Cadiz is a haven for food-lovers, the Atlantic climate brings the freshest ingredients, sweet and salty Sherry wines, and inspirational menus, the most innovative of which can be found in its Michelin-star restaurants.
Cadiz’s gastronomy is based around fish and seafood, with the local Sherries from nearby Jerez de la Frontera and El Puerto de Santa Maria being the perfect accompaniment.
It comes as no surprise that some superb dining options await you in Cadiz, with a number of Michelin-starred restaurants – including one with highest accolade of three stars, Aponiente in El Puerto de Santa Maria.
How many Michelin-starred restaurants are there in Cadiz, Spain?
At the time of writing, there are twenty -six Michelin-starred restaurants in Cadiz and the surrounding area. Here are just a few. Booking is essential.
Aponiente, El Puerto de Santa Maria
© Aponiente, El Puerto de Santa Maria
Innovation is invariably a key factor in the success of any chef and their restaurant, and this is especially true of Angel Léon. Known as “the chef of the sea,” Léon is constantly coming up with new techniques (seafood sausages) and ground-breaking dishes (tuna and chocolate), which feature on his 15-course tasting menu.
In addition to its three Michelin stars, Aponiente also has a Green Michelin Star, which indicates sustainability – Leon uses discarded fish and marine ingredients that are not commonly considered as edible, such as plankton and bioluminescence, as well as cultivating his own eelgrass cereal. El Puerto de Santa Maria is to the north-east of Cadiz – an easy boat trip across the bay.
Calle Francisco Cossi Ochoa, 11500 El Puerto de Santa María
Website: Aponiente
Open lunch and dinner, Tuesday to Saturday (Wednesday to Saturday in winter)
Código de Barra, Cadiz
© Codigo de Barra, Cadiz
A new take on traditional gaditano cuisine: at this one-Michelin-starred restaurant, Dutch chef Léon Griffioen, along with his wife Paqui Márquez, sommelier and front of house, offers two 11-course tasting menus, Gadeira and Qadis.
The current Michelin guide says the tasting menus are different: “The two tasting menus (Cotinusa and Gadir) provide an insight into the flavours of Cadiz’s cuisine from a contemporary perspective, revealing specific aspects of its history through the region’s very best ingredients.”
Their exquisitely presented (both visually and verbally) dishes reference the colourful history and rich gastronomic culture of Cádiz.
Caldillo de perro, a fish soup which dates from Visigothic times, puts an innovative twist on a regional classic, while their signature dish, albedo, features orange pith purée (eaten during times of want) with smoked sardine and olives.
There’s a great wine list – try local stars Tesalia Arx, an intense yet fresh red, or Terralba, an aromatic white.
Calle San Francisco 7, 11004 Cadiz
Website: Codigo de Barra
Open lunch and dinner, Tuesday to Saturday
LÚ Cocina y Alma, Jerez de la Frontera
© LÚ Cocina y Alma, Jerez De La Frontera
In LÜ you can experience French culinary techniques showcasing the finest Andalucian ingredients – chef Juanlu Fernandez (after whom the restaurant is named, along with his watchwords of “kitchen” and “soul”) previously worked as head chef with Angel Leon at Aponiente (see above).
The oval-shaped dining space, situated in the sherry capital, Jerez de la Frontera, has the kitchen in the centre, so you can watch your dishes being created.
Duxende and El Festín, the two tasting menus, take diners at this two-Michelin-star restaurant on journeys across the senses, telling stories through gastronomy, with plenty of cultural references to everything from sherry to farmworkers. Always outstandingly imaginative and beautifully presented, Juanlu’s signature offerings include a towering shellfish platter, a symphony of colour, taste and texture.
LÚ was awarded its first star in 2018, less than a year after opening, and its second in 2024.
Calle de Zaragoza 2, 11402 Jerez De La Frontera
Website: LÚ Cocina y Alma
Open lunch Tuesday to Sunday, dinner Tuesday to Saturday
Alevante, Sancti Petri
Ángel León´s other Michelin-starred establishment, the two-star Alevante, takes his fish-forward philosophy to the Cadiz area’s only five-star GL hotel, the Gran Meliá Sanci Petri, located on stunning La Barrosa beach.
Both menus, the 18-course Gran Menu and the 15-course Selection Menu, feature less fashionable catch such as dogfish and mackerel, as well as halophytes (saltwater plants) and his signature plankton. Be sure to leave room for the dessert – an emerald-green seaweed tarte tatin (Gran Menu only).
Address: Nuevo Sancti Petri, 11130 Cadiz
Website: Alevante
Open lunch and dinner Monday to Saturday (in winter, Thursday and Friday dinner, and Saturday lunch and dinner).
Mantúa, Jerez de la Frontera
© Mantúa, Jerez de la Frontera
Minimalist and modern are the keywords for Israel Ramos’ Jerez restaurant.
Situated on a tree-lined square, this one-Michelin-starred establishment focuses on taste and texture; the simple space is adorned with striking abstract art.
His tasting menus, entitled Arcilla (16 courses) and Caliza (20 courses), feature creative concoctions such as duck canneloni with pickled pumpkin, and quisquilla (prawn) with fennel and cold almond and dill soup. Ask for the sherry pairings.
Plaza Aladro 7, 11402 Jerez de la Frontera
Website: Cocina y Bodega | Restaurante Mantúa (restaurantemantua.com)
Open lunch and dinner Tuesday to Saturday
TOHQA, EL PUERTO DE SANTA MARIA
Tohqa Restaurante ©
A converted convent close to the Guadalete river, this rustic-contemporary space, simply furnished with colourful abstract painted walls and a delightful patio bordered by abundant foliage, was awarded its Michelin star in 2023.
Tohqa is run by the twin Pérez brothers, Eduardo (chef) and Juan Jose (front of house and sommelier), who are major proponents of the grill – a perfect technique for cooking fresh seafood. Tuna, prawns, and cuttlefish just need a few minutes of fire to sear them, sealing in their delicious natural flavours and juices. Eduardo also uses produce from his father’s family farm in El Saucejo (eastern Seville province).
The restaurant offers two menus, Anafe and Tohqa.
Address: Calle de los Moros 4, 11500 El Puerto de Santa María.
Website: Tohqa
MESÓN SABOR ANDALUZ, ALCALA DEL VALLE
Meson Sabor Andaluz ©
At this family restaurant – opened in 1995 by Jose Aguilera and Antonia Jimenez, and now run by their son Pedro Aguilera – local produce is king. Even the bread comes from the third-generation village bakery.
The Aguilera family’s establishment, in the small pueblo blanco of Alcala del Valle in the Sierra de Grazalema, works with organic suppliers around Cadiz province. Dishes showcase the fantastic vegetables in the area, as well as catnip for carnivores, like their renowned oxtail stew and goat with garlic. The two menus, Celemin (11 courses) and Fanega (15 courses), are named after historic units of measurement, equivalent to a bushel, referencing their close links to the land.
Before the restaurant won its Michelin star in 2024,Pedro had already been crowned Revelation Chef at Madrid Fusion two years earlier, which presaged his future greatness: a fellow previous winner is Madrid chef Dabiz Muñoz, whose DiverXo has three stars.
Address: Calle la Huerta 3, Alcalá del Valle, 11693 Cádiz
Website: Meson Sabor Andaluz
The best of the rest: must-visit Michelin restaurants in Cadiz
If you can’t get into one of the above big-hitters, there are some other restaurants in the Cadiz area recommended in the Michelin Guide which are worth visiting.
These include the sister establishment of Codigo de Barra (located on the same street), Contraseña (Bib Gourmand for good value); and Almanaque Casa de Comidas, also a Bib Gourmand, for rice dishes.
La Marmita de Ancha specialises in sustainably-fished bluefin tuna with an Asian touch.
In El Puerto de Santa Maria, Angel Leon’s La Taberna del Chef del Mar has less pricey versions of his creations, and nearby in Puerto Sherry marina, Berdó serves great fish dishes with superb sherries.
Where to Stay?
Cadiz province is home to some outstanding hotels, or if you prefer a little more privacy, we have some superbly-appointed villas for rent in Cadiz, close to some of Spain’s best beaches and the fabulous gastronomy we’ve mentioned here. Get in touch for availability.
Fiona Flores Watson
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