<![CDATA[Fascinating Spain :: Latest News - La Rioja]]> https://www.fascinatingspain.com/ Wed, 01 Jul 2026 09:11:13 +0200 hourly 1 https://www.opennemas.com <![CDATA[Fascinating Spain :: Latest News - La Rioja]]> https://www.fascinatingspain.com/media/fascinatingspain/images/2024/12/24/2024122410321173694.png https://www.fascinatingspain.com/ <![CDATA[Eating in Arnedo]]> https://www.fascinatingspain.com/articulo/where-to-eat-in-rioja/eating-in-arnedo/20180719101655069369.html https://www.fascinatingspain.com/articulo/where-to-eat-in-rioja/eating-in-arnedo/20180719101655069369.html#comentarios-69369 https://www.fascinatingspain.com/articulo/where-to-eat-in-rioja/eating-in-arnedo/20180719101655069369.html Thu, 19 Jul 2018 10:16:55 +0200

Eating in Arnedo

Arnedo is a town in the province of La Rioja, which is famous for its footwear and its rich architectural heritage. However, it is also known for its food. The variety of typical foods this town offers might surprise you, whether you’re looking for tapas or an a la carte experience. In this article, we’ll tell you about the best restaurants and bars in Arnedo. The pastries in this town are also delicious, so we recommend trying some yourself and then taking some home to surprise your friends and family. Interested?

What to Eat in Arnedo

The city of Arnedo has an attractive culinary tradition that is supported by the orchard of the Cidacos River. Popular foods in Arnedo are vegetables like borage, thistles, peppers, cauliflower with an I.G.P. of Calahorra, and I.G.P. Asparagus of Navarra. You can eat them separately with a bit of potatoes and D.O. Rioja olive oil, or you can eat them together in a vegetable stew, which is very popular in Arnedo. The sweet garlic is also popular. Its biggest day is on Jueves Santos during the Festival del Ajo Asado (Festival of Roasted Garlic). Poached beans are the most common legumes in the local orchard, and they make up the base of many plates with meats like quail or rabbit. Some of the typical dishes you can expect to find on the menus in Arnedo are garlic soup, cod a la Riojana, suckling pig, and grilled lamb chops.
The town is also one of the few producers of D.O.P. Queso Carmerano. After lunch or dinner, you can head to one of the top-notch confectionaries in the town. We recommend trying the fardelejos, which are Muslim sweets made with puff pastry stuffed with almond dough, eggs, and butter. These sweets are very popular during the festival of Robo de los Santos. All of these specialties can be accompanied by one of the D.O. Rioja wines, which are made in local wineries.

Bar and Tapas Scene

Eating tapas is a great option in Arnedo, a town with ample bars from which to choose. We recommend El Giro, Hugo (where you can find a wide variety of simple, flavorful pinchos and bocadillos), and La Cepa Joven (where you can have tapas or a delicious vegetable stew).

Another place to look for is the Gastrobar Victoria, where you’ll find not only delicious tapas, but a wide variety of top-notch larger plates as well.

Gastrobar Victoria
La Cepa Joven

A La Carte

There are many options when it comes to eating in Arnedo. Picabea is a restaurant that specializes in traditional Riojan cuisine. It offers a menu composed of dishes based in fresh, good-quality products. You can also find tapas and rations in this restaurant. Sopitas is one of the most popular restaurants in Arnedo. Its kitchen is essentially traditional, but they have introduced contemporary elements in the cooking and presentation of their dishes, which are always beautiful. The hotel Virrey is a great restaurant that specializes in seasonal vegetables and other classic dishes that come from the Riojan cuisine imagination. It also has plenty of rooms, so you can celebrate any type of big event, whether is it for family and friends, or business. Victoria is another restaurant to keep in mind when eating in Arnedo not only for the good-quality ingredients it uses, but also for its service and the attractive and creative dishes they serve.
Restaurante Sopitas
Picabea

]]> <![CDATA[Eating in Nájera]]> https://www.fascinatingspain.com/articulo/where-to-eat-in-rioja/eating-in-najera/20180717110355069367.html https://www.fascinatingspain.com/articulo/where-to-eat-in-rioja/eating-in-najera/20180717110355069367.html#comentarios-69367 https://www.fascinatingspain.com/articulo/where-to-eat-in-rioja/eating-in-najera/20180717110355069367.html Tue, 17 Jul 2018 11:03:55 +0200

Eating in Nájera

Taking a walk around Nájera’s historic district and around the river is never a bad idea. This beautiful town is known for its luscious pastures full of sheep, so one would be remiss to turn down one of the typical dishes prepared with lamb. The chulelitas (lamb chops) are particularly delicious! On the other hand, as is common in most of La Rioja, many of its dishes are based in food produced from orchards. We recommend trying a vegetable stew while in Nájera. Its flavor will be incredible.

What to Eat in Nájera

There are a lot of good things to eat in Nájera, which is a city that considers its cuisine to be one of its main attractions. As in other places in La Rioja, many of its stoves are filled with vegetables form the orchards and meat from local pastures. The artichokes, peas, asparagus, and cauliflower can be eaten by themselves, cooked in Aceite de La Rioja (olive oil from La Rioja) with a D.O.P., or they can be eaten as part of the traditional menestras de verduras (vegetable stew). Other products that come from the local orchards are used for making dishes such as pimientos rellenos (stuffed peppers) that are made with Pimientos Riojanos (peppers from La Rioja) with an I.G.P., or the patatas a la riojana (potatoes from La Rioja).The legumes, among which stands out the alubio pocha, are used in cooking stews that are usually accompanied by quail or rabbit. When it comes to meat, pork cold cuts, baked lamb, and ribs grilled on embers are the main specialties of the city. In the local restaurants, you can also try other La Rioja specialties like snails and cod, which should always be accompanied by wine from one of the wineries that lives within the city. In June, the city celebrates Las Vueltas de San Juan, which serves as a perfect opportunity to experience first hand all that there is to eat in Nájera.
Cordero al horno
Bacalao a la riojana

The Tapas and Bar Scene

There are a few good places to eat tapas in Nájera. Los Parrales is one of these. Located on the main street in Nájera, it offers a wide variety of pinchos. We recommend ordering their “cua” (duck magret with walnuts, foie and carmelized apples, with a Riojan raisin reduction). Delicious!

Royalty is another restaurant to consider eating at in Nájera. It is a small place that cooks typical Riojan dishes that are made in-house with the best ingredients. The tapas are great, and they’ll please everyone.

Royalty
Los Parrales

A La Carte

When it comes time to eat in Nájera, you’ll find a solid offering of good-quality restaurants with great culinary reputations. Los Parrales is a family-owned restaurant that has been around for forever, and it has the best traditional Riojan kitchen combined with other, more contemporary fusion dishes. It offers a menú del día, a regular menu, and various specials: tasting menu, casseroles, and tapas and rations.

The restaurant Asador El Trinquete is another establishment that we recommend for eating in Nájera. It is a place that specializes in grilled food where you can also find a menu made up of dishes you can find in every local house’s cookbooks. Its bar offers a wide variety of skewers and casseroles.

If you want to leave your meal with a very full stomach, then we recommend El Buen Yantar. All their dishes are homemade from trustworthy, local ingredients. They offer a highly-rated menú del día, and the price is very fair.

If what you’re looking for is a place that specializes in hosting big banquets like weddings, communions, and other similar events, Fabian’s is the place to go.

 

El Buen Yantar
Los Parrales

]]> <![CDATA[Eating in Alfaro]]> https://www.fascinatingspain.com/articulo/where-to-eat-in-rioja/eating-in-alfaro/20180628154752069366.html https://www.fascinatingspain.com/articulo/where-to-eat-in-rioja/eating-in-alfaro/20180628154752069366.html#comentarios-69366 https://www.fascinatingspain.com/articulo/where-to-eat-in-rioja/eating-in-alfaro/20180628154752069366.html Thu, 28 Jun 2018 15:47:52 +0200

Eating in Alfaro

We are in the easternmost town of the La Rioja province, a region famous for its storks, its great monument group, and the quality of its food products. What is something that you can’t miss when you eat in Alfaro? Stuffed peppers and lamb are a good start. The restaurants tend to serve more individual plates instead of tapas, but there are some bars where you can stand at the bar and order everything in small portions.

What to Eat in Alfaro

The nearby Ebro River makes Alfaro’s orchards and groves perfect for producing their natural delicacies, which are some of the main culinary attractions of the city. Between the fruits and vegetables harvested from these groves and orchards, the pears with sa D.O.P. Rincón de Soto, the thistle, the borage, the artichoke, the Rioja pepper with an I.G.P., the green bean, the cauliflower with an I.G.P. of Calahorra, and the asparagus, associated with the I.G.P. asparagus of Navarra, stand out the most. These products, which are very popular in Alfaro, serve as the base for many traditional dishes from Alfaro, such as stews, or the stuffed peppers. When it comes to meat, Alfaro is a good place to enjoy the Riojan specialties of suckling lamb and Sarmiento ribs.
On Jueves Lardero (Fat Thursday), it is typical to eat culeca, a bun stuffed with chorizo and egg. This culinary festival, which extends into the province of Zaragoza, is celebrated every year after the Slaughter of the Pig and before Lent. The caracolijas are another classic recipe of Alfaro. This is a snail stew with a sauce made from tomatoes, ham, chorizo, onion, and olive oil. Another local product that stands out is the pasteles rusos (Russian cakes), a sweet with a base of butter, eggs, and flour. Alfaro even has its own mill that produces olive oil with a D.O. Aceite de la Rioja and various wineries covered by the D.O. La Rioja.

The Bar and Tapas Scene

Eating tapas in Alfaro is an option thanks to a few bars like Los Faroles, a bar with delicious tapas and drinks.

Casa Montini is another great place to enjoy the best tapas. It always impresses with its big ham and cheese board and the large variety of wines on its menu.

Los Faroles
Casa Montini

A La Carte

There are many top-notch options when it comes to eating in Alfaro. La Cocina de Clotilde is a restaurant that uses fresh products of the season from the orchards around the town when making their food. However, they also make sure to deliver the best cuts of game meat. We recommend their stuffed peppers. Enjoy!

Another place that we recommend is the restaurant Asador San Roque, a long-standing establishment specializing in traditional Riojan cuisine. It has an appetizing tourist menu and enough room to host weddings, communions, and other such events.

The restaurant in the Hotel Palacios offers a menu specializing in roots, using fresh products from local farmers. It also has a great daily menu. In addition, it has the experience and the space necessary for celebrating events of every kind, whether it’s with friends and family or for business.

La Cocina de Clotilde
Asador San Roque

]]> <![CDATA[Eating in Santo Domingo de la Calzada]]> https://www.fascinatingspain.com/articulo/where-to-eat-in-rioja/where-to-eat-in-santo-domingo-de-la-calzada/20170523210714069106.html https://www.fascinatingspain.com/articulo/where-to-eat-in-rioja/where-to-eat-in-santo-domingo-de-la-calzada/20170523210714069106.html#comentarios-69106 https://www.fascinatingspain.com/articulo/where-to-eat-in-rioja/where-to-eat-in-santo-domingo-de-la-calzada/20170523210714069106.html Tue, 23 May 2017 21:07:14 +0200

Eating in Santo Domingo de la Calzada

Santo Domingo de la Calzada is one of the mandatory stops of the Way to Santiago. It was founded by the man that has the same name as it, with the intention to help the pilgrims on the Jacobean route. What should you eat in Santo Domingo de la Calzada? The best are the legumes and vegetables that come from the local vegetable gardens and have an amazing flavor. The stuffed peppers and the cod a la riojana are excellent. If you decide to eat in Santo Domingo de la Calzada, here you will find what dishes you should order and what the best places to eat at are.

What to eat in Santo Domingo de la Calzada

Santo Domingo de la Calzada, one of the main stops of the Way to Sangiago, has many cultural, patrimonial and gastronomic attractions. The kitchens of the local restaurants are familiar with the traditional recipes of La Rioja. Vegetable menestras, legumes stews, chuletas al sarmiento, roasted lamb, stuffed pepers, cod a la riojana and some other classic dishes form the menus of the village and are very popular when eating in Santo Domingo de la Calzada.
The ingredients that are used for the dishes come from the local vegetable gardens and ranching. They are always quality ones and it is recommendable to serve them along with some wine from La Rioja. One of the most famous product of the municipality is the Camerano cheese with D.O.P.. The ahorcaditos are the typical sweet of the region: puff pastry stuffed with almond cream, inspired on the famous miracle of the cock and the chicken.

The gastronomy is also related to some festivities. During the Fiestas del Santo some muffin breads are distributed. They are known as Pan del Santo. During the Gracias and Hermosillas a contest of potatoes a la riojana is celebrated.

Tapas

There are a lot of nice places to eat tapas in Santo Domingo de la Calzada. Arcaya is one of them. Apart from an excellent service, a huge variety of delicious starters and tapas is offered. The morcilla (blood sausage) pinchos are delicious.

You can also enjoy a good tapeo in Gastromesón del Restaurante los Caballeros. The vegetables and Serrano ham toast will leave you speechless.

You will find some of the best potatoes a la riojana in the restaurant Hidalgo. Another option you should have in mind is El Marquesito. Its outdoors terrace is perfect to enjoy some tapas and other delicious homemade dishes.

Tapa Gastromeson del Restaurante Los Caballeros
El Marquesito

A la carte

There are many options of places to eat in Santo Domingo de la Calzada. The restaurant Los Caballeros is one of the most popular establishments in town. Its cuisine is based on the classic recipes from La Rioja, especially on roasted meats and cod, cooked in different ways.

La Cancela is a restaurant located close to the cathedral. It serves good cuisine from La Rioja, using fresh, seasonal products.

La Gallina que Cantó is a classic in Santo Domingo de la Calzada, a restaurant specialized in roasted meats that also serves many other recipes from the tradition of La Rioja. It has a daily menu and a counter that presents a selection of tapas.

Restaurante Los Caballeros
La Cancela

]]> <![CDATA[Eating in Logroño]]> https://www.fascinatingspain.com/articulo/where-to-eat-in-rioja/where-to-eat-in-logrono/20170523210711069105.html https://www.fascinatingspain.com/articulo/where-to-eat-in-rioja/where-to-eat-in-logrono/20170523210711069105.html#comentarios-69105 https://www.fascinatingspain.com/articulo/where-to-eat-in-rioja/where-to-eat-in-logrono/20170523210711069105.html Tue, 23 May 2017 21:07:11 +0200

Eating in Logroño

The capital of La Rioja is the meeting point of the wine tourism. Eating in Logroño is always a great choice. The variety of traditional dishes will susprise you if you look for a la carte food or just for a simple tapeo. If you want to enjoy a miniature cooking, the streets Laural and San Juan are the main places in town. Here, we will give you some recommendations of the most popular recipes in town and suggest you a selection of restaurants and bars to eat in Logroño.

What to eat in Logroño

Logroño is a gastronomic town. From the most contemporary restaurants to the most traditional ones, passing by the bars of the famous "Senda de los Elefantes", the cuisine here is a complete catalogue of the gastronomy from La Rioja. The popularity of everything there is to eat in Logroño is well deserved: it was chosen as the Capital of the Spanish Gastronomy in 2012. Any dish of the recipes from La Rioja will be present in the restaurants and bars from Logroño.
With the vegetable garden products many different dishes are prepared, such as the menestra, the potatoes a la riojana, stuffed peppers (with I.G.P Pimiento Riojano), stews made of bud or other legumes... These vegetables are also cooked by themselves, with potatoes and oil D.O.P. Rioja, produced in the city. The cow meat, lamb or pork is usually roasted, grilled or eaten as the traditional embutidos (sausage). Logroño has many different wineries where the wine D.O.Ca Rioja is made, and other types that are the base to the wine local tourism, apart from the Cava with D.O.. One of the main attractions of Logroño are its bars and tapas. The streets of Laurel and San Juan (that together form the "Senda de los Elefantes") are the places with the biggest concentration of tapas bars. This city is a national reference, and it is especially alive during the celebrations of San Mateo. Eating in Logroño will be a pleasure!

Tapas

Eating in Logroño is a complete celebration, specially speaking of tapas. As we have said before, the main region to enjoy some tapas is located between the streets Laurel and San Juan, both full of great bars. The Bar Soriano is a great place to eat in Logroño. If you like mushrooms, this is a mandatory stop. Attention! This place is always packed, so we recommend you not to go during their busiest hours.

El 19 is a good restaurant if you are looking for tapas and also from something a la carte. The great variety of pinchos will make you have a hard time when choosing what to eat. The one of elver with ham is our favorite.

Torres Gastrobar is another excellent place. Without a doubt, their best tapa is the pincho de cobe, but the stuffed eggplant and the cod are also delicious.

From Blanco y Negro we recommend the famous goat cheese pie with ham and raspberry; from Juan y Pínchame the popular brochette with shrimp and pineapple. Tastavin has one of the most attractive counters in San Juan. Finally, we must not forget about Los Rotos, one of the classics of the town.

El 19
Blanco y Negro

A la carte

There are a lot of places to eat in Logroño. One of the best restaurants in town is El 19. It is pecialized in traditional food made with quality products.

La Galería is a restaurant that makes a creative cuisine always paying attention to the fresh seasonal products that are locally produced. They have a lot of different wines you can choose, many of them with denomination of origin.

The restaurant Taberna Herrerías is another recommendable place to go to in Logroño due to its attractive seasonal menu that is based on local vegetable garden products. The restaurant has three floors that allow small and big groups to eat in it.

Cachetero is a traditional restaurant where the typical dishes are combined with contemporary touches. It organizes events and gastronomic journeys. The specialty of the restaurant Mesón Egüés are the grilled meats, and the rest of its offer is composed by fish and traditional recipes from La Rioja.

If you are eating in Logroño, we recommend you La Cocina de Ramón because it is one of the most popular places. Here, many classic recipes are cooked, but some other innovative touches are usually added to the presentation of the dishes. They have many different menus and they also participate in several gastronomic journeys.

If you are looking for a place that is specialized in the organization of banquets for wedding and other similar events, the restaurant Delicatto is the perfect place for you.

La Cocina de Ramón
Restaurante Mesón Egüés

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