Jerez isn’t a coastal city, but its closeness to the Bay of Cádiz can be felt in every seafood dish that comes out of its kitchens. The sea is always close by, and it shows in the local gastronomy.
A city that looks to the sea without being on it
Thanks to its proximity to the Cádiz coastline, fresh fish and seafood arrive in Jerez every day, cooked in countless ways: fried, grilled, baked or stewed. This closeness makes fish a regular star of the Jerez table, both among the tapas and the main dishes.
Pescaíto frito, an unshakeable classic
Few things represent southern Spanish cuisine better than pescaíto frito: fresh fish, lightly battered and fried, served crisp on the outside and juicy within. It’s enjoyed as a quick tapa in any bar just as readily as a sharing plate, and it is, almost by tradition, inseparable from a glass of well-chilled fino or manzanilla.
Other dishes that come from the sea
Tortillitas de camarones
Although typical of the entire province of Cádiz, in Jerez they have their own touch. They’re made by mixing shrimp into a thin batter of flour and water, then frying until crisp. They’re one of the most beloved appetisers to accompany a glass of Jerez wine.
Stews and oven-baked fish
Beyond frying, Jerez cuisine also turns to fish in stews and oven or salt-baked preparations, such as urta a la roteña (bream in tomato and pepper sauce), dorada a la sal (salt-baked sea bream) or almejas a la marinera (clams in a garlic and wine sauce) — dishes that ‘smell and taste of the sea,’ in the words of those who have spent years documenting this cuisine.
The perfect pairing
The salty, floral notes of fino or manzanilla fit naturally with these marine flavours, something Jerez has known for generations and that remains, to this day, one of its gastronomy’s most celebrated combinations.
