In any Spanish city, churros (deep-fried dough snacks served with melted chocolate) are hugely popular for breakfast or a late-afternoon snack. Cádiz is no exception, and we’ve brought together the best places in this Andalusian city where you can enjoy one of Spain’s most famous sweet dishes.
Arguably the most famous churros joint in Cádiz, Bar La Marina is situated on the old town’s lovely Plaza Topete, locally referred to as Plaza de las Flores after its several flower stalls. Every morning and late afternoon, the locals pour into this traditional establishment for their churros fix, and for good reason. The crispy dough snacks are cooked just right and the melted chocolate is divine.
Just a few doors down from La Marina is ‘the Secret Kitchen,’ another of Cádiz‘s star churros establishments. The decadent, doughy treats here are as tasty as any you’ll find in the city and the portions are generous, with as many as 14 served up at once (great for sharing). Best enjoyed at one of the outside tables, from where you can watch the street life unfold on Plaza de las Flores.
This stylish bar and café overlooks Cádiz‘s busy port, giving clients a perfect spot from which to watch the big Mediterranean cruise liners come and go. Superb churros with thick melted chocolate are one of the standout items on a menu that takes a modern, innovative approach to tapas, and this is a great spot for a refreshment stop at any time of the day. The service is also highly rated.
This super-traditional bar and café is located in a residential part of Cádiz a good 20-minute walk from the historic centre. Visitors with a sweet tooth will want to make the pilgrimage, though, as Nuevo Stop is known throughout the city for two things: the quality of its churros and its fried fish. There are usually a few tables outside, or you can enjoy the deep-fried treats in the lively bar room.
Andalusia’s only historically preserved café provides one of the grandest environments in Cádiz in which to enjoy churros. These are on offer alongside cakes, tarts and pastries (the apple tart is highly recommended) for breakfast or merienda, the Spanish equivalent of afternoon tea. First opened in 1912, the café fell into neglect in the latter half of the 20th century, but was reopened in 2008 after a stunning makeover.
A cosy and arty establishment in the heart of old Cádiz, Levante is just as popular for breakfast as it is for early-evening beers and late-night copas. It’s a great place to come for churros and melted chocolate in the morning, when you can people-watch on the bustling street outside; and when you come back for drinks later on, you’ll find it transformed into a sleek cocktail bar, often with a live band playing.
It’s often the case, wherever you are in the world, that the most unassuming-looking places do the most amazing food. Churrería La Guapa (‘the beautiful’) is no exception: this no-frills takeout joint is said by many locals to do the the best churros in town, period. Due to the total lack of tables, some nearby cafés are apparently OK with you eating La Guapa’s speciality on their premises. Best to ask, though.
