Much has changed on the Leioa Campus since my days as a journalism student back in the 1980s and 1990s. What was then a street with several faculties and a cafeteria full of young people doing their extracurricular masters in a popular card game called m...

You could say that the UK’s first bar to focus solely on wines from Spain’s most famous wine region is like a tiny piece of Logroño’s Calle Laurel in King’s Cross. And although the glass case of pintxos on the counter (£2.50 each) is certainly ...

Located in the Berazubi quarter of Tolosa since the spring of 2023, but previously operating as a pintxo bar in the centre of this town in Gipuzkoa, Ama is a restaurant that conveys authenticity and clear ideas in its cuisine. Ama is run by Javier R...

Casual and welcoming but with the cosmopolitan feel of a Parisian bistro in the heart of Madrid's Barrio de Las Letras, Ganz is one of the must-visit wine bars for locals and visitors who call themselves wine aficionados. The business is run by Fernan...

Sometimes you stumble upon a wine shop that is such a gem that it makes you want to move to the neighbourhood. With its Parisian-style terrace, friendly service, wall-to-floor shelves of sustainable, artisan wines, short menu of light bites and great sou...

When sommelier Jonatan Cantero found this spacious venue in the centre of Cádiz, he knew exactly what he wanted: a tasca —a tavern, rather than a wine bar— for all budgets and where people could taste and enjoy wine both on the premises and to take ...

When Englishman Gerald Diffey set out to open a new Geralds Bar in 2013, he settled on San Sebastian, the city that had stolen his heart during a previous holiday. Neither the language barrier nor the 17,000 kilometres that separate the Basque city from ...

The narrow streets of La Herradura in the old quarter of Haro have always been home to some of the most traditional pintxo bars and restaurants in this Rioja town, but since 1 July, a new and somewhat unusual neighbour has moved in next to Los Caños bar...

On paper and based solely on its name and location, it could be one of the many chiringuitos (snack bars) found next to the public open-air swimming pools of thousands of villages in Spain, but the one in Villacarriedo is much more than soft drink...

Many of those who read the name of this establishment in Puerto de Santa María for the first time will know how to pronounce it well, with an aspirated h and an Andalusian accent, probably thanks to having listened to the likes of Ramiro Ibáñez or Wil...

After more than a decade as sommelier and head waiter at Aponiente, the most distinguished restaurant in Andalusia, and professional stints with chefs such as Ferran Adrià and Santi San...

Partly because of the pandemic and partly because of local politics, a good number of premises in Vitoria, the Basque capital, languished among empty shop windows displaying laconic signs with the words Se Vende (For Sale). Calle San Prudencio was one...

Number 20 will be forever etched on the hearts of chef Julen Baz, head waiter Imanol Artetxe and award-winning aizkolari (lumberjack) and winegrower Aitzol Atutxa. The last thing that these friends from Amorebieta (Bizkaia) envisaged when they dec...

With a name that appeals to the vinous nature of the business rather than to the character of the owners, Malauva (literally bad grapes but it's an expression that means foul mood in Spanish) is one of those bars that any wine lover should include in the...

Sirimiri is a Basque word to describe a type of fine and constant rain that helps to anchor the distinctive green shade in the landscape of the Basque Country. It is a common phenomenon in Lezama, a village in Alava nestled between the Gorbea mountain ra...

Good waves and spectacular sunsets, a backdrop of green mountains and dunes and the feeling of spaciousness and wild nature make Playa de Vega in Ribadesella an attractive destination for surfers and motorhomes, especially in summer. Likewise for lovers ...

When any of the 300 residents of Castroverde de Campos sees unfamiliar cars passing through the streets of their village, it is very likely that they know where they are heading. Visitors may arrive at this village in Zamora, a province that embodies the...

Located in the upper side of El Sauzal, a charming town on the north coast of Tenerife where there is a deeply rooted winemaking tradition, La Barrica is not only spacious –a highly valued asset in these times of social distancing- but it also enjoys v...

Located in the heart of Teguise’s old town, Lanzarote’s capital between the 15th and 19th centuries, Palacio Ico was the home of Swiss artist Heidi Bücher. This superbly restored 18th-century building was converted into the Hotel Palacio Ico in 2018...

CLOSED INDEFINITELY From Barcelona to Malaga, the fashion of calling Wine Bar & Kitchen —in English— to what we Spaniards have always called “bares” and “tabernas” spreads almost at the speed of light. In a globalized world, the use o...

The upper part of Barcelona, a residential and affluent area, is perhaps not the most obvious location to find a place where wine culture is appreciated and where a varied selection of wines can be found. But whoever enters Matos Bar de Vins & Enoteca, o...

This family restaurant is located in western Asturias, not far from Muniellos Nature Reserve, one of the best preserved oak tree forests in Europe. Bar Blanco has been serving patrons for half a century and it is located in the heart of the only wine-...

Located on the Bidasoa estuary, opposite the French town of Hendaye, Hondarribia is one of the most beautiful villages on the Basque coast which has managed to maintain its identity and character despite being a border town and tourist destination. With ...

It is said to be the best flamenco club in the world. The magnetism of its stage helped to launch the artistic careers of legendary figures such as Antonio Gades, Diego El Cigala or José Mercé, but for wine lovers, El Corral de La Morería is the place...

It was thanks to the folks at Alta Alella, one of the eight wineries in tiny DO Alella, that I discovered Els Garrofers. Alella is not only the name of the DO but also the small town in the Maresme, the coastal area just north of Barcelona. At under 20 k...

Diners going to Nerua restaurant might spend some time finding its discreet entrance through staircase at the back of the Guggenheim Museum Bilbao. It stands in contrast to the unmistakable and striking titanium plates that cover the most famous and inte...

Pedro Ballesteros explained in a very interesting published in Spanish Wine Lover how charcoal brought economic prosperity to Asturias, contributing to a greater consumption of fine wine while catapulting the Cangas vineyards into oblivion. Today, adds t...

Here’s one of my favourite lunching spots in Barcelona, far from the madding crowds of El Born or La Barceloneta, hidden away in the heart of Poblenou, formerly home to light industry and small factories but now gentrifying fast. Lunch is the main even...

To enjoy the beautiful views of the Tellamendi and Anboto mountains from the garden at Arteaga Landetxea you need two things: a car to take you up the narrow and steep road in the outskirts of Arrasate-Mondragón and a day with clear skies —possibly mo...

Wine lovers in Madrid have a new meeting point in one of the liveliest areas of the city to enjoy food and wine: the Retiro district. El Marginal is the dream come true of César Ruiz, Flequi Berruti and Nacho Jiménez, the vinous trio behind +Read more

Restaurant Juan Carlos Ferrando displays an eclectic décor and a brick façade that gives no clue as to what lies behind. Its location is pretty special too as it is in one of the most gastronomically interesting streets in the centre of Logroño —a l...

Few tourists visiting Cordoba go near Cañero, a working-class suburb away from the city's Mezquita and the city centre. It has no historical buildings of interest for visitors, but there, in one of the streets named after painters and writers that flank...

Ana Mari and Javier opened the doors of Saltxipi in 2007 in an elegant manor house in Gros, a five-minute walk from Zurriola beach in San Sebastian. Their idea was to follow the philosophy of the first Saltxipi, the restaurant they opened in the family f...

Located in an old bookshop in Barcelona's Eixample district, restaurant Pepa Pla has managed to preserve a tranquil atmosphere with its ceiling-high wood shelves, traditional tiled floors and the exposed brick walls. Combined with the high wooden tables,...

Located in a quiet square in the upper part of Barcelona, far from the hustle and bustle of tourism that surrounds the Ramblas, Monocrom has managed to win the loyalty of a local clientele looking for different wines and quality food cooked with simplici...

Omar Pérez Bedia, chef and co-founder of the restaurant Gastrobar AlE, is a prominent member of a new wave of creative chefs in the Canary Islands. Located in the green north of Tenerife, the philosophy behind his restaurant is based on superb quality, ...

Although they first opened the doors of Amelibia in the summer of 2015, Alejandra (Alex) Álvarez and Patxi Amelibia are two veterans of the restaurant business. After studying at the Catering School in Gamarra (Alava) where they met, the pair worked in ...

Madrid and Darracott Vinos y Experiencias has only been open since November 2018 but it is already becoming known as THE place in the centre of Madrid for English-speaking tourists (along with some locals) to go for unpretentious wine advice and to learn...

So, Madrid finally has a new, trendy wine destination. Located in the heart of the world’s coolest neighbourhood, Embajadores, (at least, according to Time Out) when I heard abo...

Iñaki Murua and Carolina Sánchez only needed a year and a half to exhibit their first Michelin star at the entrance to Ikaro, their bright and welcoming restaurant in the centre of Logroño. The speed with which this couple convinced the Red Guide ...

When it opened its doors in 2006, A Fuego Negro became one of the most unique pintxo bars in San Sebastian. Edorta Lamo not only applied an alternative and provocative concept to his miniature cuisine but also to the atmosphere of the place, both modern ...

It’s a cliché that the best things come in small packages but it certainly applies to the bizarrely named Taberna Averías (Avería is Spanish for breakdown) on Calle Ponzano in Madrid. Ponzano has been on the up in terms of tapas and wine bars in rec...

It probably wasn’t easy for Iván Abril, the Galician chef behind Kimtxu, to imagine the quick success of his Basque-Asian tavern, opened in June 2014. In a city with the culinary tradition of Bilbao, the overused concept of fusion food puts many peopl...

A few steps away from Tirso de Molina square, in the centre of Madrid, La Malaje is a restaurant with Andalusian soul, visible both in the dishes of Córdoba-born chef Manuel Urbano Torres as in the wines matching his food. Formerly at Sacha, one of t...

Born in the US, Michael Cooper grew up near the vineyards of Santa Bárbara and Santa María. His family was not directly involved in California’s wine industry but he always lived and enjoyed their passion for wine so he soon caught the wine bug. Sinc...

Most people go to Zezilionea either because someone has recommended it or because they live or work locally. This restaurant and hotel is not on a major transit point, except for ramblers taking the diversion on the A1 motorway towards Olaberria, a prosp...

Rafel Sabadí was formerly the sommelier in partnership with his chef-brother at the greatly esteemed Restaurant Roser 2 in L’Escala on the Costa Brava. In May this year he struck out on his own with a new venture just a couple of blocks away from the ...

The flames that engulfed the centre of Santander in 1941 stopped very close to the entrance of Arrabal street. Those three days of fire changed the look of the area turning more urbanite and bourgeois. Sixty years after this transformation, French champa...

It’s rare to find a chef as deeply in love with her menu as with her wine list. For Iolanda Bustos at La Calèndula in Empordà, the food – as local as possible, with much of it foraged in the fields and vineyards nearby – and the wines – from ca...

With a name like Mantúa, one of the 119 grape varieties in the Sherry Triangle before phylloxera, this restaurant’s wine credentials are obvious since the moment one makes a reservation. Once there, the feeling is that Mantúa is different from ma...

There are no grape growers making wine here, but La Cooperativa maintains the name of the owners of this building in the centre of Porrera, a quaint and quiet village in the heart of Priorat. Instead of vats and boxes, the space managed by Litus and ...

Roca Moo, the gourmet restaurant of the hip Hotel Omm just off Passeig de Gracia in Barcelona’s Eixample district, is described by Joan Roca as an extension of Celler de Can Roca. But while Roca oversees the menu (and occasionally cooks four-handed wit...

Alejandro Alcántara left Cádiz when he turned 18 but when he opened his first restaurant in Madrid in 2015 he didn’t forget to make a couple of nods to his native land. One was the name of his establishment, Bache, which is a old name for wine tavern...

Nobody questions that Hilario Arbelaitz, 65, is one of the greatest chefs in Basque cuisine. The kitchens of Zuberoa, his restaurant in Oiartzun —where he’s still hard at work although gradually passing on the baton to his younger brother Joxemari—...

Wherever you are in the world, you can count on a winemaker to sniff out the best places to eat. So it was I found myself recently at Mont Bar on the corner of Diputació and Aribau in Barcelona’s Eixample district, in the company of Joan Ignasi Do...

Located in a discreet locale in Barrio de Las Letras in Madrid, Vinoteca Moratín brings to mind those small and cosy Parisian bistrots that invite passers-by to step inside and enjoy a quiet meal. Once inside, Vinoteca Moratín mirrors the impressio...

Top chefs who operate offshoots to their signature restaurants are nothing new – examples include Martín Berasategui, Anne-Sophie Pic and Jean-Georges Vongerichten. Three years ago, chef Fina Puigdevall of Les Cols in Olot was invited to open up a sat...

In 1989, Juan Luis Pérez de Eulate traveled to Palma for a one-week stay but never returned home to Pamplona. For this computer specialist, wine was one of his passions so it wasn’t long before he changed professions. In 1992, he opened the wine store...

There are places where art and gastronomy come together as is the case in Ricard Camarena’s in Valencia. After its move from the city centre in the summer of 2017, the restaurant occupies a large luminous space in the highly interesting Bombas Gens Art...

It is taken for granted that Logroño, as the capital of La Rioja, has a wide and diverse wine offer but it is not easy to find places offering alternative wines to the half a dozen popular brands that are usually advertised on the chalkboards of bars an...

If you should happen to find yourself within striking distance of Cadaqués on Catalunya’s Costa Brava, it would be criminal not to eat at Compartir. The restaurant, a laidback, “pica-pica” place with food that’s jawdropping to behold and even be...

At the end of the past century and before things went viral on social media, a citizen initiative managed to grab huge media attention with the slogan Teruel exists! which called for more investment efforts and equal rights for this remote provinc...

If you ever doubted Sherry’s unique ability to pair with food, Javier Muñoz Soto may be the one to convince you. He is the chef at the family-owned restaurant La Carboná in Jerez de la Frontera. The restaurant is situated inside what was once a Sherr...

Located in a small and discreet locale with views of the river and the revamped La Ribera market in Bilbao, Mina stands above an entrance gallery to the old San Luis iron mine. This industrial past, which has forged the landscape and character of the ...

El Espejo, in Sanlúcar’s Barrio Alto, is a refreshing alternative to the typical shrimp omelettes and papas aliñás (seasoned potatoes) found in the bars around Plaza del Cabildo in the town centre or the fried fish and king prawns of the res...

What do you want or expect from a restaurant in Aragón? A focus on local, seasonal produce and a wine list that draws on the wealth of fantastic wines – above all Garnacha – from some of the most undervalued appellations in Spain – Calatayud, Car...

In the early years of the 20th century, La Garriga was a fashionable place among the Catalan burgeoise who went there to take the waters and lived in the beautiful modernista mansions that they had built for themselves in this quiet village in the Vallè...

Our host in Jerez pulled a wry face when we announced we planned to spend a whole day in Sanlúcar de Barrameda at the mouth of the River Guadalquivir: “The town is very small, and there’s not a lot to do”, she warned. We shrugged, and set off anyw...

I’ve loved Barcelona for a while now, delighting in its lively markets, terrific wine bars, richly varied restaurant offer and the Mediterranean lapping gently at the feet of the Platja del Bogatell. Tarragona is a more recent discovery, and I can forg...

Sergio Bastard (pronounced with the stress on the last 'a') was meant to be a lawyer, but after doing the entry exam to study at prestigious Luis Irizar cooking school in San Sebastián, he realized that his real call was in the kitchens and abandoned th...

A blackboard behind the counter at Dolarea informs clients that one of the wines of the week is 7 Fuentes, the red wine that Suertes del Marqués makes in Valle de La Orotava in Tenerife. It might not be much in wine-savvy taverns and bars in Madrid or B...

The titanium plates on the roof of Marqués de Riscal hide the most exclusive restaurant of this five-star hotel designed by Canadian architect Frank Gehry in Elciego, in the heart of Rioja Alavesa. Undoubtedly, the design is part of the attraction of th...

NO LONGER TRADING Wine Attack is a new wine store in Madrid entirely devoted to natural wines. Under such a provocative name and featuring a logo of a bottle turned into a canyon, it also operates as a wine bar on weekends. Its central location,...

Located in an old 17th century cellar, this restaurant in Casalarreina, very close to Haro in La Rioja, was lovingly restored after the fire that destroyed the building in 2001. It feels homely despite its large size thanks to its tasteful decor, the woo...

La Raquetista, the bar-restaurant in the Retiro district of Madrid opened just over a year ago and has already hit most of the “best of” lists in the capital. Owned by the Aparicio brothers behind Cachivache in the barrio Salamanca, it combines a fr...

NO LONGER TRADING Maybe as a reaction against the standardization of shops in general or because of the obvious gentrification of the Gràcia district in Barcelona, the number of businesses trying to balance modernity and tradition selling loca...

In 2013 Ricard Vidal took over the family restaurant in Batea, a town in the heart of the Terra Alta wine region. His parents had started the business in the mid-1990s –his mother worked in the kitchen and his father looked after the customers. Ricard ...

Since it opened its doors in 2014, this wine store tucked inside Mercado de la Paz in Barrio de Salamanca, a well-heeled district in the centre of Madrid, opted to go off the beaten track and skip the sort of wines you’d expect to find in an area boast...

Més de Vi, a small wine bar which opened three years ago in Barcelona’s trendy Poblenou district down near the Port Olímpic, is my kind of place. Situated on a narrow, traffic-free street just behind the Rambla de Poblenou, it’s about the size of a...

“Exciting wines, terroir wines” are the words emblazoned on the sign above the entrance to this small shop in the centre of Valladolid and that is exactly the philosophy of its owner, Julio Díez, a former commercial director at Bodega Cámbrico in t...

Laredo has long been one of Madrid’s top destinations for food and, particularly, wine. In fact, whenever any winemakers I know come to the capital, I’ll usually get a message saying, “We’re in Laredo” at some point. So, what are the secrets...

Standing outside the huge, stone-faced wine emporium in Palafrugell that is Grau today, it’s hard to imagine that this thriving operation began in 1951 as a tiny bar-cum-bodega in the centre of town, where local customers would stand in line ready to f...

Just 100 meters away from Plaza Mayor (main square) in Valladolid, right in the heart of the city, Villa Paramesa is a fun and slightly different choice in a region where traditional products (and wines) tend to be overwhelmingly present. With José i...

Cantabria in northern Spain offers countless idyllic sceneries and El Cenador de Amós, located in an imposing 18th century mansion, is surrounded by the green colours that define the area around Villaverde de Pontones, a small quiet village nestled betw...

This cosy bistro, located in a narrow street a few metres away from the bustling Goya and Príncipe de Vergara crossroads in the centre of Madrid, is a lovely little discovery. The place is tiny with just enough room for a handful of tables, a few stools...

Andalusia-born chef-patron Antonia Quiñones moved her restaurant and kitchen garden here from nearby Ventalló in 2011 and has never looked back. There’s a gorgeous shaded terrace for long summer evenings with views out over the stream that once drove...

Occupying a corner behind calle Sierpes, right in the heart of Seville, Manolo Cateca is a traditional tavern with colorful Triana tiles, an old wooden counter and sherry butts decorating the wall behind the bar. Current owner Manuel Rodríguez, whom ...

Boasting a Michelin star and the distinctive Japanese-Mediterranean fusion cuisine practiced by chef Ricardo Sanz, there is no doubt that Kabuki Wellington has put together one of the best wine lists in Madrid. The flagship restaurant in a group which ha...

Its clients are not the workers who used to drop by for a glass of wine before earning the day’s pay on the vineyards, but both El Guitarrón and the rest of tabancos in Jerez still maintain that laid-back style that these traditional bars must have ha...

A Madrid-based wine merchant with a long-standing tradition, its origins date back to the old bodega managed by Pedro Santa Cecilia Muñoz since 1922. In 1968 his son Pedro Santa Cecilia Berlinches created what the family says is "the first self-service ...

Considered to be one of Spain’s most impressive temples of wine, the cellar in Atrio, a hotel and restaurant managed by partners Toño Pérez and José Polo, stores on their silent shelves around 35,000 bottles and 3,600 selections from across the worl...

Located in Valladolid, El Buen Gusto Vinos is a key player in the wine scene of this beautiful city in Castilla y León. Owner Fructuoso Prieto aka Fortu inherited his passion for wine from his father who still runs a wine store in the city centre. Toget...

Neither Nico (economist) nor his brother Andrés (gardener) ever imagined that the passion for food instilled by their amatxo (affectionate Basque word for mum) would ever be nothing more than a hobby, but the premature death of his parents, Maite and Ca...

NO LONGER TRADING Located on the corner of a small street in central Seville, behind Hotel Colón —a favorite among bullfighters staying in town— La Mojigata is a tapas bar with a twist and one that stands apart from the standard offer in...

The re-opening of the historic 19th century Moritz factory in the Sant Antoni neighborhood of Barcelona was greatly heralded back in December, 2011. It has since gone on to be a destination for both visitors and locals alike featuring a small brewery whe...

After having been awarded its first Michelin star in November, it seems that last year’s revamp to create a casual bar area on the ground floor is bearing fruit. If it is your first time at Lua’s don’t feel intimidated by the solid, old wooden d...

One of life’s greatest and simplest pleasures is eating fresh seasonal produce and this is devotedly practiced in the restaurant of Hostal Remigio. A classic establishment located next to the main square in Tudela (Navarra), it is easily recognizable f...

Brothers Mario and David Villalón are back in the restaurant scene in Madrid after a hiatus of a few months when they moved from El Padre, their former restaurant located in the city’s chic Salamanca district. It’s been worth waiting for their new v...

A well-established 40-year old venture, the Gourmet Group is a small culinary empire in Alicante led by former handball goalkeeper José Perramón, his wife María José San Román and their children. It comprises four restaurants: Monastrell, which has ...

CLOSED INDEFINITELY Wines in the Sherry Triangle are going through a renaissance. New York sommeliers serve them in cocktails or by the glass and Sherry bars spring up in London making words like Fino en Rama or Amontillado part of the vocabula...

Merindad de Olite Hotel is an attractive accommodation within the walled old town of Olite in Navarra where visitors are instantly taken back to past times. But the Celayeta brothers, Álvaro and Gonzalo, are also wine lovers, so in 2013 they renewed ...

Kiro Sushi’s owner and chef was born and bred in Rioja, but the look and feel —and specially the quietness— of this new restaurant are a thousand miles away from the usual hustle and bustle of nearby calle Laurel in Logroño or most of Spain’s ea...

José Pizarro is the eponymous third restaurant opened in 2015 by one of Spain’s finest exports. Extremadura-born José Pizarro moved to the UK 15 years ago, after abandoning his studies in dentistry to indulge his love of cooking at catering school i...

Miyama (literally “the beautiful mountain”) is one of the few Japanese restaurants in Madrid recommended by Japanese expats in the city given its array of authentic dishes beyond their flawless sushi and sashimi. There are currently two Miyamas in...

Cambados, a small seaside town which looks out over the Ría de Arousa in the heart of Galicia’s Rias Baixas region, is the self-styled capital of Albariño. Every year the town gives itself over to a joyous festival in honour of the celebrated grape. ...

This wine store located in Boadilla del Monte, in the outskirts of Madrid, bears the very atypical name of “La Mercería” (The Haberdashery). It has nothing to do with any previous activities in the shop as it is the case with Madrid’s cult wine me...

Despite La Vinícola being a relative newcomer to the Barcelona wine scene, the owner, Víctor Jiménez, has been around for some time. He has worked in various capacities throughout the city for the last decade and in the fall of 2014, he saw an opport...

Wine lovers will be delighted to know that this traditional and authentic restaurant in Madrid lists the whole range of wines made by Álvaro Palacios thanks to the longstanding friendship between its owner and the most media-friendly member of the Palac...

NO LONGER TRADING Despite Rivas de Tereso’s small size, the 15 inhabitants who officially live in this Rioja hamlet on the slopes of Sierra del Toloño have a much wider choice of places to feed their bodies and souls than many other villages i...

Despite Priorat being a world-renowned wine region, there are precious few wine shops located within the appellation. Each of the 12 villages that produce these wonderful wines should have a local shop to buy the village wines. Sadly, only a handful do...

NO LONGER TRADING Bodega Urbana is the brainchild of winemakers Ana Martín and Pepe Hidalgo who launched this project to bring wine closer to consumers. A trendy wine venue boasting large premises in Bilbao, it is within walking distance to th...

Established since 1932 in Barcelona’s popular El Born district, Vila Viniteca has become a key player in Spain’s wine industry. The old-style flavor of this former grocery shop remains in the deli store, a must-go destination for cheese lovers thanks...

It is easy to imagine what La Cigaleña looked like when it opened its doors for the first time in the centre of Santander in 1949. It still has that country-style décor which must have been there since Mariano and Moisesa moved there from Cigales, in t...

For some time the Jovani siblings —Montsa, Robert, and Sergi— have been making their Berdié Cavas and still wines from Origami. While the Cava is based in Penedès, the Origami wines are sourced from vineyards in DOQ Priorat, DO Montsant, and DO Pen...

NO LONGER IN BUSINESS When he set off on this adventure, Alberto Ruiz knew that Guardaviñas would have both good quality seasonal products and an off-beat wine list beyond the dozen Crianzas usually found in most restaurants in the Rioja capital. ...

The brainchild of Italian and Barolo wine lover Miguel Prohens, who lived and worked as financial manager for a multinational company in Milan, and Ángel Fontes, a wine enthusiast keen to leave behind the real state sector, Barolo boasts a long list of ...

Located in Highbury, in northern London, this is one of the top addresses to find Spanish wines in London. An independent wine merchant, Highbury Vintners was distinguished earlier this year with Decanter's best Spanish and Portugal retailer award for th...

Those who complain about how difficult it is to drink local wines in the tourist-oriented province of Málaga, should make a note of this address in the old part of the capital. A veritable temple for wine lovers, it offers a wine list with some 450 rota...

Located in the beautiful Atxondo valley, 45 minutes south east of Bilbao, in deep rural Bizkaia in the Basque Country, Asador Etxebarri is impressive even before crossing the restaurant’s door. Protected by the imposing stone walls of Anboto mountain, ...

NO LONGER TRADING Opened in 2008 by Sergi Ferrer-Salat —a renowned wine lover in Catalonia who also owns Ferrer-Bobet in Priorat— Monvínic has quickly risen to be one of the world's top wine destinations. This is admittedly hefty praise for...

Located between Paseo de la Castellana and the lively Chueca district, Reserva y Cata is a good place to get into wine in Madrid. With around 600 to 700 wines on offer, up to 90% of which are Spanish, wine lovers will find a balanced mix of affordable, e...

“Hidden since 1978 in Sanlúcar’s Barrio Bajo”. This is Taberna der Guerrita’s catchphrase, but there are actually few sherry enthusiasts who are unaware of its existence. In fact, it is a pilgrimage destination that flor and albariza worship...

"Being wine lovers and regular wine drinkers we are aware that other people like us may find great pleasure in tasting brands that are not mainstream”, says Delia Baeza, founder of this small wine store in Doctor Fourquet, a hidden and quiet street in ...

The food in Andalusia goes well beyond traditional pescaíto frito (fried whitebait) and that is evident at El Campero, in the coastal town of Barbate, near Cádiz. Its menu changes every year to include a large variety of fish and meat cuts, but ...

Wine geeks will undoubtedly feel at home here given La Tintorería’s focus on small producers like Raúl Pérez, David Sampedro, Rodrigo Méndez or Marc Isart. The shop, located in the upmarket Salamanca district of Madrid, stocks the most obscure g...

It is easy to pass by Viñoteca Bagos without noticing that what lies beneath the door is a little gem of a place built to enjoy good wines. Located in a basement in central Pontevedra, in northwestern Spain, the front door of the restaurant is discreet ...

When brothers Unai and Patxi Fernández de Retana took over the running of El Clarete in Vitoria in 1998, their aim was clear: to serve good food and drinks to their clients. Awards and recognition were not on their minds. Perhaps this humble attitude a...

Award-winning sommelier Jon Andoni Rementeria has turned Remenetxe grill house into a great meeting point for wine lovers. Located in the Basque region of Urdaibai (Bizkaia), it is a good stopover for those visiting this beautiful area surrounding the Ge...

The beach bars and stalls along the Portonovo waterfront do not easily give away the surprise that awaits inside Taberna A Curva, at the end of this coastal village in Galicia, in northwestern Spain. Neither the pleasant outdoor terrace nor the wood t...

To make a mention of tree-lined streets in Barcelona would be to talk about nearly every street in the city. This is why to talk specifically about Carrer Enric Granados is noteworthy. Completely closed to cars (even taxis) in the blocks that lead up t...

Established in 1962, Kaia-Kaipe is an institution among wine producers who drive the 125 kilometres (77 miles) separating Rioja from the Basque town of Getaria to revel in its large and well stocked cellar and feast on delicious fish cooked on the restau...

For most wine lovers Lavinia is one of the leading wine shops in Madrid, but they rarely remember its restaurant, located on the top floor of the store. They should, though, as it arguably offers the most varied and extensive wine list in town. The great...

NO LONGER TRADING It is hard to find bars and restaurants in Spain whose owners are really passionate about wine and appreciate quality as much as the profits obtained with each serving. Fortunately for enthusiasts, there are wine nerds who dar...

While Empordà received a great deal of fame via El Bulli, there have been many quality restaurants in the comarca for some time.  It's easy to see why, with its direct access to fresh seafood as well as sitting at the crossroads of French and Iberian c...

For anyone who visits the wine regions of DOQ Priorat or DO Montsant you will undoubtedly pass through Falset, the capital of the county. A larger village of around 2,000 inhabitants, it forms a good base for exploring the region with a couple of hotels...

Poncelet is a big name for cheese in Spain. Since Jesús Pombo opened the original store in Argensola St. in Madrid in 2004, the business has grown to include a pioneering cheese maturing centre that carefully controls the maturations of all the cheese b...

Cuenllas is one of those places that seems to have been around forever in Madrid. Founded by the Cuenllas family in 1939, the business started as a delicatessen where well-to-do families purchased legumes, canned foods, cold meats and other quality produ...

Located in one of the most central and emblematic areas of Bilbao, just behind the building housing the region’s government, La Viña del Ensanche is an institution in the city since Bautista González, born in the Spanish city of León, started the bu...

Surtopía is a sort of gastroembassy of Spain’s south in Madrid, the perfect spot for nostalgics of Andalusian tapas and dishes that chef and owner José Calleja have personalized with generous doses of creativity. Trained at classy restaurants like...

La Vinoteca is one of the gastronomic spaces in Abadía Retuerta, the gorgeous wine estate located on the banks of the river Duero with over 200 hectares of vineyards, a state-of-the-art winery and a 12th centur...

The first impression of the Windsor makes one believe it is fully aware of its setting but in not wanting to rub your face in it, has nestled itself effortlessly in to one of the old homes in Eixample. Perhaps unassuming from the outside (at least in an ...

La Tavina is one of those places where we, wine berserks, get a tingly feeling in our stomachs; a small amusement park with three floors entirely devoted to tasting, drinking, buying and enjoying wine unceremoniously. Located at the start of calle Lau...

Having hosted customers at classic Madrid restaurants like Príncipe de Viana, El Amparo and Aldaba, Luis Garcia de la Navarra is a very well-known sommelier in the city. In December 2011 he joined forces with his brother and chef Pedro to start Vinoteca...

Montia is firmly rooted in San Lorenzo de El Escorial, a town about 45 km northwest of Madrid. It is located 500 metres away from Real Monasterio de San Lorenzo, a historical residence of the Spanish royals. Its name — which comes from Montia Fontan...

It opened only a few years ago, but Cork is undoubtedly one of the most interesting and dynamic bars not only in Bilbao, but in the whole of the Basque Country. Its wine by the glass menu is long, varied, international and original —a breath of fresh a...

After 10 years in the World’s 50 Best Restaurants and three Michelin stars, El Celler de Can Roca’s gastronomic credentials are well known. But what is really special about El Celler is that it has been able to maintain its hospitable family essence,...

The economic turmoil seems to have passed by Ángel León’s restaurant without knocking on the door of the space he opened almost a decade ago in a quiet street of El Puerto de Santa María, in the Sherry Triangle in southern Spain. His dishes are a...

CLOSED INDEFINITELY Chef Xanty Elías has a larger than life personality which is reflected on the dishes he prepares at the restaurant he opened in 2011 in Huelva, his hometown in southwestern Spain. A great champion of local produce such as fi...

The citizens of Logroño are lucky. As well as having hundreds of Rioja wineries with superb wines a short drive away, they can stroll to several great little restaurants like La Tavina or Tondeluna who care for this lovely beverage. The last one to join...

Leticia González is responsible for the success of this small bistrot in Cabezón de la Sal, a town of 8,000 people located 42 kilometres from Santander. Nobody should visit Abacería de la Sal expecting to eat the traditional hearty stews or T-bone sta...

NO LONGER TRADING As well as some traditional and wonderfully stocked fish stalls, Cádiz central market now boasts a diverse collection of tapas and wine kiosks which share outside space and tables for all the market’s customers. One of th...

Located in central Plaça del Vi in Girona’s medieval quarter, this wine bar owned by sommelier Roger Viusà -who runs the place- and Carlos Orta (chef at Villa Más in Sant Feliu de Guíxo...

Located in a desirable location in the centre of Madrid, Álbora is one of the most interesting and versatile addresses in the Salamanca district. Its vibrant and lively bar is well-known for its jamón tapa -three different vintages of the excellent Jos...

Echaurren started as a posthouse and tavern in Ezcaray (La Rioja) at the end of the 19th century but has now turned into a gastronomic conglomerate which encompasses a hotel, two restaurants (Echaurren Tradición and El Portal de Echaurren), a bistrot ca...

Located in the lively Born district of Barcelona, this is one of the most authentic places to discover the world of natural wines. Proprietor Benoît Valée established himself in Barcelona in the mid-2000s and opened a wine shop in the Gracia district. ...

Since it opened in mid-2013, Bar Brutal has become the trendiest hotspot in Barcelona to enjoy natural and artisan wines. The place is actually two different premises with separate entrances, but they are interconnected: a wine store that resembles the t...

Rekondo, in the Basque city of San Sebastian, is undoubtedly one of the world’s must-visit restaurants for winelovers. At this oenological Louvre, owner Txomin Rekondo acts as patron and caretaker of over 100,000 bottles and around 4,000 selections whi...

The Echapestro brothers opened their restaurant in a hidden village 20 kilometres from Logroño. Such location was no accident; quality, creativity and loyalty to their surroundings are the trademarks of a place that instills calm and demands a leisurely...

Located in Toranomon, Tokyo's business district, this shop was founded in 1999 and boast one of the largest selections of wine in the Japanese capital. Operating as a wholesaler, its knowledgeable staff are specialised in different wine regions around th...