When it comes to eating and drinking in Cadiz, you’ll be spoiled for choice with a wonderful mix of restaurants, tapas bars and cafes dotted through the labyrinth of skinny streets. Here’s my pick of the best Cadiz restaurants.
Picatostes, chicharrones, tortillitas de camarones and so much more! I well and truly ate my way around Cadiz and lapped up its regional cuisine. In fact I ate for three days solid. I couldn’t stop.
At times it was too much, but shhhh, we don’t talk about that! Oh and the wine – that was great too!
And sherry… who knew that sherry wasn’t JUST for grandmas?
So, as mentioned in my ultimate travel guide to Cadiz, to truly get in sync with the city, you need to adjust your body clock.
Gone is lunch at 1pm and dinner at 7pm. After a standard breakfast around 8am, you’ll stop for a drink and a light bite around midday, lunch at 3pm and then dinner after 9pm.
Of course, you’ll break up your day with a siesta between 3-5pm, especially in the summer months when the city is at its warmest.
So whether you’re looking for traditional tapas, creative modern cooking, fresh seafood, a sugary treat or just fancy going where the locals go, here’s my guide to the best restaurants in Cadiz.
Planning your trip to Cadiz? Here are a few quick highlights:
15 Amazing Restaurants In Cádiz – Tapas, Bars, Cafes and More
Casa Manteca
Let’s kick off with Cadiz’s most famous bar! If you’re visiting the city, you HAVE to eat at Casa Manteca. This characterful tapas bar attracts a mix of tourists and locals, and once inside, you’ll be amazed by how many pictures are covering the walls.
It feels like a treasure trove of history with key moments from bull fighting, Cadiz’s carnival and more. The food is cheap and tasty, with the house speciality being chicharrones – a type of pressed pork served on waxed paper. I loved the roasted peppers stuffed with prawn and cod, and the cheese with asparagus jam.
Drinks are very reasonable too, so it’s somewhere you could spend a long evening!
Best for: Legendary local atmosphere
Stand-out dish: Chicharrones
Price: €€
Address: Calle Corralón de los Carros, 66, 11002 Cádiz
Cafe Royalty
Where to eat in Cadiz to make you feel like a million dollars? Café Royalty!
I felt like I could be in one of Paris’s top cafés when I entered Café Royalty. With exquisite décor, panelling, ornate murals on the ceilings and accents of gold throughout, it really is a stunning place.
The cafe has an enticing lunch and dinner menu, but I’d recommend stopping by mid-morning for a coffee and a plate of picatostes – fried bread covered in sugar. They’re guaranteed to give you the energy you need to continue sightseeing!
Best for: A grand, opulent setting
Stand-out dish: Sugar-dusted picatostes
Price: €€
Address: Plaza Candelaria, 11005 Cádiz
READ MORE: Where to stay in Cadiz – Best hotels for all budgets
La Candela
While Cadiz is full of simple, traditional tapas bars, there are a few that pride themselves in offering something completely different. La Candela is quirky, arty and along with delivering great flavours, the presentation of the dishes is fab too.
It can get busy, so consider booking. I absolutely loved the gooey hot croquettes, but the marinated tuna with roasted vegetables was my top pick. It was one of the tastiest things I ate while in the city and in my opinion, some of the best tapas in Cadiz.
Best for: Creative food in a photogenic setting
Stand-out dish: Tuna dishes and creative tapas
Price: €€
Address: Calle Feduchy, 3, 11001 Cádiz
Mesón Cumbres Mayores
Here’s one of the city’s most traditional tapas bars. It’s clad in wood and has hams hanging from the ceilings and walls. Even the cerveza pumps look like legs of jamon! So it goes without saying you should definitely try the pork dishes – solomillo secreto was my favourite.
Alongside some of the pork dishes they serve delicious garlicky tomatoes. Mmm! This is the kind of bar you can pull up a chair at the bar and chat to the locals, or nestle into a cosy corner and spend all evening drinking and snacking. I really loved the laid back atmosphere.
Best for: Traditional tapas and big portions
Stand-out dish: Solomillo secreto
Price: €€
Address: Calle Zorrilla, 4, 11003 Cádiz
La Marmita
La Marmita is a smart restaurant serving exciting modern Spanish cuisine with a twist. On my visit, I enjoyed a 5-course tasting menu for a very reasonable price.
Dishes included a cone of tuna and avocado tartar, mussels with seaweed, Iberian pork with bulgar wheat, and Jack Daniels smoked pork (yes it was actually smoking as it came to the table!) They offer excellent wine pairings and I thought the service was excellent. The waiters were full of information and I left feeling I’d really learned about what I was eating.
Best for: Modern Mediterranean cooking
Stand-out dish: Red tuna from the Cádiz almadraba
Price: €€
Address: Calle Ancha, 7, 11001 Cádiz
La Tabernita
Another local fave, you’ll need to arrive before 9pm to grab one of the few tables in front of this popular tapas bar. It’s so small, there’s barely room to turn around inside! For me, this had a really great atmosphere and energy.
People spilled out onto the streets, catching up, snacking, drinking and having fun. I was recommended the cuttlefish meatballs (black from the ink), but my favourite dish was the tortillitas de camarones (a baby shrimp fritter). Crunchy and delicious!
Best for: A tiny, atmospheric local tapas bar
Stand-out dish: Tortillitas de camarones
Price: €
Address: Calle Virgen de la Palma, 32, 11002 Cádiz
El Faro de Cadiz
If you want to try one of Cádiz’s most famous seafood restaurants, put El Faro on your list. Located in the La Viña neighbourhood, El Faro has been a Cádiz institution for decades and is known for seafood, traditional Andalusian dishes and its extensive tapas offering.
If you don’t fancy committing to a full restaurant meal, one of the best ways to experience it is to eat at the bar and order a few tapas with a drink.
Best for: Classic Cádiz seafood
Stand-out dish: Seafood and traditional Andalusian tapas
Price: €€–€€€
Address: Calle San Félix, 15, 11002 Cádiz
La Tapería de Columela
I really wanted to visit La Tapería de Columela after hearing about its legendary sandwiches. Happily, this is another one from my original list that is still operating.
It’s a good option if you’re looking for casual tapas and something a little different from the most traditional old-school bars.
Best for: Casual tapas and sandwiches
Stand-out dish: The sandwiches and creative tapas
Price: €
Address: Calle Columela, 4, 11001 Cádiz
Balandro
Right by the Alameda Apodaca Gardens and Plaza Mina, Balandro uses good-quality ingredients to create a broad menu of modern Mediterranean and Spanish dishes.
Along with plenty of seafood, there are meat dishes and more creative options, making it a useful choice if you’re travelling with people who don’t all want exactly the same thing.
The location is another big plus, especially if you can get a table and enjoy the atmosphere around the Alameda.
Best for: Modern tapas with a great location
Stand-out dish: Seafood and seasonal tapas
Price: €€
Address: Alameda Apodaca, 22, 11004 Cádiz
New Restaurants In Cádiz To Add To Your List
Since my original visit, Cádiz’s food scene has become even more interesting. There are now some excellent places to add to your foodie itinerary! I haven’t managed to visit these, but they all come very highly recommended. Let me know what you think!
Código de Barra
Código de Barra (translates as ‘barcode’) became Cádiz’s first Michelin-starred restaurant. It’s a very different experience from the traditional tapas bars on my list. Chef Léon Griffioen and sommelier Paqui Márquez explore Cádiz’s history through food, drawing on the city’s Phoenician, Greek, Roman and Arabic influences.
There are tasting menus rather than a traditional tapas-style meal, with dishes built around excellent local ingredients including almadraba tuna and local seafood. If you’re celebrating something special, or simply love food and want to experience the more ambitious side of Cádiz’s restaurant scene, this is the one I’d book.
Best for: A special gastronomic experience
Stand-out dish: The tasting menu
Price: €€€€
Address: Calle San Francisco, 7, 11004 Cádiz
Mare
Another major addition to Cádiz’s food scene is Mare, the intimate restaurant from chef Juan Viu. This restaurant is teeny tiny! The concept is all about modern interpretations of traditional Cádiz cooking. The tasting menu changes according to what’s available from local fish markets and the season.
It’s also gained quite a repuatation. In fact, it was awarded a Michelin Star in the 2026 guide.
Best for: An intimate, special-occasion meal
Stand-out dish: Atún en tomate
Price: €€€
Address: Plaza Candelaria, 12, 11005 Cádiz
Contraseña by Código de Barra
If Código de Barra sounds tempting but the full Michelin-starred experience is out of your price range, check out its younger sibling, Contraseña. Here, you’ll find modern Andalusian cooking with options of à la carte dishes and a tasting menu. It’s ideal if you want elevated tapas, but not full-scale Michelin!
Best for: Modern Cádiz cooking
Stand-out dish: Seasonal tasting-menu dishes
Price: €€
Address: Calle San Francisco, 33, 11004 Cádiz
Almanaque Casa de Comidas
This small restaurant near Plaza de España is another one to add to your foodie list. Chef Juan Carlos Borrell, puts particular emphasis on rice dishes and seasonal local ingredients. It’s unfussy, local and creative, without being overly formal.
Best for: Contemporary Andalusian cooking
Stand-out dish: Seasonal rice dishes
Price: €€
Address: Plaza de España, 5 duplicado, 11006 Cádiz
Ettu
Ettu is another newer addition worth knowing about, located right by Cádiz Cathedral. The restaurant describes its food as “cocina de origen”, so you’ll find Cádiz’s traditional dishes but with a little twist.The setting is lovely, as it’s hidden inside Hotel Olom.
Best for: Modern Cádiz cuisine with international influences
Stand-out dish: Seasonal tasting dishes
Price: €€
Address: Plaza de la Catedral, 9, 11005 Cádiz
Atxuri
For something completely different, try Atxuri. This family restaurant has been going since 1947, and you’ll find an intriguing combination of Basque and Andalusian cooking. Expect dishes built around excellent fish and seafood, including Basque classics such as bacalao and merluza.
Best for: Traditional Basque-Andalusian cooking
Stand-out dish: Bacalao and fresh fish
Price: €€
Address: Calle Plocia, 7, 11005 Cádiz
What To Eat In Cádiz
Wherever you choose to dine, there are a few Cádiz specialities I’d recommend you try.
Tortillitas de camarones – Thin, crispy fritters made with tiny shrimp. These were one of my absolute favourites.
Chicharrones – Pressed pork belly, usually served simply and perfect with a cold beer or glass of wine.
Atún rojo de almadraba – Cádiz is famous for its Atlantic bluefin tuna, so look for it on menus when it’s in season.
Ortiguillas – Sea anemones, usually battered and fried. They look slightly odd, but are a real Cádiz speciality!
Pescaíto frito – Fresh fish coated in flour and fried until crisp. Simple, delicious and very Cádiz.
Picatostes – Fried bread dusted with sugar. Perfect with coffee when you need a mid-morning energy boost. Cafe Royalty is the place to try them!
Sherry – This city is a great place for a chilled manzanilla or fino with your tapas and you might discover, as I did, that sherry really isn’t just for grandmas!
One of the things I loved about eating in Cádiz was that I didn’y have to spend a fortune to eat really well. I loved the casual meals I had, where I spent 10-15 EUR on a few plates of tapas, enjoying people watching. It’s great that there are fine-dining options too, especially with some Michelin stars! It’s all of this combined that makes Cádiz such a fun food city.
Enjoy your time eating your way through the city. Come hungry… and whatever you do, don’t eat lunch at 1pm. Cádiz has other ideas!
Thanks to Spain and Cadiz Turismo for inviting me to be part of the #SpainCities campaign. As always, opinions are my own and as you can probably tell, I absolutely LOVED Cadiz!
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