Taberna Pepe de la Juderia is a delightful little cafe located in Cordoba's old Jewish Quarter not far from Mezquita. If sunny al fresco dining is your style, you'll be quite pleased with this cafe's wonderful sidewalk corner location. It's prime for "people watching". The inside of the restaurant is decorated like a diners' Hall-of-Fame. Photos and memorabilia from bullfighters and other famous patrons line the walls.
It is here that I had the first real sandwich of my life. Not that I haven't eaten a sandwich before, mind you, but never anything as noteworthy as what was on my plate in this cafe! The softest bread, tastiest olive oil and sweetest Iberian ham put together in a seemingly ordinary fashion was proven a work of art in just one bite.
The service, like in all Andalucia, was wonderful and amazing. The day that I ate at this cafe was unseasonably hot -- almost miserable. The waiters were really sweating up a storm as they ran in and out of the taberna filling orders, busing tables and fetching drinks. They did it all without dropping dead from the heat AND with a GENUINE smile intact. The proprietor is a very nice older gentleman whom the regulars call Pepe, though I think it is only a nickname. He prides himself on his delectible flamenquin (fried rolls filled with sweet Iberian meats) -- a house specialty. Do make a point to try some!