Unlike its name says, Santillana del Mar is not located close to the shore, but it is close to many natural places and interesting villages from Cantabria. Eating in Santillana del Mar is an amazing culinary experience, and every recipe and ingredient here has a great quality. Their restaurants and bars are perfect to eat tapas or choose some a la carte dishes. Everything here is delicious!
There is not a specific gastronomy of Santillana del Mar, which is not a coastal village as some people might think. If you want to know what to eat in Santillana del Mar we will talk about some typical dishes of the hill region and the coastal zone too.
First, the cocido montañés, a stew made of white beans – instead of chickpea, used in the cocido madrileño – and the pork byproducts (chorizo, blood sausage and bacon), apart from cabbage and collar greens; or a good fish soup.
In the Summer months, enjoy the marmita de bonito, name with which the Basque marmitako was named in San Vicente de la Barquera. Between the typical Cantabrian fish – hake and monkfish – the rodaballo and maganos (small calamari) with white rice are also delicious. Seafood is another great option. If you prefer meat, try the large steak of tudanca cow, with I.G.P., which is very tasty. If you like cheese try the cheese Nata de Cantabria (with D.O.P.=, apart from Cantabrian cheese from other regions such as the picón de Tresviso and the quesucos de Liébana.
As a dessert, rice pudding, natillas and puff pastry pies of Torrelavega. Every traveler that goes to Santillana should have a glass of milk and some la tableta cake, which started to be offered at the house of a hill cottage close to the Colegiata, Casa Quevedo. There, the owner Maria Luisa encouraged the tourists to make a stop along the way and try the fresh milk and the homemade cake, telling them that if they did so, they would get married soon. Nowadays, this idea has become very popular in the village.
You will also be able to buy the classic Sobaos Pasiegos (with I.G.P.) and the quesadas, a typical sweet made of milk, eggs, sugar, butter and lime. With time, many houses have transformed their low floors into stores, which offer sweets and hill cheese. At the Convento de San Ildefonso, in the outsides of town, the Dominica nuns make pastries and cakes that can be bought close to the convent.
The people from Santillana doesn’t really eat tapas or pinchos. The restaurants usually offer good portions and daily menus, apart from a la carte dishes.
Los Blasones has a traditional cuisine and good service. If you want to eat portions in Santillana del Mar, this is the right place. Try the anchovies, the Tresviso cheese and tome tostas.
The Masón de la Santuca offers generous portions and delicious garlic shrimp. Quick service and an amazing gastronomic experience.
There’s a lot of options of places to eat in Santillana del Mar and its surroundings. Here we talk about the most charming ones. The menu of El Jardín de Gil Blas, in the Parador de Santillana Gil Blas, offers traditional food. Here you will able to order a cocido montañés in a, elegant ambiance.
The Palacio de Mijares serves a traditional cuisine with creative dishes. The dining room is located in the old stable of the palace (16th Century) and it looks amazing. This is also a good place to celebrate weddings and other events. We suggest the tasting menu and the sea bass with vinegar of fruit and mussels.
The Pasaje de los Nobles is a restaurant with a lot of charm and a nice decoration. A varied menu, perfect to order fish such as hake to meat such as lamb. In Casa Miguel the decoration is simpler, but they have a generous menu with great prices.
