Mesón Criollo

Cádiz


Amid the Barrio de la Viña's countless fish restaurants, this Spanish-Argentine mesón serves fried prawns, fish brochettes and – if you happen to arrive at the right time – individual plates of paella. Sit out on the palm-studded street at tapas time and you'll feel like there's a permanent carnival going on in what is Cadiz' primary Carnaval quarter.


Lonely Planet's must-see attractions

Nearby Cádiz attractions

1. Playa de la Caleta

0.15 MILES

Hugging the western side of the Barrio de la Viña, this small, popular golden city beach catches the eye with its mock-Moorish balneario (bathhouse). It's…

2. Mercado Central de Abastos

0.28 MILES

Spain's oldest covered market, Cádiz' lively Mercado Central de Abastos was unveiled in 1838. Now remodelled, it sells fresh fish, meat, vegetables and…

3. Museo de las Cortes de Cádiz

0.3 MILES

A fairly dry collection of portraits and maps focusing especially on the revolutionary Cádiz Parliament of 1812, which took place in the baroque Oratorio…

5. Torre Tavira

0.31 MILES

Northwest of Plaza de Topete, the 18th-century Torre Tavira is the highest point in town, opening up dramatic panoramas of Cádiz. It has a camera obscura…

6. Castillo de Santa Catalina

0.33 MILES

This star-shaped 16th-century fortress was built after the Anglo-Dutch sacking of the city in 1596; it's now an exhibition centre. Within stands a tiny…

7. Plaza de Topete

0.34 MILES

About 250m northwest of the cathedral, this triangular plaza is one of Cádiz’ most intimate. Bright with flowers, it's usually talked about as Plaza de…

8. Campo del Sur

0.43 MILES

Flanked by pastel-painted houses, Cádiz' curving malecón is eerily reminiscent of Cuba's Havana, which it's believed to have inspired.