Cádiz's most quintessentially Andalusian tavern is in the neighborhood of La Viña, named for the vineyard that once grew here. Chacina (Iberian ham or sausage) and chicharrones de Cádiz (cold pork) served on waxed paper and washed down with manzanilla (sherry from Sanlúcar de Barrameda) are standard fare at the low wooden counter that has served bullfighters and flamenco singers, as well as dignitaries from around the world, since 1953. The walls are covered with colorful posters and other memorabilia from the annual Carnival, flamenco shows, and ferias.

Prop up the bar at the legendary Casa Manteca, the ambience and décor of which have barely changed since it opened in 1952. Manteca’s walls are plastered with sepia-hued bullfighting posters and press clips praising the house specialities – jamón, chorizo and potent cheeses, slices of which are served up on greaseproof paper with bread. They’re best accompanied by a glass of dry sherry, or fino – a fortified wine made nowhere else in the world except in this region of Spain.

A few blocks from the Castillo is a cluster of divey fish joints and bars, including Taberna Casa Manteca, where everyone orders and reorders chicharrones especiales (sliced pork belly) doused with lemon and served on wax paper. Down the street are the ruins of the Teatro Romano, an amphitheater built around 100 B.C., when Cádiz was already an ancient city, having been founded by the Phoenicians a full millennium earlier.

Taberna Casa Manteca, founded in 1953, is hardly Cádiz’s best-kept secret, but it’s still a local favourite (Rick Stein is a fan). Most days you’ll find chatty gaditanos shoulder to shoulder glugging vino and tucking into tapas served on white greaseproof paper under a stuffed bull’s head. Jostle for position at a bar backed with old bottles with peeling, yellow labels.

The hub of the Barrio de la Viña fun, with every inch of its walls covered in flamenco, bullfighting and Carnaval paraphernalia, always-busy Casa Manteca…

When in Cadiz, Rick takes a trip to Casa Manteca Bar where he tries white anchovies followed by a visit to Taberba el Tio de la Tiza for some grilled mackerel with piriñaca. A trip to Bajamar Restaurante Cerveceria to sample some delicious churros, hot chocolate and coffee is followed by a visit to Mercado Central de Abastos, a local Cadiz market, where he finds a snail stall containing live snails. Rick then continues to explore Cadiz by taking a trip to Mercado Central de Abastos, one of the oldest covered markets in Spain where he samples a variety of fish and shellfish including clams, winkles, mantis shrimps, murex, razor shells, moray eel and tuna.

On a Sunday afternoon, I head for Taberna Casa Manteca (literally, House of Lard, because it sells almost every conceivable form of cured pork), where matador memorabilia adorns the walls and sausages hang behind the bar. Run by two brothers (sons of a matador) and known locally as Bar Manteca, it’s a noisy spit-and-sawdust kind of place, where shouty Gaditanos spill out on to the pavement, and I immediately feel at home. Thin layers of soft, fatty pork are laid on waxed paper and dressed with sea salt and lemon — chicharrones de Cádiz, a speciality of the region (elsewhere in Spain, the word refers to fried pork rinds).

Taberna Casa Manteca is another highly recommended tapas bar that has a very traditional old school feel to it and known for very reasonably priced tapas. It’s located just off the Calle Virgen de las Palmas and just so happened that the day I visited, there was a cross being paraded around the streets so lots of onlookers and people were just waiting around for the bar to open. The minute the place opened though, lots of people poured in but I managed to secure a spot right at the bar (solo dining for the win).

One restaurant on my list of places to visit was Casa Manteca. It has a bit of fame, since the place appears in guidebooks, some British TV program (tons of TripAdvisor reviews referencing Rick Stein's weekend in Cadiz), but also my friend's list of restaurants from her Cadiz relatives. Luckily for visitors, they open at noon and start serving food right away, and close late at night, so you can fit in a visit even before lunch at another place, or after dinner.

This is a local 1953, decorated with tiles, old bottles, photos or bullfighting posters. Over time it has become one of the most famous bars also of Andalusia, It located in the neighborhood of La Viña, one of the most carnivalesque areas of Cádiz. Its principal owner, José Ruiz, also known as Pepe Manteca and retired, He founded the establishment in 1953 as a store that had, and next to it a small tavern, previously run by his father.

For a slightly edgy feel, head to Taberna Casa Manteca, Corralón de los Carros, 66 (tel. 95-621-36-03), a Barrio La Viña hangout for flamencos, corrida aficionados, and lovers of all things pork. The owners are sons of a famous matador, and bullfight memorabilia decorates the walls like religious paintings in a church. The place opens a little before noon and closes when the last patrons stagger out, usually after 2am.

This is Taberna Casa Manteca, (Calle Corralón 66) which means, literally, House of Lard, where Matador memorabilia adorns the walls and sausages hang behind the bar. It’s a noisy spit-and-sawdust kind of place, where roaring locals spill out onto the pavement and I immediately feel at home. So at home that I soon find myself joining in a round of happy birthday – and I can barely speak Spanish.

New establishments like these contrast sharply with the macho, Toreador-style bars in the city like the Casa Manteca. I didn’t have a chance to go into the Casa Manteca since it was teeming with customers. But passing its old-fashioned facade, I could smell the sweet lechon or suckling pig wafting its aroma from the bar as well as the embers from cigarette-butts rising into the night.

Taberna Casa Manteca – known locally just as Bar Manteca, or Lard Bar – is a local classic and a Cádiz institution. Run by two brothers, the sons of a matador, the bar serves traditional Spanish meats and cured pork in all forms; from jamón to salchichón through to chorizos. The lomos hang high above the bar and are served to you without fuss, sliced on waxed paper.

Obviously, we couldn’t talk about the best things to do in Cádiz without mentioning its typical cuisine and its most iconic place to eat. Located in the La Viña neighborhood, Taberna Casa Manteca consists of two different locales on either side of Corralón de los Carros street. One is dedicated to fried tapas (hence the name), and the other to cold cuts and cheeses.

It is one of the indispensable ones in our route of the tapeo and the pleasure. Located in the heart of the Barrio de La Viña, an authentic tavern emerges with strong Cadiz roots, ancient air with its decoration of the 50s, typical tapas and chacinas. One of its main dishes is chicharrones en lámina with lemon and salt, a very idiosyncratic delicacy from Cádiz.

Head over to the beloved Casa Manteca, a traditional and lively tapas bar known for its authenticity. Try the chicharrones and tortillitas de camarones (shrimp fritters) along with a Maestra beer. Casa Manteca has an unmistakable old-world vibe, and seats at the bar are tough to come by during peak hours, so linger with your drink outside while waiting.

Fundada en 1953 por José Ruiz, conocido como Pepe El Manteca, fallecido en 2021 — el testigo lo han tomado sus hijos, Tomás y Pepe Ruiz—, en un almacén, que con el tiempo se fue haciendo famoso por el tapeo y los vinos. Por allí ha pasado lo más grande del mundo. Me gusta el papel de estraza que usan para emplatar las raciones y los vinos de Jerez.

Taberna La Manteca is Cadiz’s most famous tapas bar, and popular with tourists and locals alike. It is located in the barrio La Viña and first opened its doors in 1953. Today, the taberna is run by the family’s third generation and has managed to keep its original charm and essence, serving authentic Spanish tapas and delicious wine.

Casa Manteca is an iconic tavern that has been serving traditional dishes in Cadiz for over 80 years. This lively spot is beloved by locals and visitors alike, offering a cozy and authentic atmosphere. Try their delicious tapas, including the renowned Chicharrones de Cadiz, and pair them with a glass of local sherry wine.

It is one of the essential places to visit in the tapas of Cádiz. It is a local 1953, decorated with tiles, old bottles, bullfighting photos or posters. Over time it has become one of the most famous bars also in Andalusia, located in the neighborhood of La Viña, one of the most carnival areas of Cádiz.

Whilst in this area don't forget to head over to 'Casa Manteca' where inside you will be amazed and dazzled by the walls dedicated to bullfighters over the last century. Another bar that has a' lot of charm is 'Cafe Levante' on 'Calle de Rosario'. Again you will likely find live Spanish music here.

It is one of the most famous taverns of the famous neighborhood of La Viña. It was founded in 1953 by a Santander, Lorenzo Ruiz Manteca, as a grocery store with independent tavern area. His son, a well-known bullfighter of the time, inherited it and left it alone as a tavern.

8 – Casa Manteca: This shrine to the bullfighter in the family that owns the bar is loved by tourists and locals alike. It has a lively atmosphere and classic tapas menu for a light plate at the bar. Try the tomatoes with ventresca(tuna belly) and chicharrones (pork belly).

Casa Manteca is a traditional tapas bar that has been around for over 100 years. The bar is always packed with locals, which is a testament to the quality of the food. The menu is simple, with a focus on cured meats, like the Iberian ham and the chorizo, and local cheeses.

Taberna Casa Manteca is another tapas bar where it can get hard to get a table. Luckily, they do not only have one, but three restaurants close to each other. If it gets too full in the main restaurant, I would recommend to go to Arte Puro (de Taberna Casa Manteca).

Our next destination was Taberna Casa Manteca which is a tiny and totally authentic tapas bar with a fabulous atmosphere and an interesting history. This busy bar is a must for anyone visiting Cadiz and we liked it so much we returned several times during our stay.

Casa Manteca is probably the most famous tapas bar in Cadiz – and well deserved. We visited the place on a cold evening in March. You can’t book a table, and if we hadn’t been waiting by the door, when they opened, we wouldn’t have gotten a seat.

The freshness and quality are unmatched - shrimp fritters arrive hot, straight out the fryer and taste magnificent. Arrive when it first opens to grab a coveted table - sit outside and people watch or inside surrounded by the rustic tiled decor.

It was the poor people’s soup and they made it from tomatoes, onions and bread. It is a bit like gazpacho, but thicker and richer. It is vegan, if you remember to order it without the topping, which is usually dried ham and boiled egg.

Casa Manteca, a popular spot in for its traditional tapas and wine selection. It has a rustic atmosphere and is known for its Iberian ham and cheese platters. This is a classic seafood restaurant located in the old town of Cádiz.

And the best ones like Taberna Casa Manteca and Bar La Tabernita will be absolutely slammed the second they open. So if you manage to get a table, cherish it and stay and drink for a while. Order a few tapas now, a few later.

Old-school and wonderful, Casa Manteca's walls are covered with pictures of bullfighters and flamenco dancers. Order a sherry and some cold tapas—their chicharrones de Cadiz are wonderful. Calle Corralón de los Carros, 66

Casa Manteca is another lively historic tapas bar in the La Viña barrio. This place is really well known and popular. Inside, Casa Manteca is cosily packed, with people overflowing onto the street.

Casa Manteca – classico Cádiz bar with super booze (very cheap sherries and a great vermouth) and food offering. You have to have the chicharrones (both types), but they also do cracking seafood.

For something a little livelier, head to Casa Manteca, where the walls are covered in flamenco and bullfighting memorabilia, and every possible type of cured pork hangs above the bar.

Taberna Casa Manteca famed for being Rick Steins favourite tapas in Cadiz. It’s a tiny tapas bar, perch on stools and enjoy very traditional, authentic terrific tapas.

Taberna Casa Manteca This wonderful old place serves tapas on squares of greaseproof paper. Calle del Corralón de los Carros 66, La Viña (00 34 956 213603)

Casa Manteca: located in the center of Cádiz and decorated with photographs of bullfighters and flamenco. A traditional restaurant with no frills