Where to eat in El Palmar

Food guide

In El Palmar, eating well almost always means the same thing: red tuna, fresh fish and rice dishes by the sea. There are excellent places for that. But if you’re after something different —a menu that changes every day, with Asian-inspired touches, vegan and gluten-free options, in a garden instead of a beachfront terrace— there’s an option almost nobody mentions: El Jardín de NEXO.

El Jardín de NEXO: the restaurant that breaks from the usual in El Palmar

El Jardín de NEXO is the restaurant at Nexo Surfhouse, open during summer season to anyone, not just guests staying at the surf house. It’s set within Nexo’s own garden, 300 metres from El Palmar beach.

What sets it apart from the rest of the area’s dining scene is the format: a tasting menu that changes every day, with three starter options, three main courses and three desserts to choose from, for a fixed price. No fixed seasonal menu, no repeating the same thing — every day brings something new.

A real menu example — and why every day is different

The menu at El Jardín de NEXO changes every day, so what follows is a real example from one specific day, not a fixed menu. It’s here to give you a sense of the level and style of cooking, not something to book expecting these exact dishes.

Starters — mochi tofu skewer (vegan), croissant filled with special chicharrones and fresh sprouts, red tuna maki with avocado, cucumber and mango.

Mains — yakisoba with plant-based protein and vegetables (vegan), pork loin cachopo with Iberian ham and cheese, panko-crusted, Iberian pork steak with spaghetti and guanciale.

Desserts — plant-based yoghurt with dark chocolate and homemade nectarine jam (vegan), pancake with raspberry sorbet and hot chocolate, local fruit.

A different day brought anchovy toast with blue cheese, walnuts and honey; bluefin tuna tataki with confit potato sticks and melon ajoblanco; vegan Santiago almond cake. The kitchen moves between Asian, Mediterranean and local influences without settling into just one of them.

Vegan and gluten-free options — not as the exception

Most restaurants in El Palmar focus on fish and seafood, with a vegetarian option almost as an afterthought. At El Jardín de NEXO, every day there is at least one starter, one main and one dessert marked as vegan (V) within the daily menu. On top of that, the menu always includes gluten-free options, something not standard in the area.

This isn’t a separate menu or a reduced offering — they’re the same options any diner gets, built into the daily menu as just another choice.

Price, hours and how to book

The adult menu costs €25 and includes a starter, main and dessert chosen from the day’s options, plus parking. The kids’ menu costs €18 and includes a main course and dessert.

El Jardín de NEXO runs in two sittings during summer. At midday, the daily menu described above, with limited spots. In the evenings, the format changes: an open-air grill in the garden, with local produce, almadraba tuna, retinta beef and seasonal vegetables, served after sunset in a different, more relaxed setting.

With limited spots at both sittings, booking ahead is recommended by calling +34 600 11 39 40.

Why the food is the reason people come back

Nexo Surfhouse has been in El Palmar for over a decade, and although it’s best known as a surf house, the food comes up in almost every review it gets.

Nexo Surfhouse has an average rating of 4.9 out of 5 on Google, based on over 450 verified reviews.