El Figón de Eustaquio

Plaza de San Juan, in the shade of the old town

El Figón de Eustaquio opened in 1947 and is still a family restaurant serving Spanish and Extremaduran cooking. It is at number 11 Plaza de San Juan, beside the church of the same name, outside the walled enclosure but right next to it: in five minutes on foot you are at the Plaza Mayor and the Arco de la Estrella. The house describes its decor as rustic, with an Extremaduran air, and on the square it has a terrace with a view of the monumental surroundings.

The regional menu, starter by starter

The shortest way to understand the house is its regional menu, chosen from a few dishes. For starters there are Extremaduran migas, the house soup, a menestra of local vegetables or Extremaduran gazpacho. For mains, Extremaduran-style trout, chanfaina (a stew of lamb offal), venison stewed with mushrooms, Iberian beef cheek in red wine or huevos al pastor. The dessert is fig biscuit. The website does not publish its price: ask when you book.

The long menu: game, lamb and torta del Casar

Outside the set menu, the à la carte is extensive and very much inland. In meats, Easter lamb in several forms (roast, chops or Extremaduran frite), roast suckling pig, oxtail, venison sirloin, wild boar with morello cherries, partridge stewed Extremaduran style, whole or half, and a long series of kid sirloins, Iberian pork and veal entrecôtes with sauces of torta del Casar, pepper, Roquefort or anchovy. There are also sections of fish, shellfish, eggs, vegetables, soups and starters.

The desserts are homemade: tocinillo de cielo, técula, rice pudding, fried milk with cinnamon, almond cake, walnuts with cream and honey or Grandma Paca's honey soup. Menu prices include VAT. To drink, the wine list has wines from all over Spain.

Booking and hours

The website does not publish opening hours or closing days. Call 927 244 362 or 646 771 745, write to [email protected] or use the booking form on its website; they confirm by phone, message or email. For groups, working lunches and celebrations it has a working menu and an events form.

It suits those who want regional cooking as it has always been, with lots of game and lamb, and groups and families. If you want something more contemporary, Torre de Sande is inside the wall, ten minutes' walk. To walk lunch off, go up the Bujaco Tower, above the Plaza Mayor.