Venta Moncalvillo — Restaurant in Daroca de Rioja

My wife and I recently visited Venta Moncalvillo, and it was, without a doubt, the best culinary experience we've ever had. The restaurant is in the tiny village of Daroca de Rioja. The first thing that strikes you when you get there is the beautiful garden, from which they source many of their ingredients, and the architectural design of the building. After touring the grounds, the experience starts with appetizers and a sample of local wines in a room that overlooks the mountains and faces a water fountain. Before we went to the main room, Chef Ignacio Echapresto met with each visitor and prepared three appetizers for us. Each dish was a masterpiece! The wine selection was outstanding, featuring exceptional regional wines that complemented our meal. Meeting Chef Echapresto was a major highlight of our afternoon. The attentive staff made our experience even more special. We highly recommend Venta Moncalvillo to anyone visiting La Rioja – it's a must-visit...

Venta Moncalvillo is a beautiful place. Upon arrival one of the staff will take you through their beautiful vegetable garden and explain their cooking philosophy, which is heavily centred around vegetables. You then have an aperitif and some hors d’oeuvres either in a side room with view of the garden, or in the garden itself. Following that you will have more little bites which are explained and cooked in front of you. Once you’re at your table you realise that there are no pictures or sculptures anywhere, but instead a massive picture window which shows you the garden in all its glory. For food you have two menu choices, one vegetarian and one with fish and meat. There are no detailed explanations as they want it all to be a surprise. The food is all excellent. The wine list is big and very varied in terms of price, and the sommelier is happy to advise. All in all a great experience which I can...

This is truly worth the stop, worth the journey to Rioja simply for the restaurant itself. This is a 3-4 hour experience but not once did we feel bored or forgotten about. It was incredibly engaging.

You are first taken to the patio area where you will enjoy some amuse bouche. They are crafted by the chef right in front of you and he explains about the dishes and the region. From there, you are guided to your table where the service is 5 star, truly impeccable in every aspect. This has great vegetarian and vegan options, and showcases the vegetables in the garden. The dishes are presented with immaculate plating and the contrast of flavours is remarkable. Truly one of the best dining experiences of our lives. Special thank you to Marta who toured us around the garden after lunch and explained their seed saving, fermenting...