Our history
How many years!,
And it seems like yesterday…
This iconic restaurant has been a place for people to meet and celebrate since 1982. The teamwork and the personal attentions of José María make it a gastronomic benchmark for the people of Segovia, as well as for visitors from all continents, including renowned figures from politics, culture, science and the media, both from Spain and abroad.
The establishment, located right in the historical quarter of Segovia, which was named a UNESCO World Heritage Site, reinvents Castilian style within a decor that, along with its cuisine, tries to combine traditional atmosphere with a clearly creative and modern touch.
The prestige of the house is upheld, day in day out, through the dedication of José María Ruiz as manageress that of his daughter Rocío Ruiz, in addition to an extensive staff of professionals who offer customers a tailor-made experience. Currently, the «José María» restaurant boasts a team of more than 100 workers who cover all areas: kitchen, dining room, bar, cleaning, maintenance and administration.
With facilities that are constantly being renovated, the restaurant has eight dining rooms (unique spaces as they like to call them), a reception bar,, two individual kitchens, stoves, cold storage rooms and four roasting ovens.
This iconic restaurant has been a place for people to meet and celebrate since 1982. The teamwork and the personal attentions of José María make it a gastronomic benchmark for the people of Segovia, as well as for visitors from all continents, including renowned figures from politics, culture, science and the media, both from Spain and abroad.
The establishment, located right in the historical quarter of Segovia, which was named a UNESCO World Heritage Site, reinvents Castilian style within a decor that, along with its cuisine, tries to combine traditional atmosphere with a clearly creative and modern touch.
The prestige of the house is upheld, day in day out, through the dedication of José María Ruiz as manageress that of his daughter Rocío Ruiz, in addition to an extensive staff of professionals who offer customers a tailor-made experience. Currently, the «José María» restaurant boasts a team of more than 100 workers who cover all areas: kitchen, dining room, bar, cleaning, maintenance and administration.
With facilities that are constantly being renovated, the restaurant has eight dining rooms (unique spaces as they like to call them), a reception bar,, two individual kitchens, stoves, cold storage rooms and four roasting ovens.
All our rooms have been equipped with sound absorbing materials that eliminate reverberation and noise, turning our home into an acoustically and aesthetically comfortable space.
Moreover, José María restaurant has gone that extra step to become an icon of tourism excellence and has decided to add a DOC defibrillator in its facilities, becoming a cardioprotected space and honouring the health of its clients and employees.
These days both critics and gourmets consider the restaurant to be a classic of Segovian cuisine, one that both upholds and yet also innovates Segovia’s treasured gastronomic/touristic wealth.
DINING ROOMS
Our Unique Spaces
With facilities that are constantly being renovated, the restaurant has eight dining rooms – unique spaces as they like to call them – a reception bar, two individual kitchens, stoves, cold storage rooms and four roasting ovens.
Queen Isabel Our Roots
This dining room – the cosiest one in the house, given that everything started here more than thirty years ago – bears the name of Queen Isabel, commemorating the monarch’s coronation, which took place in the Segovian church of San Miguel, very close to the restaurant, on 13 December 1474, as borne witness by the large mural that presides over its walls.
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It can seat up to 80, accommodated in surroundings that have a distinctly Castilian flavour, with different artistic works that reflect the traditional customs and practices of Segovia.
As a curiosity it is worth mentioning the two collections from the Royal Glass Factory, La Granja de San Ildefonso which are housed in glass cabinets, one of which is called “Historical Reproductions” containing a collection of vials, bottles, spirit flasks and decanters from the 17th, 19th and 20th centuries.
These are pieces of leaded glass made using the traditional cane-blowing technique. The collection called «Royal Gifts» shows the glassworks made to give to their Royal Highnesses on the occasion of their marriage. Its pieces are wheel-engraved and carved with motifs inspired by lapidary arts and the original collections preserved in the Museum of the Royal Factory.
To Fine Dining – Tribute To Our Land
This dining room which can accommodate 68 people stretches out underneath a colossal basket-handle arch. On its walls it pays homage to all the lands of Spain, through a collection of watercolors depicting all our Autonomous Regions and their typical dress.
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The fireplace turns this unique space into a warm refuge in Segovia’s winter months. At the back of the dining room is a beam supported by modillions in the Romanesque style, on which are displayed typical items from local agriculture. In short, these are cosy surroundings where you can enjoy the “fine dining” offered by our varied cuisine.
Arcipreste de Hita
This little nook, named after Juan Ruiz, poet and Archpriest of Hita, is a very special space, oozing the Castilian ambience that characterizes us, and where you can taste and share a personalised “nuestro picoteo” grazing menu.
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An informal and casual meeting place to enjoy a wide variety of platters and toasties. Our dining room seats 60and is ideal for family gatherings.
Segovia made a deep impression on the work of the Archpriest: Somosierra, Puerto de Lozoya, Malangosto, Sotos Albos, Valdevacas (“my beloved place”, writes Juan Ruiz), Riofrío, Ferreros (Otero de Herreros) Sale Cornejo, Puerto de la Fuenfría, Valsaín, Campo Azálvaro (in El Espinar) and the capital with its “groya snake” a metaphor alluding to the Segovian aqueduct.
And Juan Ruiz also took time to make extensive mention of the rich Castilian cuisine, present in numerous stanzas of his work, where special reference is made to its meats, breads, cheeses, wines and desserts. This dining room represents our simple homage to the author of an oeuvre that is key to understanding the soul of man in the Middle Ages.
Gourmet Library
This small and exclusive dining room with a capacity for 12 people is the ideal place for company meals and family celebrations.
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It is decorated with a small Castilian bookshelf cabinet with leaded glass windows containing books on gastronomy and winemaking. It is also the place where the restaurant’s “Golden Book” is kept. This contains the endearing words dedicated to us by the various renowned figures who have honoured us by visiting our house.
An Altar To Wine
Characteristic Mudejar style arches set this dining room apart as a setting for major celebrations, with a capacity for 100 people.
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Its walls are decorated with a magnificent socal of tiles from Talavera, which boast a small sample of the dedications made by some of the more illustrious personages from the restaurant’s Golden Book, from the worlds of culture, politics, communications, the arts. In our little “sacristy” the signatures of the Royal Family are in place of honor.
At the entrance, behind a limestone arch of notably Romanesque style you can observe bottles from the shrine’s most exceptional vintages.
Hare Slope
This is one of the three dining rooms with a modern-day ambience, the result of recent renovations creating new spaces in the restaurant.
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It has a capacity for 30 people and, like the “Altar del Vino”, on its walls you can see some of the signatures from our Golden Book.
Here it is worth highlighting two pieces of interior design with a special character:
On the one hand, the sculptural mural made with 1200 corks from the wineries of the most important appellations worldwide. It is a poetic vision of the Castilian fields taking elements and removing them from their usual environment, which is based on land brought expressly from the Pago de Carraovejas estate. It was named in the Letra Roland Awards as the Best Interior Designing Lettering Element in 2010.
The other piece is a spectacular glass bottle rack that contains a unique sample of all the wines that are made in our winery: Crianza, Reserva, El Anejón de la Cuesta de las Liebres and Cuesta de las Liebres.
El Anejón – Oak And Light
This hidden nook seating 28 people is a very special tribute to “The Ring of Hare Hill” from the Pago de Carraovejas estate and cellar, of which José María Ruiz, as owner, is celebrating the 25th anniversary of the first vine planting, putting this new wine on the market, and naming this space in its honour.
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The light here sifts through the little square vaulted spans, creating truly cosy surroundings, set off by the oak-panelled walls. All the windows are decorated with sketches of grapes fashioned in gold and burgundy.
Ossian
These are markedly minimalist surroundings dedicated to the latest acquisition of the “Ossian, Vinos y Vides” family wine cellar located in the province of Segovia. The leading profile enjoyed by this room is thanks to the oak of its walls which contrasts acutely with the ascetic white.
The light of the candle-holder that runs through its upper frieze lends this small dining room – which seats 28 and where you can enjoy Segovia’s most innovative and, indeed all, of its cuisine – the personality and character of this iconic restaurant.
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This room has been equipped acoustically and digitally to celebrate your family reunions, corporate breakfasts and meetings, networking events… with a maximum capacity of 18 people.
Juan Pacheco’s Repose
“Juan Pacheco’s repose”, is the bar-cum-inn that welcomes diners who, encouraged by the great atmosphere that always holds sway here, take the opportunity to treat their taste buds with varied appetizers and succulent toasties that are accompanied by the unique wine of the house, “Pago de Carraovejas Autor”, turning José María restaurant into the destination par excellence when Segovia’s typical “tapas” hour strikes.
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In 2019 various remodelling and refurbishment jobs were carried out, highlighting a spectacular Segovian sgrafitto by Pablo Arévalo and a purchased collection of lamps that were handcrafted by master glass manufacturers of the Royal Glass Factory of La Granja.
Do you know our president José María Ruiz?
In his biography you can get to know him a little more.