Lerma is a town located on the Arlanza river, with a magnificent historical past that can be perceived when simply walking down its streets. Its most famous inhabitant was the Duke of Lerma, who was favored by King Felipe III. Legend has it that he would prepare roasted lamb when the king came to visit him. Are you interested in eating like a king in Lerma?
After having a good walk around the town of Lerma, also called Villa Ducal de Lerma, in which you can’t skip visiting the Palacio Ducal, the ex-Colegiata de San Pedro or the Mirador de los Arcos, amongst other places. Hunger will appear after about 3 hours of walking, but that’s what we’re here for, to recommend where to eat in Lerma!
When deciding what to eat in Lerma, in the restaurants and terraces you will find in-season products from the region and typical Castilian dishes like sopa castellana and olla podrida. The main culinary attraction of the town is the lechazo asado (lamb) in a firewood oven, of the “churra” breed, an animal revered in the region and a dish offered to the king by the Duke of Lerma when he came to visit him. In any restaurant you can also enjoy tasty patitas, chuletillas or even some callos.
The Denominación de Origen de Vinos de Arlanza is in Lerma. This wine from Arlanza, the region in which the town is located, is perfect to accompany any of the typical local dishes.
In addition to lamb’s meat, pig slaughter also has a significant role in the region of Lerma because it’s possible to find great sausages (of particular quality is the morcilla). There are also excellent small game dishes, such as quail and partridge, when they are in season.
As far as dessert, the pastas de anís, known as “emes” due to their shape, are typical. They can be eaten with coffee or breakfast, and especially during the festival of San Blas, on February 3rd.
If you’re looking for good tapas bars in Lerma, this is our selection. The Taberna del Pícar, where you can find a diverse selection of tapas that are a great alternative to the traditional lechazo offered in the majority of the bars nearby. They also have great bocatas with pan de Aranda. All at a good price.
The Bar Ducal, found near the tourist area, also offers tapas at a great price, particularly the huevos rotos con picadillo o jamón and the bacalao. It also has a good parking lot.
If what appeals to you is having a coffee and enjoying the terrace, Capri is a great option since customers say that it has the best coffee in town.
To eat in Lerma, we first recommend the Asador Restaurante Posada de Eufrasio, which uses a firewood oven to make roasted lamb and offers a list of elaborate, in-season products. In the restaurant there is a room with a view of the Valle de Arlanza, a perfect place to enjoy snowy winter days.
We also recommend the Casa Brigante, which occupies an arcaded house decorated with historical items in the Plaza Ducal de Lerma. Their star dish is roasted lamb of the “churra” breed, but they also offer a selection of dishes based in carefully-selected raw ingredients.
Finally, there is a restaurant called Mayorazgo del Parador that offers, in a palatial setting, dishes based in the natural products of the area. We recommend the Burgos cheese or the morcilla that they serve there.
