Jocavi Restaurante, Sayalonga
Jocavi's terrace full of diners on the main square of Sayalonga

Sayalonga · Axarquía · Since 1990

Breakfast on the square.
Market cooking after dark.

Two rooms, two moods, one kitchen. Coffee and tostada under the awning at nine; white linen, whole grilled fish and a fire in the grate by nine at night.

The short version

A village bar that cooks like a restaurant


Jocavi has stood on Plaza Don Rafael Alcoba for thirty-five years. The terrace spills out across the square and fills up twice a day — once with people reading the paper over coffee, once with people ordering their third plate of something.

Upstairs is a different place. Linen, a fireplace, windows over the rooftops, and a kitchen that sends out salmon carpaccio, duck breast with berries and whole sole off the plancha.

Neither half is a pose. Both have been running side by side since 1990.

Salmorejo and a cold beer on the terrace on Sayalonga's square

9:00 – 16:30

Daytime, on the terrace

Pitufos and coffee from nine. Tapas and sharing plates through the middle of the day, a set lunch on weekdays, and paella if you call ahead. The awning goes up when the sun comes round.

What's on the card →
Jocavi's upstairs room with a fireplace and a round table set for a celebration

17:30 – 23:00

Evenings, upstairs

The upstairs room opens, the fire gets lit in winter, and the kitchen changes register. Fish depending on what the market brought, meat over coals, soupy rice, and a short list of starters worth arriving hungry for.

See the plates →

From the kitchen

What people come back for

Jocavi's terrace full of diners on the main square of Sayalonga

The square itself

The terrace sits right on the plaza, in the shade of the church wall. It is the reason half the village eats lunch here.

Fresh red mullet on ice, ready for the grill

Fish that was swimming yesterday

Whatever the market had. Red mullet, sole, whatever came in — grilled plainly, because it does not need help.

Squid ink rice with aioli, prawns and peppers, in a pan to share

Rice done properly

Paella, arroz negro, soupy rice. Made to order, minimum two, and worth the wait.

Jocavi's upstairs room with a fireplace and a round table set for a celebration

A room for the big days

The upstairs salón with the fireplace takes over for christenings, birthdays and company lunches.

Opening hours

When we're open


Closed Wednesdays. The kitchen closes 30 minutes before the end of each service.

How to find us

  • Monday09:00 - 16:30  ·  17:30 - 23:00
  • Tuesday09:00 - 16:30  ·  17:30 - 23:00
  • WednesdayClosed
  • Thursday09:00 - 16:30  ·  17:30 - 23:00
  • Friday09:00 - 16:30  ·  17:30 - 23:00
  • Saturday09:00 - 16:30  ·  17:30 - 23:00
  • Sunday09:00 - 16:30  ·  17:30 - 23:00

Reservations

Come and eat

Call for a table, or just turn up on the terrace and see if there's room. For rice dishes, ring ahead — they're made to order and take the better part of an hour.

633 95 82 86