NOU MANOLÍN    Michelin Plate IIO This well-known spot in Alicante's city centre has two distinct areas. Upstairs is a chic destination restaurant serving consistently excellent, creative seafood dishes. Downstairs, you will find a casual, come-as-you-are type of bar. We r ecommend sitting at the bustling bar counter on the first floor. (it is wise to turn up when they open the doors in the evening) . We started with good ostras (oysters), then buñuelos de bacalao (deep-fr

O CURRO DA PARRA This restaurant is in the old part of town in the historic city of Santiago de Compostela. It is very close to the old market, the Mercado de Abastos de Santiago (from which they stock daily). This trendy and contemporary restaurant has two areas. A casual wine and tapas bar on the ground floor And a more formal, small but cosy dining room on the first floor of this old house The open kitchen offers a new take on Galician dishes. When the weather permits, a s

THE FISH SHACK @ TALAMANCA Also known as Chiringuito Sa Punta, a tiny shack on the rocks perched delicately at the sea's edge at the very end of Talamanca beach, this is hard to find, as there are no signposts or a roof. This is one spot you don't often read about, making it all the more special. Head for the restaurant Sa Punta in Talamanca, and when you reach it, keep going past the rocks. Soon, you will see the tangle of umbrella canopies, wooden tables and plastic chairs.

EL BIGOTES Known as "The Fish Shack at Cala Mastella" or El Bigotes (The Moustache), this refers to the proprietor's whiskers!) El Bigotes still sits at his table for lunch whilst devouring a flagon of red wine. Unfortunately, he is 96 years old and does not come to the restaurant much anymore. There are two sittings, noon for fried fish (€25pp) or 2 pm for Bullit de Peix (€34pp). For the Bullit de Peix, everyone must have arrived at this stunning little bay for the 2 pm sit

ES REBOST DE CAN PRATS In September 2024, we returned to one of our favourite restaurants, serving traditional Ibicencan cuisine in Sant Antoni de Portmany (San Antonio). Located in a house built in the early years of the 20th century, it was one of the first shops in Sant Antoni. It sold food like chickens, eggs, cheeses, pebrassos, rabbits, vegetables, potatoes, and other products necessary for everyday life. When they opened in 1994, in the home of the current owners' gran

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

RESTAURANTE EL CALEÑO We returned to the still-very-traditional village of Pedregalejo, just outside of Malaga. This village has kept its local character and charm and has not been ruined by tourism. The beaches here are divided into small U-shaped coves, perfect for families with young children. This old fishing village is now known for its excellent fish restaurants, which line the promenade next to the beach. In the warm summer months, sometimes during pleasant days in win

ANTIGUA CASA DE GUARDIA After a visit to the Mercado Central de Atarazanas (Málaga's local food market, which also has excellent tapas bars), a short walk will take you to the oldest bar in Málaga, founded in 1840.  Here, they mainly sell Málaga sweet wine directly from the barrel. It is a typical spit-and-sawdust, old-fashioned drinking bar, and it is great fun.  It's like stepping back in time to one of the few places in Málaga that still maintains its atmosphere. Try the p

BODEGA BAR EL PIMPI This boisterous bar, right in the historical city centre, next to the Alcazaba, is one of Malaga's most famous. El Pimpi is mentioned in every imaginable tourist guide. Despite its reputation as a tourist hotspot, this restaurant has maintained the quality of its food for which it first became famous. It is well-priced. Bodegas Bar El Pimpi is an interesting maze-like building with a series of rooms with many different styles and cultural experiences. Phot

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