RESTAURANTE EL CAMPERO Michelin Plate IIO Barbate, a rather scruffy fishing village on the southern coast of Spain near Cádiz, has been catching bluefin tuna using the same methods for over 3,000 years. This traditional method, almadraba, is famous throughout Spain for catching the country's most popular tuna. The almadraba season runs from May to June. Small fishing boats attached to giant round nets float in an ever-widening circle in the narrow Strait of Gibraltar betw

EL CORRAL DEL INDIANU One Michelin Star The entrance to this excellent Restaurant is on the very unassuming main street of the small town of Arriondas, 12 km inland from the coastal town of Ribadesella. The Restaurant features a contemporary, rustic-style dining room and a glass-fronted conservatory at the rear. Chef José Campoviejo serves an innovative tasting menu inspired by traditional Asturian cuisine, featuring dishes such as Cabrales cheese, anchovies, and fabada

HOTEL 100% FUN This is a tremendous little chilled hotel with an Ibiza and Bali vibe. The rooms are scattered throughout the grounds, mainly around the swimming pool. During the day, the pool area is quiet and relaxed, as many residents are kitesurfing or doing other beach activities. It is best to visit during the day, although during school holidays, it can get busy with children. Although the rooms are relatively small, each has a sitting area outside. The footpath from

RESTAURANT CAN RAFALET Tonight, my birthday dinner was mixed paella, finished with a hierbas liquor from the Balearic Islands, and served “en la casa” by the friendly restaurant staff. The place I chose for this orgy was Can Rafalet in Es Caló de Sant Agustí, which boasts the prettiest views on the Island. The sea is at its turquoise best here, and I like the paella. Other places serve rice with “some things in it,” but this place serves a paella worth its salt, studded with

HURRICANE HOTEL The palm-fronted Hurricane Hotel sits above the beach where the Mediterranean Sea meets the Atlantic Ocean, with Morocco just 15 km away across the straits of Gibraltar. It is on the coastal highway outside the town of Tarifa. The laid-back Andalusian theme is set in lush gardens with a romantic dinner terrace with views across Africa. The wind and kite-surfing school helps you make the most of Tarifa's famous waves. With the quiet patio and garden, this place

LA FRAGATA I walked into La Fragata (founded by Mari y Juan in 1979), the restaurant just down the beach from me, and the waiters immediately grabbed my hand and hailed me, remembering me from last year. The owner came out and declared, “Jon Listen “, the man from California ......... It was close enough, and I felt like frigging Ernest Hemingway……… I have been craving fish, especially dorada (gilthead sea bream), and they have it. Some fish are priced by the kg, so be caref

DEESSA Two Michelin Stars Quique Dacosta has made his three-Michelin-star restaurant in Dénia a destination venue. He has now opened a restaurant at the Mandarin Oriental Ritz in Madrid so that guests can experience his talents in the Spanish capital. The restaurant is in the beautiful and opulent Alfonso XIII room, which overlooks the Ritz Garden. Diners are invited to taste one of two tasting menus designed by longtime Dacosta collaborator Chef Ricard Tobella. Clásicos de

RESTAURANTE SALTXIPI Chef Jon Ortega is at the stove grilling sensational-looking gambas, hake, monkfish, turbot and T-bone steaks. Famous for its spider crabs, which it keeps in the basement, this has become a place for trendy thirty-somethings. Look out for the Ibiza-style chill-out to be added soon. The food is traditional, so if you order turbot or red sea bream, you get that —no extras, expertly cooked. The menu is quite spider crab-based, so it should be with such a g

BAR RESTAURANT TOKI-ALAI Heading east along the coast road from Mundaka, you will find this lovely restaurant, which is situated on a beautiful little surfers’ beach. It is a reasonably large stone restaurant/bar. One glass wall provides a fantastic view of the beach. It is an excellent spot for a nice, relaxing lunch, trying a few delicious pintxos at the bar, or having a more leisurely meal in the evening. There is a very good menu del dia for €25 (weekdays) and €30 (weeke

CERVECERIA CATALANA Michelin Plate IIO A return to this restaurant in April 2022 for a few tapas when Covid-19 restrictions were still in place. All tables were spaced out, and the bar area had plastic shields. A nchoas escalivar. V ieira y gambas . The restaurant was not as busy as on previous visits, which is understandable given the COVID-19 restrictions. A previous visit in more convivial times. This is an excellent spot for tapas at the bar or a full-blown meal in th