Updated March 2019
Trust me to go to a Spanish coastal city famous for its fabulous seafood and end up loving this place for its amazing MEAT dishes. One of the best known and most popular bars in Cádiz, Cumbres Mayores, just off the Plaza Mina, is traditional in both style and cuisine, but with more meat and less fish than is typical in Cádiz. It’s all about the pig here, and often unusual cuts (see “pig parts” photo below). We stop in as often as possible during our visits to Cádiz and we are never disappointed. In fact, I wish somewhere like Cumbres Mayores existed in Sevilla.
Aside from the cosy tapas bar area that greets you when you walk in, there are also a couple of dining rooms for sit-down meals, but my favourite place is at the bar, preferably in front of the jamón leg beer taps. It’s often super-crowded but just grab a drink and hang around awhile and you’ll usually be rewarded with a couple of bar seats. The tapas are very good and very reasonably priced, and the service is terrific. Favourites included the pork abanico Ibérico in PX sauce, which is honestly worth going to Cádiz for, grilled secreto (you can also get it breaded and deep-fried!) and the presa al ajillo. They also offer a special parrillada para dos (grilled meat for two) but I think it’s more fun to just order the tapas and share them with a friend.
Zorrilla, 4
Cádiz
Tel 956 21 32 70
€ € €
Food 8 | Wine 8 | Service 8| Ambiance 8
stewed pluma Ibérica
carrillada Ibérica (pork cheeks)
churrasco a la parrilla
grilled chorizo criollo
secreto Ibérico
breaded secreto Ibérico
garlicky grilled presa Ibérica
albóndigas en salsa
stewed pork tongue
flamenquín
grilled paleta Ibérica
tender stewed abanico Ibérico in PX sauce
grilled presa Ibérica
Alfonso pouring beers
bar area
dining area
pig parts
Best. Beertaps. Ever.
Updated March 2019
amontillado and manzanilla fina
olorosos
amontillado fino
owner Pepe
venenciador
Cantabrian anchovy and jamón Iberico
chalkboard menu
Andreea, Soraya & Ana
complimentary starter of lentils and chorizo
almond encrusted Iberian pork with potato purée and almond sauce
the crujiente Ibérico sliced open
huevos a la flamenca
toasted country bread with garlic olive oil, fresh tomato and jamón
scrambled eggs (revuelto) with bacalao and red peppers
gambas “de la casa” with onions, green peppers, jamón
presa Ibérica with jamón and frites
chef Borja (right) with his family
the bar
cazón in adobo (marinated dogfish) and chocos (cuttlefish)
los fritos
puntillitas (tiny squid)
there’s a second location on the causeway,
take-away section
entrance
open kitchen
jamón and setas croquetas
tuna tempura with tomato, parmesan & oregano sauce
chicharrones de Cádiz with cheese and sun-dried tomatoes
mixed green salad with tempura sardines, parmesan,
veggie tempura with soy mayo
wagyu burger
grilled beef platter
Santiago, Pejie, co-owneres Carmen & Victor, Carmen, Lourdes
window seat
dining area
Sunday diners
marinated sardines on toast
chocos fritos (fried cuttlefish)
pargo & bacaloa croquettes
king prawns in crispy pastry
pavía de bacalao with wasabi over quince creme
pavía on plate
tortillitas de camarones
judiones with smoked fish
cervecitas!
cutting up chicharrones
fried chicharrones and sherry
chicharrones “especial” with sea salt and fresh lemon juice
wish you could taste these…
seriously good…
morcilla de higado (liver black pudding)
longaniza (chorizo) picante
butifarraaaaa!
tuna and tomato montadito
superb mojama (air cured tuna)
exquisite “carne al horno”
Cantabrian anchoas
cutting up a jamón
Nelson Manteca
Antonio selling camarones, whelks and ostrones
