Cochinillo asado is Segovia’s dish. Cochinillo is a suckling pig that fed only on its mother’s milk and is slaughtered after a few weeks, still with little weight. Roasted whole or halved in a wood-fired oven on a clay tray, it develops a thin, golden, crispy skin and very tender meat.
The city has protected the dish since 2002 with the Cochinillo de Segovia quality mark, recognized by the Junta of Castile and León, which defines the breed, feeding, age and weight of the animals. The name Cochinillo de Segovia was registered as a Protected Geographical Indication in 2024.
The best-known gesture is the carving. To show how tender the meat is, the server breaks the pig with the edge of a ceramic plate instead of using a knife. The custom is associated with the city’s historic eateries.
Segovian restaurants hold annual cochinillo events, and the dish is eaten throughout the city, often with the Roman aqueduct nearby.