Restaurant recommendations in Spain
 

We leave for Spain in one month, on the 22nd of August and I'm looking for recommendations for dinner. I have looked at web sites and other comments on Fodor's.

Our budget will be $35US PP, plus a bottle of wine. Less than $35 is certainly acceptable.

We may go off the deep end in San Sebastian.

So we start in Toledo for two nights. Any thoughts?

If I read you correctly, you only want recommendations for Toledo and San Sebastian?

Eating in Spain is ridiculously inexpensive (although there will always be the high end $100+pp places). Why not wait until you arrive and ask a local?

Please specify cities you plan to visit.

sparkchaser; We do as you suggested in all our visits, but there are very knowledgeable people on the Spain threads and I am just asking for their advice.

aliced; I was going to take one destination at a time, but

1. Toledo [2]

2. Segovia [2]

3; Salamanca [3]

4. Leon [2]

5. Santillana [1]

6. Bilbao [1]

7. San Sebastian [3]

8. Burgos [2]

9. Madrid [1]

For a bit more than your stated price, you could have an excellent dinner in Segovia at one of the legendary roast meat places: Jose Maria or Duque. (Our dinner cost about 95 euro with wine, in 2006).

Here is one of my Spain reports, with food details on Toledo and Segovia; although it is a few years old, the places mentioned are still going strong.


http://www.fodors.com/community/euro...nd-segovia.cfm


In this report that covers Madrid, there are some ideas for tapas bars within your budget. The areas rife with good bar and restaurant food include LA Latina and Retiro east of the park.

http://www.fodors.com/community/euro...k-in-spain.cfm


If you do not want tapas, you might try either Casa Mingo or Carlos Tetiere/Couzapin for Asturian food. The former is famous for inexpensive chicken. The latter two are open Sundays, I believe; this can be a difficult day for eating in the capital.

http://www.casamingo.es/home.html


http://www.couzapin.com/en_index.php

http://www.restaurantecarlostartiere.com/



For a splurge in Madrid, I recommend LUA, which I mentioned in this report from a few months ago; we paid 111 euro for an outstanding dinner.

http://www.fodors.com/community/euro...and-malaga.cfm

ekscrunchy; We will do roast suckling pig in Segovia in one of the places you suggested.

So a splurge and then tapas to maintain our per diem for restaurants.

We will definitely look at LUA for our last night in Spain. We are staying at the Westin, so hopefully it is close.

Thanks for all the information.

For an "off the deep end" in San Sebastian, check out Arzak.

Best meal I've ever had, not as expensive as a 3* in France.

Arzak is ranked consistenly as one of the top 10 restaurants in the world.

Yes, Arzak is on the radar screen. Will look at the menu [cost] and decide with our friends.

Never been to a 3* in France.

Thanks for the recommendation.

One of my favorite things is a pintxos crawl in San Sebastain/Donostia. There is nothing comprable to the quality and variety, especially in la Parte Vieja (old Town.)

BigA; Yes, that is something we will definitely do.

Recall one of our favorite meals in a 19-day trip through Spain was in Segovia, we had lunch and it was fantastic and a bargain. No, do not remember the cost, but you're there, so have a look at the menu, am sure it will fit into your budget. "Narizotas" it is, and had a pretty table upstairs amongst much local art as well as a view of the plaza below. Just off the main drag walking up towards the castle. It snowed there in mid-April so renamed it Snogovia.

Have a great time.

Thanks.

Check Maribel's Guides to the Basque Country (País Vasco), Segovia, Toledo and Madrid for her dining recommendations.

All about going for the world famous pintxos in San Sebastián, suggested routes etc: http://www.todopintxos.com/home/home.php?lang=en

All over Spain you can have a three course Menú del día at lunchtime (weekdays) from some 8-10€ with drinks included at local restaurants, and even many top notch restaurants serve a bargain Menú del día. Traditionally the main meal of the day for most people in Spain. Normally you can choose between three starters, two-three mains and coffee or dessert + wine, beer or mineral water.

I love old, traditional and no fuss places for lunch in food crazy San Sebastián. Here are some sure bets:

Casa Vallés just behind the cathedral with Menú del día at 18€. http://www.barvalles.com/portada.html

La Cepa in the Parte vieja (old town), also at 18€: http://www.barlacepa.com/en/

La Cueva, close to La Cepa, I think now is at about 15€ for the three course Menú del Día: http://www.restaurantelacueva.org/index_ingles.htm

Several very local feel, great and more affordable options in Calle Matia out in the Antiguo district at the western end of the beautiful La Concha beach promenade, 25 mins walking from the center/Old town.

Just fabulous three course menu both for lunch and dinner (weekdays) at La Muralla for 24€ with drinks included. Six course gourmet menu for 31€. 36€ in the weekends. Had a fabulous dinner here a couple of years ago: http://www.restaurantelamuralla.com/
http://www.tripadvisor.com/Restauran...e_Country.html

My favourite in town since the late 80's, Casa Urola, has recently reopned under a new chef and still gets great reviews. Going myself in a couple of months:
http://www.casaurolajatetxea.es/es/portada/
http://www.tripadvisor.com/Restauran...e_Country.html

And I very much look forward to have some pintxos at Gure Toki in Plaza Nueva in the Casco viejo (Old town) of Bilbao: http://www.tripadvisor.com/Restauran...e_Country.html

In Madrid, I can recommend three course Menú del día for 11-12€ at Casa Marta close to the opera and Royal palace: http://gastronomyblog.com/2010/07/01/casa-marta-madrid/

Hello again. LUA is in the Chamberi district so not within an easy walk of the Westin. But you can take the metro. They have several set menus, including one at 52euro, which is the one we chose. Without a doubt, one of the best meals I've had, ever, in Spain, or anywhere else for that matter.

I would forego places like Arzak, which will break your budget for the entire trip, in favor of a pinxto crawl in San Sebastian. I had lots of help from Maribel on my most recent trip to that city and I highly recommend her online guide. Try to check out the Gros district in addition to the Parte Vieja.

Robert; Will use/look at Maribels Guides.

kimhe; Thanks for all your help on both threads.

Ek; I looked at costs for Arzak and do not have a need to spend that kind of money.

Will probably do the pinxto crawl for two nights and then a nice dinner.

You can also try Restaurante Narru, Zubieta Kalea, 56, (Hotel Niza). We had the €26 lunch menu there a few weeks ago and it was excellent. Also, Bodegón Alejandro, in the Parte Vieja (now owned by Andoni of Mugaritz), offers a lunch menu for €16 that's outstanding.

The lunch menus include wine (1/2 bottle/person).

Forget dinner and do your main meal at lunch, very typical. Try for at reservations at 2:30. You can do your pintxos craw in the evening, and stop in for a few before heading to lunch.

Some of my favourite pintxos places in Donostia-San Sebastián after having lived and studied here and visited every year from 1987 to 2008 (and going again in a couple of months).

Parte vieja/ Old town:

Borda Berri is the talk of the town these days: http://www.tripadvisor.com/Restauran...e_Country.html

Close by and small Goiz-Argi is famous for the shrimp skewer (brocheta de gambas) and lots of other goodies:
http://www.todopintxos.com/bares/bar..._bar&id_bar=17

Txepetxa is just around the corner, anchovies heaven and an institution in town: http://www.bartxepetxa.com/

Traditional La Cepa has literally got the best Jamón Ibérico in the world (Jamón de Jabugo 5J, expensive and worth every cent): http://www.barlacepa.com/es/index.php

Gourmet oriented Cuchara de San Telmo has been cutting edge for more than a decade: http://www.todopintxos.com/bares/bar..._bar&id_bar=90 http://www.tripadvisor.com/Restauran...e_Country.html

Traditional Astelehena in the central Plaza de la Constitución is still going very strong under new owners. Also outdoor seating on the plaza: http://www.tripadvisor.com/Restauran...e_Country.html

Fabulous mushrooms ++ at Ganbara: http://www.ganbarajatetxea.com/presentation

In the center:
San Marcial (Alustiza) is an institution in town, close to Hotel Londres: http://www.todopintxos.com/bares/bar..._bar&id_bar=99

Traditional Casa Vallés just behind the cathedral is excellent and the best atmosphere: http://www.barvalles.com/

In Gros, across the city river Urumea:

Bodega Donsotiarra is very popular with locals for very good reasons: http://www.bodegadonostiarra.com/

Try the shark pintxo at Garbola, also great cocktails:
http://www.todopintxos.com/bares/bar..._bar&id_bar=83

Bar Bergara. Patxi Bergara started the Basque food revolution back in the 80s with people like Juan Mari Arzak of three Michelin star Arzak.
http://www.todopintxos.com/bares/bar..._bar&id_bar=96
http://www.newlifeinspain.com/2012/1...os-in-san.html

Enjoy! ...and I'm starting to get very excited to come back to my favourite city on the planet after five years of very much Andalucía, Barcelona and Madrid because of irreparable flamenco madness.

San Sebastián is European Capital of Culture 2016: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=X2zTb7Eg9Lk

You"ll find things have changed a bit since '08. Prices are up in the Parte Viena because of all of the tourist flocking to all of our favorite pintxos bars. There are now places set up just for the tourist crowd, driven by the likes of two new tour business preying on tourist, San Sebastián Food and one other newcomer with an office just down the street that just open its doors a couple of weeks ago. Both are UK based businesses. Welcome to the European Capital of Culture 2016. Thankfully there are still enough places to go for great pintxos. Where few tourist will venture.