What and where to eat in Calatayud, Spain

Calatayud is a city halfway between Barcelona and Madrid that has a fantastic culinary scene focused on traditional Aragonese gastronomy. Products are great, prices are low and portions are big. In this post I will focus on where to eat in Calatayud as well as the most iconic dishes of the region. I’ll start with a list of what I think are the best dishes of Aragonese food and where I think they make them best. Afterwards I’ll give you a list of my top 10 restaurants in Calatayud as well as some options in nearby regions.

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Best dishes to eat in Calatayud

• Ternasco asado: the roasted lamb, the clear specialty of the region. The young lamb of this region is called “ternasco” and has its own geographical indication. The meat is soft and flavourful and the best way to cook it is slowly in a wood oven. Where: Restaurante Casa Escartín.

• Madejas: keeping with the lamb, this traditional dish is eaten as a “tapa” and is basically lamb chitterlings, rolled around a stick, boiled, finely cut and fried with garlic and parsley. I understand this may seem unorthodox, especially for travellers coming from outside of Spain, from places where offal is not typically used. I ask you to taste it and you will love it! If you don’t like it, just send it to my table. Where: El Rincón de Manolo Mini Bar.

• Gambas a la gabardina: these are shrimps in batter and deep fried. Can’t miss with this. Unfortunately the staple bar where they made the best ones closed, but you can still try them in other venues. Where: Lío tapas.
• Garbanzos con congrio: chickpea stew with boiled egg and desalted conger. If you’re not familiar with conger, it’s a long fish with a meat similar to cod. Where: Restaurante Casa Escartín.
• Bacalao al ajo: desalted cod marinated in garlic oil. This is typically a pintxo, meaning it is served in bite-sized portions. Where: Cervecería Baviera.

• Chuletas de ternasco a la brasa/parrilla: lamb chops cooked in the grill. Same as above, lamb is king in this region so don’t miss out. Where: Posada San Antón.

• Rollitos de calabacín: courgette rolls filled with ham and cheese, battered and fried. They are delicious! Where: Restaurante Puerta de Terrer.
• Torreznos: deep fried pork belly. Crunchy and juicy at the same time. It is one of the most iconic tapas in the region. Where: Cervecería Antonio.
• Morcilla, chorizo, longaniza, güeña and fardeles: these, together with the ternasco lamb chops, are the kings of the grill in Calatayud. Morcilla is a blood sausage, chorizo is a spiced sausage with paprika, longaniza is a differently spiced sausage, güeña is similar to chorizo with “poorer” parts of the pork and fardeles are meatballs made mainly of liver. Where: Posada San Antón.

• Borraja: borage, a not so usual plant in cuisine, but widely used for skincare, as a diuretic and for natural treatment of stress and depression. In Aragón, it has become a regional dish which can be prepared in many ways, in salads, soups, scrambles, omelettes, breaded, with clams etc. It’s one of my favourite vegetables. It’s not so easy to find in restaurants, as it is typically a very homemade dish in the area. Where: Hotel Monasterio Benedictino or Bilbilis.
• Salmueras: full length “anchoas en salmuera”, they are pickled anchovies and, when the product is good, its a wonderful sea bite. Where: Lío tapas.

• Migas: migas is a shepherd’s dish consisting of breadcrumbs cooked with chorizo and pancetta served with a fried egg and grapes. The result is a crispy bite full of flavour and textures and with a sweet spark to top it up. It is a delicious dish and you should try it if you’re in the region. Where: Mesón de la Dolores.

• Bacalao ajoarriero: a very traditional recipe of desalted cod cooked with potatoes, egg and leek in a kind of scramble. Where: Restaurante Casa Escartín.

My top 10 bars and restaurants to eat in Calatayud

• Lío tapas: this is my favourite spot in town. The owner Carlos and his wife, who at this point have become friends, have managed to put the tapas level of the city one step ahead. From traditional regional tapas, to national dishes and their own creations, there is literally not a single dish I have tried there that I didn’t love. And all of this with high quality, very good price (it is a bit more expensive than average in Calatayud, but for a reason) and they have a nice cellar with local wines. Recommendations: kokotxas (my favourite, cod cheeks), shrimp skewers, chipirones con allioli (baby squid with allioli), croquetas (they have an assortment, try them all), anchovies with vodka and ice, oxtail stew, fried pig tail, “cojonudo” (bread topped with Spanish ham, grilled foie gras and fried quail egg). Just anything they serve really.

• Restaurante Casa Escartín: this restaurant is in the high end of dining in Calatayud. It is definitely more expensive than most restaurants in town, but still a fraction of the price of similar level restaurants in other cities like Barcelona and Madrid. They specialize in traditional Aragonese food focusing on excellent quality and perfect execution. They have an amazing lunch set menu that you cannot miss. Recommendations: ternasco asado (roasted lamb), bacalao (codfish filet), rice dishes.

• Restaurante Puerta de Terrer: this place focuses on cocina de mercado, which is a Spanish term for local cuisine based on local produce from the market. This means that their menu changes every day depending on the availability and seasonality of products at the market. They have in my opinion the best business menu in town, with a very good price (13€ for 3 courses, bread, water and wine) and excellent food. Recommended: lunch menu (there are always nice options), milhojas (savoury layered cake of puffed pastry stuffed with variable things depending on the day), duck confit with red berries.

• Posada San Antón: this establishment focuses on the grill. And they nail it! The obvious focus is local meat, with emphasis on lamb and pork, but they also have awesome vegetable BBQs as well as grilled seafood and snails. Recommended: Parrillada Aragonesa (assorted grill with many goodies of the region: morcilla, chorizo, longaniza, pork belly and pork neck), grilled rabbit, “chuleticas” de ternasco a la brasa (grilled Aragonese lamb chops), churrasco (beef rib cut) and solomillo (sirloin with blue cheese sauce).
• Cervecería Baviera: this is one of the tapas bar located in the main street, with a HUGE terrace along the boulevard. They specialize in pintxos and tapas, so be ready to try a few things! The quality is perhaps lower than the rest of the places in this list, but the food is still good, the price is low and they have a wide variety. And they serve the best bacalao al ajo (codfish marinated in garlic oil) in town, in my opinion. Recommended: bacalao al ajo (codfish marinated in garlic oil), huevos rellenos (stuffed eggs), puntillas (deep fried baby cuttlefish).

• Bar La Perdiz: this is a tiny bar where they serve what is called “fork and knife breakfast”, which is basically a heavy breakfast that is eaten with cutlery, opposite just a pastry or a toast. This breakfast is whatever the owner has prepared for the day, which may include callos (tripe stew), fried goatling ribs, sardines, quail, roasted cheeks… They also serve pintxos and sandwitches. Everything is VERY cheap. Beware! The decoration is mainly mounted game, that is why we always sit outside. Recommended: just go in and see what looks best for you, and ask if you’re in doubt!
• Mesón de la Dolores: this is the most iconic place in the city, known nationwide because of a 200 year old gossip (read more here). Now the place is a hotel and restaurant, and they serve traditional Aragonese food as well as national dishes. The decor is very old school and authentic for the region. The price is higher than average in the city, but the lunch menu is affordable, with nice options and good products. Recommended: ternasco asado (roasted lamb), migas aragonesas (shepherd’s dish described above), seafood canneloni, rice dishes, soups and creams.

• El Rincón de Manolo Mini Bar: this iconic bar used to be a “mini” bar in its origins, with barely space for a couple of standing people, and they used to serve hundreds of delicious croquetas early in the morning after a long night of partying during the town festivities. Now, they have expanded and opened up a bigger terrace and they still serve amazing tapas for a very low price. Recommended: croquetas (different flavours), madejas (fried lamb chitterlings).

• Cervecería Antonio: this probably the cheapest spots on the list (they have complete burgers for 3€). They specialize in bocadillos (the Spanish answer to the sandwich) and fried stuff. They have a long list of items on the menu, many of which you can purchase by unit, so you can taste different things. The establishment is very modest and not the best looking, but hordes of locals fill it to the rim every night. Also you can have a nice bottle of wine for a mere 6€. Recommended: torreznos (fried pork belly), madejas (fried lamb chitterlings), patatas bravas and bocadillos “Lomo Loco” and “Extintor”.
• Xalón: this is another modest establishment, visited mainly by locals to have a beer and a pintxo. This is what they specialize in, small bite-sized tapas, mostly pickled, that you can eat standing at the bar with a cold beer. Recommended: look at the display at the bar and choose whatever looks best to you!

Some restaurants in the region worth going to

• Asador Babel, Alhama de Aragón: this magnificent yet humble restaurant specializes in food, mainly meat, slowly cooked in their wood oven. The crown jewel: the ternasco shoulder. A portion feeds two people and includes the lamb leg and delicious fries soaked in the meat juices. They have amazing menus in which you can taste some of the region’s staples. Also, the staff are the nicest, so there’s that. Let yourself be guided by the waiter. P.S: they do not take credit card, so bring cash. Recommended: ternasco asado (roasted local lamb), ventresca (tuna belly) salad, migas (see above).

• Gastrobar el Arco, Paniza (CLOSED): this bar in the middle of nowhere (because that’s where the town of Paniza is) is a surprising gastro-gem worthy of the center of Madrid or Barcelona with the prices of a little village. Now in reality, the prices are higher than a typical bar in a little village, but way cheaper than a restaurant of this level in a city. The owner, Alberto, pours his heart in his cooking. He has now retired and passed the bar on to his former employees. I have not visited since, so I cannot vouch for it, but I’ve heard great things still. Recommended: vermut torero (a starters compilation focused mainly on seafood and some fusion tapas), carrilleras (pork cheeks), pulpo a la brasa (grilled octopus), oxtail stew. If they have handpicked mushrooms from the area ORDER THEM, they are amazing. Also, their homemade tiramisú.

• El Churrión, Maluenda: Maluenda es a small-medium town, with a castle, a church and everything, but its heart is at Churrión, the bar of the town since the nick of time. They have a long list of tapas and a great terrace in the town’s square where all neighbours meet. Recommended: torreznos (fried pork belly), boquerones (fresh anchovies in vinegar), pickles stuffed with tuna.
• Asador San Ramón, outskirts of Calatayud: this establishment is not the best compared to the list I showed you above, but it has a great menu (which includes a full Aragonese bbq with chorizo, morcilla, etc.) as a second course. It is a great spot on your way out of the city, but make sure the driver has a big cup of coffee before driving after such a meal. Recommended: pickled quail salad, Aragonese barbecue platter, baked snails, roasted suckling pig.
• Hotel Marivella, outskirts of Calatayud: the restaurant of this hotel located in the outskirts of Calatayud and has been a staple of roadside dining for 50 years. They have a MASSIVE dining area that can fit a lot of people, but they manage to keep the standards of the food high despite being inevitable full every day. The food is very simple Spanish and local staples, without wasting time in empty embellishments and the value for the price is excellent. They serve a lunch menu for 12€ that includes 3 courses of your choosing from a list (starter, main dish and dessert) as well as bread and wine. Recommended: artichokes with ham, pickled quail, stewed pig trotters, stewed cheeks, roasted lamb, homemade “flan”.

Stewed beef cheeks

Bonus: shopping for food

• Carnicería Peñita (Av. San Juan el Real, 2): Calatayud is a great place to eat out because of the quality of the food and the low prices, but if you have access to a kitchen or grill, make sure to purchase local meats from this butcher shop, lead by its owner, Peña, who has the best products in town. Recommended: cured pancetta, papada (pork neck), chorizo, morcilla, longaniza, ternasco (Aragonese lamb, best in chops for the grill or shoulder for the oven), pork loin, sausages and txuletón (beef rib steak).
• Charcutería Dina (Pl. Joaquin Costa, 13): this store sells the best cold cuts and preserves. It is quite small but it offers the best local (and some national) preserves, including olives, pickles, anchovies as well as tuna and albacore in escabeche, the fantastic Spanish way of cooking stuff to preserve it. They also sell salted cod and conger, two staples of the region, as well as ham, cheese and wine. Recommended: tuna and albacore in escabeche, anchovies, legumes.
• Pastelería Micheto (C. Luis Guedea, 10): this is the oldest pastry shop in town. They even supplied the Royal Palace in times of Alfonso XIII. They make many things, including the town’s pastry bizcocho de Calatayud. Recommended: bizcocho de Calatayud, suelas de Calatayud, San Roquicos, gajos de limón.
• Vinos Ciria (Pl. San Francisco, 3): this is a wine store specialized in the D.O.P. Calatayud. They have wines from the main vineyards in the region. If you tasted some wines that you liked in a restaurant or bar, ask for it. Otherwise let the staff guide you. Recommended: wine.
• Confitería Mary’s (C. Emilio Jimeno, 7): this is a pastry shop and they make the most amazing tocinillos de cielo, an egg yolk-based dessert similar to flan.

Where to stay in Calatayud

Calatayud is quite a small city, so the options for accommodation are limited, especially in August and September when the town fills up for the San Roque and Ferias celebrations occur, so make sure to book in advance. This are my recommendations on where to stay in Calatayud:

• Mesón de la Dolores: this one is an obvious one. Probably the most famous establishment in the city, this hotel has now 3 stars and is beautifully decorated in the traditional style of the region. Starting at 59€ for a double room.
• Hospedería el Pilar: located in the most beautiful street in town. This inn is right next to the beautiful church of Santa María la Mayor and conveniently next door from the brasserie Posada San Antón. Starting at 55€ for a double room.
• Posada Arco de San Miguel: located in a quaint and quiet part of town, this beautiful establishment offers also great food. Starting at 70€ for a double room.
• Hotel Monasterio Benedictino: if you want to stay in the best hotel in town, this 4 stars hotel is located in an old monastery in the center, right next to the old town but very well located to move around the city and to move by car. Starting at 65€ for a double room.
• La Perla: if you’re in a budget, go for la Perla, a small inn offering double rooms for 40€ and optional lunch in their restaurant for 13.50€ more.
• If you prefer to have your base in a private apartment, these are some great ones: casco histórico, plaza san benito, Erlueta, las Moreras, Casa Aljez or Segeda.

Booking.com

Closing statement

As you can see, Calatayud has a lot to offer in the food department. If you happen to be around and don’t know where to eat in Calatayud, just choose on of the places listed here and you will not regret it! Also, if you are thinking of visiting Calatayud, make sure to check out this post with things to do in the region:

→ What to do in Calatayud: the forgotten half-blood city of Spain

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