A Slice of Heaven: La Taberna Lomo del Lomo en Manteca Showcases Vejer’s leading preserved delights
La Taberna del Lomo en Manteca, Calle Juan Bueno
La Taberna del Lomo en Manteca, Calle Juan Bueno
Vejer just stole my heart (again!), and this time, it’s all thanks to a new tapas bar called Lomo en Manteca.
Recently I’ve hung my head in despair when witnessing changes in Vejer de la Frontera such as people installing electronic steel blinds & using marble in place of our traditional toscos (bricks). Such things belong in places like Ibiza. Not in our beautiful traditional pueblo blanco.
Then along comes Juan Melero, his sister Ana & local gastro expert, Benjamin Colsa, storing my faith, with their vision of a tapas bar showcasing the traditional food of Vejer. La Taberna del Lomo en Manteca (opened March 2024) not only respects the traditions of Vejer, but amplifies them with tremendous charm. Juan & Ana have always been a visionaries. As ice cream entrepreneurs of El Mastrén ice cream shops, Juan & Ana created the delicious Cobichocs – choc-ices on stix in the image of a woman wearing the cobijada – the historic local dress of Vejer.
Lomo en Manteca is the most revered of all of Vejer’s traditional dishes. It’s basically pork loin cooked and then preserved in pork fat. Much loved by all who know it. What is Lomo en Manteca? Read here to find out
To appreciate how special this tapas bar is, you need to understand the local culture of pork preservation, something I knew absolutely nothing about before I arrived here. Or you just sit at the bar and work your way through the reasonably priced ‘charcuteria’ menu – all of which are pork. One of the best culinary educations in town! Everything is ‘0’ kms and beautifully presented on paper-lined tablas/boards.
Don’t be fooled by the fridges, they are very cleverly alarmed
The main reasons I love this bar:
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Whether it’s your first time here or you need help organising a large group, getting to Vejer de la Frontera could hardly be easier.