ALQUERÍA EL BROSQUIL This restaurant is somewhat off the beaten path. You’ll need to take an old farm road off the highway, then turn onto a gravel road leading to a parking area in a lovely orange grove. It is a bit like a farmhouse in the middle of a town and only 15 minutes from the city centre. You can have drinks outside on the terrace and take in a bit of the sun before taking your seats inside the restaurant. There is a fun board on the terrace where you can pop your h

TABERNA CASA MANTECA Cádiz is one of Western Europe’s oldest continuously inhabited cities. The Phoenicians founded it, and archaeological remains date back 3,100 years. During the 18th and 19th centuries, it became a trading port with the Americas. This famous spot in the Casco Antiguo (the older part of Cádiz), within the remnants of the city walls and commonly referred to as the Old Town, is an old-school restaurant and tapas bar (the name means "house of Lard"!). A few f

Pristine sand and dunes with a few good restaurants await you at Playa de Bolonia. RESTAUARANTE LAS REJAS It is a surfer's beach all year round, backed by the remains of a Roman settlement (the ruins of Baleo Claudia, 380 BC). The town had a massive theatre and temples dedicated to Juno, Jupiter, Minerva, and the Egyptian Goddess Isis for the next three centuries. The Romans were equal-opportunity believers. On the shore were the circular stone vats used to salt the tuna. Re

CAL PEP This place has been here since September 1989 and is as much a tapas bar as it is a restaurant. In fact, it is said to be “the best tapas bar in the world” and certainly one of the first of its type. The London restaurant Barrafina is supposedly based on the concept of Cal Pep. There are only twenty of the coveted seats at the bar, so to grab one, you need to queue on most days around twenty minutes before each service, which starts at 1 pm or 7.30 pm. There is also a

45 CURTAIN ROAD We had an excellent long lunch at the new 45 Curtain Road in trendy Shoreditch, London. The restaurant is set on the ground floor of the 45 London Hotel, with a large dining area, bar and open kitchen. The cuisine, led by Executive Chef Alex Furusawa-Cadoni, is a Spanish/Japanese fusion chophouse that combines bold Spanish flavours with Japanese techniques. From the relatively short menu, we chose, Aonori milk bread, miso & shiso butter. Gilda (Gordal olive,

BAR SAN JUAN After a few local recommendations, we have been meaning to come to this restaurant in Chorlton-cum-Hardy, on the outskirts of Manchester, for some time. On this cold Monday evening in November, we finally made it. This restaurant is a traditional bar, serving authentic tapas. The atmosphere indoors is cosy and full of character, with bullfighting posters. This is a nice place to go to eat in Manchester. We picked quite a few of the tapas: Jamo croquetas (ham croq

TABERNA MANOLO CATECA Tucked away in a corner alleyway, this hidden gem gives you the feel of being a local. The bar has been on this side street since 1920, when it was a wine despacho. In 1952, it became Taberna La Goleta. The current owner, Manuel Navarro, who goes by Cateca (hence the new name), took over around 12 years ago. Although small inside, it always seems popular, day and night, as it is packed with people standing outside drinking and enjoying Sevilla’s nightli

VIVÉ BEACH CHIRINGUITO Open Friday, Saturday, and Sunday in Winter. From 10 am until 6 pm. A favourite with locals, Chiringuito Vivé Beach is situated on the sand of the Platgeta de sa Punta (Platja es Vivé), an urban beach located between Ses Figueretes and Platja d'en Bossa. An area where you can take advantage of many aquatic activities, since it is well laid out and marked. It is a large sandy area that is a paradise for families. Additionally, the waters are shallow, mak

We often visit the Parque Natural del Cabo de Gata-Níjar in the province of Almería (Andalucía’s most significant protected coastal area, with a wild, isolated landscape and a hot desert climate). This time, we went to Agua Amarga, which borders spectacular, barren spaghetti western territory. This low-key village packs in cool bars, restaurants, locals, and fishermen. Beside a headland of troglodyte caves at the southern end of the beach. Most of the tourists here are Spanis

LA VENENCIA The fabulous La Venencia is like stepping back into an Andalusian sherry bar from the 1920s/’30s. The bar has a great history (it is believed anti-General Franco supporters would meet up here during the Spanish Civil War). It is doubtful the place has changed much over the years, with the unassuming sign above the door, the dusty old sherry bottles behind the bar and the vintage posters on the walls, which give the place great character. This refreshingly non-mode