The historic city of Burgos is packed with excellent traditional restaurants, serving up typical Castillian cuisine. Some of the dishes to try include morcilla de Burgos (blood sausage stuffed with rice and spices), suckling pig and roasted lamb. Here are our picks for the best traditional restaurants in Burgos.
El Huerto de Roque is a stylish little restaurant, focusing on ecological and organic seasonal produce. Dishes are served in innovative ways, in a variety of quirkily-shaped bowls, dishes, plates and glass containers, and are always well presented. The menu features traditional Castillian cuisine with a modern twist, as well as some with a decidedly Asian influence. Choose from plates including baked hake fish with green sauce, rocket and an asparagus cake; Iberico ham with apricot puree; and candied artichokes with anchovies and almond praline.
Casa Ojeda is one of the oldest restaurants in Burgos, founded back in 1912, and mixes history with tradition. It’s housed in a beautiful old building with covered wooden balconies, a dining room surrounded by colourful tiles and a cosy bar area. The menu is seasonal and uses the best ingredients available at different times of the year. Some things you may see here during the autumn/winter season include chickpea stew with vein-cured meat; cow’s tongue with chanterelle mushrooms; and red beans with morcilla and bacon. The restaurant also has its own wine cellar, stocking excellent varieties from the region.
A trendy little bar and restaurant, La Boca del Lobo, meaning ‘Mouth of the Wolf’, is decorated with lots of light wooden benches, bare brick and white wood-panel walls and potted plants. It may not look very traditional, but the kitchen offers both classic and more contemporary fusion dishes. Choose from plates such as Galician-style octopus, cod, meatballs or vegetable tempura. It’s ideal for sharing tapas in a group, rather than ordering mains.
Asador San Lorenzo is one of the best places in the city for traditional roasted meats. Inside is swish and modern with marble floors and plain coloured walls, however history can be seen in the black and white photographs covering the walls. Try the grilled lamb chops, roasted red peppers with anchovies or scrambled eggs with mushrooms and prawns. They also offer good set three-course menus at lunch time and at night.
Located right near the centre of town, Rimbombin is an urban hostel with an excellent traditional restaurant. The menu features various meats from the region, as well as local cheeses, wines, morcilla de Burgos (black sausage) and seasonal vegetables. Tapas plates include fried egg with ratatouille, mini hamburgers and croquettes, while larger dishes range from grilled cod and paellas to various types of scrambled eggs.
Bar Restaurante Carmen is a family-run restaurant, which has been in the same family for generations. Dishes include a traditional stew, passed down by the owner’s mother; snails in tomato sauce; and various types of game or chicken. A three-course menu with bread, water and wine is served daily, however, more elaborate and gourmet tasting menus are available for €25 ($30) and €38 ($45). There are also separate weekend menus for €17 ($20).
Located inside the three-star Hotel Azofra, the Restaurante Casa Azofra is a true Burgos institution, which has been named one of the 10 best grill houses in Spain and one of the best 100 restaurants in the country. Serving hearty Castilian cuisine, it’s said to have the best suckling roast lamb in the city, which is cooked slowly in a wood burning oven. Other excellent dishes include t-bone steak, sirloin and entrecôte.
