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 meat dishes, fish

CASA JULIAN In March 2025, we returned to this remarkable, easy-to-miss little restaurant, now famous on TV, in the Basque countryside town of Tolosa, 28 km inland from San Sebastián. Tolosa is a town and municipality in the Basque province of Gipuzkoa in northern Spain . It is located in the valley of the Oria River , and Casa Julian is directly across from the river. Once you find the restaurant and walk in, you might think you are in the wrong place. You will see an are

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 their 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 have a great choice of seating. You will find big, long tables for fam

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

RESTAURANTE SA SOCA On the way to Sant Agustí from Sant Antoni, you will find this traditional, rustic, charming restaurant. Although it does not look exceptional from the outside, it would be easy to drive past. The entrance has a small bar area, with simple wooden chairs and tables, and small dining rooms with a fireplace. Once inside, you will find its large, vine-covered inner terrace, overgrown with plants, and a quiet countryside landscape twinkling in the background. T

BODEGUITA 1999 This was our second visit to this restaurant, just off the seafront in Alicante City. They specialise in anchovies and different cuts of steak. Chuletón, entrecot, solomillo, and many more, so make your choice. Antxoas del Cantabrico (anchovies from Cantabria). Txuleton en la mesa with fries and piquillo peppers. Pimientos del piquillo confitados. Txuleton a la plancha on the second visit. With a tremendous fresh salad. Also available are staples like Croquetas

JOSÉ TAPAS & SHERRY BAR Situated on a corner of the now-trendy Bermondsey Street, this cosy little tapas bar serves excellent, authentic tapas. Opened by José Pizarro with his eponymous restaurant, Pizarro, further up Bermondsey Street on the same side of the road.   José is a buzzing spot for an atmospheric lunch or dinner. This is not a sit-down restaurant but a Spanish bar where you go to have a drink and some tapas, standing or sitting on stools around a barrel for a tabl

O SOLAR DOS LEITOES This is a hidden restaurant on the outskirts of Monsanto. It serves delicious traditional Portuguese cuisine and some of the best grilled fish in Lisbon. It has been a family business for three generations and is in a remote, run-down residential area in Buraca. It is not easy to find, and it is definitely off the tourist track. Even taxis with satnav still seem to have a problem finding it! Do not let this put you off. You will be dropped off at the bott

ASADOR CAN PILOT We returned to Restaurante Asador Can Pilot, an old favourite in the small inland village of Sant Rafel de sa Creu (San Rafael). Since 1989, it has been an excellent place for traditional Spanish food, especially BBQ meat. The traditional, rustic restaurant is always busy, and sometimes you may have to wait in the vibrant bar. There is a large BBQ grill in one corner of the room. The room is furnished with traditional Ibicencan wooden tables and chairs. We ha

ROOSTIQ During a major snowstorm, we had an excellent dining experience here in Madrid’s Chueca district. It is a modern-style asador where they serve good, honest food in a wonderful setting with an open fire. All the tasty, healthy, and organic produce is from their garden farm in Ávila, in the rolling hills and countryside northwest of Madrid. To start, we had the highly recommended, Torrenznos Roostiq (Roostiq’s fried belly pork) There are many, many torreznos, but every