6 Best Restaurants in Castile–Leon and Castile–La Mancha, Spain

According to Spain's top food critics, this restaurant ladles out the best cocido madrileño in all the land. Each component of the multicourse boiled dinner, from the chickpeas to the chorizo to the pickled peppers, is sourced from top-notch producers from around the peninsula. Fret not, summer visitors: a variety of traditional seafood, vegetable, and meat dishes are available for days when a hot stew doesn't appeal. 

At the edge of the serene Adaja River, El Molino, housed in a 15th-century mill, is one of the most idyllic restaurants in the region. Lamb, the chef's specialty, is roasted in a medieval wood oven; it's best preceded by smoky, bacon-y revolcona (mashed) potatoes or a bowl of stewed white beans from nearby El Barco de Ávila. The garden has waddling geese and a small playground for children. Reservations are essential for weekend lunch.

León is a cold, windy town for much of the year, so it's no surprise that the local version of cocido (boiled dinner) is heartier than usual with mounds of green cabbage, spoonable blood sausage, and some 10 types of meat (chorizo, beef shanks, pork belly, and chicken, to name a few). Sample the city's best rendition at this spartan yet inviting downstairs restaurant outside the historic center—and be sure to bring an appetite.

This family-run bar and restaurant punches above its weight with market-driven tapas that reflect a sense of place. Spring for the stuffed foraged mushrooms or seared Sigüenza-style blood sausage.

Segovia's oldest restaurant, founded in 1895 and still run by the same family, has a rustic interior with wood beams and bric-a-brac hanging on the walls. The decor suits the unfussy (if perhaps overpriced) cuisine, which features roast meats and stewed local judiones (broad beans).

Rest your legs at this Arabian-style tea house–bar appointed with plush couches, low tables, and colorful tapestries. Sample specially blended teas incorporating flowers, dried fruit, and spices. Fruit smoothies, crepes, and sandwiches make yummy snacks.