Mesón del Pastor

Mesón del Pastor has been feeding people in Morella since 1975. It is on Costa de Jovaní, the slope that climbs from the arcaded street to the basilica of Santa María, inside the walled enclosure, and seats about 80. The kitchen is now run by Raquel, daughter of the founders, who grew up in the restaurant: she keeps the family recipes and adds new dishes using produce from the Els Ports district.

A €25 menu on weekdays

From Monday to Friday, except public holidays, long weekends, Holy Week and August, there is a €25 house menu with bread and a quarter-litre of wine or water. A seasonal salad and Morella croquettes come to the centre of the table; for a first course you choose between the olleta masovera, the farmhouse stew, Morella soup, cold starters or the dish of the day; for a main, grilled meats (rabbit, sausages or lamb, the lamb with a €4 supplement), lamb caldereta with almond sauce, braised cheeks or trout. For dessert, sheep's-milk curd, flan or requesón with honey.

Tasting menus, for two or more

The traditional tasting menu (€35 per person, drinks extra, minimum two) is made with produce from the district: cured beef from La Todolella, Teruel ham, artisan cheeses from Morella and Tronchón, croquettes and wild mushrooms with ham to share, and then a main to choose, such as ternasco cannelloni, grilled lamb or sea bass. The Mesón's menu for the Castelló Ruta del Sabor, the autumn gastronomic season running until 30 November, costs €45 and adds starters with Els Ports summer truffle and foie gras. From the à la carte, the truffled rabbit medallion, fried noodles with oyster mushrooms, Iberian presa with port sauce or duck breast with thyme and orange.

The house also holds truffle days and bolets (wild mushroom) days, with their own menu; check their website to see whether there is one on the dates of your trip.

Closed on Wednesdays

It opens at midday every day except Wednesday, from 13:15 to 15:30, and serves dinner on Fridays and Saturdays, from 20:45 to 22:00. Book on 964 160 249 or at [email protected], and the house recommends doing so in good time, especially for the weekend. Some years it has closed for a few days' holiday in late spring or summer: it announces this on its website. Pets are not admitted and the premises are not wheelchair accessible.

When you leave, the basilica of Santa María is a few steps uphill and the arcaded street downhill.