El Churrasco

Updated February 2017

el churrasco (1)

El Churrasco was founded by Rafael Carrillo senior and his wife Mari in 1970 as a small mesón specialising in grilled meats with two typical “mojo”-style red and green sauces. It’s come a long way since then, expanding into two patios, a main dining room and tapas area upstairs, and a number of private lounges in different styles. The menu has expanded too, with a few tapas, and a full range of fish, seafood and vegetable dishes, though the original grilled meat and Arabic sauces are still the speciality of the house. The largest dining room is the traditional Cordobés patio on the ground floor, and there are two more dining rooms upstairs, including a patio with a fruiting lemon tree.

The bar area at the front is my favourite place for tapas, with exposed brick pillars and arches, wood beams and tile floors, and fridges displaying the day’s meat and fish selections. It’s also fun to watch the chef in action in front of the grills. Would really like to go back sometime with a small group of friends and do a full-on meat feast.

Romero 16
Córdoba
Tel 957 290 819
€ € € €

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Food 8 | Wine 8 | Service 7 | Ambiance 8

el churrasco atriumel churrasco barthe bar
el churrasco berenjenasfried aubergines with salmorejo and jamón

flamenquín cordobés

el churrasco chorizo grilled chorizo

el churrasco sardinasmoked sardine on toast with guacamole and tomato jam glaze

lomo de orza

el churrasco dining area

el churrasco meatMEAT

rabos de lagartija (“lizard tails” really pork strips in sauce)

el churrasco lamb chops

 lamb chops

el churrasco menu

el churrasco salsas

 las salsas

el churrasco solomillogrilled solomillo

grilled presa Ibérica

el churrasco view to kitchn view into open kitchen

el churrasco nooknook

el churrasco tapas areaupstairs tapas area

el churrasco outside

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Updated February 2017

La Regadera

Updated February 2017


Since my first visit to La Regadera back in 2013… well, I just keep coming back. Now in more spacious digs, just around the corner from the original location, and still very close to both the Mesquita and the Roman Bridge, chef Adrian Caballero continues to serve up delicious Andalusian dishes with his own special twist. First bit of advice – make sure you book (or show up early) as it’s a very popular place that fills up fast. Second, don’t leave without trying the cochinilla (roast suckling pig) and the puntalette “risotto style”. Oh, and that ceviche!

I love the fresh and fanciful décor, with lots of natural light from the street-facing windows. Service is very attentive and helpful. The menu is short but spectacular with an equally good wine list. Also ask about the cocktails…

Ronda de Isasa 10
Córdoba
Tel 957 101 400
€ € € €

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Food 9 | Wine 9 | Service 9 | Ambiance 9

the bar

the Big in Japan gin cocktail

jamón Ibérico croquetas

la regadera codbacalao in tempura with chive sauce and paprika oil

sea bass ceviche with red onion, green apple & lime foam and cilantro

la regadera puntalettepuntalette “risotto style” with boletus and duck confit

la regadera plumaroasted pluma Ibérica de Bellota with smoked potato purée

cochinillo confitado with crispy skin and potato millefeuille au gratin

violet icecream with strawberries, lime crumble, leche merengada

the kitchen

la regadera horario

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Updated February 2017

Mesón Juan Peña


With only four tapas on the menu we were quite limited in our choices as this was meant to be the first stop in a short afternoon tapeo, but in fact both the fried aubergine (blissfully free of treacly cane honey) and stewed cardoon with egg and cumin (a traditional Cordobes recipe) were exceptional. The large dishes being served at neighbouring tables looked very good too. But service was brusque and I definitely felt like I was getting the “tourist treatment”.

Doctor Fleming, 1
957 200 702
€ € €

crispy breaded and fried strips of aubergine

cardoon stewed with cumin (egg added last minute before serving)

Bodegas Campos

Located in a former convent, Bodegas Campos is an institution in Córdoba and, as such, I think I was expecting a bit more. I was certainly expecting tapas in the “taberna” but these turned out to be just four cold items in a display case behind the bar. Opting for the (surprising short) restaurant menu we weren’t disappointed in our choices, though the grilled presa seemed a bit scant for the price. But our waiter José was a gem and lifted our experience from a so-so to a very pleasant one.

The new Pick & Stay next door is basically a food shop and bar featuring COVAP products.

Lineros 32
Tel 957 497 500
Bodegas Campos Website
€ € € €

the taberna

eggs, potatoes and chorizo ibérico

grilled presa (pork) with chips

“dessert” (pedro ximenez montilla)

the restaurant

fab waiter José

Pick & Stay bar