ANDALUCÍA - CÁDIZ - TABERNA CASA MANTECA

Miguel Renoir Spanish Guides
Dec 2, 2025
2 min read

Updated: 2 days ago

TABERNA CASA MANTECA

Cádiz is one of Western Europe's oldest continuously inhabited cities. The Phoenicians founded it, and archaeological remains date back 3,100 years. During the 18th and 19th centuries, it became a trading port with the Americas.

This famous spot in the Casco Antiguo (the older part of Cádiz), which is within the remnants of the city walls and is commonly referred to as the Old Town, is an old-school restaurant and tapas bar (the name means house of Lard!).

A few friends visited in May 2025.

They serve tapas at the bar. Locals and tourists tuck into thin slices of the famous chicharrones con sal y limón (soft, fatty pork rind, seasoned with sea salt and a splash of lemon).

You can also try:

Tortilla de camerones (shrimp fritters)

Mojama (air-dried tuna loin)

Bonito curado (air-dried albacore tuna)

Morcilla de hígado (black pudding)

Jamón Ibérico de Bellota (back leg of the pig)

Paletilla de Ibérico (front leg of the pig)

Boquerones en vinagre (anchovies in vinegar)

They are best accompanied by a caña of Cruzcampo (a small draft beer) or one of the famous local sherries, such as fino or manzanilla from bodegas like Barbadillo, Tio Pepe, Lustau, La Gitana, or Valdespino.

The front bar is always bustling, filled with a cacophony of local sounds

A small table area at the back is accessible via the side street. Something of an oasis of calm if you prefer to avoid the bustle of the main bar.

Service is speedy, helpful, and efficient.

The streets around the bar are always busy.

May is the busiest time here because the annual "Carnaval de Cádiz" occurs. This is a week-long celebration that is as authentically Spanish as it gets. There are lots of traditional dances, elaborate Trajes de Gitana (gypsy style dresses), and a classic variation of sherry wine called el rebujito (fino sherry mixed with lemonade).

It is worth checking the dates each year, as many places are closed for a few days immediately after the carnival. We found this out to our cost one year.