The 10 Best Restaurants in Chiclana de la Frontera

As well as the meat of the very highest quality and its fine fish, broiled over firewood, Molino Playa is well-known for its impeccable interior decor and the careful attention its staff always pay to its customers. The menu comprises dishes that bring tradition and modernism together, typified by the tortillas de camarones (shrimp omelets) and bacalao 'al molino' (salt cod in the house style). As well as its modern yet welcoming dining room inside, Molino Playa also has a magnificent open-air terrace that's perfect for enjoying the excellent climate for which Chiclana de la Frontera is rightly renowned and trying the house specialties at any time of the year. The restaurant is highly recommended to anyone looking for the perfect place for a romantic dinner, so don't miss the chance to visit on your next vacation.

The Michelin-starred Alevante is run by the famous Spanish National Gastronomy Award-winning Chef Ángel León. If you are keen to try something exquisitely different–luxurious, in fact–reserve a table at Alevante and prepare for a genuine sensory experience. This restaurant, which can be found at the 5-star Gran Meliá Sancti Petri hotel, is not exactly cheap. It is nevertheless the perfect place to celebrate a special occasion, of that there can be no doubt. Dishes such as the aceite marino (literally 'marine oil'–extra-virgin olive oil with plankton) caballa en Amarillo (mackerel in Amarillo) and acedía en grenoblesa (wedge sole a la Grenoblesa–with capers, lemon and croutons) will delight all who come to this exceptional restaurant to sample its specialties.

Restaurante Cataria, at the Iberostar Andalucía Playa hotel and a stone's throw from the sea, seeks to delight the senses of all those who visit it. Its specialty is the charcoal-grilled fish and seafood, although it also has its own organic vegetable garden, from which it obtains the excellent produce it uses to prepare its salads and side dishes. Its decor, modern and minimalist, creates a warm and welcoming ambience, which makes lunch or dinner at Cataria an experience for all the senses. This is a 'must-vist' restaurant in Chiclana de la Frontera.

El Campanario's menu not only offers a wide variety of the very finest fish and seafood, but also boasts spectacular views out over the beach. Among the delicacies on offer, special mention should be made of the tataki de atún rojo (flash-seared bluefin tuna tataki), the langostinos de Sanlúcar (locally caught Sanlúcar king prawns) and the arroz de marisco (rice with seafood). El Campanario is a family-friendly restaurant, which is evident in the clientele it attracts: warm and amiable. Everything has that home-cooked feel–especially its cakes! Don't go without trying them–they're delicious.

La Herradura can be found in a very special setting–within the Royal Center Hípica equestrian center. It specializes in meat cooked on hot stones and charcoal-grilled fish and meat, with its menu also featuring traditional dishes that bring together the best the land and sea can offer. The center can organize large-scale events, although it is also perfect for family lunches and romantic dinners. It also has a children's play area where they can play safely and an elegant open-air terrace, perfect for trying one of their excellent cocktails. There can be no doubt, lunch or dinner at La Herradura is a fantastic experience that you won't want to miss if you visit Chiclana de la Frontera.

Chiclana de la Frontera's Restaurante Novomar is the ideal spot for a meal with your family or friends. It specializes in rice dishes and charcoal-grilled meat and has a large, lively open-air terrace for days when the weather is fine, which in Chiclana de la Frontera is most of the time. Everybody who eats here looks forward to returning. The regular clientele heap praise not only on the quality of Novomar's dishes, among which we should mention the seafood paella and the charcoal-grilled meats, but also on the wide variety of delicious tapas on offer and the friendliness of the staff. Without doubt, this is a restaurant you will want to come back to when next in Chiclana de la Frontera if you enjoy authentic Mediterranean cuisine in a beautiful setting near the sea.

Popeye is rightly famous in Chiclana de la Frontera. A lot of time has passed since it first opened for business in 1970, when it was just a log cabin that attracted vacationers and local fishermen in equal numbers. The restaurant serves its exquisite seafood specialties in 4 different dining neighborhoods, each with its own original decor and attention to detail. One is even inspired by a ship's cabin! Eating at Popeye is a real experience. It has become an essential stop for everyone visiting Chiclana de la Frontera, all of whom want to try famous dishes such as dorada a la sal (sea bream baked in salt) or barriga de atún al horno (roast tuna belly). If you want to try the most authentic fish and seafood while on vacation in Chiclana, in a restaurant that prides itself on its helpful, friendly service, don't think twice about reserving a table at Popeye. Who knows, maybe you will meet one of the celebrities who have become regular customers here.

Manuel Aragón's winery is not a restaurant in the strict sense of the word, but we couldn't leave it off our list. The wines of Chiclana de la Frontera are excellent, and this bodega offers guided tours that include a final tasting of the best the winery has to offer, accompanied by excellent tapas prepared from local produce. If you fancy a unique experience during your stay in Chiclana, don't hesitate to reserve a visit to the El Sanatorio bodega. You will undoubtedly leave with a wonderful, unforgettable memory of your visit.

If you want to try the real Cádiz and Andalusian cooking, El Farito is a fantastic choice. Its menu combines traditional dishes with others that are more creative and groundbreaking, all prepared with the local produce of the very highest quality. The restaurant specializes in fish and seafood, above all the atún rojo de almadraba (traditionally caught bluefin tuna), although the menu also features delicious vegetarian and vegan options, as well as a number of gluten-free dishes. Such attention to detail is reflected in the excellent service that the restaurant prides itself in. The reviews of those that eat here all highlight the quality of the food and the size of the portions but especially praise the friendliness and helpfulness of the staff.

Situated in the Bahía de Cádiz natural park, Salinas de Chiclana offers its clientele the very best that the sea can offer. Specializing in fish, seafood and seafood rice dishes, the restaurant also enjoys spectacular views out over the salt flats. As well as its delicious home-cooking prepared with ingredients of the very highest quality, Salinas de Chiclana's menu also features a selection of award-winning tapas, such as lisa de estero con arroz de algas (a local sea bass served with seaweed rice) and salmorejo de remolacha con virutas de dorada (beet salmorejo purée with flaked sea bream). Don't think twice–if you're looking for high-quality, genuinely local food, don't miss out on this restaurant on your next visit to Chiclana.