A small bar on the Camino Primitivo conquers walkers from all over the world with a simple and authentic recipe
At the height of gastronomic tourism and the Camino de Santiago, Asturias once again demonstrates that many times the best stories are born in the smallest places.
In Cornellana, a town in the council of Salas crossed by the Primitive Path, there is a sandwich that has become almost an object of worship for thousands of pilgrims who travel the Jacobean routes every year:
the famous breaded meat sandwich from Café Casino.
It doesn't have fancy ingredients.
It does not appear in advertising campaigns.
You don't even need influencers to go viral.
And yet, more and more walkers come asking directly about him.
Because on the Camino, word of mouth still works better than any algorithm.
A bar where it seems that no time has passed
Café Casino is one of those bars that many travelers describe as “authentic.”
old tables,
classic bar,
metal napkin rings,
huge spikes
and atmosphere of those of before.
No modern decoration or impossible gastronomic concepts.
The important thing here is still to eat well.
And precisely there appears the star of the place:
the breaded meat sandwich prepared to order by Ana Menéndez, the historic soul of the establishment for more than fifty years.
Many pilgrims claim that it is one of the best sandwiches they try along the entire Camino de Santiago.
The secret is in simplicity
The recipe seems simple.
Fine fillets of Asturian red beef,
homemade marinade,
flour,
egg
and olive oil.
But behind it there are decades of experience and a secret that Ana Menéndez continues to keep even within her own family.
Every morning he begins by preparing huge trays of marinated meat that will later become dozens and dozens of sandwiches for pilgrims, neighbors and travelers.
And although she insists that “you just have to do it with love,” those who pass by Cornellana know perfectly well that this sandwich has something special.
Crunchy,
hot,
juicy
and perfect to regain strength after kilometers walking through Asturias.
From salmon farmers to pilgrims
The history of the sandwich is deeply linked to the evolution of Asturias and the Camino itself.
Decades ago, Cornellana was famous for salmon fishing and many fishermen stopped at the Casino for a quick bite to eat before returning to the river.
As time went by, Jacobean tourism little by little replaced those salmon farmers.
And the sandwich was still there.
Now it is the pilgrims of the Primitive Way who arrive looking for that flavor that so many talk about during the previous stages.
According to recent data, the Camino Primitivo is experiencing one of its greatest growth moments and more and more international travelers are choosing this route looking for a more authentic, quiet and natural experience than other more crowded variants.
The Camino is also experienced through food
Many pilgrims claim that some of the most intense memories of the Camino do not only have to do with landscapes or monuments.
Also with food.
A hot broth after rain.
An omelet in a small town.
A shared wine in a hostel.
Or an unforgettable sandwich in the middle of Asturias.
And precisely there appears the magic of places like Café Casino.
Because the success of this sandwich does not come from marketing.
It comes from something much more powerful:
the real experience of thousands of people recommending it for years.
Asturias continues to enchant pilgrims
The gastronomic phenomenon of the Camino in Asturias continues to grow enormously in 2026.
More and more travelers arrive looking for:
nature,
hiking,
rural tourism,
local gastronomy
and authentic experiences away from mass tourism.
The Camino Primitivo, which crosses spectacular rural areas of the Asturian interior, has become one of the great jewels for those who want to experience a more humane and less saturated Camino.
And along this route, bars, restaurants and small family businesses appear that end up becoming an emotional part of the pilgrim experience.
The sandwich that is already part of the Camino
Many walkers already recognize the Cornellana sandwich as an almost obligatory stop on the Camino Primitivo.
Some even organize their stages thinking about getting there at the right time.
Because after hours walking in the rain, cold or heat...
Few things taste better than a hot sandwich prepared calmly and with local products.
And perhaps that is precisely one of the great keys to the success of the Camino de Santiago:
the little things.
A gesture.
A conversation.
A landscape.
Or a simple sandwich capable of staying forever in the memory of a pilgrim.
