Restaurante Josechu

Restaurante Josechu is a long-established traditional Navarrese restaurant on Calle Arrieta in central Pamplona, celebrated above all for its menestra de verduras navarras — a spring vegetable stew that is widely considered one of the defining benchmark versions of what may be Navarre's most representative dish. The menestra is a Navarrese institution: a medley of seasonal vegetables — typically artichokes, asparagus, peas, green beans, and broad beans — separately prepared to preserve their individual character before being brought together in a gentle sauce of ham-scented broth. At Restaurante Josechu the menestra is executed with the care and attention it deserves, honouring the exceptional primary produce of the Navarrese Ebro valley. Pochas con codorniz — fresh white beans stewed with quail and a sofrito of onion and tomato — is a dish that speaks to the autumn hunting tradition of the Navarrese countryside, when migratory quail are in season alongside the year's first bean harvest. Cuajada casera, the traditional Navarrese sheep's milk curd set in ceramic pots and served at room temperature with sugar or honey, is a dessert of simplicity and distinction. The dining room is quietly traditional: no design conceits, just white tablecloths, warm service, and the sounds of a properly run family restaurant. The wine list focuses on Navarra and Rioja. Reservations are recommended Monday to Saturday; the restaurant is closed on Sundays.