IT might seem counterintuitive but you need to head deeper and deeper into the industrial estate to find one of the true secrets of Ronda.
This is Kutral, the spiritual home of Argentinian Martin Abramzon, who trained at three Michelin star Martin Berasategui in the Basque country, before falling in love and making Ronda his home.
An incredibly hip spot, which you’ll definitely need to book, this is where those-in-the-know come for easily the best steak you can eat in the town.
The exposed brick, high ceilings, and contemporary lighting create an exciting, yet intimate, dining experience.
Kutral, which fittingly means ‘fire’ or ‘hearth’, is built around a monumental Argentinian-style parilla (grill) where the magic really happens.
Martin offers up the best prime cuts, which are then expertly cooked over an open flame, imbuing them with a distinct, smoky depth.
But it’s a lot more than just steaks and you must expect some good local vegetable dishes, plus naturally the best empanadas around, not to mention splendid wines.
One of the best travelled foodies about, Martin knows the Spanish restaurant scene inside out and, no surprise, having run the kitchen in Ronda’s once-famous Michelin star joint Tragabuches.
He has also cooked for many celebrities, including Gareth Bale, Robert de Niro and Cristiano Ronaldo, both in Marbella and the nearby hills, but don’t expect him to tell you about it.
“It’s not me but Ronda that’s the real star,” he insists. “There are so many good places to eat now and gastronomically we are offering more and more variety.”
He is certainly right, with the mountain town where I have lived for two decades completely changing in that time.
Since launching the Olive Press newspaper in Ronda in 2006 it has become a real melting pot at the end of the restaurant rainbow.
A cauldron of top quality ingredients and a chopping board of talents, the Serrania de Ronda really has it all.
Having travelled far and wide to interview Spain’s best chefs – and usually trying their food – few places equal the joy of a tapas tour in Ronda in the heart of winter.
And if you want a proper blow up seat down meal you’ve got places like Bardal with two Michelin stars and Pedro Romero, which has been serving up the best Rabo de Toro in Spain for nearly half a century.
Top of the pile by some length is the kitchen of Benito Gomez at Bardal.
A Catalan dynamo, who has long been tipped as Spain’s next Three Michelin star maestro, his kitchen is a true reflection of the very best of the Serrania.
Having trained under Ferran Adria (from Spain’s famous El Bulli), he moved to Ronda via a stint at Adria’s sister restaurant Hacienda Benazuza, in Sanlucar la Mayor, near Sevilla.
It was there around 2010 that I had, possibly, my most memorable meal in Spain… a 25-course masterclass, basically one dish for every year Adria had been in charge of El Bulli.
I’ve eaten at Bardal various times before it got a star and since it won two and, there is no doubt, Benito is approaching that legendary meal… and if it is just a taster you are after, try his diffusion restaurant, Tragata, just around the corner.
Close by are, no less, than four other joints where the chefs have worked at leading Michelin star restaurants.
Javier Pimentel at Taberna Almacen is easily the most approachable, a man who lives and breathes food and is continually changing and upgrading his menu.
He learned from the godfather of Spanish cuisine, Pedro Subijana, at Akelarre in San Sebastian, a true cathedral of three star cuisine.
Next it was off to hone his skills with Malaga’s leading chef, Dani Carnero, of Kaleja, before he found his own furrow to plough in Ronda.
This central spot is always busy and, particularly with locals, thanks to its exceptionally keen pricing, and I love his soups and stews, plus the fact he always has four or five specials every day, things like smoky baba ganoush, with fried sweet potato chips, dried carrots and bananas.
His ‘Mollete de Benaojan’ is a lip-smacking mini-bocadillo of blue cheese and local Iberian ham.
The most exciting new talent in Ronda meanwhile, is Jose Luis Pascual, who is another well travelled chef, who’s done his time in Michelin kitchens.
His highly-rated Quinto Tramo, which is the current hip spot for locals, is the very essence of Ronda style.
Aside from the bullfighting memorabilia, esparto lamps and black and white photos, the menu is heavy on local dishes and ingredients.
This was where Jose’s parents long ran a hat shop in town (it opened nearly a century ago) and he and his brother have now finally taken over the space.
It is what one might call bijoux in real estate terms but it certainly has ambience with quality food to match.
Everything is beautifully presented on branded grease paper and Jose is a perfectionist having done his time at Dani Garcia’s three Michelin star restaurant in Marbella, and before that, Tragabuches in Ronda.
I love his fried prawn taco with onion guacamole and kimchi mayonnaise and a tuna tempura taco with a twist of lime. Both offer a taste explosion in the mouth.
Another, seasoned culinary traveller is Jose junior at Tropicana, where Jose Sanchez junior and his dad in the kitchen run a popular joint.
Jose junior also learnt his trade under famous three Michelin star genius Martin Berasategui in the Basque Region, although he learnt it in the sala.
It is a charming place to sit and expect to have plenty of vegetarian and gluten-free dishes on the menu, plus a decent number of specials, including a heart-warming bowl of tripe with onions and chorizo.
Nearby you will find charming Mi Manuela, in Plaza Carmen Abela, near to where the celebrated writer Cervantes once lived.
The friendly young local couple who run it have some good ideas, a fabulous eye and offer great value.
They are always doing specials by the day and the variety of rice dishes is worth checking out.
Best of all, was the amazing freshest mango and avocado salad with prawns, brought out by chef Ruben himself.
The wine list is good, while sitting in the plaza offers the right atmosphere for the perfect meal.
For tradition, you must obviously head to Pedro Romero, right opposite the bullring and about as classical as you can find.
Almost always busy and full of bullfighting memorabilia, it is named after the matador who founded modern bullfighting and put Ronda on the map.
A family business of three generations, it is currently bossed by brothers Carlos and Tomas, and their two daughters, while their grandfather, 90, still pops in to give some advice.
The dishes have hardly changed in decades and classics like bulls cheek (carillada) and oxtail (rabo de toro) are among the best you will eat in Spain.
The bean soup starter turns out to be the most hearty of dishes imaginable with chorizo, ham, bacon, black pudding and even more goodness that you can shake a carrot at.
If it is wine you are looking for, meanwhile, don’t miss Entre Vinos, which has over 100 wines (yes 100!) from Ronda, with more than a dozen wines by the glass.
There are some excellent tapas and it’s a charming place to while away a few hours, particularly on warm days on the terrace outside.
Make sure you try the warm pastrami bocadillo if it’s available as it is literally oozing goodness with avocado, lettuce and mustard.
Nearby is Siempre Igual, which is exactly that ‘Always the same’, it’s a bloody excellent place to enjoy tapas and some excellent wine with friends.
Run by a friendly family team from Cadiz, they always have some experimental new dishes and plenty of tables in the street to soak up the atmosphere.
Looking for the best local produce you should head down to Barrafina, in an incredibly charming spot just inside the old Arabic city wall, down by the historic Almocabar gate.
Run by Spain’s former ham-cutting champion Juan Ramirez Gil, himself the son of the town’s first wine merchant, it focuses heavily on top quality ingredients.
Aside from the best ham in Ronda, the goat’s cheeses from Grazalema are spectacular, while the tuna tartare and beef tataki are superb.
Dishes like pulled pork brioche with dates and walnuts and a burrata with pesto and amazing local tomatoes on toast.
Next door in charming Barrio San Francisco square you’ll love Bar la Plaza, which is where Joaquin runs a tight ship running between his bar and the dozen or so perfectly sited tables in the shady square.
Not just amazing value, this friendly chap from nearby Algodonales, serves up excellent value hot and cold tapas from just €1.70 each.
I particularly love his ‘salad of all life’ which doesn’t really do it justice, which is his version of Russian salad. I also loved his delicious callos (or tripe) for just €3, coming with black pudding and chorizo.
You should also try his meat dishes such as rabo de toro, which he slow cooks every day from the minute he opens.
And finally, if you are really looking for something exotic, take a look at Bombay Spice.
Opened by Talwinder, who learnt his trade up on the Costa Blanca, it is a popular choice in the heart of town.
Specialising in Indian food from the subcontinent it will not disappoint.
Marvellous Muelle
If you’ve never eaten in a railway restaurant then you are in for a big surprise. Not only is El Muelle, in Arriate, very much the first class carriage, but this is a train to your taste buds.
This all thanks to Dutchman Frank Rottgering, whose legendary joint sees regulars drive all the way from the coast and even Sevilla to eat each week.
Highly rated on Tripadvisor and it’s not hard to see why, it being both charming and atmospheric in equal measures.
Chef Isa is as popular with foreigners and tourists, as the locals, who love her generous servings and ability to change by the month and always offer specials of the day.
But there is simply no substitute for Frank himself, who is easily the most talented restaurateur in the Serrania, enthusiastic, inquisitive and interesting.
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