Toro is known for its potent red wines, made from the local grape known as Tinta de Toro. What many discover when visiting the city is that the intensity of this grape has given rise to an equally striking gastronomy, with powerful dishes that pair wonderfully with the region's wines.
This culinary tradition, however, can make choosing where to eat a challenge. To help you decide, we've prepared a practical guide featuring a selection of restaurants for different tastes and budgets. At the end, you will find an interactive map with all the recommended spots, ready to save to your Google Maps and use during your trip.
Before choosing a restaurant: what to eat in Toro?
Toro's cuisine, from this historic city in the province of Zamora, is a direct reflection of its land and history. Expect intense flavours and hearty dishes, typical of Castille and León. The city, however, holds a surprising and subtle influence from northern Spain, a heritage from ancient settlers in the region. Therefore, do not be surprised if you find dishes like pulpo (octopus) on the menu, which is uncommon in inland Spain.
To know what to order, focus on the following points:
Main Courses
In addition to roasted meats, such as lechazo (suckling lamb), look for stews and rice dishes like arroz a la zamorana and jabalí (wild boar) stewed in red wine.
Local Produce
The quality of the ingredients is the foundation of everything. Zamoran Cheese, a sheep's milk cheese with a Protected Designation of Origin (PDO), is a must-try. The region's legumes, such as chickpeas (garbanzos), are also excellent.
The Essential Drink
No meal is complete without a D.O. Toro wine. Produced with the intense Tinta de Toro grape, it is the perfect pairing for the local cuisine.
A selection of restaurants for great dining in Toro
With so many dishes and flavours awaiting discovery in Toro, choosing the right place for a meal is crucial. To simplify your decision, we've prepared a guide featuring the city's most outstanding restaurants, organised for different occasions and experiences. Whatever your style, from a traditional lunch to a tapas evening, here you'll find suggestions to enjoy the best of the local gastronomy.
For a taste of traditional Castilian cuisine
Carpe Diem
The concept at Carpe Diem is a set tasting menu (you pay a fixed price and are served a sequence of dishes). The menu is quite generous, includes house wines, and focuses on Zamorano cuisine. Furthermore, the service is famously attentive.
Recommended Dishes
- Patatas a la Importancia (Potato Stew): Breaded and fried potatoes that are then slow-cooked in a savoury sauce.
- Arroz a la Zamorana (Zamorano-style Rice): A creamy rice dish cooked with various cuts of pork, such as ribs and ear.
- Carrillera de Cerdo (Pork Cheek): Slow-roasted pork cheeks, resulting in meat that is incredibly tender and falls off the bone.
- Rabo de Ternera (Oxtail Stew): A classic oxtail stew, slow-cooked until the meat falls off the bone.
The Menu
- First course: Patatas a la Importancia (Potato Stew) and Arroz a la Zamorana (Zamorano-style Rice).
- Second course: Fried egg with potatoes, Carrillera de Cerdo (pork cheek), and Oxtail Stew (Oxtail Stew).
- Drinks and Dessert: The meal is accompanied by the house wines (24 Mozas and Madremía) and finished with a cake.
Price
The complete menu, including wine, is between €20 to €30 per person.
MiraEspanha's Tip
The restaurant is very popular and tends to get busy. Make a reservation to guarantee your table.
Doña Negra Restaurant
This elegant restaurant is set in a traditional stone building and features several dining rooms, including a cellar area. It is known for traditional dishes with a more refined presentation and preparation.
Recommended Dishes:
- Arroz a la Zamorana (Zamorano-style Rice): Considered by many to be the best in town, this is the star of the menu.
- Ham and Chicken Croquettes: Creamy, homemade ham and chicken croquettes, a starter that never fails.
- Buñuelos de Bacalao e Morcilla (Cod and Blood Sausage Fritters): Fried fritters of cod and morcilla (a type of Spanish blood sausage), perfect for sharing.
- Rabo de Toro (Oxtail Stew): The traditional oxtail stew, perfectly executed.
Menu and À La Carte
The restaurant works with an à la carte menu and also offers set menus for groups with advance booking (minimum 72 hours).
Price
Expect to spend between €30-€50 per person for an à la carte meal. The set tasting menus start from €40 and require a 72-hour advance reservation.
MiraEspanha's Tip
For a quieter atmosphere, ask for a table in the cellar when you book.
Castilla Restaurant
Castilla is for those seeking the essence of traditional Castilian cuisine, but with a creative and surprising twist. The ambiance is more classic and elegant, but the menu mixes local tradition with more modern techniques and flavours.
Recommended Dishes:
- Oxtail Gyozas: A fusion of traditional oxtail stew with the format of a Japanese gyoza.
- Tempura Artichokes: Crispy artichokes served in a light tempura batter with a delightful sauce.
- Creamy Rice with Porcini Mushrooms: A creamy rice dish with porcini mushrooms.
- Pork Cheek Lasagne: A modern take on lasagne, using tender pork cheek for the filling.
Price
Expect to spend between €30-€50 per person for an à la carte meal.
MiraEspanha's Tip
It's one of the best options in Toro if you're looking for creative and well-crafted vegetarian dishes, which are not always easy to find in the region.
For a tapas and wine route
Bar LATINTA
Located in Plaza Mayor, LATINTA is a modern gastrobar. The place is always busy and is excellent for trying creative tapas and Toro wines (the bar has a very good wine list). The atmosphere is perfect for those seeking a more informal and lively experience, whether at the counter, at indoor tables, or on the terrace.
Recommended Dishes:
- Champiñones (Mushrooms): The star dish. Mushrooms prepared with a highly successful house sauce.
- Assorted Croquettes: Go beyond the traditional and try creative fillings like chuletón (ribeye steak) or oxtail.
- Lagarto Ibérico (Iberian Pork Tenderloin): Very flavourful and succulent grilled Iberian pork.
- Cheesecake: A sensational, super creamy cheesecake.
Price
For a meal of tapas/raciones (larger portions), expect to spend between €15-€30 per person.
Menu
During the week, at lunchtime, they offer a Menú del Día (Set Lunch Menu) for €12, which includes a starter, main course, dessert, and drink.
MiraEspanha's Tip
The bar is one of the most popular in Toro and gets very crowded. If you want to guarantee a table for a sit-down meal, especially at weekends, it's essential to book in advance.
Bar Arco del Reloj
This is one of those authentic bars with an unbeatable location at the foot of the Clock Tower. It's a small place, perfect for a break, enjoying a good wine or vermouth, and having a simple, well-made tapa.
Recommended Dishes:
- House Special Vermouth: This is actually a drink and the big star of the house. They create their own very tasty blend, which is well worth trying.
- Cecina (Cured Beef): A board of cured beef, a typical local charcuterie.
- Spanish Potato Omelette: The classic Spanish omelette, made with potatoes.
- Homemade Meatballs: Another specialty worth trying, served in a very flavourful traditional sauce.
Price
A drink with a tapa costs around €4-€8. If you plan to order several tapas or raciones, the cost per person could reach €15.
MiraEspanha's Tip
This is the ideal spot for an aperitif before lunch or dinner. Order the famous house special vermouth, get a table on the terrace, and enjoy the privileged view of the tower.
La Esquina de Colás Restaurant
Located in Plaza Mayor, this bar-restaurant is a paradise for wine lovers, with an impressive selection of labels from Toro and around the world, many served by the glass. The concept is to combine these wines with creative raciones (larger portions) and tapas, made with exceptionally high-quality produce.
Recommended Dishes:
- Marinated Sardines on Crystal Bread: Marinated sardines served on a slice of super thin, crispy bread with tomato and jamón (cured ham).
- Grilled Octopus with Pork Belly: Grilled octopus served with pork belly, a very interesting surf and turf combination.
- Leek Terrine/Flan: A kind of creamy leek terrine or flan. It's a starter, but can also be a light and surprising tapa option.
- Pistachio Ice Cream: To finish, be sure to try the artisanal pistachio ice cream.
Price
This place is more expensive than a traditional tapas bar. Expect to spend between €40-€60 per person for a meal with several raciones and wines.
MiraEspanha's Tip
This is the place to try more special wines. Don't be afraid to ask for a recommendation as they know A LOT about the region's wines.
Para uma experiência completa em uma bodega
Bodega Divina Proporción
For a total immersion in Toro's wine world, at Divina Proporción you literally eat inside the winery, surrounded by vineyards. The concept is a set tasting menu, with very generous portions of the most classic Zamoran dishes, expertly paired with the wines produced right there.
Menu:
he experience is a fixed menu where you taste a bit of everything. It's practically identical to Carpe Diem's and includes:
- First course: Patatas a la Importancia (breaded and stewed potatoes) and Arroz a la Zamorana (creamy rice with pork meats).
- Second course: Fried egg with chips, Carrillera Asada (roasted pork cheek), and Rabo de Ternera (veal oxtail stew).
- Drinks and Dessert: The meal is accompanied by two house wines (usually a Roble and a Crianza) and finished with cake and coffee.
Price
€25 per person (weekdays) and €30 per person (weekends and bank holidays). The children's menu costs €15.
MiraEspanha's Tip
They also offer a guided tour of the winery before lunch (paid separately). If you have time, it's a great way to understand the wines you'll be tasting with your meal. Book everything in advance.
Bodega Latarce
The dining room is bright, surrounded by windows overlooking the vineyards. The cuisine draws from traditional Castilian recipes and offers both set menus and à la carte options, always accompanied by the wines produced there.
Menu and À La Carte
From Wednesday to Friday (excluding bank holidays), the restaurant offers a menú del día (set lunch menu) and a special cod menu (minimum 2 people). There is also the option to order à la carte.
Recommended Dishes
- Chickpea Stew with Prawns and Calamari: A chickpea stew with prawns and squid, a typical house dish on the set lunch menus.
- Bacalao al Ajo Arriero (Cod with Garlic and Paprika): Flaked cod cooked in an earthenware pot with garlic, olive oil, and paprika, a traditional Toro recipe.
- Cochinillo Asado (Roast Suckling Pig): Slow-roasted suckling pig, served with roasted potatoes and salad.
- Lechazo Asado (Roast Suckling Lamb): Young lamb roasted in the oven, accompanied by roasted potatoes and salad.
- Torrija al Baileys con Helado (Baileys French Toast with Ice Cream): A creamy version of French toast prepared with Baileys liqueur, served warm with artisan ice cream.
Price
The Menú del Día and the Cod Menu (only available for lunch from Wednesday to Friday) cost €21 and €35 respectively. For à la carte dining, expect to spend between €50 to €70 per person.
MiraEspanha's Tip
The winery features a very pleasant garden and a chill-out area. After lunch, it's a great spot to have a coffee or a glass of wine and relax.
Nube (at Bodega Valbusenda)
Nube is the most sophisticated option on our list. This is the fine-dining restaurant of Bodega Valbusenda, which is also a 5-star hotel and spa. The concept here is cuisine d'auteur, using the finest ingredients from the Zamora region in creative, impeccably presented dishes, all in a dining room with spectacular vineyard views.
Menu and À La Carte
The main experience is the Menú Gastronómico (Gourmet Tasting Menu), a sequence of dishes selected by the chef to showcase the best of their cuisine. It's also possible to order individual dishes à la carte.
Recommended Dishes
- Lechazo Churro en su Jugo (Churro Lamb in its Jus): Slow-roasted lamb, served with black garlic purée and bean gnocchi with chorizo.
- Bacalao Confitado (Confit Cod): Cod loin slowly cooked in olive oil, served on a bed of chickpeas and wild mushrooms.
- Ravioli Valbusenda: Fresh pasta filled with spinach and pine nuts, served with foie gras sauce and an orange reduction.
- Cheesecake: Nube's version of the local cheesecake, prepared with intense Zamorano Cheese.
Price
The Menú Gastronómico costs €45 per person (drinks not included). For an à la carte meal, expect to spend from €70 per person.
MiraEspanha's Tip
This is a fine-dining experience and prices are higher. It's a place to go without rushing and to celebrate a special occasion. Booking in advance is essential.
Interactive map of Toro's restaurants
To help you find your way around and plan your culinary route, we've created a custom map with all the restaurants and bars recommended in this article.
The best part is that you can take this map with you. Click the star icon to save it to your own Google Maps! This makes it available on your phone to consult at any time during your trip in Toro, even when you're offline.
How to use the map
This map was created in Google Maps and allows you to view all the restaurants organised by category.
Click on the sidebar menu icon to select the categories you wish to view.
Click on each pin to open an information box with more details about the location.
- Red: Traditional Castilian cuisine
- Blue: Tapas and wine route
- Purple: Wineries and bodega experiences
Use the full-screen icon to expand the map and view it across your entire screen.
Click the star next to the map's title to save it to your personal Google Maps for easy access later.
Practical tips for eating like a local in Toro
Now that you have the list of the best places and a map to guide you, here are a few practical tips to enjoy Toro's gastronomy and feel like a true local.
- Adapt to Spanish mealtimes One of the biggest cultural differences is the mealtimes. In Toro, and Spain in general, restaurants only start to get busy from 2 PM for lunch. For dinner, don't expect much activity before 9 PM.
- Book a table whenever possible: Toro is a tourist town and the best restaurants, especially those we've listed here, tend get very busy. It might be quieter during the week, but booking a table for dinner on a Friday or at the weekend is almost essential to avoid disappointment.
- Take advantage of the Menú del Día: If you're in Toro on a weekday, look for signs advertising the Menú del Día (Set Lunch Menu). It's the best value for a complete meal. For a fixed price, you'll typically get a starter, a main course, dessert or coffee, and a drink.
- How does tipping work?: A service charge is not usually included in the bill. Tipping (propina) is not obligatory, but it is a welcome gesture of appreciation for good service. Leaving 5% to 10% of the bill, or simply rounding up the total, is a common and much-appreciated practice.
Photos
Photo 1: Xavier Béjar, CC BY-SA 2.0, via Wikimedia Commons
Photo 2 and 14-17: Bodegas Divina Proporción
Photo 3:Tamorlan, CC BY 3.0, via Wikimedia Commons
Photo 4: Valdavia, CC BY-SA 3.0, via Wikimedia Commons
Photo 5-8: Restaurante Carpe Diem
Photo 9: Restaurante Doña Negra
Photo 10-13: Tripadvisor
A Complete Guide to Toro
Discover the secrets of Toro, Castille and León's medieval and wine jewel.
