RESTAURANTE LA TORRETA MAY BE CLOSED IN 2025 We visited this traditional roadside restaurant in the Sax / Elda area of Alicante on the recommendation of our friend, Howard Goldsmith, who has lived there for 12 years. It is run by two very friendly sisters who were our hosts for the day. There is a large indoor seating room and a shaded outdoor terrace area for when the weather is good, which seems to be almost always. On this occasion, we ate inside as the weather was a bi

PERMANENTLY CLOSED IN 2023? RESTAURANTE S’EUFABI When one is under a full moon in Aquarius, and the internet healers all warn you of a significant shift about to happen in your life, and you are on an island in the Mediterranean somewhere off Spain and north of North Africa, you have two choices, as always. One is to hide in your casa until the prevailing cosmic forces subside and shiver in fear, and the other way is to say the hell with it and dive into the sea in a strong t

RESTAURANTE CA’S PAGES This is one of the most historic restaurants in the north of Ibiza. It is run by two sisters, Carmen and Lucia, whose family started offering traditional Ibiçencan cooking in 1972. It is located in the family home’s basement and in the shaded, planted back garden. The outdoor, partly covered seating is beautiful, full of green plants and subtle lighting. If you come early, you will have a wide range of seating options. You will find either a large, ext

CASA BOLSA 43 Excellent 19th-century, bohemian, shabby chic, five-bedroom, five-bathroom townhouse in a good spot. A bullfighting family owns it, so lots of memorabilia adorn the walls of this stylish house. Stylish bedrooms Ground floor Communal area First lounge The proprietor, Pilar, has an attitude of “mi casa, tu casa” (my house is your house), so you will get the run of the place, including the kitchen and the little terraces, during your stay. You can cook here and e

A FUEGO NEGRO NOW CLOSED NOW CLOSED At the back of the Parte Vieja (old town), the red and black scheme is as elegant as the food,...

RESTAURANTE S. GIÁO Another trip across the Portuguese border. This time to Moreira de Cónegos, between Braga and Porto, and in the countryside near Guimaraes. Not the easiest place to find, even with a sat nav. When you do, you will see no name on the outside of a building which could be mistaken for a workshop. After walking around the building, we find the unnamed entrance door and walk into the delightful surprise of a stunning traditional Portuguese setting. The large w

CHIRINGUITO EL LIRIO (PERMANELY CLOSED, NOW A BURGER BAR!) There are many great things about Málaga. The big blue skies, 300 days of sunshine a year, the beaches and the food. Málaga has some of Andalucía’s best Chiringuitos. These are beachfront bars and restaurants that specialise in tapas, salads and above all else, lots of fish. You will find skewers of freshly caught and salted Mediterranean sardines, dorada (gilthead bream), lubina (sea bass), salmonete (red mullet) a

CAMBIO DE TERCIO Under Abel Lusa’s long-term, excellent hospitality and guidance, and chef Alberto Criado’s (Twitter @Alberto_Criado) creative dishes, Cambio de Tercio has become a standard-bearer for Iberian food in London. Most Hispanophiles consider it the best in town. You can choose from the traditional tapas menu, an inventive á la carte menu, or the reasonably priced tasting menu. On a recent visit, we had this tasting menu. Andalusian gazpacho, steamed king prawns

RESTAURANTE TXIKOTE (Permanently closed 2022) This excellent restaurant, set up near the old town of Conil de la Frontera, is Basque in origin and has a wine bar restaurant appeal with solid wood tables and chairs. There is a bar in the centre of the room, serving excellent wines by the glass, in a charming, rustic yet modern, light and lively setting. They are also outside tables where you can enjoy the nearly always present sunshine. The menu is extensive, with many t

EL RINCON DE JUAN PERMENENTLY CLOSED 2024 By Howard Goldsmith El Rincon De Juan is on Calle Episodios Nacional, one of the side streets off Calle Ronda and Avenida Alfonso XIII. Plenty of parking is available nearby. I recently met Alexis and his father, Juan, at the gym (Paidesport). Alexis speaks fluent English, and we had a Spanglish conversation about Spanish food when he told me that his parents own El Rincon De Juan in Elda and that I should take my wife, Gail, one da