Cloud Sports Bar

Red Cloud (tel 952 158 023) is an American sports bar a bit up the slope from the Casita (Cultural Nordic Club) to the left. The food consists in typical English-American "Bar food" such as eg. fish-and-chips, sandwiches, wraps, hamburgers, nachos or chilli, but there are also other options such as eg. Sunday Roast on Sundays. Smoking is allowed outdoors. The restaurant offers free WiFi. Open weekdays 1 pm - 2 am. Fridays and Saturdays 1 pm - 3 am. PPI = 11,5 (October -23).

Restaurant Shangos

Restaurant La Campana

Shangos (tel 722 677 332) is located right below the Casita (Cultural Nordic Club) on the lefthand side. Open 7 pm - 11 pm. Mondays closed. PPI = 10,95 (October 2022).

La Campana (tel 952 814 041) is found a little bit further down the street on the righthand side. This restaurant is run by Swede Styrbjörn Holm and his two daughters, which also is reflected on the menu which bears a clear Scandinavian touch. As an alternative to the Á la Carte dishes there is also a 14 Euros "Menu of the Day" consisting of a small entrance dish plate and a number of Main Dishes to pick from. Open 1 pm - 12 pm, Saturdays 6 pm - 12 pm. Sundays closed. PPI = 12,90 (October 2022).

Restaurant El Bigote

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El Bigote (tel 686 058 260) is located a little bit further down the street on its left-hand side. This restaurant is specialized in seafood and as its premises are small and cozy an advance table booking will be required. Furthermore hours for booking are fixed and split into two "seatings". Price level is relatively high. Open 1 pm - 6 pm. Sundays and Mondays closed.

Restaurant Los Farolillos

Restaurant Los Farolillos

Farolillos has a separate Cocktail Bar

Los Farolillos (tel 952 818 041) is probably today's most popular La Campana restaurant. It promotes itself as being a pizzeria and an Argentinean grill restaurant simultaneously, serving all types of food. People refer to this restaurant as the Sewing Machine, as meals once upon a time were served on old sewing machine tables. The food is worth the price, nice tasting, and served in large portions; the staff is friendly. A popular place so reservations are recommended. Take-away food is available as well as complete meals. A well hidden secret is that on the second floor there is a cozy oldfashioned cocktailbar where you can pop in for something to drink. Smoking is allowed outdoors. Open 12.30 am - 4 pm and 7.30 pm - 12 pm. Mondays closed.

Restaurant Asador Vovem

Vovem (tel 952 003 434) is a good, but not quite cheap, grill restaurant. To get there take the Nueva Andalucia exit from the carretera (next to hotel H10, right after the Ronda exit) and drive up the hill in the direction of La Campana. Roughly halfway up there is a Y-crossing where you take right and you are there. Smoking is only allowed outdoors. Open 1 pm - 11 pm, Saturday - Sunday 1 pm - 11.30 pm. PPI = 15, Table fee = 2,50 Euros (November -16)

Marbella

My favourite area for restaurant visits in Marbella is the area surrounding the Orange Tree Square (Plaza de Naranjos). It is an old area, something like an "old town" with narrow pedestrian streets and old buildings. There are several small restaurants in the square itself as well as in the surrounding streets, often with the possibility of indoor as well as outdoor seating (which isn't that bad when the August moon is shining and the thermometer shows 27 degrees at 9 pm). If you go there by car, it is best to park your car in the central parking garage; “Parking Avenida del Mar”. From there, you walk right up in the direction away from the sea, cross Marbella's main street (Ramón y Cajal), and walk on another 100 metres to reach the Orange Tree Square. The parking is reached by following Marbella's main street until you see a large sign “Parking Avenida del Mar” pointing down toward the right. In Marbella, there are also several good restaurants along the seaside, on the beach walk. There are also a number of luxury restaurants along Marbella's entrance road from the west.

Bistro Paloma (tel 952 77 72 47) is a small restaurant on one of the small streets surrounding the Orange Square, on its eastern side, Calle Ortiz de Molinillo. The restaurant has Swedish connections as it is run by Swede Patrik Björnstedt from Motala since 2008. Their menu offers mainly fish and seafood dishes, as an example you should try one of their most appreciated dishes - Panzanella, bread salad with smoked mackerel mousse. Open 7 pm - 11.30 pm, closed on Tuesdays.

Toni Dalli’s Ristorante Italiano is one of those luxury restaurants alongside the road leading into Marbella from the west. The food is Italian and the price level is high. Toni Dalli himself is one of many local celebrities on the coast. He is a former Italian baritone who performed for many years at the London Palladium (which is more than evident from the photos that cover the walls of the restaurant) and he sometimes entertains his restaurant patrons by performing a few numbers during the evening, especially when there is something special, like a birthday, being celebrated.

Fuengirola

Restaurant La Chispa

La Chispa's salmon with dill stewed potatoes

Per having lunch

La Chispa (tel 682 134 720) is a simple little restaurant located on the first street to the west of, and parallel to, the Market Place (Feria). The restaurant is "Scandinavian", i e serving typical Scandinavian dishes as e g Toast Skagen or Salmon with dill stewed potatoes. All at attractive prices. Each day a "Dish of the Day" is served at 7,95 Euros. On Saturdays there is live music, Mondays and Wednesdays bridge is played and Fridays dart is on the programme. Open Monday 11 am - 8 pm, Tuesday and Saturday 11 am - 6 pm, Wednesday - Friday 11 am until late and Sunday 12 am - 5 pm.

Links

Those of you who are interested in further recommendations and advice on restaurants are advised to click on the links below.

The whole Coast  Estepona  San Pedro  Marbella

Food

When discussing restaurants we might as well say a few words about the food and especially some regional specialities.

Gazpacho is an Andalusian speciality. It is a soup that is served cold. The base of the soup is vegetables, especially tomatoes, cucumber, and garlic. The soup is often prepared in a mixer where the different ingredients are combined. Often, chopped tomato, onion, and cucumber are served as a finish or garnish. This soup can nowadays also be bought ready-made in the supermarket, packaged just like milk.

Gambas Pil Pil (or Gambas al ajillo) are shrimps in garlic oil. It is often served as a starter in a clay bowl, where the shrimps are simmering in hot oil. Furthermore, sliced hot chili and sliced garlic are added (this dish can be quite spicy). It is best enjoyed with white bread to sop up the sauce.

Paella is the official national dish of Spain and without doubt the most well-known Spanish dish. Paella is in reality Spain's version of chop suey, ie., a dish where the leftovers from earlier meals are retained for ingredients. Its base is rice, prepared with saffron and other ingredients, such as chicken, meat, and fish and/or other seafood (shrimps, mussels, etc). There are also pure variants of Paella, such as Seafood Paella or Paella Valenciana, mainly containing chicken and/or beef. Real Paella is prepared with the heart and is a delicacy not easily forgotten. Unfortunately, there are many charlatans in the trade who make variants of quick or tourist Paella where, eg., the saffron is replaced by food dyes in order to colour the Paella yellow, but leaving the dish completely tasteless.

Fish baked in salt is a regional speciality that is exactly what its name implies, a fish completely covered by a hard layer of sea salt that must be knocked away in order to serve the fish itself.

Boquerones consists of small sardine-size fish that are grilled and then eaten without previous cleaning. They may also be marinated and can be served as tapas. Excellent!!

Tapas are a Spanish speciality as well and is not a single dish but a number of smaller dishes, something similar to a Swedish smorgasbord. But here you don't go picking from the dishes you want; instead you order a certain mix of dishes. You can either order it by leaving it up to the server: "I would like five tapas, your selection, please", or you can order one or more individual tapas of your own selection and preference. Tapas may be eaten either as a starter or a complete meal. You are free to select the tapas you are interested in yourself. Most commonly tapas are eaten when one is in a group; this allows a greater selection of tapas for all individuals in the group to select and enjoy. Most Spanish restaurants offer tapas (even if you don't always see them on the menu). However, there are specialized Tapas Bars and most ordinary bars offer the possibility to order a tapa as a complement to one's drink (instead of peanuts for example).

Small dictionary for the restaurant

Beer - Cerveza Bill, please - La Cuenta, por favor Bread - Pan Butter - Mantequilla Cheese - Quezo Chicken - Pollo Chips - Patatas Fritas Cream - Nata Dessert - Postre Enjoy your Meal! - Buen Provecho! Fillet (Pork-/Beef-) - Solomillo (de Cerdo/Buey) Fish - Pescado Garlic - Ajo Glass - Vaso Jar (of Wine) - Jarra (de Vino) Meat - Carne Milk - Leche Mushrooms - Champiñones

Mineral Water - Agua Mineral -with/without Gas - -con/sin Gas Omelette - Tortilla Pepper - Pimienta Pint (of Beer) - Jarra (de Cerveza) Potatoes - Patatas Rice - Arroz Salad - Ensalada Salt - Sel Sauce - Salza Shellfish - Mariscos Shrimps - Gambas Sole - Lenguado Sugar - Azúcar Vegetables - Verduras/Legumbres Well done - Bien Hecho Wine (House) - Vino (de la Casa) red/white/rosé - tinto/blanco/rosado

Wine

And to end, a few words about Spanish wine. Today, there are a lot of thrilling, modern, and high-quality Spanish wines to be discovered - no matter whether you are looking for red, white, rosé or sparkling varieties. Spanish Wine Classification Depending on the time a wine has been left to mature, it will be given different official denominations. It goes without saying that wines that are given the longest time to mature also are the ones manufactured from the best grapes and the ones having enjoyed rich quantities of sunshine. A "good" wine year produces wines that are suitable for maturing, while wines produced in years of little sunshine are unsuitable for maturing. The following denominations are used: Vino Joven (young wine) is a wine that should be consumed when still young, also referred to as Vino del Año (wine of the year). These denominations are to replace the old term Sin Crianza, used for wines not left to mature in oak casks or wines left to mature for a shorter period of time than that necessary for the Crianza type of wines. There are, however, some Sin Crianza labelled wines that have been left to mature in a tank for a year and thereafter in a bottle for perhaps a further minimum of six months. Crianza is the denomination for wines that have been left to mature for a minimum of 24 months, out of which a minimum six months must be in oak casks. Reserva refers to red wines left to mature for a minimum of 36 months, of which at least twelve must be in oak casks, whereas white or rosé wines must be matured for a minimum period only of 24 months, out of which six must be in oak casks. Gran Reserva, a denomination for red wines left to mature in oak casks for a minimum period of 24 months followed by a further 36 months in a bottle. For this denomination, white or rosé wines must be allowed to mature for at least 48 months, of which six months must be in oak cask.

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