Restaurants in ANTEQUERA
True gourmet (Michelin Star) dining is not available yet in restaurants in Antequera.
This may change with the evolving tourism profile of the city, and it’s surrounds.
But there are some very nice eating experiences to be had, in a range of ambiences.
Wine lists too, have become more interesting over the last few years. Spain boasts some wonderful wines, many of which are available in Antequera, and represent marvellous value for money when on holiday here.
(See the section Drinking Wine in Antequera for a description of Spanish wines that are purchasable in Antequera).
The restaurant recommendations below are a guide only, to save you time whilst on holiday. Everyone leaves with their own personal favourite. It may not be on this list.
Restaurante Leila
Plaza San Sebastian 1. (Click here to open in Maps)
Centrally located, with terrace and interior dining.
Amongst the restaurants in Antequera Leila’s terrace is probably the best place for ‘people watching’!
The Plaza San Sebastian, too, is a very attractive spot.
The interior of the restaurant is quite stylish, with muted background music. It is usually well air conditioned in the summer. There is also a small bar area for drinks and limited tapas.
The menu is more extensive and interesting than some other restaurants.
Generally the quality of food is good, and dishes are nicely presented.
Prices are reasonable for the dining experience. They also offer a ‘menú del día’ for 10 euros (at time of writing).
Service is polite and efficient.
The wine list is small, but with some nice choices. Prices are slightly high, but not overly so.
You can have just coffee or beverages on the terrace.
Open 6 days a week (closed Tuesdays) from approximately 12:00 – 16.00 (kitchen), and 19:00 – around midnight (kitchen closing 22:00 – 22:30).
Meson Adarve
Calle Merecillas 12 (Click here to open in Maps)
Situated at the bullring end of town, midway up Calle Merecillas on the corner with Calle Plato.
Of all the restaurants in Antequera this arguably serves the best traditional Andalusian cuisine.
Ardave is a small, pleasantly intimate restaurant, with internal dining only, in a wonderfully authentic Castilian atmosphere.
It is family run, providing good quality food at fair prices.
The menu is on boards on the wall, offering dishes of various portions.
The service is informal and personable. Usually the son is the waiter in the dining area, with the owner (Juan) behind the bar organising the food supply from the kitchen, and drinks to the table. He has quite good English, and is a lovely guy. He is pragmatically helpful in dish selection should you need it.
Note: Wine prices are on the high side.
Open for lunch 13:30 – 16:00. Dinner 20:30- 23:00. Closed Sunday evening and Monday. It is a good idea to book (e.g. for the next day if passing and it is open) or turn up at opening time. Particularly popular on the weekends.
Recuerdos Tapas Bodega
Calle Laguna 5. (Click here to open in Maps)
A newcomer to the restaurants in Antequera.
Recuerdos opened in 2019. It is run by a small enthusiastic young team.
They offer tapas and main courses that are creative, and attractive to the eye.
Quality of presentation is key here.
It is well priced.
Sensible wine list, with some wines not available in other restaurants in Antequera. Prices match the quality of the wine.
Service can be slow at times, depending on the volume of customers.
Dining is internal only.
Opens 13:00 (ish) – 17:30 for lunch. 20:00 open for dinner. Closed Monday lunchtime, but opens 20:00.
Situated in Calle Laguna, No 5.
Meson la Bombonera ‘Casa Memé’
Calle Bombeo 11. (Click here to open in Maps)
You will likely need the map to find this one.
It has a sheltered terrace, large internal dining, and a small bar area for tapas. The tapas are good, and available solely at the bar.
It has an informal atmosphere, with efficient and friendly service.
Formerly a largely fish restaurant in Antequera, it has been converted into a Meson, offering excellent steaks and meat dishes, which are well garnished.
It continues to serve fish.
Prices are good value for the quality of food and presentation.
Wine is medium priced.
It is very popular with Antequeranos, and you may have to wait at the bar for a table at weekends.
They will take reservations.
Opening 13:00 – 17:00; 19:00 – 23:30
Restaurante Hotel Finca Eslava
Ctra, A-7281, Km. 4, 29200, Antequera (Click here to open in Maps)
Of all the restaurants in Antequera this one is too often sadly missed, due to it’s location. It is situated on the Cordoba road just beyond the Renfe Train Station.
Both the long bar and large restaurant are authentically styled in rustic Andalusian fashion, and offer a lovely dining atmosphere.
There is lots of terracotta and dark wood all around you. It has a charming courtyard too, off the bar, for drinks and dining.
You enter via the tasteful hotel interior courtyard with it’s central fountain.
The bar is a nice venue for just drinks if you are not hungry, and worth the visit just to experience an ‘old Spanish’ ambience not available in town.
Don’t be put off by the Hotel setting. The restaurant and bar are very much for the general public as well as guests, and the hotel setting does not impinge.
There is an extensive a la carte menu, with interesting dishes (not a chip in sight, unless you request one!). The chef knows what he is doing.
The wine list is very good, and not expensive for this level of restaurant.
Service is usually attentive, at both the bar and table.
Downside: a taxi ride or car drive is realistically required.
A note from us: please don’t be put off by the distance.
Meson Casa Diego
Calle Merecillas 14. (Click here to open in Maps)
A very good value restaurant in a modern setting, with a spacious air conditioned garden (seriously!) at the rear.
A well presented kitchen with rotating chefs.
Energetic bar staff and waiters.
It is well organised to provide nicely presented food at a budget price.
Tapas are very good. At the bar only.
Thoughtful design throughout, with for example, plentiful hooks beneath the bar for handbags and coats. Also, inset phone charger points.
Arguably too many TV’s, but it is all part of the offering.
Situated on the same street as Meson Adarve: Calle Merecillas.
Open 7 days a week: 12:30 – 17:00; 20:00 – closing (Monday – Thursday). 12:30 – closing (Friday – Sunday).
Meson Las Hazuelas
Calle Encarnación, 9. (Click here to open in Maps)
Centrally located opposite the Plaza Coso Viejo, where the museum is situated.
Nicely presented food, at a reasonable price, in a pleasant atmosphere.
There is a well serviced bar, and spacious eating area with high tables and bar stools, for table service tapas, half or full raciones.
There is a segregated area to the rear for a la carte dining only.
Both sections are popular with Spanish locals and tourists.
Good tapas here.
You can visit just for drinks.
In the summer an area on the plaza opposite (across the road) is designated for al fresco dining.
NB: Wine prices are noticeably high for an average quality wine list (aimed at tourists), but the food is usually good for the price.
Restaurante El Mercado
Plaza San Francisco. (Click here to open in Maps)
The sister restaurant to Meson Diego.
It is the same format both in terms of the menu and cost wise.
Set in the bustly Plaza San Francisco, and attached to the municipal market (hence the name).
Internally it has a bright, airy atmosphere (high ceiling and large windows to the plaza), and is deservedly popular.
The restaurant has a spacious terrace area on the plaza, with covering from the sun (and rain!).
A kiosk bar provides drinks, with waiter service to this area.
As with Meson Diego the service is energetic and efficient.
Food is presented well.
Portions can be large for the price.
Open 7 days a week: 12:30 – 17:00; 20:00 – closing (Monday – Thursday). 12:30 – closing (Friday – Sunday).
Café a la Fuerza
Calle Alameda 32. (Click here to open in Maps)
Stylish interior and terrace.
Recommended for breakfast (try their churros and chocolate dip).
There are some good daytime tapas (see the blackboard above the bar).
A Menu del Día is offered (a bit more expensive than the standard Menu del Día’s on offer elsewhere), and a main meal carta.
Opening hours are from around 08:30, and it is usually open throughout the day.
Restaurante Arte de Cozina
Calle Calzada 27. (Click here to open in Maps)
The selling point is the antiquated setting.
This medium sized restaurant is in a classic, old Antequeran townhouse. The balconied two floor high ceiling makes for a lovely dining ambience below.
It provides quite an extensive menu, based on mainly traditional Spanish recipes.
Food presentation is good.
The kitchen is glass partitioned from the main dining area, which offers a birds eye view of the kitchen efficiency and cleanliness.
Wines are overpriced.
Arte de Tapas is next door
The setting here is different from anywhere else in Antequera.
It is brightly lit, with white walls, and red velvet bar stools.
The individualism works.
The tapas are inventive, and nicely presented.
The prices are high end for tapas, but the quality is there.
Once again, the wine prices are more than they should be.
Meson Juan Manuel
Calle San Augustin 1 (Click here to open in Maps)
Behind the San Augustin church, off Plaza San Sebastian, in a cul de sac.
The restaurant dining area is good old fashioned Andalusian style.
It has pleasant and secluded terrace seating, in front of the restaurant, which you will see before entering.
The menu here is centered on traditional Andalusian cooking. There is plenty to choose from, and plates are large.
The carta is the same for the terrace as inside.
The tapas at the bar are excellent. You may have to wait for a bar stool.
There will be no gastronomic surprises, but the food is authentic Andalusian, and delivered well.
Service is jovial.
Restaurante La Cantina
Calle Alameda 14. (Click here to open in Maps)
Calle Alameda is in one of the lively ends of town during the summer months.
There are several restaurants in this stretch with terraces, serving meals and drinks.
Food here is medium quality, but generally well priced.
Kitchens are small, so there will be a lot of fried or plancha’d dishes. Dishes easy to cook.
La Cantina stands out from the other restaurants on this patch.
It now occupies three frontages, with by far the largest covered terrace seating on Calle Alameda.
It has a large menu, and a statedcabove, at very good prices.
Drink prices are also reasonable.
There are plenty of staff, and depending on the day, table service is fine.
A great location for budget eating in a nice social environment.
Bar Carrera
Carrera de Madre, 18. (Click here to open in Maps)
Bar Carrera has been serving drinks and food for two generations. It is one of the oldest restaurants in Antequera.
The location is slightly out of the way for first time visitors.
It offers basic meals, at good value prices, in an atmosphere that is down to earth Spanish, with no frills.
The menú del día is 9 euros at time of writing.
Tapas are arguably some of the best in Antequera. Price one euro. But, again, no frills. The visual presentation of the Arte de Tapas restaurant is absent here.
Ironically, Bar Carrera has one of the simplest, and best wine lists in Antequera.
On weekends, the restaurant is packed with local families.
Noise levels can be high, with sometimes three generations competing for a share of voice over the table.
***If you have enjoyed our page on Restaurants in Antequera, head over to our Eating Out section for information on menu terminology, and more. Click here to find out information on Traditional Dishes from Antequera.