* Best Restaurants on the "Camino de Santiago" (Nr. 1: "La Nueva Allandesa" - Pola de Allande)

* Best Hotels/Albergues (Nr. 1: "Hostal La Salle" - Santiago de Compostela)                          

* Best Cafetarias (Nr. 1: "Café Literarios" - Santiago de Compostela)

* Also: Some of the Worst Restaurants !! (Nr. 1: Hostal Libertad - Villadangos del Páramo)

* Latest reviews: January 2010

 

 

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        SOME OF THE BEST RESTAURANTS

  1a. La Nueva Allandesa - Pola de Allande    

       ~  A very dedicated manager and top chef. Best regional food!  ~ 

                                                         

 "A Four Course Pilgrim Menu"

             Friendly staff / good breakfast / comfortable rooms

  Good views from the restaurant

 

  1b. "laculpafuédemaría" - Berducedo    

                  Between Pola de Allande and Grandas de Salime (Asturias)

                      Excellent food and excellent service

Pilgrim Menu: €9

Regional produce

  On Main Street; don't miss it!

 1c. Mesón "El Buen Yantar" - Nájera (La Rioja)   

Specialties: Charcoal Grilled Meats and Fish. Garlic Soup. Profiteroles. Pilgrim Menu. Head Chef: Dina

See also the SUPPORT TEAM page. The CDS Handbook proudly welcomes Dina as a member of the team!

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2. "El Mesón" - Castrojeriz

Good, daily Menu. Good breakfast.

(Between Burgos and Frómista)

 Best place to stay and eat in Castrojeriz

 

On top of the Hill

A Pilgrim's view 

One mile to go!

Lunch and Dinner 

Good rooms

 

3. "Pérez Habitaciones" / Restaurante

Portomarín, Galicia    Teléfono: 982 54 50 40

Specialties: deep-fried eel (anguila), squid (pulpo gallego)

Magnificent views of the Miño river

     

Dining Room

Pilgrim Menu: from € 8

View from the Dining Room

The Miño river 

 Best place to sleep and eat in Portomarín

 

4. Restaurante "Xacobeo" - Triacastela

Churrasco, grilled beef with chilly

Pictured on the right: Stefanie.

 

 5. Restaurante "El Labrador" in Hospital de la Cruz (km 78) (Ana)

 

6. Casa "Manolo" - Santiago

Lunch & Dinner

Large serves 

 

7. Bar Restaurante "Baserri" - Pamplona

In Calle San Nicolás

Good menu / pinchos

Try the cheese dessert

 

8. Mesón Suetxe - Los Arcos (Navarra)

Friendly service

Very good menu on week days

Also hostal

Pinchos, salads, chocolate mousse

 

9. Restaurante "Alto do Vento" - Amés

Good menu, snacks, drinks

At kilometerpole 80,230 past Santiago 

On your way to Finisterra

 

10. "Hostal de los Reyes Católicos"

Santiago de Compostela

Free meals for pilgrims  / affordable, set-price lunch for all visitors

Pictured: breakfast / dinner for "El peregrino"

At 9 am: churros, freshly baked rolls, coffee, milk

and croissants, served on a silver tray with doyles.

Established in 1492

cheesecake, stick bread, water and wine.

 11. La Redonda - Logroño (in C/Portales, near crossing C/Sagasta in the centre)

     Good breakfast, good pilgrim menu

    E.g. Breakfast Andaluz: Large coffee, toast with mountain

     ham slices and olive oil and a freshly squeezed orange juice: € 2,70

     Also available: a breakfast with bacon and eggs: € 2,90

     Menu: € 8,50

                  SOME OF THE VERY BEST HOTELS ON THE "CAMINO DE SANTIAGO"

  1. Hostal La Salle - Santiago de Compostela

Open 24 hours

View from the Albergue (below) 

 View from a room

Rúa Tras de Santa Clara s/n   Teléfono: 981 58 56 67 (Near City Centre; 8 min. walk from

Cathedral; this hostal is a very quiet place to be, unlike many in mid-centre Santiago.)

Also very warmly recommended:

2. Hostal Don Suero - León

3. Pensión Rúa - Arzúa

    Pensión Arcano - Arzúa (Eduvigis)

    Hostal Plaza and Hostal Guntina - Palas de Rei

4. Hostal Santa Cruz - Ponferrada

5. Hostal - Hospederia  ALBE   -  Carrión de los Condes (some rooms have a kitchen/fridge)

    Ph. 979 880 913 or 699 094 185

6. Hostal Méndez - Villafranca del Bierzo (near the bridge)

7. Pérez Habitaciones - Portomarín (Roberto, José) (also good restaurant)

8. Hostal Bearán - Calle San Nicolás, 25 - Pamplona (Anya) (picture below left)

    Hotel Ramiro I - Jaca (Jesús) (in Aragón) (picture below right; good breakfast)

  9. Hostal Camino de Santiago - Frómista (on the old camino; also albergue)

10. Hostal El Mesón - Castrojeriz (also restaurant)

11. Hotel La Nueva Allandesa - Pola de Allande

      Hotel La Fuente - Cornellana (very good service)

      Hotel Moneda - Cádavo Baleira (good value)

      Hotel La Barra - Grandas de Salime

12. Hotel Mar de Plata - Sarria

13. Casa David - Triacastela (David)

14. Hostal El Volante - Estella (exactly on the camino, up the hill on the left)

      Hotel Monaco - Los Arcos (very helpful staff, very clean rooms, good views)

15. Hostal La Numantina - Logroño ( Calle Sagasta, 4)

      Hostal Hispano II - Nájera (picture below; overlooking the river)

                                               SOME REALLY GOOD CAFETERIAS

1. Café Literarios - Santiago de Compostela

 On the Plaza Quintana

Near the eastern entrance of the cathedral

2. El Poio - at km 142, just past O' Cebreiro (Remedios & Rocío) (open daily !!)

Pictures on the VOLUNTEERS page

3. Bar O Campo - Casas Novas (between Orense and Cea in Galicia) (below)

    

3. Cafetaría Ruiz - Tardajos (just past Burgos) (picture above left)

4. Camino del Perdón - Uterga (near Pamplona) (Noelia)

 Menu, good clean albergue, good bocadillos

5. Casa Rural Dugium - In the valley between Finisterra and Muxía (very friendly)

     Casa Dugium (check their website)

6. Cafetaría/Restaurante Polo - Sarria (picture below)

7. Cafetería Asturcón - Sahagún (try the apple tartlet)

8. Xacobeo - Triacastela (early breakfast) (picture: see under restaurants)

9. Bar/Pizzería Xoldra and also: Bar Atenas - Melide

10. El Pájaro - Villafranca Montes de Oca (bocadillos) (picture on VOLUNTEERS page)

11. Bar Ameixa - Arzúa (coffee: 0,80) (near bus stop & ayuntamiento)

12. El Molino - Navarrete (pinchos)

      Bar Naxara - Nájera (pinchos) and also La Taberna de Manu

      Cafetería Espolón - Santo Domingo de la Calzada

      Caffee di Roma - Pamplona (on a plaza near the Corte Inglés)

13. Os Casqueiros - Arzúa (on plaza) (open at 6 a.m.)

14. Britania - Palas de Rei (picture below; opposite refuge)

15. Panadería / Cafetería "El Paseo" - Puente la Reina (see picture below)

 Very good coffee; friendly service (under the trees on main road)

16. Café España - Samos (opposite monastery; interesting interior)

17. Bar Oasis - San Justo de la Vega (near Astorga) (order tortilla española !)

2. Albergue del Pilar - Rabanal del Camino (on carretera) (Isabel) (see Gallery)

3. Albergue "Cuatro Cantones" - Belorado (Ana & Iker) (see pictures on Gallery)

4. Both albergues in Torrres del Ríó

5. Albergue Municipal - Hornillos del Camino (Manolo)

6. Albergue de Artieda (Marga, María Helena and José Mari) (see picture below: very good menu!)

    Marga and her collegues also rent out "Casa Rural Fortunato" at reasonable prices.

     Cosy interior

7. Triacastela (Albergue El Berce) (at the end of the main street)

8. Albergue San Juan - Grañon

9. Albergue Municipal - Negreira

11. Sangüesa (Juan Pedro) (picture below)

  
      SOME BAD RESTAURANTS ON THE CAMINO

          1. HOSTAL/RESTAURANTE "LIBERTAD"

                   VILLADANGOS DEL PÁRAMO

            Food off; health inspector has fired all kitchen staff

1a. Casa Rural BIDEAN - Puente la Reina (Navarra)

The guests have to pay their bills in advance. Very noisy church bells all night!

The menu costs € 20 + drinks (!) Prawn mousse from supermarket,

Yogurt mousse from DANONE, steak and chips etc.

Bad service. The waitress literally throws the plates on the table

and drops cutlery on the floor. Water: €1,50. Old bread.

1b. Restaurante Génesis II - Santo Domingo de la Calzada (La Rioja).

They serve a cold (not lukewarm!) brown bean soup. Old bread.

On the menu: three starters (bean soup, asparragus with mayonaise,

peas with ham) and only three main courses (stews). Avoid this place!

                                                                                   
2. LA HUELLA - Arzúa (opposite municipal refuge)  

(NOW CLOSED; REOPENED AS "PULPERIA")

They desperately need a waiter/waitress who can serve more than three customers a night;

lots of "ooooohps, sorry for that!"

3. MESON MIRALLOS - Mirallos (km 97 from Santiago)

They present an awful offal menu: e.g.  a pig's ears' broth

Ingredients: see picture below (every bit is eatable?)

4. PULPERÍA EZEQUIEL - Melide

Ugly interior, well ... interior? You mean: open space!  

Squid, "Pulpo Gallego'', can be eaten everywhere in Galicia

5. HOTEL CARLOS 96 - Melide

Very unfriendly staff, to say the least   

Noisy weddings, you won't sleep

6. HOTEL LA CORTE - Carrión de los Condes (Closed from November - April)

They charge € 10 for a menu but € 1,75 for a lousy small black coffee      

Menu: Macarones con salsa de tomate, ensaladilla, ensalada mixta,

patatas fritas con pollo, carne asada, etc.

Not exactly Three Star Michelín yet.  But, who knows, in the future?

7. Hostal/Restaurante MELCHIORA - Sangüesa     

The cook and waiter know absolutely, completely,  nothing (0,0 %) about food;

 order coffee only. Do not try to sleep here; the bar is noisy until very late!

  Recommended reading.

8. Restaurante ABEL - Carrión de los Condes

They don't even try to put something decent on a plate

9. Hostal/Restaurante SAN PAIO - Lavacolla

The depression has hit them hard, and they now serve

sub-standard food, including a boiled pig's nose

Intimidating staff, who try to talk you into ordering these 'regional specialities'

10. Bar La Taverna (in Main Street Viana, near Logroño)

Very rude staff. Small white coffee: € 1,60

Small bottle of mineral water: € 1,70

11. Bar Plaza - Ventas de Narón (Galicia) (at exactly km 77 from SDC)  

Very expensive - Only open in summer

Small bottle of lukewarm mineral water: € 1,40  Forget the menu!

12. Hotel Auto Bar - Grado (Asturias)   

Smallest showers on earth - no toilet paper - coffee & cake: 4 Euros.

They forget to give you your passport back. Forget the menu.

13. Hostal San Martín - Mansilla de las Mulas (on the right, near the highway)    

Clean entrance, very dirty rooms. A terrible menu! (A soup made from powdered baby-food with apple flavour;

your fries float in dark, black oil.)

14. Hostal Vilariño - Palas de Rei

 staff very rude

We wonder why these people bother to open their doors ....   

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