Restaurante Josefina (La Rebotica)
Tucked behind the Plaza Chica on Calle Boticas, La Rebotica — also known locally as Restaurante Josefina — has been feeding Zafrenses and savvy travellers for decades with an unflinching commitment to Extremaduran home cooking. This is the place to eat cocido extremeño, slow-cooked chickpea and pork stew, the way grandmothers have made it in this corner of Spain for centuries.
What to Order
Start with the local jamón ibérico, sliced to order and served simply with pan de cristal — the quality of the cured ham here reflects Extremadura's status as Spain's finest pork-rearing region, and a single plate makes the point eloquently.
For mains, the cocido extremeño is the undisputed centrepiece: a deep, collagen-rich broth served first, followed by the chickpeas, vegetables and a generous platter of assorted meats including morcilla (blood sausage), chorizo and slow-braised pork cheek.
The Wine & the Room
Ask the staff to recommend a bottle from the Ribera del Guadiana DO — Extremadura's own wine appellation — and you'll likely be poured something made from Tempranillo or Graciano grapes that costs a fraction of what a comparable Rioja would set you back.
The dining room is unpretentious: tiled floors, wooden chairs, framed photographs of the town in earlier decades. It is precisely this lack of theatre that signals authenticity — the food is the performance here.
More of Zafra
Discover where to stay, what to do and the best deals for your trip.
Explore Zafra →
