DINING CAPITAL

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Alberto’s gazpacho sorbet with olive oil ice cream, prawns, ham and free range egg and black pepper was better than I first tried it in 2017. It needs to be stated that Alberto, from Vejer, is a massive supporter of local Cadiz wines, with no less than seven whites and nine reds coming from the province. Oh and his choice of sherries by the glass is the best in town. “One has to support one’s region,” he insists, pouring me a glass of Sancha Perez, a pleasant flinty white made just outside Vejer using Palomino and Pedro Ximenez grapes. Next up is the grandfather of restaurants, the Jardin de Califa (www.califavejer.com), which has become a genuine foodie pilgrimage over the last decade. garimbasur.com) across the square.

The highlight of any culinary journey to the Costa de la Luz, its history goes back to the late 1990s when Scottish expat, James Stuart, decided to open a hotel and eventually rival to the hip restaurant Trafalgar just across the main square.

Reached through the labyrinthine corridors of his 16th century Califa hotel, its romantic palm courtyard is enclosed by ancient walls and is lit with Moroccan lamps after dark.

If you aren’t hypnotized by the scent of frangipani, jasmine and incense, the heavenly menu is crammed full of flavours from the Middle East and north Africa.

Created by a multicultural kitchen, the freshest dishes imaginable include pastela filled with chicken, almonds and cinnamon, baba ganoush and shish taouk. Service is always second to none, and the ambience is very much part of the set up.

If you can’t get a table here, try the excellent Garimba (www.

One of the most charming places to eat in southern Spain, Plaza de Espana is always a hive of activity, so you might expect the food to be a little flat. Not at all, the excellent range of dishes including prawn pil pil and partridge salad, are fresh and excellent plates to share.

Run by father and daughter team of Javier and Claudia, both from Madrid, the place is organised, friendly and usually busy.

Califa Tapas, just up the road on Calle Corredera, is another good spot to eat with some of the best views in Cadiz. The menu is also good with a special mix of dishes. Next door, you must also definitely try Corredera 55, which is the highly-rated and constantly evolving restaurant of Stuart’s wife Ellie Cormie.

Having run a series of restaurants in Asturias and Scotland - some with Michelin stars - she has created a true gem with this joint, that also counts on lovely views. The menu changes regularly and it is easily in the top 3 best in the town.

Another brilliant choice is Taperia Sumia, which also has a great outdoor terrace on Calle Corredera.

Moroccan Anne Soumia has done an excellent job bringing this place back to life serving up an excellent north African-inspired menu, including delicious cuttlefish croquettes and excellent lemon chicken, with potatoes and an olive tagine. The inside cave dining room is a wonderful choice for hot or rainy days.

Staying with a Moroccan fla- vour, you might want to check out Fez, the latest restaurant opened by the Califa group, also up in the heart of the old town.

A simple joint with an easy philosophy, it combines a clear love of the country

Last but not least, meat lovers must certainly look out for the fabulous Castilleria (www. restaurantecastilleria.com), in the idyllic hamlet of Santa Lucia.

This wonderful restaurant sits in a leafy garden offering up the best steaks available in Spain. Broken down into the different types of meat, there are literally dozens of cuts from eight months to 11 years old.

Tasty Tarifa

The most up-and-coming place to eat on the Costa de la Luz though is Tarifa, which is finally developing a competitive food scene.

There has been a real improvement in quality over the last few years as the town edges closer to competing with Vejer. There are some excellent new places here, in particular, Merkado 27, which has just opened up on the main drag Calle Santisima Trinidad in the heart of town.

A great menu with a nice mix of starters, salads and mains, I particularly like the croquettes of ‘cecina’ with pesto, while the artichokes (below) were was delicious served with rocket on top.

Other exciting places are MicMoc, Silos 19 and La Morena, which has a sister joint in

NAPOLITANO: Chef at Trattoria in Tarifa

Madrid and recently opened in a hidden square in the heart of the old town.

I also love Almacen %, where Georgina leads her kitchen team with an iron fist, pushing out some of the freshest dishes in the town.

Overlooking the port it has a lovely feel to it and the staff are excellent, very attentive and friendly.

Looking for a good Italian?

America,” explains Xavi, a former snowboard champion, who’s been cooking in Tarifa for years.

He brought in a team from Napoli to build his bespoke pizza oven

Trattoria (www. latrattoriatarifa. com) on Calle Santisima Trinidad, gets better by the year.

Run by sharp-eyed Napolitano Luciano Fabricio, a genuine foodie, who has a number of restaurants, his Pizzeria has recently won an award from the Verace Pizza Napoletana quality mark - the only one in Cadiz province.

No surprises, he brought in a team from Napoli to build his pizza oven and he only uses soft homemade dough with slow fermentation.

Up the road check out Lima, which has a wonderful leafy terrace and describes its food as ‘multicultural comida’, that’s to say a mix of everything good.

“We’ve got dishes from all around Europe and South

TOP TERRACE: Mercado 27 and (below) Almacen%

Heading out of Tarifa up the coast road, look out for Pacha Mama (www.pachamamatarifa.com), which is an institution that can feed up to 1000 people a day in the heart of summer. And not just churning it out.

Owner Luciano (who also owns Trattoria) is a big fan of Italy’s Slow Food Movement and he insists on the best free range meats, from top breeds, including Simental, Holstein and Galician Blonde.

“All our steaks come from cows at least five years old and fed naturally with grass from the field,” he tells me. “This is the only way to impregnate the fat with that characteristic aroma of grass and milk.”

The restaurant sits in a wonderful sheltered garden, with plenty of shade and an excellent pool for the kids to play in. Also along this stretch of coast look out for the famous Hurricane Hotel and its superb lunch buffet and now romantic restaurant set up in the garden.

An institution that has gone up and down in quality over the years, right now it is heading to another peak, with its herb and vegetable garden full to burst and with a team of keen chefs at the helm. You must also look out for the El Jardin restaurant at the Punta Sur hotel (see feature), which is an amazing place to chill out and eat incredibly well.