The story
In a 15th-century house where the Catholic Monarchs once stopped to scout Granada, Asador de la Reina now stands as a temple to meat. Chef Sergio Lara, a finalist at San Sebastián Gastronómika’s National Grill Contest and a graduate of Granada’s hospitality school, spent thirty years mastering the relationship between charcoal, salt, and fire. His nickname, “Cangrejo” (Crab), remains his second-best-kept secret. The first is only shared with his Josper open-and-closed grills, a Castilian oven, and Dry Ager maturation cabinets.
The kitchen sources beef from northern Spanish valleys, Swiss Alpine pastures, and traditional Japanese farms. Asador de la Reina is the only restaurant in Granada certified with the IGP Lechazo de Castilla y León seal for milk-fed lamb. Start with setas in Cabrales sauce, croquetas, or cochifrito, then move to a premium aged chuleta or spectacular lechal (suckling lamb). The wine list holds over 550 references, and the lemon pie, tiramisú, and leche frita have earned their own devotion. The atmosphere is an old wood-paneled hall where tables are close and conversations weave together.
Michelin has bestowed its Recomended designation on Asador de la Reina, placing it among Spain’s notable dining destinations. Guests regularly call it “one of the best temples of meat in Granada” and praise the service led by Mario de la Plata and Maite. The tagline says it all: “What has always been, like never before.”
Recognition
Ambience
Details
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