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IT has been well known for its local wines since the days of Shakespeare, and indeed well before, but now Jerez de la Frontera’s celebrated sherries are being poured alongside a food scene that has truly come into its own.
If Falstaff once regaled sherry as bringing good ‘humor’, today he would no doubt wax lyrical about the wonderful mix of Andaluz flavours meeting contemporary creativity in the city.
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From Michelin-star restaurants to spit and sawdust ‘tabancos’, the ancient city’s exceptional food and wine have rightly earned it the title of Spain’s Gastronomy Capital, this year.
Whether you’re after luxury dining or the charming local tapas, you’ll find it in Jerez.
Here are some of the city’s must-visit drinking and dining experiences.
Loving Lu – the local stars
Jerez’s standout dining experience easily belongs to the double Michelin-starred Lu which offers a world-beating top-tier experience for its diners.
Sitting behind an unassuming door in the heart of town, it opens out into a funky interior reminiscent of something like Studio 64 in New York.
You choose from two tasting menus and are taken on a journey through Andalucia’s gastronomical history seeing its dishes prepared before your very eyes. This thanks to an open kitchen in which chefs wander around preparing classics like omelette and gazpacho, all of course with a twist.
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The Olive Press loved the reinvention of these historic plates: using French-inspired recipes and Huelva-sourced seafood to create things like a one-bite blue fin tuna sandwich.
One of the most intriguing parts of the meal focused on Spain’s 19th century Gañanías, the lodgings that rural workers stayed in, ate in and centered their social lives around.
It meant eating five special dishes, all with a twist, that were eaten back in the day.
We had the wine pairing experience which featured an ‘orange wine’ made from the local Palomino Fino grape. There was a new wine for each course – including a wonderful ‘Mosto’, which is exclusive to Lu, poured from a ceramic flask.
Well worthy of note was the wooden trolley that came out with a feast of home-made organic bread and delicious butter delivered from Normandy weekly and mixed with Lu’s own ‘secret’ ingredients. It serves as the best example of how chef Juanlu Fernandez – or Lu for short – has transformed traditional dishes into flavour packed bombshells.
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Lu fell in love with cooking through watching his grandmother in the kitchen. The sauce on the restaurant’s pork dish is based on her recipe.
Our pastry chef for the night, Patri, explained that the ‘mandarins from this citrus-themed course are taken from Lu’s very own back garden’.
Soon after eating this sweet course, diners’ journeys come to a close with a tower of bitesize pastries, sponges and truffles.
Before we left we were handed postcards that detailed each course we had eaten, a memento from a meal we will definitely not forget.
While we didn’t have time to make it this time, we heard lots of good things about Mantua, which won its first and, so far, only star in 2019. We certainly will next time.
But, in the interests of keeping our readers informed, Israel Ramos, is from Jerez, having trained locally in Cadiz.
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Tapas heaven
While Lu may be stealing much of the limelight, these days, the city’s many low key tapas spots shine just as brightly.
Take Arima Gastrobar, in a charming cobbled street, opened by Alejandro Bazan and Mariana Sanches in 2024. Serving tapas and sharing plates, the restaurant delivers quality food crafted with fresh ingredients.
We particularly loved the anchovies on toasted brioche, while the pavlova as a pudding is a real crowd pleaser.
Arima’s extensive wine list includes Jerez’s famous sherries which go down a treat.
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Nearby, look out for Aje Bar which Javier Vadillo recently opened after spending a decade in the Basque Country.
The restaurant’s pickled foods, fermented preserves and salted fish are all made on-site and displayed for customers to see.
Paired with fresh produce, these ingredients come together to create delightful plates designed to be shared among friends.
Albarize en las Venas is another perfect place to enjoy the local wines alongside a range of great snacks.
The staff are very friendly and have good advice on the huge numbers of wines available.
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Night owls
Those searching for evening entertainment should make their way to Tabanco el Pasaje, a unique space that has been serving wine since 1925.
All ages can enjoy the venue’s flamenco performances and older viewers can try its sherry and ‘Mosto’.
A red flag hangs outside the bar during ‘Mosto’ season so if spotted it’s the best time of year to head inside and try the traditional drink.
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