Tábula Calda has been one of Mérida's reliable old town tables for years. The concept is Roman — recipes loosely reconstructed from Apicius and other classical sources, served in a stone-walled cellar dining room a few steps from the Plaza de España. It can sound gimmicky and is in fact done seriously: lamb with honey and fish sauce, garum-laced sauces, sweet-savoury combinations that turn out to be entirely modern in their appeal.
The Extremaduran classics are also on offer for those who'd rather skip the Roman menu — solomillo ibérico, migas, Torta del Casar with bread. Prices are mid-range for Mérida, service is friendly and well-informed. Reservations recommended on summer weekends.