We had been invited to attend "The Festival of Andalusian Gastronomy 2020", which, unfortunately, was cancelled in March 2020 due to the start of the COVID-19 restrictions. We now fast-forward two years to March 2022. After meeting the group at the Hotel Abades Nevada Palace de Granada, we board the coach for our first visit to the Costa Tropical (where there are dozens of beaches and small coves with crystal-clear water and 320 days of sunshine per year). It has an average

CASA SEVILLA This restaurant is in the middle of Almería, heading toward the port area. It is set in an alleyway off the main street and was full of locals on the evening we attended, which is always a good sign. There are tables outside in the alleyway, a restaurant in a room at the back, and tall tables with stalls in the bar area. They serve a very varied menu, including Almería's typical traditional dishes and specialities of the house. With every drink, in our case, a c

MUSEO DEL JAMÓN A few of these Museo del Jamón tapas bars are scattered around Madrid, and this one at Carrera San Jeronimo 6 is our particular favourite. They all offer an eclectic mix of traditional Spanish food, centred on ham, bread, beer & wine. This place can be a godsend for those concerned about how much they spend. A beer and a ham & cheese bocadillo (roll) can be bought for around €1; you cannot beat that. If you have more money, try one of the less expensive Jamón'

RESTAURANTE LA PRIMERA We were looking for a restaurant in Madrid for 12 friends to have lunch before the Atletico Madrid v Manchester United Champions League football match. We decided La Primera was the place. The restaurant is located in an ideal spot to enjoy Madrid, on the first floor (hence the name) of an iconic building on the famous Gran Vía. The interior design is elegantly minimalist, with a Scandinavian aesthetic and a dark yet cosy colour palette. It is spacious

RESTAURANTE AMA LUR This famous restaurant has been an institution for over 35 years. Just before the COVID-19 disaster, the owners decided to close after all that time. In October 2021, new owners, whose story started in Formentera with a paradise called Can Carlos, reopened Ama Lur with the same ambitions but a new Italian style. The restaurant has had a makeover and is now in stunning blue to match the Ibicenco sky and sea. From its previous yellow. On a roundabout on the

UPDATED - APRIL 2025 - CLOSED In October 2021, we visited a Vilarnau cava-tasting evening with tapas at Ibérica Canary Wharf, London. A...

CHIRINGUITO UTOPIA Updated August 2021 Unfortunately, since our last visit, the San Juan city council has decided to declare the Beach where Chiringuito Utopia was a virgin Beach, so for the moment, it will not be able to return. It is still a great spot to swim and sunbathe, but there are no facilities now. The new pictures show the beach as it was in August 2021. The bay is still a good place to swim and snorkel. CHIRINGUITO UTOPIA (August 2019) To find Chiringuito Utopi

VENETIIS RESTAURANT This restaurant is undoubtedly a great discovery for us in Benalmádena Pueblo. Chef Matteo Manzato mixes Italian and Malagueña cuisine to stunning effect in a carefully designed, atmospheric environment. It has its own style, mixing great service, excellent food, and fine cuisine. The presentation of every dish is an ultimate picture that everyone would love to share on Instagram. We had the extremely reasonable tasting menu, un paseo por Ventiis menú degu

LÚ COCINA Y ALMA Two Michelin Stars (new 2025) Chef Juanlu Fernandez began his career as an artisan pastry chef, then moved through the kitchens of many of Spain's great chefs. Exploring his passion for French cuisine and merging it with the traditional Andalusian cuisine of his home town of Jerez de la Frontera. The restaurant's visual impact is prominent here. The kitchen stands in the centre of the dining room, enabling the chefs to interact more closely with guests an

RESTAURANTE ES VENTALL Michelin Plate IIO A visit to Sant Antoni de Portmany (San Antonio) during the Covid - hit summer of 2021 saw us return to one of our favourite restaurants. Since 2005, when the younger José Miguel Bonet took over, the traditional dishes have been given a slightly more inventive twist, while still including many of the Island's favourites. There are various rice dishes, like paella, fideuá, arroz a banda, bullit de peix, and fish and seafood. The