WE ALSO RECOMMEND...

You can follow our friends’ recommendations because they know very well what they're talking about (they have supported the economy of those places for a very long time!!). Now we would also like to make our small contribution to this section with places which are conveniently located according to where you're staying, so here we go:

LOGROÑO

• BREAKFAST TIME

For those staying at “Hotel Ciudad de Logroño”:

1. Chocolatería Valor (thick, dark chocolate with churros; horchata) http://logrono.salir.com/chocolateria_valor-c__garcia_morato_19

It is smoke free!!!

2. There is also a cafeteria in the park across the road from the hotel. I don´t remember the name, but it's quite nice.
3. Cafetería Dona, on Pérez Galdós, next to Zara (although I would go for any of the other two first).

Beware:

Café solo = black coffee (it is espresso; if you want filter coffee, you'll have to order "un café americano", although you might not get it everywhere)

Café con leche = cafe latte (when you order coffee with milk in Spain, you get espresso and the rest is all milk)

Cortado = macchiato (espresso and a drop of milk)

Descafeinado de sobre = decaf (hot milk + a sachet of decaf coffee powder)

Descafeinado de máquina = decaf (hot milk + decaf coffee made in a coffee machine)

For those staying at “Pensión Casa con Encanto”:

1. Cafetería Delicias, on Avda. de La Rioja, 2-4 (in El Espolón)
2. Any of the cafeterias in Plaza del Mercado or Calle Portales or Calle Bretón
3. Café Cervantes, across the road from Instituto Sagasta, on Muro de Cervantes, 3 (thick, dark chocolate with churros)

· LUNCH TIME (in/around the old town)

En Ascuas: nice traditional Riojan food (good quality/price relationship; they have the menu in English if you ask for it). C/ Hermanos Moroy 22. Tfno.: 941 246 867

Tastavin: recently opened restaurant with good food and nice atmosphere. C/ San Juan 25, Tfno: 609 787 036

El Portalón: traditional Riojan food 941 24 13 34

Tahiti: delicious meat and, above all, the best tortilla de patata or Spanish omelette ever (they have won several national prizes for that!) 941 22 33 09 (closed on Sundays)

Trattoria: C/ Bretón de los Herreros, 29 -Tel.: 941 20 26 02

Creperia: C/ Sagasta, 6-Tel.: 941 25 47 47

Drunken Duck (See Tito´s section at “Our friends recommend”)

El Lagar: very, very nice traditional food, although a bit expensive and not in the old town (well located for those staying in Hotel Ciudad de Logroño). C/ Huesca, 13- Tel.: 941 25 03 09

El Rey del jamón: C/ Portales, 45 -Tel.: 941 26 38 73

Sidrería San Gregorio: C/ San Gregorio -Tel.: 941 25 25 24

For MENUS OF THE DAY, see Tito's section above.

• TAPAS (on Laurel Street)
  

Pata Negra: the best for ham (jamón Serrano). You can have small bocadillos with ham only, ham with melted cheese (called "jamón con queso de tetilla"), ham with anchovies and fresh tomato, salmon and blue cheese, etc. Don´t miss it!!

Juan y Pinchamé: prawns and pineapple, embuchados (meat)

Blanco y Negro: small bocadillos with anchovies and green pepper (called “matrimonio”), haddock, etc. Delicious!

Soriano: very traditional mushrooms

Lorenzo: Pincho moruno (small pieces of meat in a stick) and “Tío Agus” (the same pieces of meat but on bread and with a very tasty sauce)

La Rueda: setas (flat mushrooms or funghi)

Jubera: Patatas bravas (potatoes with mayonnaise and Tabasco). If you're staying at Hotel Ciudad de Logroño, I strongly recommend to go to a bar nearby called “Sella” where they serve the best patatas bravas of the region (and also fantastic mussels in tomato sauce). “Sella” is on República Argentina street, just turning left as you go along Calle Somosierra from the hotel.

Sebas: tortilla de patata

WINE: If you like wine, you're in the right place. Order “Crianza”.

• NIGHTLIFE

August is holiday in Spain and most locals move to their villages in search of cooler weather. That means that there won't be a great atmosphere, but you'll also be able to enter any bar without having to fight your way in!

Relaxed atmospheres: the areas of Bretón de los Herreros (any of the cafes and terraces there), Plaza del Mercado (idem), Calle Vitoria, and Gran Vía.

Pubs and bars (till 4am): the areas of La Zona (by Calle Labradores, Calle Lardero, etc.), La Mayor, La Plaza del Mercado (there, and also on the streets behind).

Discos (from 4am onwards): there are three, all of them 5 minutes from Plaza del Mercado (where the Cathedral is): "Concept" (recommended... if any of them can be recommended!), "Yoquese" (for teenagers), and "Aural" (mainly techno music, although it depends on the day...).

LAGUARDIA

If you're staying in Laguardia, you can have breakfast and lunch at the bar/cafeteria next to the pension, which has the same name: Biazteri. I'm afraid it's not smoke free, but I'll try to find one that is so.

There are a couple of nice bakeries in the village where you can buy fresh bread and traditional pastry.

For lunch there are different options, most of them expensive (Laguardia is not a cheap eat):

Marixa: one of the oldest and possibly the best restaurant of Laguardia. Very good but rather expensive.

El Bodegón: nice and definitely cheaper than Marixa (it's usually full, but August is not a busy month, so you might be lucky).

Posada Mayor de Migueloa: "Located in the narrow medieval streets of Laguardia, this beautifully renovated 17th century manor house is surely a great choice for lovers of excellent food, wine and old world charm." It is quite expensive, but you can also just go to the bar for a drink and some tapas and enjoy the place.

Biazteri: they have "platos combinados" (economical dishes - around 12 euros - which combine a bit of everything: eggs, steaks and fries; fish, salad and eggs, etc.) in the bar, and very nice food in the restaurant.

There is also a restaurant just opposite Villa Lucía, across the road, next to the petrol station. It is called "Las Postas" and it serves nice and cheap food. If you don't want to spend too much money, I would go for either Biazteri or Las Postas. You'll eat well and cheaply.

Restaurante Amelivia: this is a fairly new restaurant and I've never been there, but it's supposed to be more fancy. I've heard that you can eat for approx. 36 euros with good wine. It's on Calle Barbacana, 14.

If you can, go to the tourist information office upon arrival and get a map of the village. It's tiny, but still it's good to know where these places are located. If you ask them, I'm sure they'll help you find the restaurants or any other place you're looking for.

Y para los hispano-parlantes:

http://laguardadenavarra.blogspot.com/2007/03/laguardia-gua-para-un-da.html