Café Central Gijón — Restaurant in Gijón

If it were for its famous Fabada alone, Café Central Gijón would easily be a Michelin Star restaurant.

But it is more than that.

Centrally located in the Asturian seaside town of Gijón, Café Central Gijón offers a wider array of tasteful comfort food and impeccable service, all wrapped in a hospitable family atmosphere.

You are treated like royalty here, the waitstaff attends to your every need. The owners Javier Argüelles and wife Esther Calles even store a barrel of Manzaniila sherry, ask for a glass or two - and Javier will gladly wax tales of Sanlucar de Barrameda. You will feel transported to the warm waters of the Rio Guadalquivir where Manzanilla gets its signature seaspray and saline notes.

This homey local favorite offers an affordable, everchanging daily menu too. Fabada though is its rock star having won multiple awards for the restaurant. Having dined there multiple times, I noticed a diehard following. The food is that good. Ask the loyal patrons who return often.

If you love Fabada, Café Central Gijón is the Mothership. Feasting leisurely on Fabada with a glass of Manzanilla sherry lifted my taste buds to the gastronomic high heavens. Did I have to leave this restaurant gem?

Heavenly fed, I wish I never returned to...

Going back! That should say it all. We stopped by for an early lunch and will be going back today so we can partake in the daily menu because it isn't served until later in the day. The service is warm and welcoming. Super sweet for them to put up with my high school Spanish too. The food was delicious and plentiful. We at around noon and weren't hungry until 9pm...just in time for Spanish dinnertime.

The atmosphere was charming. From the beautiful revolving door, the bar to the art ( an eclectic mix that works), this place just beaconed one to sit down, have a drink and relax in a place that welcomes you no matter what time and...

Entro en esta cafetería y me siento en una mesa que, a diferencia de otras, no tiene cartel de reservado. Viene el camarero, me atiende y me sirve la consumición. Ocurre que al cabo de un rato entran 3 personas pidiendo mesa para comer y, al instante, otro camarero con aspecto de propietario se dirige a mi mesa y, en un tono imperativo, poco menos que me ordena que desaloje la mesa y me siente en otra más pequeña (que era ya la única libre) justificando que necesita esa mesa. Por si fuera poco, al preguntarle a este camarero que, por curiosidad, qué hubiera ocurrido de no estar esa mesa libre, unido a que la barra estaba completamente llena, que si acaso tendría que acabar mi consumición de pie en mitad de un pasillo o en la acera, el camarero contesta con altanería y desdén que él lo único que sabe es que necesita esa mesa y nada más. Si el camarero me hubiera pedido cortésmente el favor de ceder mi mesa y cambiarme, encantado lo hubiera hecho, pero, repito, el camarero me instó de mala manera a abandonar mi mesa. Como gijonés, éste ha sido un desagradable incidente con un camarero concreto en un local concreto, que solvento no pisando nunca jamás este establecimiento. Ahora bien, si esto le sucede a un turista forastero, me pregunto ¿es ésta la imagen de calidad que quiere transmitir la hostelería gijonesa para potenciar el Turismo y lo que supone de motor económico? Flaco favor hace un hostelero desconsiderado y carente de profesionalidad como...