4 Best Restaurants in Castile–Leon and Castile–La Mancha, Spain

This tavern in Segovia's historic Jewish quarter is owned by La Casa Mudéjar Hospedería hotel and has won awards for the region's best tapas. The extensive menu highlights Segovian specialties like cochinillo, as well as traditional Sephardic Jewish cuisine (though it's not a kosher kitchen), plus a variety of well-executed raciones (shared plates).

According to foodies, this old-timey mesón (traditional tavern-restaurant) serves the most delectable cochinillo in town, but there are plenty of lighter fresher dishes to choose from as well. Expect a boisterous mix of locals and tourists.

Segovia's oldest restaurant, founded in 1895 and still run by the same family, has a rustic interior with wood beams and bric-a-brac hanging on the walls. The decor suits the unfussy (if perhaps overpriced) cuisine, which features roast meats and stewed local judiones (broad beans).

Beginning life as an inn in the 18th century, Cándido was declared a national monument in 1941, and today displays photos of famous patrons including Ernest Hemingway, Salvador Dalí, and Princess Grace. The cochinillo is the star; partridge stew and roast lamb are also memorable, especially on cold afternoons. 

Ask for a table overlooking the aqueduct, just a few feet away, and be sure to book ahead.