Traditional food from Extremadura

The gastronomy of Extremadura, in Mérida

The gastronomy of Extremadura, of which Mérida is the capital, delivers warm flavours born from the influences of past centuries. The Mérida audio-guided tour stops here to evoke this cuisine of the terroir, from the Extremaduran gazpacho to the famous ham of the dehesa, through the stews and the cheeses, to be savoured in the restaurants of the town.

The warm flavours of the terroir

We are now heading towards the site of the Roman aqueducts of Mérida. As the streets that lead there are not the most fascinating, let us take the opportunity to evoke the gastronomy of the region, so that you know what to order once at the restaurant. Capital of Extremadura, Mérida has been able to integrate into its cuisine the influences experienced over the centuries, and delivers today warm and generous flavours, anchored in the terroir. You can for example order an Extremaduran gazpacho, a variant of the famous Andalusian cold soup, to which is added breadcrumbs bound with egg yolk, or a migas, this dish of stale bread fried in oil with bacon and chorizo, formerly the meal of the shepherds. But the great treasure of the region remains the Iberian pork, raised in freedom in the dehesa, these vast pastures dotted with holm oaks whose acorns feed the animals: from it is drawn the famous Iberian ham of bellota, one of the most renowned of the world, as well as tasty charcuterie. Among the other specialities figure the rabbit in the Mérida way, the lamb stew, or the caldereta. The cheeses of Extremadura, including the famous Torta del Casar with a runny heart, are also renowned, as are the wines of the region. A rustic and tasty cuisine, that celebrates the products of a generous land. Flavours of the terroir and an art of living, the gastronomy of Extremadura is at the heart of the discovery of Mérida.

What to see

Here you discover the warm cuisine of Extremadura, of which Mérida is the capital: the Extremaduran gazpacho bound with egg yolk, the migas of the shepherds, but above all the Iberian pork raised in the dehesa, from which is drawn the famous ham of bellota, as well as the rabbit in the Mérida way, the lamb stew, the cheeses like the Torta del Casar and the wines of the region. The gastronomy of Extremadura is savoured in the restaurants of Mérida.

Practical information

The gastronomy of Extremadura is savoured in the restaurants and tapas bars of Mérida, that follow their own days and hours, variable. Some specialities, like the Iberian ham of bellota or the Torta del Casar, are renowned products of the terroir. It is best to enquire and to taste the local specialities according to the season.

What are the specialities of the gastronomy of Extremadura in Mérida?

The Iberian pork raised in the dehesa, from which is drawn the famous ham of bellota, but also the Extremaduran gazpacho bound with egg yolk, the migas of the shepherds, the rabbit in the Mérida way, the lamb stew, the cheeses like the Torta del Casar with a runny heart and the wines of the region, in a rustic and tasty cuisine.

Where to taste the gastronomy of Extremadura in Mérida?

In the restaurants and tapas bars of Mérida, in Extremadura, in Spain.