El Jardín del Califa

Top choice in Vejer de la Frontera


Sizzling atmosphere and flawless cooking combine at this beautiful restaurant hidden within a cavernous 16th-century, Moorish-origin house where even finding the bathroom is a full-on adventure; it's also a fabulous hotel and tetería. The seasonal, local produce Moroccan–Middle Eastern menu – tagines, couscous, hummus, falafel – is crammed with Maghreb flavours (saffron, figs, almonds). Book ahead, for the palm-sprinkled garden or the moody interior.

On Plaza de España, Califa Exprés offers a taster, while nearby Califa Tapas serves sherries and tapas amid 1930s-inspired decor.