El Mercader

Wow! This restaurant is doing everything right. Quaint atmosphere with only 8 tables.. with one of the owners running in front of the house and his wife cooking in the kitchen. And when I say cooking, I mean creating dishes that are beautifully presented in a rustic style and absolutely delicious. We had starters, entrees, and dessert. The pate was off the charts, but so were the grilled lamb sweetbreads. Everyone loved their food..and the service was fabulous.

One of our favorite restaurants while in Spain. LP placemats, 1000s of corks on the walls, very cool. Good wine selection; gave us a split pea soup with salmon bits as our free tapa! Only 10 or so tables, so make a reservation.

A phenomenal dining experience in the heart of Granada. Run by a husband and wife team, El Mercader has delicious food and impeccable service. And it’s well loved so def make reservations if you want to come!

They only take reservations by phone but I was able to walk in and make one during lunch time.

Food: a work of art. I got the lamb, the asparagus appetizer, and the goat cheesecake. All were amazingly good. The lamb was perfectly marinade and very tender. I also don’t usually like cheesecake but the ingredients looked really good so I decided to give it a shot and it’s probably the favorite cheesecake I’ve ever had.

Service: impeccable. The server who I think is one of the owners was able to give good recommendations based off my preferences and gave a great wine recommendation as well.

It’s not the cheapest restaurant in Granada but you get what you pay for here. The food quality is a work of art with carefully curated flavors, not something that was just slapped together.

Overall, would definitely recommend checking out if you’re in Granada!

Make sure to visit this exceptional place when in Granada. We loved it here. We came here without making a reservation and kind of expected it would be full. And it was! All the tables reserved...Luckily, though, some couples were supposed to come for a late dinner 🍽 So we got about 80 minutes to taste some of their amazing dishes. The service was outstanding, the guy who served us was attentive, polite, nice & friendly.

This was was one of the best if not the best dining I’ve had in Spain for the weeks I’ve spent in the province of Granada. The food was unique and delicious. The wine was local and phenomenal. The owner was so hospitable and thoughtful. The menus are really unique and artistic, crafted from books, the placemats are vintage vinyl records … it’s amazing. Please go and enjoy this one-of-a-kind dining experience.

The best restaurant experience we had in Spain! If you are in Granada, paying them a visit is a must and you will not regret one thing! We arrived to this place after visiting Alhambra (which is the first must here), right at opening time for dinner and luckly for us they had one table not yet reserved. We found a cozy, quiet place, a most friendly and helpful host, all leading to the amazing dishes we were served. You will taste creative cuisine, great combinations and discover all sorts of incredible flavors. It is a beautiful family business, so don’t be shy in sharing your appreciation for their work and dedication. Grateful for the experience we were offered and hope to return :)

One of the best meals I’ve had in Spain. A hole in the wall family run restaurant with an experimental menu at reasonable prices. Tried their deer lasagna, duck breast with pineapple, lamb sweetbread as a starter, and goat cheesecake for dessert. Tens across the board for this one, explosion of flavors in deceptively simple dishes. Managed to walk in for a table for 2 on a Saturday afternoon.

Real delight! So happy we got a table here and had our best dinner in Granada. We ordered duck, deer lasagna, asparagus with sardines as a starter - everything was delicious! We couldn't help and orders deserts as well - great experience. Don't miss this foodies' paradise

A fun and unique restaurant featuring a creative menu with surprising ingredients that tasted delightful. The owners are very welcoming and the atmosphere is cozy. Well worth finding on a quiet side alley!

This place, run by a husband and wife, is spectacular! The dishes they serve you is so perfectly curated. It feels like poetry in your mouth. All the tastes come together in harmony. If you’re a foodie, and you want a Michelin-star experience without the Michelin-star price tag, you must come here!

I strongly recommend eating here when visiting Granada. The food was delicious! We ate duck breast with pineapple and strawberry sauce, and deer lasange with truffle sauce. For desert we shared ginger sponge cake with orange, peaches and white chocolate. Everything was just perfect. And to top it of, the owner was super nice and welcoming. 5/5

Reinventing traditional Spanish recipes: this remarkable restaurant, with a tiny dining room, has quickly become our favorite in Granada. Here is how to deal with it wonderful quirks:

The recipes on the menu all reinvent a classical recipe, most if the time Spanish, but sometimes I. The recipes present a combination of textures and tastes with lovely balance and unexpected touches, for us always a delightful discovery: we always try to convince the friends we take there to order different dishes so we can all taste everything!

The owner and his wife, the chef, change the menu every few months. A few mainstays remain, but the rest rotates: we love trying everything new. In addition to the menu, there are also dishes and deserts of the day, which we have always found interesting to try!

Because the place is so small, it can be a challenge to get reservations (the place is almost always booked same day). What he have found us best is to walk over when the restaurant is open, and simply ask when there are openings :-)

We have been told a few times that the owner can be brusque. We are foodies, and found the truth to be quite the contrary: he is a foodie also, and really enjoys discussing his recipes and why they work. Every time we have been there we have had a delightful experience and our discussions with the owner and his wife have been fascinating.

Our guests always find the menu to have too many attractive choices. We have found the owner's suggestions to be excellent, both to pick a good menu and to pair it with local wines, surprising in their range and quality. Our preference, in general, has been for Spanish recipes, but we have also really enjoyed others.

El Mercader is our to-go place in Granada. I am almost hesitant to recommend it because I don't want to attract even more customers there :-)

Delicious food served with a smile; cozy atmosphere; the husband-wife team was friendly, professional and attentive. Highly recommend the pate (it was so smooth and light), the deer lasagna and the duck breast. If there is one restaurant in Granada that you need to try, this is it!

If you think good food comes with an outrageous price tag, you should try this restaurant. The unusual flavors, adequate portions (an appetizer and a main dish and you need goodwill to get to the dessert, which is worth the effort) and reasonable prices are improved by the niceness of the service. My wife and I spent there both nights of our stay in Granada and we would have had more time to try something else out. You must reserve, the place is pretty popular.

I saw a recension here about not leaving Granada until eaten here. I had huge expectations with such a great rank. And I was not disappointed. Many people were asking for a table, but few came in. We were lucky. An excellent starter with chicken liver accompanied with a dark rum and rose wine. Then, as the main course, we had duck and lasagna. For desert chocolate brownie and goat cheese. But here comes the one thing that made me think twice about the 5 stars - no coffee. And a bottle of Ribera del duero in total 100 euro. They must be kidding.

We came to this place hoping to find Salmorejo, but they didn't have it since the menu changes all the time depending on the fresh ingredients they have (which is a very good sign).

We decided on the fish and lamb which were amazing. The food was so good, and we forgot about the Salmorejo immediately. The staff was so friendly and he made sure we were having a good time dining here. We finished off with the mature goat cheese cake which was the perfect way to end the day.

Thank you for an amazing experience. Will definitely come again whenever I'm in Granada again!

Fantastic family run restaurant - excellent service and quality food. Plus the Cardinal Mendoza brandy was very special! The place is quite small so telephone to book! We saw at least 6 couples/ groups turned away.

Great food and great service. My husband had some dietary restrictions and the staff was super helpful and friendly. We arrived at 13:30 as soon as it opened so we managed to get a table without reservation- otherwise I advise you to book in advance since the place is usually fully booked.

Hands down the best meal we had during our two weeks in Spain, which is why I'm reviewing it almost a year later. We had a local call and get us a reservation and it was absolutely worth every penny. I loved the pineapple with mustard that came with my meat, so unique. And when I ordered a glass of wine, the server left the bottle at the table to allow for refills and then approximated how much I drank, kindly and intentionally in my favor. The atmosphere was really nice and we had a wonderful time.

Our meal started with delicious dry sherry and sweet orange wine, followed by a delectable complimentary amuse bouche of cream of mussels and curry. For appetizer, we had the terrific eggs and pig brain. For main courses, we enjoyed the memorable melt in your mouth veal tongue, and the remarkable duck breast with warm pineapple salad. Dessert was excellent sponge cake with candied peach, yoghurt and white chocolate. This dinner was our memorable grand finale for Granada, because it was the best meal we had during our five-day stay in this iconic city. Cost before tip was 59.40€.