Where to eat and drink in SanlĂșcar de Barrameda, Spain
- Lisa Cope
- 5 days ago
- 6 min read
If you're one of those people who equates sherry to little old ladies sipping from miniature glasses on Christmas day, you need to extinguish that clichĂ© from your mind and get up to speed on one of the most fascinating drinks in the wine world. Whether you're ready for a deep dive or not, Spain's "sherry triangle" of SanlĂșcar de Barrameda, Jerez de la Frontera, and El Puerto de Santa MarĂa is a step back in time to old Spain, far far away from seafront resorts selling inflatables and English breakfasts.
Apart from the chance to nerd out on one of the regions wine lovers get most fanatical about, this trio of towns is an oasis of fried shrimp fritters, tuna fresh from the boat, and ice cold manzanilla (which costs less than juice). There's no flurry of tourists crushing past, you'll hear little English from the Sanluqueños, and the prices? It's like going back twenty years. Jerez might have a few more headline-grabbing restaurants, but we think SanlĂșcar de Barrameda (Spain's gastronomy capital for 2022), has the most going for it,
When to go
Spring or Autumn is the perfect time to visit if you want to avoid sweltering temperatures and having to stay out of the midday heat. May and September are ideal, but SanlĂșcar is a great place to visit at all times of the year.
Getting there
You'll need a rental car (or be prepared for numerous changes in transport). Fly to Seville and it's 1 hour and 15 minutes away, or just over two and a half hours from Malaga airport. We'd recommend a two stop holiday, incorporating either of the cities you land in - both are incredible places to spend a few days eating, drinking and taking in all the sights.
Where to eat and drink
Casa Balbino
Plaza de Cabildo with its palm trees and large fountain at the centre is the focal point of SanlĂșcar, surrounded by bars, restaurants, and ice-cream shops, with outdoor seating covered by canopies, complete with misting machines for those hot summer days. There is nothing as relief-giving as a cooling mist to the back of the neck in 30c while you crunch on tortillitas de camarones - the dish Casa Balbino are famous for.
They're known for no reservations but it's a huge space inside and out, and the food comes fast, so don't be put you off. Those shrimp fritters should be your first order (and maybe your second, and third), and we're still thinking about the patatas aliñadas (potatoes marinated with vinegar and tuna) and adobo de pescado (fried dogfish marinated in vinegar). Go inside and look in the fridges if you want some tapas inspiration, but it's all good. Everyone is drinking very chilled Manzanilla, and at âŹ1.70 a glass, so should you (a pineapple juice is âŹ1.80). Our greedy lunch bill for four with four sherries and two juices came to âŹ61.40. That is not a typo.
Casa Bigote
Another SanlĂșcar must is Casa Bigote which has been open down at the seafront since 1951. The more casual standing/high stooled tapas bar (La Taberna) faces the ocean, while the more formal restaurant with its high-ceilinged dining room sits just behind it. Both are an altar to the region's tuna, with endless ways to try the rich, meaty fish. Try red tuna tataki, fillets in Amontillado sherry sauce, or grilled tuna ribs.
The taberna focuses on fried fish, small portions of stews, and plenty of seafood specialities, while the restaurant has larger, more refined plates like white prawn carpaccio and those famous Spanish red prawns (carabineros) sold by weight. Wines are local and staff are lovely, and whether you go casual or formal you won't go far wrong.
Doña Calma Gastrobar
If you're looking for somewhere to escape from the beach for a lazy lunch or a post sun-bathing dinner, Doña Calma Gastrobar is the one. It's known as one of SanlĂșcar's most contemporary food options, daring to serve dishes like tuna tacos, cuttlefish empanadas with lime aioli, and tuna tartare with bone marrow served in the hollow of a massive bone (you'll be thinking about this until you're dead).
Nothing here is a gimmick, everything has the kind of flavour you'll be trying to recreate long after your meal - utterly beautiful to look at and to eat. Drinks are local, simple and once again Manzanilla reigns supreme, and the glass covered, air-conditioned wrap around space is a heavenly retreat from the heat.
El Espejo
For something that's more adult night out/special occasion territory, book a table in the plant-adorned courtyard at El Espejo, in the Posada de Palacio hotel. It has a Bib Gourmand for good value cooking, but at âŹ18 for a Carabinero prawn and âŹ50 for a beef chop this isn't exactly bargain territory. The contemporary cooking is however in delicious territory, with the ingredients local, and a stellar sherry list to match.
Mirador de Doñana
A few doors down from the always thriving Casa Bigote you'll find Mirador de Doñana, which as the name suggest offers expansive views across the Doñana national park across the water in front. SanlĂșcar prawns, lobster gratin and red shrimp tartare are all must orders, and the terrace outside has the tables to grab if it's not too warm, but the upstairs dining room has equally good views.
Entrebotas, Bodegas Hidalgo la Gitana
Set in the courtyard outside renowned sherry bodega Hidalgo la Gitana, Entrebotas is one of those rare occasions when the winery restaurant is as much a draw as the winery. The "SanlĂșcar DNA" menu is a seafood extravaganza for âŹ65 including drinks (water, wine and sherry), or slum it with some tapas and a sherry tasting at the bar. Tours of the bodega are also available and recommended.
Taberna der Guerrita
Taberna der Guerrita, in the Bajo district, has become a place of pilgrimage for sherry lovers. On entering it might looks like your average spit and sawdust tavern, but ask to be taken to the rooms in the back and you'll find bottles piled high on shelves from floor to ceiling, with some you won't find anywhere else in the world.
It's like a sherry museum, and you can spend more than you thought possible on some of the old and rares, or just ask for more affordable recommendations. The bar food out front is wholesome and simple and just waiting for a special bottle to be plucked from the shelves to enjoy with it.
Dessert
Helados Toni
Toni has been selling ice-cream in SanlĂșcar since 1896, and if it's taken that long to achieve something this perfect, it was worth the wait. The family run business is now in its fourth generation, run by sisters Lorena and Rosana, and this has to be some of the best ice-cream in Spain, let alone SanlĂșcar. There's two on Plaza de Cabildo, but go for the one nearest the corner for the widest selection - and we mean wide. You'll need 10 minutes just to read through all the flavours.
Mr Cheesecake
A cheesecake break is a must while exploring SanlĂșcar, and Mr Cheesecake has the good stuff. From cheese-based flavours like the goat's cheese Payoyo or the sheep's cheese Roquefort, to countless options for those with sweeter teeth like fig, lemon and pistachio, you never know what you'll find in the fridge, so multiple trips are easily justified.
Wineries to visit
The bodegas best set up for visitors and online booking are Hidalgo La Gitana (home to Entrebotas above) and Barbadillo, both in the city centre, and both offering various tours and tastings. Visit La Gitana starting at âŹ20 six days a week, while Barbadillo has a Manzanilla Museum you can walk around at your leisure (everything's in Spanish so you may need Google translate), with guided tours and tastings taking place six days a week, also starting at âŹ20.
For more boutique options check out Bodegas Yuste, with visits and tastings ranging from âŹ15 - âŹ85 depending on how serious your interest is. Bodega ArgĂŒeso is another great choice, estimated to be over 250 years old, and Delgato Zuleta, which claims to be the oldest winery in region.
