Wine & Gastronomy

Insider Guide to Jerez: Spain’s Capital of Gastronomy

design element
design element

A love letter to where it all began: Jerez de la Frontera, the city that welcomed us in, and the wine that changed everything.

Chelsea Co. has always had a lasting connection to the Sherry region, its people, and its way of life. Thirteen years ago, founder Chelsea visited Jerez, had one life-changing copa of Fino, and that was that. What began with Sherry grew into something much bigger.

As the agency turns five, our work now stretches across categories, continents, and cultures. But Jerez still sits quietly at the heart of it all. In our taste, our storytelling, our warmth, and the way we work, its influence is everywhere.

A love letter to where it all began: Jerez de la Frontera, the city that welcomed us in, and the wine that changed everything.

Chelsea Co. has always had a lasting connection to the Sherry region, its people, and its way of life. Thirteen years ago, founder Chelsea visited Jerez, had one life-changing copa of Fino, and that was that. What began with Sherry grew into something much bigger.

As the agency turns five, our work now stretches across categories, continents, and cultures. But Jerez still sits quietly at the heart of it all. In our taste, our storytelling, our warmth, and the way we work, its influence is everywhere.

A love letter to where it all began: Jerez de la Frontera, the city that welcomed us in, and the wine that changed everything.

Chelsea Co. has always had a lasting connection to the Sherry region, its people, and its way of life. Thirteen years ago, founder Chelsea visited Jerez, had one life-changing copa of Fino, and that was that. What began with Sherry grew into something much bigger.

As the agency turns five, our work now stretches across categories, continents, and cultures. But Jerez still sits quietly at the heart of it all. In our taste, our storytelling, our warmth, and the way we work, its influence is everywhere.

Part of Jerez’s appeal is obvious: the wine, the history, the food and the beauty of the place. But the real magic is harder to pin down. It is in the city’s generosity, in the way world-class wines are lived with rather than put on a pedestal, and in the fact that something exceptional can still feel gloriously unfussy.

This year, that magic has a brighter spotlight. Jerez has been named Spain’s Capital of Gastronomy 2026, and Chelsea Co. is proud to partner with Vinoble, the city’s biennial celebration of fortified and sweet wines from around the world. One more reminder that Jerez, quietly and confidently, remains at the heart of the global wine conversation. 

So it felt like the right moment to ask the Jerezanas in our team to share the places and pours that make the city. Expect tabancos, century-old casks, Fino en rama, flamenco at close range, market secrets, convent sweets, Feria chaos and the kind of lunch that quietly becomes dinner.

Part of Jerez’s appeal is obvious: the wine, the history, the food and the beauty of the place. But the real magic is harder to pin down. It is in the city’s generosity, in the way world-class wines are lived with rather than put on a pedestal, and in the fact that something exceptional can still feel gloriously unfussy.

This year, that magic has a brighter spotlight. Jerez has been named Spain’s Capital of Gastronomy 2026, and Chelsea Co. is proud to partner with Vinoble, the city’s biennial celebration of fortified and sweet wines from around the world. One more reminder that Jerez, quietly and confidently, remains at the heart of the global wine conversation. 

So it felt like the right moment to ask the Jerezanas in our team to share the places and pours that make the city. Expect tabancos, century-old casks, Fino en rama, flamenco at close range, market secrets, convent sweets, Feria chaos and the kind of lunch that quietly becomes dinner.

Part of Jerez’s appeal is obvious: the wine, the history, the food and the beauty of the place. But the real magic is harder to pin down. It is in the city’s generosity, in the way world-class wines are lived with rather than put on a pedestal, and in the fact that something exceptional can still feel gloriously unfussy.

This year, that magic has a brighter spotlight. Jerez has been named Spain’s Capital of Gastronomy 2026, and Chelsea Co. is proud to partner with Vinoble, the city’s biennial celebration of fortified and sweet wines from around the world. One more reminder that Jerez, quietly and confidently, remains at the heart of the global wine conversation. 

So it felt like the right moment to ask the Jerezanas in our team to share the places and pours that make the city. Expect tabancos, century-old casks, Fino en rama, flamenco at close range, market secrets, convent sweets, Feria chaos and the kind of lunch that quietly becomes dinner.

Meet the Insiders

Four women, four versions of Jerez. Aurora, Marina and Ana are Chelsea Co. project managers and Jerezanas. Aurora is an award-winning walking tour guide, drawn to rhythm, ritual and the kind of beauty that reveals itself slowly. Marina comes from a family with generations in the bodegas, and knows exactly how to have a good time. Ana has a gift for hidden corners and places that charm without trying. 

And then there is Chelsea, founder of Sherry Week and a certified Sherry Educator who has visited every bodega in the region, from Jerez to Sanlúcar and El Puerto. In her words, she is a ‘Sherry friki”. 

This is their Jerez.

Meet the Insiders

Four women, four versions of Jerez. Aurora, Marina and Ana are Chelsea Co. project managers and Jerezanas. Aurora is an award-winning walking tour guide, drawn to rhythm, ritual and the kind of beauty that reveals itself slowly. Marina comes from a family with generations in the bodegas, and knows exactly how to have a good time. Ana has a gift for hidden corners and places that charm without trying. 

And then there is Chelsea, founder of Sherry Week and a certified Sherry Educator who has visited every bodega in the region, from Jerez to Sanlúcar and El Puerto. In her words, she is a ‘Sherry friki”. 

This is their Jerez.

Meet the Insiders

Four women, four versions of Jerez. Aurora, Marina and Ana are Chelsea Co. project managers and Jerezanas. Aurora is an award-winning walking tour guide, drawn to rhythm, ritual and the kind of beauty that reveals itself slowly. Marina comes from a family with generations in the bodegas, and knows exactly how to have a good time. Ana has a gift for hidden corners and places that charm without trying. 

And then there is Chelsea, founder of Sherry Week and a certified Sherry Educator who has visited every bodega in the region, from Jerez to Sanlúcar and El Puerto. In her words, she is a ‘Sherry friki”. 

This is their Jerez.

The First Copa

Aurora: In Jerez, lunch doesn’t begin at the table. It starts standing up, copa in hand, with people drifting in and out. I recommend bar-hopping, kicking off in traditional tabancos or wine bars – El Pasaje Tabanco, Tabanco Plateros, El Borri, San Pablo – with a chilled Fino and something salty: almonds, crisps, local cheese, chicharrones (pork belly or rinds). You’ll run into locals of all ages, stay longer than planned. And only when your body asks for it, you move on to eat... that’s the real Jerez pace.

Chelsea: I always start with El Pasaje. I ask for a chilled Fino from El Maestro Sierra, which I love because it is a woman-run bodega, and a tapa of chicharrones de Cádiz. It transports you to another era: Sherry from the barrel, live flamenco at close range, everyone pressed into the bar. It’s completely in your face. I usually push in and shout for a copa like the locals do. By the end, someone usually has tears in their eyes. Often me.

Marina: Before you taste your first Sherry, head to a bodega to feel the scale and majesty of those cathedral-like spaces with century-old casks. It changes the taste of the wines. It’s like visiting Rome with someone who knows art history!

Ana: A bodega is the best way in. González Byass, Lustau or Williams & Humbert are great places to see the whole world of Sherry: the rows of casks, the flor, the smell of wood and wine. I’d start with Fino en rama (straight from the barrel with minimal filtration). Fresh, vivid, easy to love.


The First Copa

Aurora: In Jerez, lunch doesn’t begin at the table. It starts standing up, copa in hand, with people drifting in and out. I recommend bar-hopping, kicking off in traditional tabancos or wine bars – El Pasaje Tabanco, Tabanco Plateros, El Borri, San Pablo – with a chilled Fino and something salty: almonds, crisps, local cheese, chicharrones (pork belly or rinds). You’ll run into locals of all ages, stay longer than planned. And only when your body asks for it, you move on to eat... that’s the real Jerez pace.

Chelsea: I always start with El Pasaje. I ask for a chilled Fino from El Maestro Sierra, which I love because it is a woman-run bodega, and a tapa of chicharrones de Cádiz. It transports you to another era: Sherry from the barrel, live flamenco at close range, everyone pressed into the bar. It’s completely in your face. I usually push in and shout for a copa like the locals do. By the end, someone usually has tears in their eyes. Often me.

Marina: Before you taste your first Sherry, head to a bodega to feel the scale and majesty of those cathedral-like spaces with century-old casks. It changes the taste of the wines. It’s like visiting Rome with someone who knows art history!

Ana: A bodega is the best way in. González Byass, Lustau or Williams & Humbert are great places to see the whole world of Sherry: the rows of casks, the flor, the smell of wood and wine. I’d start with Fino en rama (straight from the barrel with minimal filtration). Fresh, vivid, easy to love.


The First Copa

Aurora: In Jerez, lunch doesn’t begin at the table. It starts standing up, copa in hand, with people drifting in and out. I recommend bar-hopping, kicking off in traditional tabancos or wine bars – El Pasaje Tabanco, Tabanco Plateros, El Borri, San Pablo – with a chilled Fino and something salty: almonds, crisps, local cheese, chicharrones (pork belly or rinds). You’ll run into locals of all ages, stay longer than planned. And only when your body asks for it, you move on to eat... that’s the real Jerez pace.

Chelsea: I always start with El Pasaje. I ask for a chilled Fino from El Maestro Sierra, which I love because it is a woman-run bodega, and a tapa of chicharrones de Cádiz. It transports you to another era: Sherry from the barrel, live flamenco at close range, everyone pressed into the bar. It’s completely in your face. I usually push in and shout for a copa like the locals do. By the end, someone usually has tears in their eyes. Often me.

Marina: Before you taste your first Sherry, head to a bodega to feel the scale and majesty of those cathedral-like spaces with century-old casks. It changes the taste of the wines. It’s like visiting Rome with someone who knows art history!

Ana: A bodega is the best way in. González Byass, Lustau or Williams & Humbert are great places to see the whole world of Sherry: the rows of casks, the flor, the smell of wood and wine. I’d start with Fino en rama (straight from the barrel with minimal filtration). Fresh, vivid, easy to love.



Bodegas Lustau

Bodegas Lustau

Bodegas Lustau

Perfect Pairing

Aurora: In Jerez, food follows wine, not the other way round. Mojama (cured tuna) with chilled Fino in a sunny square is hard to beat. On a colder day, carrillá (pork cheeks) with Oloroso. If you want to understand how seriously the city takes this, speak to Alejandro Guerrero, the young chef at Taberna La Gloria, who uses Sherry and local wines as the stars of the menu. 

Marina: Fino, Fino and more Fino. I love a slightly aged Fino, the kind that is almost becoming Amontillado but still has brightness. Fino Perdido from Sánchez Romate and Fino La Panesa from Emilio Hidalgo are favourites. Always very cold, with almadraba tuna tartare, outside in a square. I also like going slightly off-script with Oloroso and dessert. I am not usually into sweet flavours, but that contrast gets me every time. I also love a taste of the unexpected: Cream served over ice with a slice of orange is irresistible. 

Ana: I’m all about coquinas (clams) with a really cold Fino. You cannot beat it. For something more special, tuna sashimi toast with a Jalifa Amontillado (30 years) at El Bichero. But I also love the classics: a homemade meat stew, the sort your grandmother would make, with a glass of Oloroso and plenty of bread to dip in the sauce, obviously. 

Chelsea: For me it is the whole scene: chilled Fino, chicharrones de Cadiz, the crush at the bar, flamenco starting up, people shouting over each other, everything happening at once. That is when Jerez is most persuasive.

Perfect Pairing

Aurora: In Jerez, food follows wine, not the other way round. Mojama (cured tuna) with chilled Fino in a sunny square is hard to beat. On a colder day, carrillá (pork cheeks) with Oloroso. If you want to understand how seriously the city takes this, speak to Alejandro Guerrero, the young chef at Taberna La Gloria, who uses Sherry and local wines as the stars of the menu. 

Marina: Fino, Fino and more Fino. I love a slightly aged Fino, the kind that is almost becoming Amontillado but still has brightness. Fino Perdido from Sánchez Romate and Fino La Panesa from Emilio Hidalgo are favourites. Always very cold, with almadraba tuna tartare, outside in a square. I also like going slightly off-script with Oloroso and dessert. I am not usually into sweet flavours, but that contrast gets me every time. I also love a taste of the unexpected: Cream served over ice with a slice of orange is irresistible. 

Ana: I’m all about coquinas (clams) with a really cold Fino. You cannot beat it. For something more special, tuna sashimi toast with a Jalifa Amontillado (30 years) at El Bichero. But I also love the classics: a homemade meat stew, the sort your grandmother would make, with a glass of Oloroso and plenty of bread to dip in the sauce, obviously. 

Chelsea: For me it is the whole scene: chilled Fino, chicharrones de Cadiz, the crush at the bar, flamenco starting up, people shouting over each other, everything happening at once. That is when Jerez is most persuasive.

Perfect Pairing

Aurora: In Jerez, food follows wine, not the other way round. Mojama (cured tuna) with chilled Fino in a sunny square is hard to beat. On a colder day, carrillá (pork cheeks) with Oloroso. If you want to understand how seriously the city takes this, speak to Alejandro Guerrero, the young chef at Taberna La Gloria, who uses Sherry and local wines as the stars of the menu. 

Marina: Fino, Fino and more Fino. I love a slightly aged Fino, the kind that is almost becoming Amontillado but still has brightness. Fino Perdido from Sánchez Romate and Fino La Panesa from Emilio Hidalgo are favourites. Always very cold, with almadraba tuna tartare, outside in a square. I also like going slightly off-script with Oloroso and dessert. I am not usually into sweet flavours, but that contrast gets me every time. I also love a taste of the unexpected: Cream served over ice with a slice of orange is irresistible. 

Ana: I’m all about coquinas (clams) with a really cold Fino. You cannot beat it. For something more special, tuna sashimi toast with a Jalifa Amontillado (30 years) at El Bichero. But I also love the classics: a homemade meat stew, the sort your grandmother would make, with a glass of Oloroso and plenty of bread to dip in the sauce, obviously. 

Chelsea: For me it is the whole scene: chilled Fino, chicharrones de Cadiz, the crush at the bar, flamenco starting up, people shouting over each other, everything happening at once. That is when Jerez is most persuasive.


Unmissable Local Spot

Ana: Val de Pepe. I go with friends and family all the time. The best part is walking in and hearing, “The usual?” and knowing your wine is already on the way. Chicken taco and Amontillado. What can I say, I am that basic! My perfect day always kicks off with breakfast, a mollete with jamón ibérico, at La Moderna.

Marina: La Gloria Taberna is one of my favourite places in Jerez. The wine list is exceptional, and the staff are always joking and making sure everyone feels at home. I also love Albariza en las Venas for a more modern wine-bar mood, and Ajé if you want something newer and a bit more hipster. If you can, start a day with sunrise in a vineyard. That stillness, with the sun coming up over the vines, is like being in a postcard.

Chelsea: La Cruz Blanca. I love sitting outside on the patio under the trees, listening to the waiters shouting inside and watching locals bump into each other as they go about their lives.

Aurora: La Alameda Vieja park, early in the morning or at sunset. The colours change constantly, framing the jacarandas, orange trees, bodegas, Cathedral, Alcázar and countryside. Sit on one of the benches and simply enjoy the spectacle.


Unmissable Local Spot

Ana: Val de Pepe. I go with friends and family all the time. The best part is walking in and hearing, “The usual?” and knowing your wine is already on the way. Chicken taco and Amontillado. What can I say, I am that basic! My perfect day always kicks off with breakfast, a mollete with jamón ibérico, at La Moderna.

Marina: La Gloria Taberna is one of my favourite places in Jerez. The wine list is exceptional, and the staff are always joking and making sure everyone feels at home. I also love Albariza en las Venas for a more modern wine-bar mood, and Ajé if you want something newer and a bit more hipster. If you can, start a day with sunrise in a vineyard. That stillness, with the sun coming up over the vines, is like being in a postcard.

Chelsea: La Cruz Blanca. I love sitting outside on the patio under the trees, listening to the waiters shouting inside and watching locals bump into each other as they go about their lives.

Aurora: La Alameda Vieja park, early in the morning or at sunset. The colours change constantly, framing the jacarandas, orange trees, bodegas, Cathedral, Alcázar and countryside. Sit on one of the benches and simply enjoy the spectacle.


Unmissable Local Spot

Ana: Val de Pepe. I go with friends and family all the time. The best part is walking in and hearing, “The usual?” and knowing your wine is already on the way. Chicken taco and Amontillado. What can I say, I am that basic! My perfect day always kicks off with breakfast, a mollete with jamón ibérico, at La Moderna.

Marina: La Gloria Taberna is one of my favourite places in Jerez. The wine list is exceptional, and the staff are always joking and making sure everyone feels at home. I also love Albariza en las Venas for a more modern wine-bar mood, and Ajé if you want something newer and a bit more hipster. If you can, start a day with sunrise in a vineyard. That stillness, with the sun coming up over the vines, is like being in a postcard.

Chelsea: La Cruz Blanca. I love sitting outside on the patio under the trees, listening to the waiters shouting inside and watching locals bump into each other as they go about their lives.

Aurora: La Alameda Vieja park, early in the morning or at sunset. The colours change constantly, framing the jacarandas, orange trees, bodegas, Cathedral, Alcázar and countryside. Sit on one of the benches and simply enjoy the spectacle.


Essential Experience

Ana: A visit to the Royal Andalusian School of Equestrian Art to discover the Spanish purebred horses. Elegant, impressive and very Jerez.

Marina: The Feria del Caballo is the city’s most iconic celebration, where locals, flamenco, horses, and atmosphere come together for seven days of non-stop festivity. You do need a party spirit to keep up, but that’s part of the magic. It’s been declared an ‘International Tourist Interest’ event for a reason.

Ana: The Alcázar for sunset, when the light hits the Cathedral and the vineyards sit in the distance. It’s beautiful.


Essential Experience

Ana: A visit to the Royal Andalusian School of Equestrian Art to discover the Spanish purebred horses. Elegant, impressive and very Jerez.

Marina: The Feria del Caballo is the city’s most iconic celebration, where locals, flamenco, horses, and atmosphere come together for seven days of non-stop festivity. You do need a party spirit to keep up, but that’s part of the magic. It’s been declared an ‘International Tourist Interest’ event for a reason.

Ana: The Alcázar for sunset, when the light hits the Cathedral and the vineyards sit in the distance. It’s beautiful.


Essential Experience

Ana: A visit to the Royal Andalusian School of Equestrian Art to discover the Spanish purebred horses. Elegant, impressive and very Jerez.

Marina: The Feria del Caballo is the city’s most iconic celebration, where locals, flamenco, horses, and atmosphere come together for seven days of non-stop festivity. You do need a party spirit to keep up, but that’s part of the magic. It’s been declared an ‘International Tourist Interest’ event for a reason.

Ana: The Alcázar for sunset, when the light hits the Cathedral and the vineyards sit in the distance. It’s beautiful.


Vital Tip

Aurora: There’s a divine little secret locals don’t talk about – a couple of hidden convents that still sell handmade sweets made by nuns. You won’t meet them, but you leave your order through a wheel. They taste like they were made in heaven.

Marina: Right in front of the Jerez market (Plaza de Abastos) there’s a kiosk and bar where they will cook whatever you buy inside. Choose fresh fish or seafood, hand it over, and have it prepared on the spot. It is very local, simple, and somehow still under the radar.

Chelsea: I cannot stress this enough… book your bodegas ahead. Despite being the most visited in Europe, you can’t just wander in. Only a couple of bodegas offer Saturday visits, and almost none are open for visits on Sundays, so remember to reserve!

Aurora: Jerez de la Frontera is not a daytrip. You need time to breathe in its history, experience the working rhythm of the city. Visit more than one winery, go out to the vineyards, hit the tabancos, and let the place unfold over a long lunch. Then you will understand why Jerez is considered Spain’s Capital of Gastronomy.


Vital Tip

Aurora: There’s a divine little secret locals don’t talk about – a couple of hidden convents that still sell handmade sweets made by nuns. You won’t meet them, but you leave your order through a wheel. They taste like they were made in heaven.

Marina: Right in front of the Jerez market (Plaza de Abastos) there’s a kiosk and bar where they will cook whatever you buy inside. Choose fresh fish or seafood, hand it over, and have it prepared on the spot. It is very local, simple, and somehow still under the radar.

Chelsea: I cannot stress this enough… book your bodegas ahead. Despite being the most visited in Europe, you can’t just wander in. Only a couple of bodegas offer Saturday visits, and almost none are open for visits on Sundays, so remember to reserve!

Aurora: Jerez de la Frontera is not a daytrip. You need time to breathe in its history, experience the working rhythm of the city. Visit more than one winery, go out to the vineyards, hit the tabancos, and let the place unfold over a long lunch. Then you will understand why Jerez is considered Spain’s Capital of Gastronomy.


Vital Tip

Aurora: There’s a divine little secret locals don’t talk about – a couple of hidden convents that still sell handmade sweets made by nuns. You won’t meet them, but you leave your order through a wheel. They taste like they were made in heaven.

Marina: Right in front of the Jerez market (Plaza de Abastos) there’s a kiosk and bar where they will cook whatever you buy inside. Choose fresh fish or seafood, hand it over, and have it prepared on the spot. It is very local, simple, and somehow still under the radar.

Chelsea: I cannot stress this enough… book your bodegas ahead. Despite being the most visited in Europe, you can’t just wander in. Only a couple of bodegas offer Saturday visits, and almost none are open for visits on Sundays, so remember to reserve!

Aurora: Jerez de la Frontera is not a daytrip. You need time to breathe in its history, experience the working rhythm of the city. Visit more than one winery, go out to the vineyards, hit the tabancos, and let the place unfold over a long lunch. Then you will understand why Jerez is considered Spain’s Capital of Gastronomy.


Share this article

Related news

May 13, 2026

Insider Guide to Jerez: Spain’s Capital of Gastronomy

May 13, 2026

Insider Guide to Jerez: Spain’s Capital of Gastronomy

May 12, 2026

Discover how consumers really choose drinks brands in 2026

May 12, 2026

Discover how consumers really choose drinks brands in 2026

Sherry UK Strategy

Apr 19, 2026

How Sherry got its groove back with 7.4% sales jump

Sherry UK Strategy

Apr 19, 2026

How Sherry got its groove back with 7.4% sales jump

May 13, 2026

Insider Guide to Jerez: Spain’s Capital of Gastronomy

May 12, 2026

Discover how consumers really choose drinks brands in 2026

Sherry UK Strategy

Apr 19, 2026

How Sherry got its groove back with 7.4% sales jump

Jan 1, 2026

Beyond the likes: Debunking vanity metrics on instagram