James Bryce
Why Vejer de la Frontera has become the dining room of the Costa de la Luz…
ONE of the most unexpected thrills of Vejer de la Frontera for a first time visitor is the huge number of places to eat.
The even bigger surprise is that the vast majority are excellent.
Indeed, it is almost impossible to eat badly in this gastronomic paradise, which doesn’t just rely on summer tourists for its survival.
Both in the heart of town and in the nearby villages of Patria, Santa Lucia and Canos de Meca there are perhaps a dozen eateries that would survive anywhere in Andalucia.
And the bottom line is; if the food’s not good enough, the restaurant won’t survive.
So what has made this small pueblo blanco into such a foodie Mecca?
Much of it is due to its nearby surroundings, which produce some of the best ingredients in the world.
The best examples are sherry, fish and salt and the Vejer restaurant scene is totally in tune with these ingredients.
In addition, just about every bar and restaurant offers wonderful jamón iberico, sliced in front of you and there is some wonderful seafood, including anchovies and cuttlefish.
Of course in season the amazing blue fin tuna is hard to beat and the prized retinto cattle that line the nearby hills are perfect for succulent steaks.
The vegetable gardens of Conil nearby, offer the very best lettuces and tomatoes you could possibly wish for.
These ingredients all make their way into the hands of skilled chefs around the town, many of whom have absorbed their skills in their family kitchen, while equal numbers have come from Madrid, northern Spain and even France.
But, above all, nearly all restaurants and bars in Vejer are family run.
They have chefs who believe that less is more and the perfection of such wonderful local ingredients should be allowed to speak for themselves.
Some of the best restaurants include the charming trio of Califa, Casa Varo and Vera Cruz, the stalwart Trafalgar and Asador Braso de Sancho, while outside of town Gadir, El Toro and Castilleria in Santa Lucia are great.
You might also want to venture up to Hotel Sindhura, Patria and the stunning La Brena in Canos de Meca.
But if you want something a bit different, then dining in Vejer can be one long tapas crawl.
The future for Vejer as a gourmet destination can only get better.
As the demand for top quality food continues – much in part due to the town’s offering of wonderful upmarket boutique hotels – the competition will get stiffer.
This will drive up the standards even more.
So, come to Vejer and find out for yourself…
