Hostal Restaurante Nicols

The old train station near Luque is a lovely setting, with old rail carriages and the original building still there. We loved the atmosphere, and the toilets were clean. It was quiet when we arrived, then several coaches came in to shop and eat. There’s a shop with local products such as almonds and olive oil. Francis, our charming waiter, kept us entertained and gave us great recommendations. He highly recommended revuelto de collejas, which I’d never tried. I couldn’t have been happier with it, it’s a vegetable a bit like spinach but sweeter. We shared the menu of the day between two because I’m a light eater, and the starter and main course were the same size. It’s €10 and incredible value, with plenty of choice, starter, main course, dessert, bread and a drink of your choice, including alcohol. The food is great, the prices are really cheap and the service is fantastic. If I lived closer, I’d be here every week. I’ll definitely visit again.

This place looks almost like a western movie set, with the train station and what could pass for a saloon attached. It’s become one of our favourites. The food is simple but bloody good. Order steak and you get steak, seasoned and cooked to perfection. It’s cheap as well, and right at the top of our list for a return visit. Until next time, Nicol's.

We had a great experience at this old railway station. The food was excellent and the service was great. There’s a dining room inside, a shop, and outdoor seating on the old railway platform. We’ll definitely recommend it and be back soon.

Still a good stop, but timing matters. When the tour buses are parked outside at meal times, expect a crush and possibly a long wait. The coach groups have a timetable and seem to get priority. It opens very early for fast, excellent coffee and tostadas, which is handy on the road. The food is still good value and made fresh to order, but the menu has become inflexible and is now desperately limited for vegetarians. They no longer do the wonderful egg and chips because it’s “not on the menu”. Maybe they were just too busy that day? I’ll ask again! There’s a large sheltered patio at the back, with a fire in winter, and a much improved garden along the old railway line, with train coaches and an increasing collection of old farming and olive oil equipment to wander around. It’s a calm setting when there aren’t groups in. The smaller indoor dining room has air conditioning in summer and doesn’t seem to be used by coach groups. The shop sells local olive oil, almonds, their own olive oil soap and other goods, plus souvenirs aimed at the coach groups. Still worth a quick look, especially when local seasonal produce is available. The toilets are best avoided, but in a pinch the outside block is large and clean, though rather spartan and Baltic in winter. It used to be a wonderful five-star restaurant for travellers and families. Now it’s mostly focused on the big groups stopping about halfway between Cordoba and Granada. Good food and value, just beware of those tour buses.