Restaurante Plaza de Toros, Antequera

I had never before been offered a table in the middle of a bullring—until I came to this celebrated restaurant in Antequera. Flinging open the wooden gates, Inma Jiménez, the sparky young manager, offered me the entire sandy terrain. In good weather, diners flock there to eat beneath the stars as, uniquely, the restaurant is slotted under the seats of the stands. Inside, the sloping beamed ceilings and stone walls plastered with bullfighting memorabilia are seconded by a museum of the taurine “art” like Ronda’s. Although opened in 1985, the restaurant languished for some years until Inma took over in 2014 and gave it a new lease on life. Now chef Diego Solis toils away on recipes showcasing Antequera’s seasonal produce, some that are old stalwarts like the local porra (salmorejo) while others are less common, like carpaccio of young bull. Naturally, the croquetas are made of bull’s tail and toro sneaks into countless other dishes, but vegetarian options exist too.