TRADITION, wine, sustainability, and a love for good food have earned the Cadiz city of Jerez de la Frontera the title of Spain’s Gastronomy Capital 2026.
After three years of determination – with its previous entries losing to Oviedo (2024) and Alicante (2025) – Jerez has finally claimed the title.
The city’s rich culinary heritage, from dishes like sherry-infused kidneys to its cabbage stew, helped win over a panel of judges from the tourism and hospitality sectors.
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Jerez did not just rely on its recipes to secure the win – over the last year, the city launched the ‘Eat, drink, love Jerez’ project to showcase the city’s identity through food.
The initiative, led by Jerez mayor Maria Jose Garcia-Pelayo, included over 50 activities which allowed both locals and tourists to taste the city’s cuisine.
The project paired local delicacies, such as the dessert tocino de cielo – a treat made of egg yolks, sugar and water that is often confused with custard – with local wines.
It even included a song which was promoted by local restaurants to reflect how Jerez’s gastronomy is tied to other cultural elements in the city.
Furthermore, the city is committed to sustainability and emphasises local, seasonal sourcing. It also places many of its restaurants and bodegas in historic buildings.
As a result of this project, Jerez’s application for Spanish gastronomy capital was based on four themes: its traditional food and historic wines, the way that gastronomy interacts with the city’s other cultural expressions, the talent of the gastronomy, and sustainability.
Created in 2012, the title of Spanish Gastronomy Capital honours a city that not only excels in food, but also uses gastronomy to draw tourism and celebrate culture.
This year, as winners, Jerez is likely to see an influx of tourists who want to try the city’s dishes and experience how gastronomy acts as part of its cultural heritage.
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