La Pequeña Taberna Murcia Restaurant

Where to eat in Murcia

For many people no tourist visit is complete without sampling the local cuisine, and if the intention is to try real Murcian cooking La Pequeña Taberna is one of the leading restaurants in the capital, providing traditional dishes made with local produce.

The location of La Pequeña Taberna is part of its attraction. On the corner of the Plaza de San Juan, one of the city’s typical small squares, its indoor dining room is complemented by outdoor tables just five minutes from the Cathedral and the Casino, making it easy to incorporate into a day out in the historic centre of Murcia. The river is also just yards away, and for locals this is one of the favourite squares for lunch and dinner. 

Founded in 1989 as a small bar-restaurant, such was the success of La Pequeña Taberna that Miguel, the owner, soon found himself in a position to expand, and in 1989 the premises were enlarged to the current 250m2. This includes two private dining areas, and the reputation of the food here is so high that it is even mentioned in the works of novelist Arturo Pérez-Reverte. Other recommendations include a mention in the New York Times, no less!

Prestigious it may be, but that doesn’t mean that visitors won’t feel welcome! Miguel is still on the premises every day, ready to advise customers who find it hard to choose among the traditional treats on offer. Among them are pork loin scallops with green pepper sauce, piquillo pepper filled with fish, sea-bream with garlic, salmon with almond sauce and Iberian pork loin with Pedro Ximénez sauce, and for dessert the “paparajotes” , fried lemon leaves, are highly recommended. If you haven’t yet tried this Murcia speciality, you must!

Other recommendations include “Huevos de Miguel”, a satisfying mixture of fried potatoes, eggs and Iberian ham, and “Alcachofas de la Abuela”, which consists of artichokes cooked in a rich preserve with pine kernels.

There is also a series of set menus to choose from, starting at twenty-eight euros per head for a full sample menu, consisting of a four-course meal plus drinks and dessert. For this price visitors can truly say that they have learnt something about true quality Murcian cooking and dining.

This is Mediterranean and Murcian cuisine at its best, with the quality of meat, fish, vegetables and seafood guaranteed, and the wine list matches this high level: all in all, La Pequeña Taberna is one of the restaurants which set the standard by which others can be measured in the capital of the Region of Murcia.

Bookings are recommended to avoid disappointment, and are normally taken from 1.00 to 4.30 at lunchtime and from 7.30 onwards in the evening. The restaurant is closed on Sunday evenings.

For those wishing to experience the best in Murcia’s traditional cooking, place your trust in Miguel and his team: if natives of the city have made La Pequeña Taberna one of the leading traditional restaurants, it must be for a good reason!