Rick Steves' Europe: Eating in Toledo

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Eating in Toledo

And for Dessert: Mazapán

Toledo's famous almond-fruity-sweet mazapán is sold all over town. Locals say the best is made by Santo Tomé (several outlets, including a handy one on Plaza Zocódover, daily 9:00-22:22). Browse their tempting window displays. They sell mazapán goodies individually (2 for about €1, sin relleno (without filling) is for purists, de piñon has pine nuts, imperiales is with almonds, others have fruit fillings) or in small mixed boxes. Their Toledanas is a crumbly cookie favorite with a subtle thread of pumpkin filling.

For a sweet and romantic evening moment, pick up a few pastries and head down to the cathedral. Sit on the Plaza Ayuntamiento's benches (or stretch out on the stone wall to the right of the TI). The fountain is on your right, Spain's best-looking city hall is behind you, and there before you: her top cathedral, built back when Toledo was Spain's capital, shining brightly against the black night sky.

Dining in Traditional Elegance

A day full of El Greco and the romance of Toledo after dark puts me in the mood for game. Typical Toledo dishes include partridge (perdiz), venison (venado), wild boar (jabalí), roast suckling pig (cochinillo asado), or baby lamb (cordero) similarly roasted after a few weeks of mother's milk. After dinner, find a mazapán place (such as Santo Tomé) for dessert.

Los Cuatro Tiempos Restaurante specializes in local game and roasts, proficiently served in a tasteful and elegant setting (€18 set menu lunches, €25-€30 à la carte dinners, daily 13:30-16:00 & 20:30-23:00, at downhill corner of cathedral at Sixto Ramón Parro 5, tel. 925-223-782).

Toledo's three Casa Aurelio restaurants all offer traditional cooking (game, roast suckling pig, traditional soup), with a classy atmosphere more memorable than the meals (13:00-16:30 & 20:00-23:30, 2 closed Sun night, each closed either Mon, Tue, or Wed, air-con). All are within three blocks of the cathedral: Plaza Ayuntamiento 4 is festive (tel. 925-227-716), Sinagoga 6 is most típico (tel. 925-222-097), and Sinagoga 1 is the newest and dressiest, with a wine cellar (popular with Toledo's political class, tel. 925-221-392).

Restaurante Casón López de Toledo , a fancy restaurant located in an old noble palace, specializes in Castilian food, particularly venison and partridge. Its character unfolds upstairs (€18 meals, Mon-Sat 13:30-16:00 & 20:30-23:30, closed Sun, Calle Sillería 3, near Plaza Zocódover, tel. 925-254-774).

Hostal del Cardenal Restaurante , a classic hotel restaurant near the Bisagra Gate at the bottom of town, is understandably popular with tourists for its decent traditional roast dishes (daily 13:00-16:00 & 20:30-23:30, Puerto de Recaredo 24, tel. 925-220-862).

For a splurge near the Santa Tomé sights, consider the classy La Perdiz , which offers partridge (as the restaurant's name suggests), venison, suckling pig, fish, and more (Tue-Sat 13:00-16:00 & 20:00-23:00, closes Sun about 16:00, closed Mon and first half of Aug, Calle de los Reyes Católicos 7, tel. 925-214-658).

Eating Simply but Well

Restaurante-Mesón Palacios serves good regional food at reasonable prices in a warm and friendly atmosphere. Their judías con perdiz (bean soup with partridge) and pimientos de piquillo rellenos de pescado (fish-stuffed peppers) are the most popular appetizers among locals (Mon-Sat from 13:00 and from 19:30, closed Sun, Alfonso X 3, near Plaza de San Vicente, tel. 925-215-972, Jesús is appropriately friendly).

Rincón de Eloy is bright, modern, and a cool refuge for lunch on a hot day (€9.50 menu , Mon-Sat 13:00-16:00 & 20:00-22:30, closed Sun night, air-con, Juan Labrador 10, near Alcázar, tel. 925-229-399).

Bar Cervecería Gambrinus is a good tapas bar (try their local veal stew carcamusas in small frying pans). Restaurant seating is available in its leafy courtyard or in the more elegant upstairs area (daily 9:00-24:00, near Santo Tomé at Santo Tomé 10, tel. 925-214-440).

Restaurant La Parrilla is on a tiny square behind Plaza Zocódover (facing the Casa Telesforo on Plaza Zocódover, go left down alley 30 yards to Plaza de Barrio Rey). The bars and cafés on Plaza Zocódover are reasonable, seasoned with some fine people-watching.

At Taverna de Amboades , a humble but earnest wine-and-tapas bar near the Bisagra Gate, expert Miguel Angel enjoys explaining the differences among Spanish wines. To try some really good wines with quality local cheese and meat, drop by and let Miguel impress you (2 quality wines and a plate of cheese and meat for €7, Tue-Sat 19:30-24:00, also Thu-Sun 12:30-16:00, closed Mon, Alfonso VI 5, mobile 678-483-749).

Pizzeria Pastucci is the local favorite for pizza (Tue-Sun 12:00-16:00 & 19:00-24:00, closed Mon, near cathedral at Calle de la Sinagoga 10).

Picnics are best assembled at the Mercado Municipal on Plaza Mayor (on the Alcázar side of cathedral, with a supermarket inside open Mon-Sat 9:00-20:00 and stalls open mostly in the mornings until 14:00, closed Sun). This is a fun market to prowl, even if you don't need food. If you feel like munching a paper-plate-size Communion wafer, one of the stalls sells crispy bags of obleas — a great gift for your favorite pastor.