Mesón Don Chema

Mesón Don Chema is a mesón serving mountain cuisine in the centre of Cazorla, tucked into a narrow alley, the Escaleras del Mercado, reached down some steps from Calle Doctor Muñoz, next to the covered market. The dining rooms are decorated with sierra motifs and the house cooks the traditional food of the Sierras de Cazorla, Segura y Las Villas. It has no website of its own: the details we give here come from the official listings of the Diputación de Jaén and Turismo Andaluz.

Mountain Meats and Tapas

The Turismo Andaluz listing gives meats and tapas as its specialities. It is mesón cooking, with no signature menu: meats from the sierra, spoon dishes and whatever is on that day. The mountain cooking of the district has its own dishes, such as gachamigas or rin-ran, made with the local oil; ask in the dining room which ones are on that day, and about the homemade desserts.

Open Every Day

The Diputación de Jaén lists it as open every day, from 12:00 to 22:30, with no weekly closing day. Confirm the kitchen hours by phone, especially out of season. On Sundays and long weekends, call ahead on 953 72 00 68.

In the Heart of the Old Town

The Escaleras del Mercado are in the centre of the town; in the lower district are the Cerezuelo river vault and the climb to the Castillo de la Yedra. It is best to leave the car in one of the Cazorla car parks: the alley can only be reached on foot. If you are looking for a more elaborate meal, Casa Alfonso has tasting menus with oil from the district.