From Ibi to Las Tendillas
In 1936, David Rico left Ibi — a small Alicante village with a disproportionate reputation for turroneros and ice cream makers — and set up on Córdoba's Plaza de las Tendillas. Nearly ninety years later, the ice cream parlour is still where families and retirees spend Sunday afternoons, lingering over coffee and conversation.
The room
The place has kept its vintage feel without making a theme of it. The marble counter, patinated mirrors, and worn leather stools have been there for decades. Renovations have been quiet and respectful. Unlike other ice cream shops that go dark in winter, David Rico stays open year-round — the cortado and tostada crowd carries the business through the cold months just as reliably as the summer ice cream rush.
What to order
The crema catalana ice cream is the house signature — notes of burnt caramel and cinnamon, the kind of flavour that tastes specifically like this place rather than something you could find anywhere. Order a double scoop in a cone for the full experience. The helado de turrón connects back to the founder's Alicante roots: ground almonds, honey, and a mild sweetness that works better in ice cream form than most confectionery versions. The granizado de naranja in summer is cold and sharp in the way only fresh orange does it — not the syrup version. The thick batidos (milkshakes) are best taken through a straw at a terrace table.
The location
The terrace looks onto the bustle of Las Tendillas, Córdoba's main square in the Centro neighbourhood. The brand has expanded along Paseo de la Ribera and Avenida Fray Albino, but the original plaza location is the one that matters.
Practical tip
Open from 8:00 daily, which makes it one of the few decent breakfast options on the square. The terrace fills fast on weekends from mid-morning — arrive before 10:30 to get a table without waiting. Prices are among the lowest in the historic centre for this quality. A single scoop runs around €2; a double in a cone is €3.50. The cortado and tostada breakfast — coffee plus toast with olive oil and tomato — comes in under €4 and is a sound start before a day around the Centro. No reservations taken; tables turn over regularly. Loyal enough to its own identity that it has never gone seasonal or started closing outside summer.
