Diablo Cojuelo is a wine and product store located in the heart of Segovia (Juan Bravo 23), yet this place is also a tapas bar. The space was established in 2015 with hopes to revolutionize the gourmet shopping experience in Segovia.
Before making my way to Diablo Cojuelo, I did a whole internet search of the place, as well as their menu and product information, all of which was easy to find with a user-friendly website. Nonetheless, I noticed that the place did not consider allergies or food intolerances. On the other hand, they stayed true to the original tavern concept, so if you are looking for a traditional approach, this might be the tapas bar you were searching for.
When you first arrive at Diablo Cojuelo, you come across the shop area which has a very wide range of products. These include but are not limited to a plethora of alcoholic beverages, typical Segovian pastries, cheeses, and a great variety of cold cuts. You can also find more niche products such as foie gras or cheese infused with black truffle, as well as the traditional Segovian judiones. What caught our attention was the fact that they showed the origin of the product as well as specific information about what made it special and interesting. There are also gift boxes readily available.
My visit to the tapas bar
In the back of the store there are several tables where you can order drinks and food, as well as trying products you purchase from the store. There is a snack menu available for 2 people, (8.75€ pp) that includes 2 drinks, a ration of Iberian cured loin, cured cheese, and Iberian ham sandwiches (bocadillos).
On the other hand, it’s important to note that even though there are a lot of products such as canned olives, peppers and a wide range of vegetable products available in the bar area, if you are not a fan of cheese and meat Diablo Cojuelo is definitely not the place for you to visit, since their gastronomic offer is mostly based on these products.
They also propose a traditional breakfast menu with great prices. From this menu we decided to order coffee and the Ponche Segoviano, which came to be 3.95€, as well as the Iberian Ham Sandwich for 2.95 Euros.
Conclusions
Overall the atmosphere was good, and it felt like a traditional Segovian experience. However, I couldn’t feel the essence of their goal which was to revolutionize the gourmet shopping experience, and to be frank I thought it was quite curated for tourists. If I was a tourist, I would completely understand the appeal as it is originated and locally owned with great local products; however, as someone who has lived in Segovia for 2 years, it becomes evident that there are more genuine places in town to eat tapas, especially ones that aren’t marketed as heavily as Diablo Cojuelo and are frequently visited by Segovians.
If you are looking for a great local bottle of wine or beer, niche products, or great gift boxes, the space is incredible and their price range varies from affordable to what could be very expensive for the average student budget. On the other hand, I wouldn’t go with high expectations for the tapas bar.
Diablo Cojuelo in numbers
Overall Experience: 7/10
Breakfast Option (Ponche Segoviano): 7/10
Breakfast Option (Iberian Sandwich): 8/10
Cured Cheese Platter: 8/10
Price to Quality Comparison: 7/10
