Staff Reporter
By James Stewart
WHEN I made my first visit to Sotogrande many, many moons ago in March, Sotogrande was completely empty and the only place open for dinner was Hostal Bernardo where you will now find CaixaBank in Pueblo Nuevo.
Driving back to my hotel in Estepona I saw literally no other restaurants open and Puerto Duquesa, for example, didn’t even exist.
However, how things have changed now Sotogrande has become a year-round destination.
Despite the fake news merchants who claim there are few places to eat, it couldn’t be further from the truth.
I have just jotted down the names of 50 restaurants within a ten minute drive of my office and I’ve eaten in all of them – except one, the brand new Plaza Blanca, which is meant to be great.
I asked my team to pick their two favourite restaurants, with me going first, choosing La Verandah and Fresco. There is nostalgia for me at La Verandah as its owners, Jose and Carlos, worked with me when I was General Manager of Valderrama in the late 1990s. But their restaurant has real consistency providing magnificent Spanish food with a touch of French influence.
Fresco has a great variety of choice and Guillermo, the Head Chef, is an award winner. I often have lunch there on Sundays on the terrace before dipping inside to watch a sporting event.
Rita loves El Trocadero (for the ‘location particularly on a sunny day in winter’) and Brosco in Pueblo Nuevo where the sushi is the ‘best in town’.
Siobhean likes the newly opened Hincha which has ‘real quality food’ as well as the Argentinian grill, La Reunion, which has a great informal atmosphere.
Gloria’s picks are Rio Seco serving excellent fresh fish and classic Andalusian fare and Cancha I which overlooks the San Enrique polo fields. “I love the quiet country location and the steaks are always perfect,” she says.
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