Good Restaurants

[selleri]

Don´t know about the rest of you but I find there is nothing better after a long walk than a decent meal (at least that is what motivates me at least 1 hours out of the six walking). Wanted to share with you a lovely place that just fit perfectñy into this category discovered today in Torres del Rio (after Arcos). It is called Casa Lili and is run by Diego (husband of Lili). You can Ivan recommended you and ask for their lentils which are delicious (as is the house Rioja red and everything else). Whole meal was 9 Euro and was best I have had since beginning the Camino (also confirmed by my 3 Spanish travelling companions). Regards, Ivan

 

[WolverineDG]

Glad to hear that a restaurant has opened in Torres del Rio. It was pretty slim pickings (as in none other than the vending machine at Casa Mari & the tiny grocery store) when I went through there in May 2007.

Kelly

 

[Deleted member 3000]

If cost is no object, Casa Emilio in Logrono. Expect to pay about 70 Euro per person, and it does not open until 2130, guaranteeing a late start the next day.

 

[annakappa]

We ate delicious and varied food all along the way. I read somewhere that the food on the Camino is boring - not so at all. I suspect that often people don't understand enough Spanish to make an adventurous choice on a menu and "play safe" with salad, meat and chips! Of course it gets boring if you eat the same food for 4 weeks!
We have enjoyed paellas - well everyone knows what a paella is - gaspacho, trout soup, a fantastic lamb stew prepared at Calzadilla de la Cuesta, not to mention the stewed lentils, chick peas, sweet peas, green beans or spinach prepared the Spanish way and served as a first course, also ate a delicious raw spinach salad which had pieces of fried bacon added, etc. etc.
One of the most memorial meals was in Astorga at the Casa Maragata, to try the traditional Maragata meal, where the menu is served "backwards": it starts with various kinds of stewed sausage and other meats, followed by chick peas and cabbage and finally a meat broth with small pasta. All this was followed by a dessert. It was a set price menu and the serving dishes were put on the table without us having to call for the waiter. We ate there on a Sunday afternoon and the restaurant was packed out with local families. Needless to say, this is a VERY heavy meal. Not something that I would recommend on a regular basis!
Anne

 

[Deleted member 3000]

My adventurous meals were the RESULT of not speaking Spanish -- I had pig's feet for lunch and oxtail stew for dinner on the same day! There is a lot of bone and gristle in both of those, but the sauces were very tasty.

 

[Albergue Das ánimas]

Hi everyone

Middle price it´s La Puerta del Perdón in Villafranca del Bierzo and certainly it´s the best choice, you´ll agree.

Buen Camino

 

[ivar]

Talking about restaurants, this is one of my favorites in Santiago:
http://www.dezaseis.com/
...good local food, a bit pricier than the regular pilgrims menu, but nice environment and the food it excellent.

Saludos,
Ivar

 

[WolverineDG]

For those stuck in Burgos on a Tuesday night, Meson del Cid (the restaurant) is a good, although expensive, place. Yummy garlic soup! Also a good, if pricier, choice if you want to take a break from the albergues, is Meson del Cid, the hotel. I got a nice room & fantabulous bathroom for about 70 Euro (no meals; with meals was 90E). They offer rooms with meals included & without. If there on a Tuesday, take them up on it.

Kelly

 

[NaKwendaSafari]

Meson del Cid (the restaurant) is a good, although expensive, place. Also a good, if pricier, choice if you want to take a break from the albergues, is Meson del Cid, the hotel. I got a nice room & fantabulous bathroom for about 70 Euro (no meals; with meals was 90E). They offer rooms with meals included & without.

I agree fully with Kelly with the recommendation of using the Meson del Cid, which we managed to get on one of those days they had an offer (check booking.com for the specials). With the savings on the cost of the room (splendid room) we splurged and took the 10 Euro buffet breakfast, excellent friendly service and substantial meal in a 5 star setting. English is spoken by the Reception and Restaurant staff. As an added bonus we had a room with a big window facing the Cathedral, saw a wedding in the courtyard, and saw many pilgrims walking past. Meson del Cid is right on the walk, pilgrims would stop and admire the view of the Cathedral and walk on.

We did not eat other meals there as there were many eating places within a 10 pleasant minute walk. I am glad (I had hesitated writing about this place on this forum) that there are others who appreciates a break without feeling that they were not doing the Camino the "right"way.

There are a couple of Chinese restaurants about 15 minutes walk past the train depot, prices are as cheap as a menu del dia and they cook to suit Asian as well as Western palates. Food is very good as well as the service. They speak English.

Kwaheri

 

[NaKwendaSafari]

There are a couple of Chinese restaurants about 15 minutes walk past the train depot

These restaurants are in Santiago and not in Burgos

 

[beachamorgan]

Everything in Pamplona

Do a bar crawl and you will have the best pintxos (tapas).

My favorite is anything with salt cod.

 

[Gilespenn]

Hi Everyone, to continue this thread about eating in restaurants. I just got an email from a friend who lives in Barcelona and she made a startling recommendation. She recommends I bring a shaker of black pepper to add to whatever I order in restaurants in Spain. I'm thinking I'll just bring a container of Cajun seasoning to add. Is this sacrilegious? (I am bringing her a whole slew of spicy seasonings from New Mexico.)

It seems the people from the North who immigrated to Mexico and the American southwest (the Montoyas, Leybas, Martinez, Gallegos, Abeytas, Armijos, etc, etc, etc,) certainly changed their tastes when they came to the new world. How cool is that?
Buen Camino,
Giles

 

[DesertRain]

WARNING!!!! I AM A FOODIE AND WILL PROVIDE MORE INFORMATION THAN YOU PROBABLY WANT....

In my 7 trips to Spain, I have had the most consistently delicious food (both in and out of restaurants) of anywhere I have travelled in the world. That said, having "comfort food" like your cajun seasoning might combat homesickness. For me, if I want everything to be (or taste) just like home, why travel?

As far as restaurants go, some have complained about the pilgrim's menus on occasion. In Spain (as elsewhere), you get what you pay for. I doubt that any of us would expect gourmet fare when being charged $10 for a three course meal in the U.S. or 10 Euros in Paris. Doing the Camino "on the cheap" and eating multi-course, delicious restaurant meals may not go together. The Pilgrims menus tend to be filling but not always (but sometimes) delicious. That said, northern Spain (especially the Basque ares) has one of the highest concentrations of "great" restaurants, including more Michelin stars per capita than anywhere in the world. So.... if you want great food, it is to be found along the Camino. But not for 7Euro.

For a real taste of Spain, maybe the best value is to get whatever is local/fresh in the market supplemented by the local tapas from the local bars.

Here are a few local products to look for in the MARKETS in the areas with which I am most familiar:
• In and around La Rioja: Pera de Rincón de Soto (large green pears); Claudia Reina Verde plums; Almonds & walnuts under the Nuez de Pedroso brand; Cauliflower; Red Peppers; Mushrooms (La Rioja produces 10% of all mushrooms sold globally!); white asparagus; Camerano cheese; La Rioja wine!!!!

• In Galicia: Pimientos de Padron (very small MOSTLY mild peppers; if they are in season you are blessed!); chestnuts; tetilla cheese; potatoes; grelos (turnip greens); the best, freshest, most diverse shellfish in Europe (if you are cooking in the evening); Galician bread (an amazing rye, cornmeal and whole wheat bread that are baked in HUGE loaves; ask for what you want by weight and they will slice it off the loaf for you); empanadas (giant seafood "pies" that are sold by the slice and make for a great meal while walking); local wines from Ribera Sacra (a Mencia-based red from the area just southwest of Sarria) and Albariño (white from the coastal area of Galicia).

• In markets everywhere: Jamon Serrano (ranging from the basic to the Iberico variety from free-range pigs that eat only the acorns that fall naturally from the oak trees of Extremedura and widely considered to be the best ham in the world); chorizo (unlike the Mexican version, this is a garlicky dried sausage more like a salami); many other things I am forgetting.

In BARS along the route:
• The local tapas, whatever they are... I love, love, love the little tastes of Spanish regions from the little skewers of pickled peppers, olives and anchovies in the Basque areas (Pamplona to Logroño+), to the pulpo (octopus) and tuna empanadas in Galicia, and everything in between.
• Tortilla Española – This delicious egg and potato pie (think fritata) is perhaps a perfect camino food. Even think about getting a slice in the evening to power your morning walk before breakfast is available. A great balance of carbs for energy and protein for longevity. Plus yummy.
• Good espresso (café solo) at every single bar in Spain. Heaven.

I won't really go into restaurants here. You might want to look into regional specialties such as Bacalao (salt cod) in Basque areas, roast suckling pig in Burgos,Caldo Gallego and shellfish in Galicia, etc. Suffice it to say, you cannot go wrong with these general rules of travel eating: 1) If the restaurant is filled with locals (especially families), eat there! 2) Ask the server if there is a house/regional specialty. 3) Be adventurous and try new things. 4) In bars, just point at the tapas that you want if you don't know what it is called.

Oh my.... I have gone on and on.... But you were warned. ¡Buen Camino y buen provecho!

 

[robertt]

DesertRain, nobody's complaining. If you choose to go on even further, I, for one, won't complain. Great reference post!

Best

Rob.

 

[Gilespenn]

Thanks, Desert Rain,
An extraordinary post which I will copy and carry along the Way.

My only caveat is that one should be prepared to pay dearly for Michelin restaurants in places like San Sebastian (which has more Michelin rated restaurants than Paris!). My wife and daughter had their worst ever $250 meal in a Michelin place in San Seb a few years ago. They ended up going to a street vendor for nourishment afterwards. Of course, most peregrinos aren't interested in this fluff stuff anyway so we won't be heading into these kinds of places.

Thank you again for a great post, I really am looking forward to some great local cooking on the Camino.
Giles

 

[newfydog]

All those tapas are just an excuse to serve old cold food. If you want good food, do a route in France.

I'm sure that will generate some other points of view, but the food in Spain has not impressed me.

what I like----- Pulpo gallego, pimientos de padron, cabrito, some of the tortillas,Caldo gallego. Some nice wines in the Rioja. Torres Brandy. Fresh roasted pimientos.

The bread would not be eaten in Italy and would cause riots in France. Restaurants serve canned olives with no shame. Salads tend to be simple, and there is not much variety in the cheese. Lots of dishes are cooked to death.

As with any country, there is always something new and interesting, but there is a reason we see so many more French and Italian restaurants internationally than Spanish (or British,or American.,etc)

 

[DesertRain]

My only caveat is that one should be prepared to pay dearly for Michelin restaurants in places like San Sebastian (which has more Michelin rated restaurants than Paris!). My wife and daughter had their worst ever $250 meal in a Michelin place in San Seb a few years ago. They ended up going to a street vendor for nourishment afterwards. Of course, most peregrinos aren't interested in this fluff stuff anyway so we won't be heading into these kinds of places.

I couldn't agree more, Giles. In fact, my greatest meals in Spain have never been at one of those places! They have been a small places with truly local foods that the people respect and love. But if you WANT to try Arzak before/after the Camino, it is there.

I am pathetic.... A few more specific suggestions:

• Logroño: Calle Laurel is THE place for tapas/pinchos. Each bar has a specialty. For a great night, go from one to the next sipping a La Rioja wine and munching the small specialty tapa of the house. I have PDF listing of the specialty of each bar but am not sure how to post it. Send me a PM if you want a copy.

• If you are looking to celebrate in Santiago, try a mariscada. One of the best meals of my life -- certainly one of the most memorable -- was in Santiago. It was the mariscada at one of the seafood places off of the cathedral square. Unfortunately, I don't recall its name. My wife and I were strolling on a Saturday afternoon and saw the place FILLED with happy Spanish families (see rule #1 above). The mariscada is basically a platter of Galician shellfish that is been simply steamed with some lemon juice squeezed over the top. By "shellfish" I mean razor clams, cockles, 3 kinds of shrimp/prawns, clams, mussels, lobster and more. What made it remarkable was the freshness and quality of the seafood. When ingredients are that good, no need for complex preparations, sauces, foams, reductions, truffles or foie gras on top, or liquid nitrogen-frozen items. Just a bottle of Albariño produced a few miles from the port where to fish was brought ashore. And the woman I have loved for more than a quarter century. The food is only part of what makes a meal.

I am intrigued by Abastos 2.0 which is a tapas bar and restaurant at the central market in Santiago. They do not have a refrigerator, instead buying EVERYTHING they serve at the market each day. Haven't tried it though.

Please.... I travel on my tummy. What great finds have others had?!?!?

 

[DesertRain]

All those tapas are just an excuse to serve old cold food. If you want good food, do a route in France.

We may have to agree to disagree. I appreciate the simplicity of preparation in GOOD Spanish places, relying on ingredients more than sauces and such. Not that French food isn't good. I just find it to be more about the chef than the food itself.

Of course, there is bad food everywhere. But I have found good to great food EVERYWHERE in the world I have travelled (Europe, Asia, South & Central America, etc.). There is no "better" cuisine IMHO. Each has its own identity to be appreciated for what it is. Comparing street food in Mexico City to El Bulli (rest in peace) to Sukiyabashi Jiro (the "best" sushi place in Tokyo and in a subway station) just doesn't work. (Alas, I never ate at El Bulli or Sukiyabashi Jiro. Just using them as an example.)

I guess it all depends on what you are looking for. Either way, let's all remember to appreciate the farmers, farm laborers, fishers and ranchers who work harder than I have ever had to in order to nourish us along our Camino and throughout our lives.

 

[mspath]

Both DesertRain and Newfydog make good points. One can find great, good or bad food and reputations anywhere. Surprises abound. That's the continual joy of life and discovery.

Whenever I walk I look for workers' places. As has been discussed elsewhere on this Forum for a late lunch on the Camino the Menu de Dia can be a great value and tasting pleasure! In November 2011 La Curiosa in Mansilla de las Mulas served an outstanding daily menu for 10€. It included creamed cauliflower with bacon, grilled salmon and scalloped potatoes, lemon pudding, rosé wine and a cafe solo ! Wow! Definitely the Michelin inspector should visit soon!

Of course, after eating like this it is necessary to cease walking for the day and contentedly enjoy a LONG siesta !

Margaret

 

[robertt]

There's a type of food I'd avoid even if my means were limitless. If I had won one of those competitions to book at Noma, I would have given my booking away, even if the meal were paid for as well. That not a criticism of El Bulli, Noma etc, just a reflection on my own anti-intellectualism and stubborn conservatism. Also, I won't eat anywhere I'm obliged to worship as I eat. I pay once, and only money. So I've turned down a chance to eat at Tetsuya's. The meal might be okay, but the reverence requirement is just too much for me. Purely personal, of course!

What I noticed through the Basque country, especially, was lots of good food, tapas included, for those willing to pay just a bit above the common tourist price. If one went to a specialty fish cafe in Galicia, there was always a good dish of common garlic prawns or common fried squid to be had if the pocket couldn't stretch to the deluxe items. The prawns might be small, but they'd be fresh, and prepared by people who could do it right with their eyes closed.

My best meal in Spain was a tortilla prepared completely fresh in a deserted cafe north of Pontevedra. Half an hour to make it, cost was three of four euros.

The best meal of my last trip was coming home. It was at an open air eatery near the docks in Dubai. Braised brains with spiced split-pea puree, prepared on a big plancha. Cost less than that tortilla!

My God, I love to eat. Don't get me started, DesertRain!

Rob

 

[katehawk]

Thanks Desertrain!
I spent a couple of formative years in Spain, first when I was 11 and again when I was 20. Spain changed the way I looked at food and greatly influenced my own cooking; It still does. I could never figure out why it has taken so long for Spanish food to find it's proper place. At least in California, that is rapidly changing.

 

[FaithandGratitude]

Hi DesertRain,

I love food too! And Id love to receive that PDF you were talking b about re bar specialisties or any other info you have; Ive just copied your earlier post about what to eat in Spain; my walk begins 20 Sept.

Thanks heaps for your enthusiastic sharing with u!!

Sabina

 

[newfydog]

We may have to agree to disagree. I appreciate the simplicity of preparation in GOOD Spanish places, relying on ingredients more than sauces and such. Not that French food isn't good. I just find it to be more about the chef than the food itself.
.

I think we agree on food, but French food goes far beyond the stereotype. Here's a typical salade gourmande for a simple lunch spot. I live on these on French chemins. Don't see any sauce or chef. I might trade it for an occasional pulpo gallego, but not for a tortilla cooked sometime this week

 

[robertt]

You know, the best meal I had on the Le Puy route was at hotel near the cow-ring in Nogaro. (They dodge cows...that's no bull!) It was not only a total tourist cliche, at a tourist price, but it involved all the naughty stuff, including an old style brown sauce.

In that part of France, you are going to get fed preserved duck and scalloped spuds, and you can bet the duck will be shrivelled, the spuds burnt on top and oozing underneath, and the sauce a brown glug. Instead, my duck and spuds were done to perfection. The confit was moist but crisped on the outside, sauced yummily, the potatoes made a perfect gratin dauphinois, with just the ghost of a garlic clove floating through its light custard.

The new owner of the hotel turned out to be Argentinian. He told me he was enthused by all kinds and styles of food, and didn't mind doing the usual tourist stuff, though he felt pilgrims must get tired of it. I had to explain to him that you can indeed get that sort of thing all over Gascony and the Bearn, but hardly anybody does it well. I hope he's keeping up the interest.

Whenever I'm tempted to do anything sloppily because it's all been done before anyway...I think of my Argie mate near the cow-ring at Nogaro! No bull.

 

[Deleted member 3000]

the duck will be shrivelled, the spuds burnt on top and oozing underneath, and the sauce a brown glug

I hope you didn't go back! I never encountered that, so I know there are places with higher standards, and I have had a lot of duck comfit.

 

[newfydog]

Nogoro is a nasty town, but they seem to know their duck. We stayed just outside town on a duck farm there, Maison la Barbe. They started with a bean soup with a touch of smoked ham, and followed it up with a perfect magret de canard. Finished with home made armagnac.

I understand they expanded their pilgrim lodgings.

 

[robertt]

Falcon, I did sound like a complainer there. The ordinary food I copped was for an ordinary price, and it fed this hungry pilgrim. On my first camino, the euro was still killing the Aussie dollar. Most of the meals I had were cheap and within easy reach. I'm sure that places like Condom must hold all kinds of culinary thrills.

Now I think of it, I loved my first experience of sausage and aligot on a fierce snowy night in Aubrac, and not just because of the the weather and my hunger. It was done with great care.

On the other hand, I don't know if that sopa castellana I had in Hontanas (after I could find no accommodation at 4pm in a certain previous town) was really a masterpiece - or just represented relief at getting off the meseta just at sundown in late winter. It might have been bread and water, but it tasted great!

Best

Rob

 

[DesertRain]

Posted Logroño tapas guide here: http://www.caminodesantiago.me/board/food-on-the-camino-de-santiago/topic6603.html#p102946

Still would love specific recommendations for foods, restaurants, markets, etc. Come on, people! I suspect that every pilgrim eats on the Camino.... you must have had at least one great meal.

 

[robertt]

I may be straying off forum, but the most impressive market I had the chance to scour was that of Padron on the Portugues. I'm told it's the largest open air market in Galicia. I was staggered by its size, considering Padron is no metropolis. I doubt I got to the end of it. Multiple pulperias in huge tents, and you still have to queue at times.

For pilgrims, don't stock up on the famous fruit bread of the region. A loaf of that weighs about the same as a SEAT Ibiza.

 

[daesdaemar]

With respect to all the excellent posts in this thread, my experience has been quite different. I generally am up and walking by 6:30 AM and walk non-stop until 3 or 4 PM. Generally, I only drink beverages during the day. Upon arrival at my destination I have a quick shower and then find the closest place to eat - I am ravenous. The meals I typically have are very simple: fried lacon (ham), fried potatoes, simple salad (lettuce, tomatoes, onions with olive oil) - and an Estrella! They are all fabulous! I think it is simply the fact that I am tired and hungry and anything will likely be great.
All kidding aside - this is an excellent thread for the foodies!

 

[newfydog]

On the other hand, I don't know if that sopa castellana I had in Hontanas (after I could find no accommodation at 4pm in a certain previous town) was really a masterpiece - or just represented relief
Rob

We had a similar experience with a cold rainy day near Melide. We left the trail looking for a place to stay, and found a farm with a room. I remember parking our bikes in the barn so that they were not right under the skinned lamb hanging from the rafters.

They served a Caldo from a big pot hanging in the fireplace. It was fabulous, and I have yet to find or cook one as good. It might be the fact that we were cold and starving so hot caldo in front of a warm fire was pretty nice, but I suspect the fact that everything in it was off the farm had something to do with it.

 

[Charleston Tom]

With exception for good dining experiences in the larger cities...I wouldn't consider the food offerings along much of the Astorga to Santiago section of the Camino St. Francis to be very remarkable. FWIW, I traveled with my daughter and son-in-law who are quite fluent in Spanish and experienced travelers in Spain. While a Camino pilgrimage can be very rewarding...I would not recommend it to people who are looking for a great epicurean experience.

 

[Jeff Stys]

For those of you interested in food and the Camino, I highly recommend "A Food Lovers Pilgrimage to Santiago de Compostela" by Dee Nolan.

It's a coffee table book with some of the most beautiful pictures of the Camino I have seen. There are a few recipes but it's not a cookbook. There are profiles of artisanal produces, resturant and the traditional foods of France and Spain.

I had to order it from Australia - it wasn't cheap but it has an honored place on my coffee table. On my last Camino, I was able to visit some of the places profiled.

 

[Rebekah Scott]

Out here on the meseta food lovers enjoy a local speciality: "lechazo," suckling lamb from the ram lambs of local "raza charra" black-faced sheep. It is served as a huge roasted haunch or as tiny ribs, ("chuletillas") charred on a grill. It is a true delicacy, and it does not often come cheap.

Nowadays in Moratinos you can get lechazo (and a lot of other strange roasted and grilled animal bits, including snouts and tongue!) served in a "hobbit-house" wine cave -- a pair of local farmers joined up a couple of the trademark wine cellars and installed a very good (and popular) regional cuisine restaurant there called "El Castillo de Moratinos." Sometimes lechazo even turns up on the weekday 10-Euro Menu del Dia, which IMHO is one of the best values for money you can find on the camino.

No matter what you heard from your pilgrim guidebook or the hospitaleros in Terradillos de Templarios, there ARE pilgrim places to stay in Moratinos, after all that heavy food hits you!

 

[DesertRain]

For those of you interested in food and the Camino, I highly recommend "A Food Lovers Pilgrimage to Santiago de Compostela" by Dee Nolan.

Thanks for the tip, Jeff! That looks amazing. I will be ordering it soon.

 

[jennysa]

Out here on the meseta food lovers enjoy a local speciality: "lechazo," suckling lamb from the ram lambs of local "raza charra" black-faced sheep. It is served as a huge roasted haunch or as tiny ribs, ("chuletillas") charred on a grill. It is a true delicacy, and it does not often come cheap.

Nowadays in Moratinos you can get lechazo (and a lot of other strange roasted and grilled animal bits, including snouts and tongue!) served in a "hobbit-house" wine cave -- a pair of local farmers joined up a couple of the trademark wine cellars and installed a very good (and popular) regional cuisine restaurant there called "El Castillo de Moratinos." Sometimes lechazo even turns up on the weekday 10-Euro Menu del Dia, which IMHO is one of the best values for money you can find on the camino.

No matter what you heard from your pilgrim guidebook or the hospitaleros in Terradillos de Templarios, there ARE pilgrim places to stay in Moratinos, after all that heavy food hits you!

I dont fancy the snouts, but looking forward to trying the others. Hope to see you in Moratinos towards the end of October, Reb.

 

[Abbeydore]

Thought this was important,
but found everywhere we ate fantastico, all varying, but dellicimo!
So just trust your gut feeling.........

 

[RENSHAW]

I have to say , that probably,the best meal that I ever had on the camino was actually at an Albergue - the private Albergue at Boadilla del Camino - I would gladly pay €20 right now for that same grub - wish I was there. :wink:

 

[nreyn12]

As a vegetarian, I do struggle a bit on the Camino. A girl can only eat eggs so many times in a week.

So I was delighted to find Sarasate Restaurant in Pamplona. They are open weekdays for lunch, and Fri/Sat for dinner, and it is by far the best meal I've had in Spain. The three-course lunch is priced comfortably at 10.50 euros, with dinner being a bit more. Even my non-vegetarian friends raved about the fare. Sarasate is located at Calle San Nicholas, 19, just off the Plaza Mayor.
Lunch: 1300 to 1600 hours Dinner: 2030 t0 2300 hours

There is also a vegetarian restaurant in Burgos, called Gaia, but it was closed last time I went through. It's located next to El Cid hotel.

And lastly, if you are craving a proper pizza, not one of those frozen mass produced ones advertised on the posters and pre-printed menus along the way, in Leon and Ponferrada you will find Pizzeria La Compentencia. The one in Ponferrada has a menu during the day, and they both make all kinds of veg- and meat-pizzas when ordered.

Wait, can I include a pastry shop in this post? In Sahagun, right on the Camino, is Confiteria (Cafe Bar) Asturcon. OMG the best pastries I found on the Way (and I did a lot of research on this one!).

Nancy

 

[nreyn12]

Last time through Leon (October 2012) I found a small Italian eatery serving pizza by the slice for 1.50 euros. A perfect snack to fill those awkward gaps between Spanish meal times. It's located next to the bookstore which is around the corner from the Tourist Information office (which is opposite the entrance to the cathedral).

It's not high gourmet cuisine, but very tasty and cheap.

 

[LieutCol.Ret.]

Hi,

I had very delicious dinners in the restaurant “Casa Paredes” in Santiago de Campostela. Restaurant also provided so-called pilgrim’s menu or menu of a day. All waitresses were under command of old senior. He was the expert in local wines. So, I visited that restaurant twice and was pleased with its food, wines and service, prices were fair too, I mean 10-15 euros per mouth.
You can find it near the cathedral on the corner of Rua das Hortas and Rua das Carretas. But don’t confuse it with damned expensive restaurant on the other side of Rua das Carretas.

Sincerely,
Oleg

 

[Deleted member 3000]

don’t confuse it with damned expensive restaurant on the other side of Rua das Carretas

That is Casa Marcelo, one of the finest restaurants in Spain, and, yes, damned expensive!!

 

[ivar]

In Santiago, I think Abastos 2.0 would be one of my favorites:
http://www.santiagodecompostela.me/wher ... astos-2-0/
... it is not for people on a budget, but they server great food.

[youtube]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PRAoPblpZI4[/youtube]

 

[mikevasey]

All those tapas are just an excuse to serve old cold food. If you want good food, do a route in France.

.

I was on the voie littoral for 10 days before I reached Irun this year, the food was generally excellent if not eye wateringly expensive for evening meals. However have to agree with another poster when you have walked a fair distance and put a lot of effort into it, then I have noticed that sometimes a warm meal with good company will make the food very rewarding.

Best one for me in Spain was on the Camino Frances in Sarria, a pulperia, not sure of its name but a local pointed me this way, as soon as I walked in I knew it was going to be good, long wooden benches, big copper pots with the pulpo boiling away, very basic menu but very good. It is one or two bridges down from the route the camino takes you across the river, not sure if it is open on evenings maybe just afternoons. Me and my two Spanish walking companions eventually got turfed out about 5.30pm.

 

[newfydog]

[, long wooden benches, big copper pots with the pulpo boiling away, .

I may not be a fan of Spanish food, but if had to pick one item that is world class, you just described it perfectly!

DO NOT leave Spain without trying the octopus!

 

[adventurekq]

Hi Everyone,

By the time we arrived in Sarria, we were craving GOOD Italian food. This place was fabulous!! Matias Locanda Italiana and it's right on the Camino on the left almost all the way through the town. You will love it (if you want homemade fresh pasta, and Lambrusco from the owner's friends in Italy). These folks are Italian, and they've also walked the Camino and want to give back to peregrinos. We had the BEST meal here. We even talked about hiring a cab the next evening in Portomarin to go back to Sarria for dinner (but we didn't). Eat here. You won't be sorry. Lovely people, too.

Matias Locanda Italiana
Tel: 0034 982534285
C/Mayor no.4
27600 Sarria

Buen Camino,
K & R

 

[tericarns]

Hooray for Matias Locanda Italiana. Our kids got to Sarria before we did and discovered it, and were waiting there with superb pizza for our late lunch. Luckily we had planned to spend an extra day in Sarria, so we had dinner there, and breakfast, lunch and dinner the next day. The owners are friendly, fair, wonderful cooks, and deeply engaged in the community, as well as with the pilgrims They encourage art work, and people have left messages, sayings and other art on the walls and floors. The locals come there too - the second evening, a largish group of tweens poured into the place with a candy "cake" and had a great party. It's easy to find, right on the Camino, and even if you're not staying in Sarria, well worth the stop for the meal. Oh, and free wi-fi.

 

[Rebekah Scott]

Another recommendation for those on the Frances of coming off the Vadiniense at Mansilla de las Mulas: Try La Curiosa, a three-level townhouse just off the big Plaza Mayor. Super salads, a varied and adventurous Menu del Dia, good service, and a really nice ambience, too.
It costs a little bit more than the usual pilgrim stuff, but this is real food, done with style and a bit of daring. Good vino, too! Get there early because it is popular with local families.

 

[jpflavin1]

I understand the title is Good restaurants. I also really love a great steak. Something I did not find on the Camino but I am sure there are some great steak houses in Spain. I did find a decent piece of meat in the town 3km's before Arzua.

That said, one of the best ingredients to a great meal is the company. My best meals on the Camino were in the Albergues at Granon and Carrion de los Condes. They were group meals put together by Pilgrims. They were always fun and a great way to get to know your fellow Pilgrims. Another great meal was in Mansillas de las Mulas. We had been walking off and on with a gentlemen from the Canary Islands. One evening he asked if He could make all of us dinner. We had a great Paella and a wonderful dessert He made with wine and Pears. We found out that evening He was a chef by trade.

Ultreya,
Joe

 

[DeadFred]

tericarns ...
TripAdvisor.com Matias Locanda Italiana in Sarria is rated #1 out of 13 Resturants http://www.tripadvisor.com/Restaurant_R ... licia.html

Hooray for Matias Locanda Italiana. Our kids got to Sarria before we did and discovered it, and were waiting there with superb pizza for our late lunch. Luckily we had planned to spend an extra day in Sarria, so we had dinner there, and breakfast, lunch and dinner the next day. The owners are friendly, fair, wonderful cooks, and deeply engaged in the community, as well as with the pilgrims They encourage art work, and people have left messages, sayings and other art on the walls and floors. The locals come there too - the second evening, a largish group of tweens poured into the place with a candy "cake" and had a great party. It's easy to find, right on the Camino, and even if you're not staying in Sarria, well worth the stop for the meal. Oh, and free wi-fi.

 

[mspath]

I totally agree with Rebekah! I happily ate at La Curiosa both last November and again yesterday noon! Both meals were superb and the renovated space is charming. Be sure to get there early because it is VERY popular. Margaret Meredith

 

[Deleted member 3000]

I have had lots of good meat meals ordering churrasco in a parradilla or similar restaurant. For a feast on a variety of low-end meats, the Cocido Maragata in Astorga and the surrounding area. You will get animal parts that you may never have had before, so it takes an open mind. Pamplona and Logrono have excellent Michelin-star restaurants, but they do not open until 9 p.m. or later, so pilgrims rarely eat in them.

http://www.cocinavino.com/recetario/rec ... eceta=1329
http://www.buscorestaurantes.com/restau ... 005-0.html
http://www.hreuropa.com/

 

[tendigrino]

KITCHEN NAVARRA
• Artichokes with clams
• Cod ajoarriero
• Tripe Navarra
• Roast Capon
• Cardo with ham
• Canned Apricots (dessert)
• Lamb stew
• Asparagus Vinaigrette
• Sauteed Asparagus with perretxicos
• Beef Stew
• Chicken fricassee
• Breaded Eggs
• Eggs in San Francisco Javier (dessert)
• Jewish stewed Sangüesa
• sweetbreads
• Vegetable Stew
• Hake with Piquillo peppers
• Potatoes Navarra
• Duck Navarra
• Beans with Quail
• Asparagus Pudding
• Trout to Navarre

KITCHEN RIOJA
• Artichokes Riojanas
• Red beans with sausage
• Cod Riojana
• Bream baked with white wine
• stew of rabbit and snails
• Corns and Hands of lamb Rioja
• Rabbit stew
• Green Salad
• Fry Riojana
• Cod with Chickpeas
• Riojana vegetable stew
• Potatoes Rioja
• Roasted lamb Patitas
• Stuffed Peppers
• Beans with Quail
• Chicken Riojana
• Blood fried to Riojana

BURGOS KITCHEN
Caldereta pinariega
Morcilla de Burgos
Lamb (roast lamb)
Castilian soup
Lentils with pork
KITCHEN OF LEON
-The roast lamb
-Pork sausages and corned (cured beef, or a variant more difficult to find, so exquisite: goat).
-The game dishes (stews or sausages).
-Botillo del Bierzo.
-Cooked Maragato. (Pork, chicken, veal, cabbage, carrots, chickpeas, beans, leek and Noodle Soup)
-Las Truchas (remember the thousands of miles of trout streams that run our province).
-Frog legs.
The sausage-Leon.

KITCHEN BIERZO
Some of his most typical culinary riches are botillo (under the regulation of the Regulatory Council of the PGI Botillo Bierzo) androlla, peppers, russet, conference pear, chestnuts, cherries and wines Mencía under the Denomination of Origin Bierzo.
españolinglésfrancésAlpha

KITCHEN OF GALICIA
1.2.1 The Galician soup
1.2.2 Galician octopus (polbo á feira)
1.2.3 Empanadas
1.2.4 pork with turnip tops
1.2.5 Chorizo ​​with potatoes
1.2.6 Galician stew
Tripe with chickpeas 1.2.7 or the Galician
Churrasco 1.2.8
1.2.9 Sausages
Pan 02/01/10
2 Some typical products
2.1 Spicy Peppers
02.02 Pan de Cea
Desserts and cheese 03.02
2.3.1 Arzúa-Ulloa cheese
2.3.2 Queso de San Simón da Costa
2.3.3 Cebreiro cheese
2.3.4 Milk curd and curd
2.3.5 Mondoñedo Tart
2.3.6 Tarta de Santiago
2.3.7 Allariz Macaroons

KITCHEN OF GALICIA
1.2.1 The Galician soup
1.2.2 Galician octopus (polbo á feira)
1.2.3 Empanadas
1.2.4 pork with turnip tops
1.2.5 Chorizo ​​with potatoes
1.2.6 Galician stew
Tripe with chickpeas 1.2.7 or the Galician
Churrasco 1.2.8
1.2.9 Sausages
Pan 02/01/10
2 Some typical products
2.1 Spicy Peppers
02.02 Pan de Cea
Desserts and cheese 03.02
2.3.1 Arzúa-Ulloa cheese
2.3.2 Queso de San Simón da Costa
2.3.3 Cebreiro cheese
2.3.4 Milk curd and curd
2.3.5 Mondoñedo Tart
2.3.6 Tarta de Santiago
2.3.7 Allariz Macaroons

more than a hundred different kinds of cheese.

Incidentally paella and tortilla chips are not northern Spain.

Buen Camino to Santiago.
Ultreya.

 

[RENSHAW]

KITCHEN NAVARRA................
KITCHEN RIOJA.................
BURGOS KITCHEN ..................KITCHEN OF LEON..................
KITCHEN OF GALICIA.....................

I am 7000 miles away from the Camino .....HOW CAN YOU DO THIS TO ME??? :mrgreen:

 

[sternenstrasse]

AW: Good Restaurants

@RENSHAW: I feel with you!

 

[tendigrino]

sorry for my behavior. to do penance.

Explain the recipe for garlic soup.

In a pot, a spoon of olive oil over low heat.
introduce into the pot 2 cloves garlic per person. the gilded and depart from heat. introduce a spoon of paprika and stir. (careful not to burn the paprika).
We introduce chicken or vegetable broth. introduce two eggs per person and a thin slices of bread.
In 15 minutes we have a soup for those cold days.

Buen Camino to Santiago.
Ultreya.

 

[Bozzie]

I totally agree with Rebekah! I happily ate at La Curiosa both last November and again yesterday noon! Both meals were superb and the renovated space is charming. Be sure to get there early because it is VERY popular. Margaret Meredith

I, too, agree! It was delicious and well worth getting there early! If you get there late, they may run out of the 1st course for that night...but I must say, the substitutes they offered some friends looked pretty yummy, too!
"Bozzie"
(Dee Anne)

 

[LRM]

Hi everyone

Middle price it´s La Puerta del Perdón in Villafranca del Bierzo and certainly it´s the best choice, you´ll agree.

Buen Camino

Opening days and times anybody?

 

[mspath]

Opening days and times anybody?

Here is their web. Enjoy your meal!

 

[LRM]

Here is their web. Enjoy your meal!

Looked a few mins ago but didn't spot the opening days and times...point me in the right direction. I will follow your equiv of yellow arrows!

 

[mspath]

Looked a few mins ago but didn't spot the opening days and times...point me in the right direction. I will follow your equiv of yellow arrows!

I can't get the web to open beyond the first page!

Here is their address

Plaza de Prim, 4, 24500 Villafranca del Bierzo, León, Spain

Here they are in TripAdvisor.

Have eaten their several times and it is excellant! Dinner starts about 8pm. Do try it!

 

[LRM]

.

I was on the voie littoral for 10 days before I reached Irun this year, the food was generally excellent if not eye wateringly expensive for evening meals. However have to agree with another poster when you have walked a fair distance and put a lot of effort into it, then I have noticed that sometimes a warm meal with good company will make the food very rewarding.

Best one for me in Spain was on the Camino Frances in Sarria, a pulperia, not sure of its name but a local pointed me this way, as soon as I walked in I knew it was going to be good, long wooden benches, big copper pots with the pulpo boiling away, very basic menu but very good. It is one or two bridges down from the route the camino takes you across the river, not sure if it is open on evenings maybe just afternoons. Me and my two Spanish walking companions eventually got turfed out about 5.30pm.

Did you eat in that fabulous restaurant in St Paul en Born or however I should spell it? I stayed in the refuge there and across the road was that restaurant. Fond memories of great food and superb wine.