The Secret Chiringuitos of Cadíz

Sanlúcar de Barrameda is located in the province of Cadíz, and one of the best things about vacationing (and living) in the Costa de la Luz is having easy access to the beach. In coastal towns there are many businesses and attractions that only open during summer (tourism season), and one of my favorite summer attractions are the chiringuitos! A chiringuito is a small beach bar/restaurant that is only open in summer – usually they dismantle the entire structure once summer ends and rebuild it again towards the end of spring. Most chiringuitos are located at the busiest beaches, front-and-center so they’re easy to find; but there are some “secret” chiringuitos that only locals know about like Banana Playabar listed below!

Ajedrez Beach Club

Ajedrez Beach Bar is not your average chiringuito by any means. It’s a gorgeous beach bar/restaurant  with beautiful decorations and an upscale atmosphere. Ajedrez offers unique food options compared to your typical chiringuito with sushi, pad thai,  and spring rolls but also offers local dishes like grilled fish, mixed salads, etc. Their desserts are divine as well but keep in mind this place is not cheap! I would expect to spend around 15 – 25 euros per person. You should definitely try to make a reservation if possible because this place is always packed after 2pm on the weekends.

The easiest way to get to Ajedrez is from a beach called “Playa de Faro Blanco” in Chipiona. Just go to the beach and walk until you see a blue staircase going up to the restaurant. You can also try looking for the signs for Ajedrez on the way to Tres Piedras/Faro Blanco; keep in mind the restaurant is located off two different dirt roads so it might be difficult to find with a GPS.

Address:
Calle Miramar, 1
Chipiona, Cádiz  11550

Phone number: 956 23 50 71

Afrikano

The Afrikano is located towards the end of the beach of Sanlúcar in a neighborhood called La Jara. You’ll need to park on the road and make your way down to the beach. Nearby is a tent where you can rent kayaks, kite and wind surfing equipment.

The Afrikano has a comfortable sitting area, and a few lounge beds with umbrellas out front – if you’re hungry they also have tapas available. My favorite characteristic of this chiringuito is the amount of concerts it has! If you’re in the area make sure to check out their Facebook page for the summer concert schedule – there are usually performances every Saturday and Sunday!

Address:
Callejón del Espadero
Playa la Jara, 11540
Sanlúcar de Barrameda

Banana Playabar

Banana Playabar is probably one of the most difficult chiringuitos to find! It is perfect for spending an afternoon tanning, relaxing, enjoying a great view of the water, and drinking a ridiculous amount of mojitos. You should definitely order a Caipirinha (sweeter version of a mojito) while you’re there too! This chiringuito is completely open to the elements; there’s an elevated DJ booth/stage for concerts, two tiki bars, and the place is full of lounge chairs and beds which are perfect for tanning. The place is built on a cliff and you can walk down to the beach when the tide is low. Towards the back there is also a restaurant which has GREAT food and it is the perfect spot to watch the sunset on the water.

Getting to Banana Playabar is bit of an adventure; you have to take the highway to Chipiona, in one of the round-abouts while you’re entering the city you’ll see a small sign that says “Banana Playabar”, follow the road, then you’ll be instructed to turn onto a dirt road a few minutes later, after what seems like forever you’ll come to a plant nursery full of palm trees and a big sign for the chiringuito. Turn at the sign and drive through the palm trees until you get to the entrance of the chiringuito…I swear they couldn’t have made it more difficult to find! When we first heard about it we got lost on several dirt roads before reaching it – but it’s definitely worth the drive 😉

Address:
Playa del Niño de Oro
Chipiona, 11550