276 Best Restaurants in Spain

Since opening in 2012, Barcelona’s original specialty coffee bar has been serving high-quality roasts and small bites. Floor-to-ceiling windows create an indoor-outdoor feel, regardless of where you sit. 

Locally roasted single-origin brews and a varied brunch menu of tostas and internationally inflected eggs make this riverside café the best specialty coffee spot in town.

If you're looking for a shot or two to spur your climb to Montjuïc, grab a café latte or a flat white at this specialty coffee shop, which has several locations around the city. The gourmet cookies are decent, too. 

A Lavapiés landmark opened in 1786, this taberna's regulars have included realist painter Ignacio Zuloaga, countless champion bullfighters, and King Alfonso XIII. Sip on a sudsy caña in the creaky, characterful bar area along with a free tapa or two and then scram—there's much better food to be had in this barrio.

Just a few minutes' walk from the Plaza de las Tendillas and opposite the lovely San Miguel Church, this popular tapas spot—also known as the Casa el Pisto (Ratatouille House)—was established in 1880. You can choose to squeeze in at the bar and dine on tapas (from €4) or spread out a little more on the patio decked with ceramics and bullfighting memorabilia, where half and full portions are served. Legendary toreador Manolete is particularly revered here. The menu is one long list of typical local dishes, so expect to find oxtail, salmorejo, flamenquín (bacon-wrapped pork loin that's breaded and fried), and, of course, pisto (ratatouille), plus the daily special stew.

Botero's old-school storefront draws diners into its cozy but lively tapas bar, with a solid cocktail program and global takes on the traditional, like crispy pig ear tacos with ginger and pickles. The upstairs dining room offers an extended menu and larger dishes, along with two seasonal tasting menus.  

This cozy restaurant offers an excellent selection of fish and meat dishes. It's renowned for its Almadraba tuna (traditionally hand-lined and caught in Zahara de los Atunes on the Cádiz coast) cooked any which way and always delicious. Particular highlights are the tataki and cured tuna on toast. Other must-tries include the seaweed croquettes with an oloroso sherry sauce, squid burgers with a miso sauce, and the black pudding and pine nut samosas. There’s also an excellent range of rice dishes including the house special, risotto de ortiguillas (sea anemone). Sit inside in the cozy dining room under the signature tuna lamps or outside on the pleasant shady terrace. 

Slightly off the beaten tourist trail and with a lively local vibe, this tavern-style venue specializes in traditional local cuisine such as salmorejo and oxtail, but you'll also find creative touches on the menu in the form of tuna marinated in ginger and flamenquin with a chocolate sauce. Most dishes are available as tapas and half or full plates, and all can be paired with local wines and house beer. Expect a warm welcome from the owners and their staff.

Located one block from the Plaza del Ayuntamiento, this small bar has the best position on the leafy square and a pleasant outside terrace. Despite the tiny kitchen, the menu stretches long and includes glazed artichokes, red tuna tartare, and Iberian pork cuts.

The city's traditional smoky pork and pea stew, carcamusas, is a serious showstopper at this no-frills joint. Amongst the fried and boiled pig parts, also don't miss the calentitos—these perfectly fried mushrooms are served on crispy toast and slathered in a garlicky salsa verde. 

Specializing in San Sebastián's favorite dishes, this Basque restaurant has only one drawback: a table is hard to score unless you call well in advance. A good backup plan, though, is the tapas served at the first-come, first-served bar.

The tapas emporium of celebrity chef Carles Abellán shows us how much he admires traditional Catalan and Spanish bar food, from patatas bravas to croquetes de pollastre rostit (roast chicken croquettes), although the star dish is the truffled "bikini," or ham and cheese toastie. The counter and terrace are constantly crowded and the service can be iffy at times, but the food is worth elbowing your way through the crowd for.

This ample and lively bar flanked by ancient stone and exposed redbrick walls is a good spot for tapas and beer as well as Albariños and Ribeiros.

Floor-to-ceiling windows, an intimate corner bar, and throwback tapas keep this "tasca moderna" packed with neighborhood dwellers night after night. Particularly addictive are the gildas (anchovy skewers) and marineras murcianas, loopy crackers topped with potato salad and draped with an anchovy.

The area's beloved tapas chain is friendly, fun, and always busy with customers helping themselves to some 40 mouthwatering types of pinchos (dainty bar-side tapas ranging from mini hamburgers to fried king prawns to sautéed mushrooms). You can also have larger portions in the sit-down dining area. The shop next door, Pirineu Gourmet, is owned by the same family and sells local delicacies such as freshly prepared pâté and foie gras, caviar, ciders, and honey.

Just below the cathedral square is one of the island's best bars for beer and tapas. In a casual dining room with high ceilings and wooden chairs, chow down on unusual tapas like nachos with eggplant and ginger sauce and spinach-and-walnut croquettes. There are indoor and outdoor tables and usually live music on Thursday.

Perhaps the only restaurant in Poble Sec to pull off “cool,” Tiberi is fashionable in just about every sense, from the fresh flowers and candle-lit interiors to its all-natural wine, often served in jugs. What stops it from becoming too cool is the unpretentious food, much of which demands messy fingers and oil-dribbled chins, such as toasted sandwiches and toothpick-skewers of olives, anchovies and cheese (called gildas).

Underneath the arches just off Puerta Real, this modern bar and restaurant has a reputation for being one of Granada's chicest venues. It's known for fresh seafood, including oysters and red shrimp, though generous portions of chargrilled steaks, steak tartare, and fresh foie gras are a hit with carnivores. The cocktail list is extensive.

Come to this sprawling, noisy restaurant for the experience rather than the food, which is fine but not spectacular. There's no menu—waiters circle the restaurant carrying various dishes (tapas and main courses) and you choose whatever looks good. The bill is totaled up according to the number and size of the plates on the table at the end of the meal. On the El Palo seafront, Tintero specializes in catch-of-the-day seafood, such as boquerones (fresh anchovies), sepia (cuttlefish), and the all-time familiar classic, gambas (grilled prawns). Be warned that it's packed on weekends with expats and boisterous Spanish families. 

A few steps from the Plaza de la Reina, this cozy spot blends the concept of a tapas bar with that of an Italian wine bar, with dishes like oxtail cannelloni, eggplant “meatballs,” and classic lasagna served small plates-style. There’s a fantastic list of Valencian, Spanish, and Italian wines, with many available by the glass.

The originator of Madrid's third-wave coffee revolution, Toma—with two other locations in Chamberí (Toma Café Olavide and Proper Sound)—is a favorite among expats and local coffee geeks. After satisfying your cold brew, flat white, or pour-over cravings in the newly renovated digs, indulge in any of the delicious open-face tostas. Natural wine is also available. 

A bright and airy venue offering traditional Spanish staples—croquettes and patatas bravas—as well more modern takes on quick bites. Try the pulled-pork bao with honey nuts and hoisin sauce or the torta de boquerones y anchoas (anchovy toast). There's also a good selection of salads and mains, where grilled octopus with paprika and tenderloin pork with sweet wine and raisins are star dishes.

Chef Gonzalo Jurado combines tradition and evolution (trad + evo) at this coastal-inspired outpost of his restaurant trio, renowned for fresh fish and seafood, sourced daily from nearby Cádiz ports. Choose your catch of the day from the display in glass cabinets at the entrance—price is by weight, so ask the waiter to let you know in advance what you’ll pay—or go à la carte. The menu changes often, but favorite staples include prawn taco, marinated sardines, and fried eggplant. Eat inside among fish-themed decor or outside on the giant terrace and watch life on the bustling square.

Fresh, falafel-like balls of meat, fish, and vegetables in unique, mouthwatering combinations are prepared with laser-sharp focus by the Israeli chef helming A Tu Bola. Everything from the harissa (spicy chili paste) to the hummus is made by hand, elevating the standard far beyond that of typical street food in the surrounding Raval. Be prepared to wait for a seat in the small eating area and follow the staff's advice on portion sizes when ordering from the mix-and-match menu.

Locals flock to this hole-in-the-wall for what might be the city's best croquetas—choose from jamón (ham), chicken, bacalao, or wild mushroom. The rabas (fried calamari) also stand out for their nongreasy, ultracrisp exterior.

If you’re a vegan, vegetarian, or flexitarian and finding the meat and fish scene in Seville a bit heavy, head for this bar inside the Mercado del Arenal. It started life as Spain’s first vegan bakery in 2009, and since then the menu has grown to encompass breakfast and brunch, plus a long list of 100%-animal-free options to make into burgers, nachos, or wraps. There’s also an excellent value menu del día (€10) at lunchtime, and a choice of pastries and cakes. 

On a river bend between the hamlets of Árchez and Corumbela, this friendly venta offers traditional country cooking at its best. Sit outside on the shady terrace for stunning views of the valley as you dine on generous portions of grilled meats (pork, veal, and chicken) and salads or tapas. Finish with a house dessert such as natillas (custard) or crème caramel. The staff don't speak much English, but their friendliness more than makes up for possible language barriers. Book if you plan to eat here on weekends or go midweek for a quieter lunch. Be sure to check out the Mudejar churches, with their minaret towers in Árchez and Corumbela, before or after your meal. 

Carved into a rocky point above Playa Sant Sebastiá, the multilevel Vivero is actually three distinct spaces: a casual, alfresco tapas spot up top; a swankier "beach club" at the bottom; and sandwiched between is a bilevel indoor/outdoor restaurant, with a wide variety of seafood dishes and paellas. Whichever you choose, the real reason to come is for the magnificent views, especially at sunset.