Cadiz Restaurant Tips by blint

Restaurant Name: Indigo Blue

This great little place on the Avenue by the football stadium is one of the only places in Cadiz that give you free tapas with your drinks. Furthermore, it is GOOD tapas (all for 1.50€), though some can be quite small. In fact I prefer many of the tapas here than in more expensive options.

There is also a restaurant part which I'd love to try out, and a large outdoor terrace. There is a modern large TV ideal for watching the football.

The staff are friendly and helpful.

Favorite Dish: Atun Ahumado (smoked Tuna)

Menudo (Strew with chickpeas and other ingredients it's best not to know about)

Pez Espada (sword fish)

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Theme: Local
Comparison: less expensive than average

Address: Cayetano d Toro
Directions: Just before the football stadium on the corner.

Restaurant Name: La Montanera

Nearby there are a lot of upper end restaurants but this place is more popular with the locals and offers great tapas and full meals at a good prices.

It is clean and the quality is higher than many other places in the same price range. A tapas only cost around 1.60-1.80€

It specialises in local meat dishes.

Favorite Dish: Carne al Toro (meat in sauce)

Parmasana al Berenjena (aubergine)

Pinchitos (skewered chicken or pork)

Filetito de Ternera (beef fillet)

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Theme: Local
Comparison: more expensive than average

Address: Calle Brazil
Directions: By the main going out zone by the beach in Cadiz Capital. Just off the beach front.

There is another one by San Juan de Dios in the old Centre

Restaurant Name: Taberna Casa Manteca

If you want to go to a place in Cadiz that is typical of the town and the region then the place you are looking for is La Manteca. It is situated in the Neighbourhood of La Viña which is the very essence of Cadiz (this can be demonstrated best during Carnaval).

The Manteca isn't classy, nor expensive; it is simple, it is cheap, and it is Andaluz. The walls are covered in posters of bull fighters and the such, the tapas is served on grease proof paper and the best thing to drink is Moscatel (a typical 'sweet wine' of the region). Flamenco music spills from the speakers and you may have trouble understanding the thick Gaditano accent of the Waiter.

You can come here for a drink or for a drink and tapas. Many tourists and locals alike come here.

Please take the time to look at the other photos attached which show you what I meant when I said the tapas is served on grease proof paper!

Favorite Dish: Mojama de Atun (tapa)

Chicharrones (tapa)

Moscatel (drink)

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Theme: Local
Comparison: least expensive

Phone: 956 213 603
Address: San Felix/Corralon 66, La Viña
Directions: In the Heart of the old Centre.

Restaurant Name: Taberna Albaro

This small traditional place can be found in La Viña on one of the most typical roads, La Palma. Here you can find really, really LOCAL places (namely bar associations filled with old men) and some good restaurants offering the local dishes.

One day we decided to visit some 'cutre' bars in Cadiz, instead of the cooler looking places on a wine crawl. We wanted to rediscover the essence of Cadiz, so we came down to Calle La Palma looking for something typically Gaditano (Cadizish). Some places we were too scared to enter due to the real 'we all know each other and are all related' look of the place, but Taberna Albaro looked welcoming and, just what we were looking for, very Cadizy.

We sampled the Moscatel and fought off hunger with a large helping of Pulpo a la Gallega for 5€ which was great. The Menu in general seemed very appetising too.


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Theme: Local
Comparison: least expensive

Address: Calle La Palma
Directions: La Viña, in the heart of the old centre.

Restaurant Name: Aves Gades Taverna Restaurante

This little place with a road side terrace too is a wonderfully friendly place. The staff are polite and the service is on the whole good, but a little slow (though the food is well worth waiting for and they never make you feel they have forgotten about you). This is an ideal place to come for lunch rather than dinner though I did notice they had an upstairs which maybe more nighttime oriented.

Instead of a Menu Del Dia (menu of the day) you get a kind of Menu del tapa which consists of 3 courses of tapas which increase in size and quality plus a glass of wine of beer. For each course you can choose between 2 or 3 options. If you sit inside the special menu costs 9€ and 10.50€ if you sit outside on the terrace.

Of course there are lots more things you can order too. The food I saw other people order from the normal menu looked terrific and sizable as well.

I have just been for the third time (it is one of the only places I feel comfortable going alone so Idon't have a lunch partner I come here!) and as always it was fantastic. The food is all made from fresh ingredients; nothing canned. The chef is a genius. All the food is great and original. If you want to have something healthy and well prepared please come here. I honestly can't recommend this place more. It is one of the best places for quality of food at good rates I have ever been to!

This time I went for the normal menu not the tapas del dia. I had aubergine (berenjena) stuffed with vegetables and octopus (pulpo) and King prawns (langostinos) in curry sauce !

Favorite Dish: Pulpo de Ajillo con Jerez:- Which was my third course. This dish came in a kind of stew pot and had potato and other veggies floating around with the pulpo (octopus); also to by sheer delight it had cayenne peppers in which gave it a great tangy/spicy flavour.

My other two courses were Gazpacho (which was the best I have tasted in Spain) and Rabo de Toro (bull's tail) which was so tender it melted even before I got it in my mouth!

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Theme: Local
Comparison: about average

Phone: 956265788
Address: Calle Marques de Valdeiñigo 4, 11004
Directions: In the Old Centre just off of Calle San Francisco

Restaurant Name: Arte Serrano

Arte Serrano are specialists in products from the mountains of Cadiz and have a wide variety of tapas including vegetarian options and seafood too. They also offer sit down meals in their restaurant section and outside an terrace.

It is always busy and you may find yourself standing by the bar to eat your tapas, but at least the prices are really good and the quality. I always take my guests here.

I have included some photos of the food too.

Favorite Dish: I really like the Berenjena Rellena (stuffed aubergine), though all the tapas are great.

In the photos you can see some of the tapas on offer: Boquerones en vinagre, Menudo, Berza, Chiperones, Carillada al toro.

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Theme: Local
Comparison: about average

Phone: 956277258 or 956288160
Address: Paseo Maritimo 2
Directions: By the beach , between Hotel Tryp and Hotel Playa Victoria.

Restaurant Name: La Cruz Blanca

This little tapas bar has a warm welcoming atmosphere as well as serving great tapas. It is named on the tapas route and has won awards for its standards.

I have included a link to their web site which includes photos of the restaurant and food and a map. You can change the Language for the introduction and put it in English, but it seems the rest is only in Spanish.

Favorite Dish: You can get raciones (larger portions) or tapas. My advice is to order a selection of tapas as they offer such a wide variety. Their speciality is fresh Iberian meats.

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Theme: Local
Comparison: about average

Phone: 956213270
Address: Calle Zorilla 4, 11004
Directions: Near Plaza Mina in the old centre
Website: http://www.mesoncumbresmayores.com/in_bienve.htm
Other Contact: 856072242

Restaurant Name: Casa Orrequia

This little restaurant and tapas bar is tastefully decorated and the food is of a high quality with an interesting menu. Although to find out what they have, instead of reading the menu, you ask the waiter who explains each tapas to you.

It is not near the normal tourist locations.

Favorite Dish: I really liked the Pescado (fish tapas) which came in a big portion costing 2.50 euros. It is big enough to share between two. In fact that is what me and my friend did, order 4 tapas and share them as they all come in very big quantities for tapas and we wanted to try a variety of things.

Another really tasty option on the menu is the Cordero in Mostaza (mustard lamb). A traditional recipe is used to cook the mustard sauce and you can be sure it is not from a jar! This tapas also cost 2.50€

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Theme: Local
Comparison: about average

Address: Avd. Juan Carlos 1, 58
Directions: This little spot is near the football stadium on the new avenue which used to be the railway lines. It is more or less opposite the Estadio train station underneath the tall striped building that leads to the the Loreto Barrio.

Restaurant Name: Cantina Zapata

Now they have the same Mexican in Cadiz (and Jerez actually) as they have always had in El Puerto de Santa Maria. The same owners and everything! What's even better is that I live right next door to it!

It's very small for the custom they get. I don't think they knew how popular it was going to be! Unfortunately they don't take reservations so if you arrive after 10 you may have to wait for a table (this goes for any night as it is always busy though Friday and Saturdays in particular).

Favorite Dish: SANGRRRRRRIAAAAAA!!!!!!!!!!!

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Theme: Mexican
Comparison: less expensive than average

Phone: 956257649
Address: Avenida Jose Leon de Carranza 5
Directions: Just as you enter Cadiz new town virtually opposite the football stadium.

Restaurant Name: Taj Mahal

The Indian has now been open for about a year and is surprisingly successful here in a place where people don't usually like spicy food. What is even better is that the food IS spicy if you want it to be but there are plenty of dishes for those of you who don't like Spice too.

It is a fairly small establishment so try and get there by 10 to be sure of a table.

The guy who runs the place is Indian and speaks Spanish and of course English apart from his mother tongue. The language on the menu is an interestingly natural mix between Spanish, English and Indian. If your favourite dish isn't on the menu don't be scared to ask for it! He always makes me the Phal as I love hot food and it is too hot to go on the menu over here.

I have to add that the owner is extremely friendly and if you aren't English or Indian (who normally know all about Indian food) he is very willing to explain it for you.

Favorite Dish: Phal, Vindaloo, madras, lamb Korma

The portions perhaps aren't so big as I am used to but never the less it fills me up more than enough and the quality is VERY good.

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Theme: Indian
Comparison: about average

Phone: 856173221, 671165112
Address: Nereida 1 bajo
Directions: Just off of the Paseo Maritimo (playa Victoria) at the very end of Cadiz new town if you are headed from the centre.