Ventorrillo El Nene — Restaurant in Tarifa

Restaurant Ventorrillo El Nene: the kind of place that makes you wish Google Maps had a ‘hide from everyone else’ button. Seriously, don’t come here—because if you do, I might not get a seat next time! This hidden gem is tucked away from the tourist radar and cherished by the lucky locals who’ve already found their way to this Valhalla of Retinto meat.

The chuleton de Retinto? Let’s just say it deserves to be served in a treasure chest, it’s that precious. Perfectly seasoned by the chef, it’s so tender and succulent that you might just shed a tear. And the artichokes? Best I’ve had in 20 years of living in Spain. But here’s the real clincher—the cheesecake. I’m talking about the kind of dessert that changes your life. Juicy, perfectly balanced, with just the right amount of sweetness and heft.

Honestly, I’m almost afraid to sing its praises too loudly. Once word gets out, the queues will stretch all the way to Madrid. So if you value a peaceful, extraordinary dining experience, maybe just forget you ever heard about this place. But as for me, I’ll be making every excuse possible to detour through here for another unforgettable lunch. Consider this your...

Wanted to eat dinner locally; went at 6:30pm kitchen open at 7pm. The staff friendly and happily let us have drinks in the meantime.

• No English menu or speaking, but got by with a translation app • Parking on site on the main road, but we walked easily from our accommodation • €24 including alcohol; big serves - more main meal serving size than tapas, but we still shared

Favourite meal: Garlic soup with bread (it was the house speciality with good reason)

Not to our taste: Lamb shank was more slow-cooked with vignette/ we didn’t realise it was not roasted. Chips hand-cut but not crispy, more liked strips of...

We stopped off on Sunday, rather late for lunch, as we couldnt find anywhere nearby (that wasnt an overpriced tourist restaurant). It was perfect. Great food, great service (quick), great atmosphere. we got there just in time as it soon filled to "sorry, no space". the food was probably the best i've had in spain. And thit wasnt just fish on the menu - there was lots of proper food (meat). Definitely...