One of Spain's most cherished culinary establishments, the historic Mesón de Cándido opened in 1895…read morein an 18th century inn beneath the Segovia Aqueduct, where the Cándido family has served its famous Cochinillo Asado (roast sucking pig) to everyone from Cary Grant and Mick Jagger to Salvador Dalí and King Felipe VI of Spain. Still family-run as of 2025, the restaurant is dripping with history, from its Old World decor and Moorish tiled floors, to the photos and honors hanging on its walls.
On our recent visit, we were welcomed by Alberto Cándido, the 92-year-old son of the restaurant's renowned founder, who proudly showed us the medal he was given by King Juan Carlos I, which passed on the title of Mesonero Mayor of Castile after his father's death. We were seated at a window table in the beautiful Álvaro de Luna salon to enjoy delicious entrees of Grilled Sea Bass, Battered Hake in Salsa Verde, Pork Snout with Mushrooms and, of course, the famous Cochinillo Asado. Paired with a delicious house red wine and followed by slices of rich chocolate cake and apple pie, the meal was outstanding, as was the service.
It was a privilege to eat in this amazing restaurant and to meet the scion of the family dynasty that maintains the culinary legacy of Mesón de Cándido to this day. A highly recommended experience if you're ever in Segovia -- and well worth the quick train ride if you're visiting Madrid.