Palo Cortao opened two years ago in a teeny-tiny spot in El Arenal, and it was an instant success. Run by husband & wife team Ana and Ángel, it specialized in charcuterie and luxe tinned fish, along with a handful of exquisite tapas prepared by Ángel in a “kitchen” that was the size of a small closet. It also had an amazing wine list, including some wonderful sherries.

Yesterday I received a message from A & A saying that Friday was going to be their last day (!!) so I hurried over to say goodbye. Turns out it wasn’t the sad affair I thought it might be. It’s actually good news as Ana and Ángel have been planning to move to bigger and better premises but just haven’t had time to look while still working. So they are going to take a couple months off to find a perfect spot and then reopen as soon as possible. Looking forward to seeing Palo Cortao chapter two.