RESTAURANT CAMI DE BALÀFIA If you fancy something big and meaty in the evening (sorry, vegetarians, but this is probably not for you!), drive up restaurant Road, officially known as Carretera San Joan de Labritja (it’s the second to last restaurant on the left, on the stretch of road going to the village of San Joan de Labritja from Eivissa (Ibiza Town). If you count down the kilometres of roadside posts, it is 15.4km. You will find Camí de Balàfia, set back off the main road

CHIRINGUITO SA FERRADURA (EL PIRATA) To find this great little Kiosk and beach, turn left at the sign for the Hacienda Na Xamena Hotel and Spa on the way down to Port de Sant Miquel Road (before you reach the port). At around halfway, you must take the right-hand fork turn and drive for approximately 2 km along a quite testing, bumpy Camino (un-tarmacked road) to arrive at the bay. The kiosk with the pirate flag is situated on the beach and serves good-value basic chiringuito

LA BODEGA DEL CANTINERO Mark Walsh returned to another of his favourite spots in San Pedro de Alcántara, just outside the famous resort of Marbella. La Bodega del Cantinero, often known as “Casa Alberto,” is a modern restaurant with a family-run structure, Alberto manages the front of house and hosts guests, while his wife handles the kitchen. This owner-chef partnership is typical of newer Spanish “personal” restaurants, which contrast with traditional taverns.  La Bodega de

CASA JULIAN In 2025, we revisited this remarkable, easily overlooked little restaurant, now famous on TV, located in the Basque countryside town of Tolosa, which is 28 km inland from San Sebastián. Tolosa is a town and municipality in the  Basque  province of  Gipuzkoa,  northern  Spain . It is situated in the valley of the Oria River, with Casa Julian directly across from it. When you arrive at the restaurant and step inside, you might initially feel like you’re in the wrong

ALFREDO BAR RESTAURANTE Mark Walsh returned to one of his favourite spots in San Pedro de Alcántara, just outside Marbella. We keep going back to Alfredo Bar Restaurante, and for good reason. It’s a family-run spot (open since 1981) that doesn’t shout from the street but welcomes you like an old friend once you step inside, transporting you back to ’80s Spain. The decor reminds me of when I went to Spain as a kid. You will find a large dining room with old Spanish pictures an

RESTAURANTE SACHA This is not the most straightforward restaurant in Madrid to find, even with GPS, as it is at the rear of where it should be and hidden away in a corner on the right side of the building. Everything looks great, small but cosy, busy and traditional upon entering. It was opened in 1972 by a couple (he was from the Basque Country, she was from Galicia) in this neighbourhood just north of Real Madrid’s Santiago Bernabeu stadium. It is now run by their son, Sac

MADRID TAPAS BARS IN THE CALLE DE JESUS AREA The Plaza de Jesús and its extension, the Calle de Jesús, is a street with many bars, mainly filled with locals, near the Prada Museum and other historic sites, and a good spot for lunch after visiting the museums, etc. On a Thursday lunchtime in February, we had a stroll to a tapas bar for drinks. CERVANTES Plaza de Jesús 7, 28012 Madrid +34 914 29 60 93 We did not eat here this time, but it is a very good cerveceria offering typi

PRIMITIVO RESTAURANTE To get to this restaurant, head east, along the coastal road from Málaga for about 6 km, and you will arrive in Pedregalejo. It's a pleasant 30- to 40-minute walk or a short taxi ride from Málaga centre. The still, very traditional village of Pedregalejo has retained its local character and charm, avoiding the ruin caused by tourism. This old fishing village is now known for its excellent restaurants, which line the promenade next to the beach. In the

ES PINS When heading north of the Island on the famous restaurant Road towards Sant Joan de Labritja, you will find this old-school, traditional roadside restaurant, Es Pins. There is plenty of parking outside the restaurant, which serves mainly Ibicencan staples such as roast lamb, pork chops, rabbit, pan-fried halibut, paella, and arroz de Matanzas (a traditional Ibicencan dish usually made in winter after the pig slaughter using pork, chorizo sausages, rice, and spices su

CAMBIO DE TERCIO Under Abel Lusa’s excellent hospitality and guidance, this restaurant has been a long-standing favourite in South Kensington for many years. It has become a standard-bearer for Iberian food in London. Most Hispanophiles consider it one of the best in town. On this occasion, we sat down, wrapped up on a reasonably chilly lunchtime, starting with a glass of Amontillado or Cava. Followed by, Pan cristal y Cinco Jotas Jamón Ibérico de Bellota 100% (Jabugo) Five J