I second Madrid Man's post on Casa Duque. We stayed in Segovia 2 nights and had suckling pig at Casa Duque the first night and Candido the second. Obviously I thought it was great.

Casa Duque was not very crowded and the atmosphere and service was outstanding. We ordered a meal that consisted of a sampling of regional foods (I couldn't bring myself to try the blood sausage) and roast suckling pig. The pork was juicy, and so tender it almost melted in my mouth. We didn't have a problem with our bill, so hopefully the problem that MadridMan experienced was isolated.

The next afternoon we went to Candide's for lunch. Service was poor - I got the feeling we were basically just one of the herd and the waiter gave my friend a very dirty look when she ordered a coke with her meal. The suckling pig was good but not up to par with the previous night's meal at Duque's.

Never made it to Botin in Madrid - there were just so many fun tapas bars/caves to investigate that we didn't have time. Guess I'll just have to go back and find out for myself!

Last Thursday, Magic Kings Day, I invited "the family" to Restaurante Duque in Segovia for lunch as a kind of Thank You for their hospitality. This is something I try to do each time I visit Madrid and stay at their house. (and eat all their wonderful, home-cooked meals. mmmm.. :p )

My ladyfriend, her mother & aunt and I walked in at about 3pm and the place was FULL. They asked, "Do you have a reservation?". No. We did not. But LUCKILY, there was ONE table available in the lefthand dining room (past the bar and to the left) so we were seated there.

I've been to Duque now 3 times and I always like since I LOVE cochinillo, Roasted Suckling Pig. Mmmm... It's ALWAYS so tender and delicous and this visit didn't disappoint.

My ladyfriend and I both got the "Menu Tipico Segoviano" which consists of the sopa castellana, cochinillo, dessert, and house red wine. My ladyfriend's mother had the cochifrito which are fried pieces of pork and the aunt had the chuletillas lechal guarnición.

Here's the bill:

2 Sopa Castellana: 12 € ($15.85)
1 Chuletillas Lechal Guarnición: 16.60 € ($21.93)
1 Chochifrito: 16.65 € ($22)
2 Menu Típico Segoviano (Cochinillo Asado): 56 € ($73.98)
2 Pan (bread): 1.92 € ($2.54)
1 Milhojas con crema y nata (dessert): 4.25 € ($5.62)
1 Tocino de Cielo (delicious dessert!): 4.25 € ($5.62)
1 Café: 1.20 € ($1.59)

Base: 112.87 €
I.V.A. 7%: 7.90 €

Total: 120.77 € ($159.47)

The meal was REALLY REALLY REALLY great. Wow. I can't say enough for it. I had the right hind-quarter (hoof & tail included, mind you) while my ladyfriend had the right front quarter (with the crinkly ear).

The place is just beautiful too and is arguably the BEST restaurant in Segovia. Restaurante Duque , for me, IS A MUST STOP & EAT place for lunch in Segovia. It's expensive, yes, ESPECIALLY if you're suffering from the poor US DOLLAR exchange rate.

You'll easily find Restaurante Duque too. From the aqueduct, walk towards the old center, going towards the right and uphill, up the old, pedestrian street of Calle de Cervantes. Almost at the top of the hill on the left, just before the street makes a sharp right turn, Duque is on the left at Number 12. You may want to make a reservation if you go on the weekend or a holiday. Otherwise, if it's a normal workday you probably won't need one. I've gone "early" before, at about 1:30pm, and the place was absolutely empty. That is, it was empty then but when I finished and left at 3pm the place was FULL!

So if you can afford it and want a special dining experience in Segovia's oldest restaurant (110 years old) I recommend Restaurante Duque. Segovia is about 1 hour by bus/car and is an easy daytrip, even only for late-morning stroll through the old part and then for lunch and return home, sleeping on the bus the whole way on a full stomach. We went by car and took the brand new tollway (5.47 € toll, I think).

EDIT: Oh, and by the way, this time we were not overcharged. In fact we got 2 of our desserts free because we accidentally ordered dessert NOT on the Menu Típico Segoviano and neither we nor the waiter noticed our error until they brought the items. And coincidentally, I had the same table AND the same waiter when I made a solo daytrip to Segovia last April. I had the same "Menu Típico Segoviano" then too. Mmmm.... :p

Saludos, MadridMan

Today a group of us went to Segovia for lunch. We'd decided on Mesón Cándido this time because last time we went to Restaurante Duque . We arrived, about 3pm, and we were LUCKY to get a large table on their terraza RIGHT ON the plaza next to the aquaduct. The table was the last on the terraza, (away from the building) so we had a GREAT view of the Aqueducto from under our large, table umbrellas.

What did we all have? Pues, ¡¡¡COCHINILLO!!! (roasted, suckling pig) I don't think I'd been to Cándido for years because, well, I've often read their quality has gone down even though they're the most famous. Duque has been better quality of late but I was quite happy with my cochinillo this time. The cochinillo was 18 Euros - ALONE. That didn't include ANYTHING. Odd? I thought so. So we ordered a large plate of fried potatoes too.

Today, luckily, in contrast to Madrid, was a nice, partly cloudy/partly sunny day in Segovia and some even complained it was too cool in the shade at our table (puh-lease! )

The five of us walked out of there after paying our 140 Euros bill. Then, we went to visit some cloistered nuns in Segovia at one of the convents. Now THAT place was COOOOOL!

Saludos, MadridMan

Man oh Man you guys are making me hungry!

I can hardly wait until I get to try it, will be a tough choice of where to go everyone seems to have thier favourite places.

Hi all, I just thought I would stick my oar in on the cochinillo subject. I too was in Segovia this weekend and ate where I always do, Jose Maria www.rtejosemaria.com. I have eaten there several times and never had anything other than superb cochinillo. It is not cheap at 19,50 € a portion, and comes on its own too, but the restaurant is always packed.

I have not tried any of the others in Segovia however, Candido has always looked too 'obvious', but Duque does look nice and I will try it in the future.

I have tried Botin in Madrid and liked it to start off with , but compared to Jose Maria the food is simply not in the same class. I probably would not eat there again, but because I now have places I prefer to go; I tend to think of it as being a tourist restaurant.

Has anyone ever tried eating in Pedraza, just up the road from Segovia. It is a small village which also has a great reputation for cochinillo and cordero. I've been once and loved it, but still prefer Segovia.

Been a bit of chat in the Shout Box about Segovia and the restaurant Candido, so here's a photo I took of it a couple of years ago. Last time I was there about a month ago, you could not get up to where I took this photo from because of obras. Anyone know if these have finished yet ?

Yup! That'd be the place (Mesón de Cándido). And for those who don't know, the Roman Aqueduct is JUST out of sight along the lefthand edge of the photo above.

Last time we "dined" at Cándido was about a year ago. Since it was such a nice day we took lunch on their large terraza with Aqueduct views. NICE!

Saludos, MadridMan

I'll add another recommendation for the Candido.

I only had cochinillo a few times (Candido, Botin from the set menu and a few other places around Plaza Mayor). To be perfectly honest, it's not one of my favorites. The meat is very tasty, but you have to dig through a lot of fat to get to it. People should realize that before they order it. That would probably turn a lot of people off. You can't help eating a lot of the fat. I'm not used to that, and it sits on my stomach like a brick for the rest of the day.

The last time I was at Botin, I passed on the cochinillo and had sopa de ajo and a steak instead. Not very adventurous, but it was wonderful.

Botin can be very crowded and difficult to get into. I found that if I arrive at about 1 pm I can get a table easily even without a reservation. At 3 pm, the Spanish lunch hour, forget it.

Actually , I love the fat ! And the skin ! I know it´s not healthy .. but to hell with it !
I have friends here that eat their beef steaks or magret of duck and cut off the fat and I´m always reaching over to their plates and taking the fat .. It has so much flavour .

steve