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$$$$ | |
Just around the corner from the Basílica Menor de San Ildefonso, one of Jaén’s two Michelin-starred restaurants has local chef Pedro Sánchez pushing the standard for local food very high. The three tables plus barstools have a direct view of the kitchen, so you can watch the tasting menu being prepared. Dishes vary depending on the season, but might include riñones de choto con caviar (kid goat kidneys), puro champiñón (an extraordinary mushroom sculpture), or natillas de coco, miel y trufa (coconut custard with honey and truffle).
Calle Reja de la Capilla 3, Jaén, Andalusia, Spain
Known For
- Fine dining with the slogan "Sentir Jaén” ("Feel Jaén")
- Innovative, seasonal dishes
- Local produce
Restaurant Details
Rate Includes: Closed Sun. and Mon. No lunch Tues.
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Traditional bars don't come more authentic than Bar Juanito, which has been serving local dishes for more than 70 years and pairs everything, of course, with sherry. You can eat standing at the bar or seated in the pleasant patio restaurant, where there's often live music on Saturday. You're spoiled for choice with a long list of tapas on the menu, but house specials are artichoke dishes (in season in early spring), meatballs in oloroso, and berza jerezana (stew made with Swiss chard, chickpeas, and pork).
Calle Pescadería Vieja 8–10, Jerez de la Frontera, Andalusia, Spain
Known For
- Wide range of sharing plates
- Artichoke dishes in season (early spring)
- Pork-based stew
Restaurant Details
Rate Includes: No dinner Sun. Closed Mon.--Sun. in July and Aug.
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$ | Triana |
Run by the same family for more than 50 years and lavishly decorated in the colorful tiles that pay tribute to the neighborhood's potters, Las Golondrinas is a fixture of Triana life. The staff never change, and neither does the menu—the recipes for the punta de solomillo (sliced sirloin), chipirones (fried baby squid), and caballito de jamón (ham on bread) have been honed to perfection, and they're served as tapas (€3) or raciones (shareable portions) that keep everyone happy.
Calle Antillano Campos 26, Seville, Andalusia, 41010, Spain
Known For
- Vibrant atmosphere
- Traditional tapas
- Good value
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$ | Centro |
This lively bar (with a sister branch on Plaza Nueva) is a big favorite with locals and draws crowds whatever the time of year. Specialties include fried fish and seafood—try the surtido de pescado (assortment of fried fish) to sample the best—as well as sesos (fried lambs' brains). No reservations are taken and seating is inside or outside with views of the Plaza de Bib-Rambla, so arrive early (1:30 pm or 8 pm) to be sure of some bar space or a tall table outside. Even when it's crowded, the service comes with a smile.
Pl. de Bib-Rambla 2, Granada, Andalusia, 18009, Spain
Known For
- Fried fish
- Generous free tapa with first drink
- Busy atmosphere
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$ | Judería |
This very small, quintessentially Spanish bar, with no seats and numerous photos of matadors and flamenco dancers, seems out of place surrounded by the tourist shops and overshadowed by the Mezquita, but its appearance—and its prices—are part of its charm. Tapas (from €2.50) such as albóndigas en salsa de almendras (meatballs in almond sauce) and bocadillos (sandwiches that are literally "little mouthfuls") are excellent in quality and value, while the tortilla de patata (potato omelet) is renowned and celebrated both for its taste and its heroic thickness. When it's busy, drinks and food are served on plastic and you often have to eat outside on the street.
Calle Magistral González Francés 3, Córdoba, Andalusia, 41003, Spain
Known For
- Tortilla de patata
- Inexpensive tapas
- Being busy
Restaurant Details
Rate Includes: Credit cards accepted
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Recommended Fodor’s Video
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$$ | Centro |
A block from the cathedral across Gran Vía, this is a delightfully typical Granada bodega with low ceilings and dark wood furniture. In addition to the wines, specialties here are plates of cheese, pâté, and embutidos (cold meats). You can also order a bandeja tradicional that comes with a taste of all traditional Spanish tapas. If you like garlic, don't miss the Spanish tortilla with creamy aioli.
Calle Almireceros 1–3, Granada, Andalusia, 18005, Spain
Known For
- Tapas
- Atmospheric bar
- Spanish tortilla with creamy aioli
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$ | El Arenal |
A couple of blocks west of the Cathedral lies one of the city’s best-loved tapas venues, usually jam-packed with locals enjoying an aperitif. Established in 1939 and now in its third generation, the bar is most famous for its meat dishes including the pringá sandwich (slow-cooked pork, chorizo, and black pudding in a bun) and pork cheeks. Cod also stars on the menu—try the carpaccio or crispy fried—along with a good selection of vegetable dishes such as the local spinach with chickpeas. Be sure to order a plate of the house potatoes, marinated in garlic and made by the owner every morning. There’s an excellent choice of wines, and sherry lovers are in for a treat because the list runs long. A warm welcome and service with a smile come guaranteed.
Calle Harinas 10, Seville, Andalusia, Spain
Known For
- Traditional tapas
- Delicious house-marinated potatoes
- Friendly service
Restaurant Details
Rate Includes: Closed Mon., no dinner Sun., Tues., and Wed.
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$$$$ | Centro |
If you fancy treating yourself to some of the best fish in town, head for this modern Michelin-star restaurant just down the road from the Palacio de la Condesa de Lebrija. Seasonal fish and seafood take center stage; you can see the catch of the day displayed in the window. The white-tiled venue has an open kitchen—choose barstool seating for the best view of the action. Look out for the daily specials—the marinated sardines are a must in summer—and staples such as swordfish on toast, shrimp tartare, or squid stuffed with pork or seafood. The wine list offers a good by-the-glass selection, and a tasting menu with paired wines (from €110) is also available. For a budget-friendly alternative, head for La Barra de Cañabota two doors away at number 5. Advance booking is essential.
Calle Orfila 3, Seville, Andalusia, Spain
Known For
- Fresh fish and seafood
- Daily specials like marinated sardines
- Efficient service
Restaurant Details
Rate Includes: Closed Sun. and Mon.
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$$ | |
Meals here—one of Úbeda's top restaurants—are served in a train-carriage interior decorated with railway memorabilia, while tapas reign at an outside terrace and at the bar. This distinctive eatery serves tasting menus and always has a guiso del día (stew of the day) as well as creative dishes like milhojas de cordero con boniato (lamb millefeuille with sweet potato). There's also an olive oil tasting menu (€5 per person).
Calle Cuesta de la Rodadera 1, Úbeda, Andalusia, 23400, Spain
Known For
- Extensive and reasonably priced wine menu
- Innovative dishes
- Fun interior
Restaurant Details
Rate Includes: Closed Wed. No dinner Mon., Tues., and July
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$$$ | |
Colorful and informal, this spot near the beach is known for its fried acedia (a type of small sole) and langostinos, which come from these very waters. The seafood paella is also catch-of-the-day fresh. In summer, the place gets packed with vacationers and locals.
Bajo de Guía 10, Sanlúcar de Barrameda, Andalusia, 11540, Spain
Known For
- Fried acedia (sole)
- Langostinos
- Seafood paella
Restaurant Details
Rate Includes: Closed Sun. and Nov., Credit cards accepted
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$$ | Judería |
In the heart of the Judería, this pretty little restaurant serves a modern interpretation of Sephardic cuisine—with organic dishes that are more exotic than the usual Andalusian fare—and a kosher menu. The many vegetarian options include gazpacho with mango and artichoke hearts in saffron sauce; and the siniya (trout baked in vine leaves with pomegranate and mint) is delicious. Try a bottle of kosher wine, and for dessert consider the rose or violet ice cream. The romantic atmosphere is compounded by two violinists playing Sephardic music on the patio on weekends.
Calle Tomás Conde 3, Córdoba, Andalusia, 14004, Spain
Known For
- Traditional Sephardic cuisine
- Romantic ambience
- Vegetarian dishes
Restaurant Details
Rate Includes: Closed Wed.
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$ | Centro |
Down a side street off the Avenida de la Constitución, this historic bar (formerly a wine store) takes you back to 19th-century Seville, and it is still run by descendants of the family that established it in 1850. Locals pack the place at lunchtime, when popular dishes include menudo con garbanzos (tripe with chickpeas) and albóndigas de choco (cuttlefish croquettes). The wine list is, as you would expect, extensive. There are two bar areas: the largest fronts the store and looks out onto the street, and the other is home to huge ceramic wine barrels and tiled walls.
Calle García de Vinuesa 11, Seville, Andalusia, 41001, Spain
Known For
- Local atmosphere
- Wine list
- Tripe with chickpeas
Restaurant Details
Rate Includes: No dinner Sun. and Mon. Closed Tues.
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One of the many bustling seafood and fish establishments on the Ribera del Marisco parallel to the river, this busy place with outdoor terrace and a maritime theme was established in 1947 and been hugely popular with locals ever since. They flock here for the pavias de merluza (cod in batter) and crispy fried fish, washed down with some fino or local white. Favorites also include stuffed squid and fish a la roteña (in red pepper sauce) plus the daily stew.
Calle Ribera del Marisco 9, El Puerto de Santa María, Andalusia, Spain
Known For
- Pavias de merluza (cod in batter)
- Daily stew
- Value food
Restaurant Details
Rate Includes: Closed Wed.
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$$$ | Judería |
Geared toward a tourist clientele, this place is always packed, noisy, and fun, and there is live Spanish guitar music on the roof terrace most summer nights. Antiques and some wonderful old oil paintings fill this three-floor labyrinth of rooms just around the corner from the mosque, near the Judería. A full selection of tapas and house specialties includes cochinillo (crispy suckling pig) and the solidly traditional rabo de toro. The croquetas de jamón are reputedly the best in town. Bookings are only taken through the website.
Calle Romero 1, Córdoba, Andalusia, 14003, Spain
Known For
- Traditional Andalusian food
- Croquetas de jamón
- Live music on the roof terrace in summer
Restaurant Details
Rate Includes: Reservations essential and via the website only
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$ | Centro |
True tradition (castizo itself) comes into its own at this busy venue serving regional dishes such as espinacas con garbanzos (spinach with chickpeas) alongside more modern plates like the popular coliflor tostada con holandesa trufada (cauliflower cheese with truffle oil), plus daily fish specials and the rice dish of the day. The open kitchen gives you a frontline view of your meal in the making. Sit at the bar for tapas or at a table for larger dishes. Be sure to visit the domino-tiled bathroom.
Calle Zaragoza 6, Seville, Andalusia, Spain
Known For
- Authentic traditional cooking
- Daily fish and rice specials
- Open kitchen
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$$$$ | |
The only restaurant with a Michelin star in the city has chef León Griffioen at the helm, placing local produce under the Dutch microscope and creating dishes themed around the history of Cádiz. With just eight tables in minimalist surroundings, the restaurant, decked in black and gray, offers a tasting menu (€60 for 10 dishes, €70 for 13; pairing options available) that comes with several surprises, including an "olive" and "deconstructed" tortillitas de camarones—it's one explosion of flavor after another.
Calle San Francisco 7, Cádiz, Andalusia, Spain
Known For
- Creative take on traditional local cuisine
- Excellent-value tasting menus
- Good and long wine list (ask the staff for pairing suggestions)
Restaurant Details
Rate Includes: Closed Sun., Reservations essential
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The lively Juda Levi Plaza, surrounded by a maze of narrow streets and squares, lies at the heart of the Judería and makes a great spot for indulging in a little people-watching and a well-earned break. Sit outside here with a drink or, better still, an ice cream, sandwich, or snack.
Pl. Juda Levi, Córdoba, Andalusia, 14003, Spain
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$$$$ | Centro |
Around the corner from the cathedral, this is one of Granada's longest-established fish restaurants. Catch-of-the-day fish and shellfish, fresh from the boats at Motril, are displayed in the window at the front of the tapas bar, adjacent to the cozy wood-paneled dining room. Fish both frito (fried) and parrillado (grilled) are good choices, and this is the only place in Granada serving angulas (glass eels). If it's chilly, you can warm up with caldereta de arroz, pescado y marisco (rice, fish, and seafood stew). There are tables outdoors overlooking a busy plaza.
Pl. Pescadería 14, Granada, Andalusia, 18005, Spain
Known For
- Fresh seafood
- The only place in town serving angulas (glass eels)
- Outdoor dining
Restaurant Details
Rate Includes: Closed Mon., Credit cards accepted
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$$ | Triana |
Tucked away on the riverfront in Triana next to Puente del Cristo de la Expiración, this modern venue advocates local produce in traditional Andalusian recipes, showcased in a menu that changes on a weekly basis, along with a long wine list of Andalusian wines. The long narrow interior has striking wood-paneled walls with a verdant vertical garden in the middle, while outside dining takes in panoramic views of the river on the intimate terrace.
Paseo de Nuestra Señora de la O 29, Seville, Andalusia, Spain
Known For
- Quality local produce
- Waterfront views
- Dishes presented artistically
Restaurant Details
Rate Includes: Closed Mon. and Wed., no dinner Tues.
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$$ | Judería |
The name suggests grilled meat, but this restaurant in the heart of the Judería serves much more. In the colorful bar try tapas (from €3.50) such as the berenjenas crujientes con salmorejo (crispy fried eggplant slices with thick gazpacho), while in the restaurant opt for the supremely fresh grilled fish or the steak, which is the best in town, particularly the namesake churrasco ibérico (grilled Iberian pork, served here in a spicy tomato-based sauce). There's alfresco dining on the inner patio or upper-floor terrace when it's warm outside—also the season to try another specialty: gazpacho blanco de piñones con manzanas y pasas (a white gazpacho made with pine nuts, apple, and raisins). Save some room for the leche frita con helado de canela (creamy dessert with cinnamon ice cream).
Calle Romero 16, Córdoba, Andalusia, 14003, Spain
Known For
- Grilled meat
- Tapas
- Alfresco dining
Restaurant Details
Rate Includes: Closed Aug.
