Terraza Carmona

The story

Terraza Carmona, Vera – Spanish Tradition Since 1947, Michelin Bib Gourmand

Terraza Carmona in Vera, Spain

Just off the seafront in Vera, Terraza Carmona has been a fixture of Almerian dining since 1947. What began as a small bar-bodega run by Ginés Carmona García and Beatriz Gallardo López has grown into a destination restaurant where three generations of the Carmona family tend the stoves. Today, chef Antonio Carmona—trained at the Escuela de Hostelería Hurtado de Mendoza and the University of Granada—leads a team of 48, balancing deep respect for tradition with an inventive, market-driven approach to Spanish cuisine.

The kitchen’s philosophy is straightforward: enrich the gastronomy of Almería by cooking what is fresh and local. Dishes change with the seasons, but the spirit remains constant. Grilled mackerel with a flan of letones (local broad beans) and a remojón of breadcrumbs in torta, or skewers of dry-aged octopus with pumpkin cream, give a sense of the kitchen’s confident, original touch. The tasting menu, El Portalón, brings together classic preparations and newer presentations built around seasonal produce—a direct expression of what the Carmona family calls “cocina de mercado.”

This consistency and value have earned Terraza Carmona a Michelin Bib Gourmand, an award that recognises quality cooking at a fair price. The restaurant also holds a Sol Repsol, awarded uninterrupted since 2004, along with the SICTED quality tourism distinction and the regional Sabores Almería mark. In 2019, it became the first restaurant in the province to receive that certification.

Chef Antonio’s reach extends far beyond Vera. He has presented his cooking at gastronomic forums from Madrid Fusión to San Sebastián, and in cities as distant as Tokyo, Dubai and Guadalajara (Mexico). At home, he organises the long-running “El Toro Bravo en la Cocina” gastronomic days, now in their 28th edition, which have brought more than 120 chefs from around the world to cook in Vera. He is also the regional delegate for Euro-Toques España and was awarded the 2023 Annual Gastronomy Prize by the Indalo Association of Cooks and Pastry Chefs of Almería.

Terraza Carmona is not a place of fuss or flourish. It is a restaurant built on the “eternal fire” of its founders—a kitchen that treats guests like family and lets the food speak for itself.