Spain is renowned for its diverse cuisine, which includes paella, gazpacho, Spanish tortilla, and chocolate-dipped churros. However, one dish that truly encapsulates the country's culture is tapas. Despite their small size, tapas are bursting with flavor, showcasing Spain's rich culinary heritage and local produce. These bite-sized morsels vary greatly depending on the region. The tradition of tapas comes from the Spanish word "tapar," meaning "to cover." This dates back to the time when innkeepers served glasses of sherry topped with a small piece of bread and meat or cheese to prevent flies and dust from getting into the drinks. Another account suggests that King Alfonso X favored these small plates while recovering from illness, and he ordered them to be served throughout the kingdom to lessen the effects of alcohol. Regardless of their origins, tapas are now an integral part of Spain's culinary scene. You can join locals in hopping from one tapas bar to another, enjoying a couple of early-evening bites with each glass of wine. However, you may wonder which Spanish cities offer the best tapas, which regional dishes to seek out, and whether tapas are complimentary when you order a drink.
Five places to try authentic Tapas in Spain
1. Bilbao
In Bilbao, you won't find tapas bars, but instead, you'll find pintxos bars. Pintxos are small snacks served on a piece of bread, held together by a toothpick, and pronounced as 'pinchos'. One famous pintxo is the 'gilda', made with a spicy green pepper, anchovy, and an olive. It is said to have been invented at the Casa Vallés bar in San Sebastian, another Basque city known for its tapas. The 'gilda' is named after the character played by Rita Hayworth in the 1946 film. You can also visit the Ribera Market with its beautiful Art Deco architecture and stained glass. There, you can explore food stalls and try gildas, croquetas de bacalao (cod croquettes), and deep-fried idiazabal (sheep's) cheese. These are unique to the region and are best enjoyed with a glass of the local white wine, txakoli.
2. Granada
Located at the base of the Sierra Nevada mountains in a region famous for its plentiful produce, this Andalusian city offers a blend of both land and sea in its renowned food scene. Most establishments still honor the tradition of serving a free tapa with each drink, a practice that is not as common in other Spanish cities. Additionally, the region's Arab influences are evident in its cuisine, as it was the last area to be ruled by the Moors until the late 15th century. This has resulted in dishes infused with rich spices like cumin, coriander, and nutmeg. Visitors can enjoy a variety of offerings including fried sardines and anchovies, fresh Andalusian gazpacho, grilled sausage, as well as local specialties like ham and beans., San Antón stew and – not for the faint-hearted – the Sacromonte tortilla (omelette) which includes calf and pig’s brains and testicles, so only order if you dare. Follow local residents on the many tapas routes around the city, with plenty of options around Plaza Nueva and Plaza Campillo or along the bar-filled streets of Calle Navas or Calle San Mateo.
3. Valladolid
Less than an hour from Madrid by high-speed train sits the 17th-century Spanish capital of Valladolid. It's home to historic palaces, sweeping plazas, and galleries, including the National Museum of Sculpture and the home of Don Quixote writer Cervantes. Each November, it hosts an annual tapas competition that brings together chefs from around the world to compete for both national and international titles. This event prompts every bar with a tempting tapas menu to up its game. The region is known for its hearty meat dishes, so you'll find top-quality Iberico ham and morucha beef from Salamanca in charcuteries like Jamonería Sarmiento, which converts into a tapas bar after dark. You can also enjoy these dishes in the bars around Plaza San Martín and Plaza Martí y Monsó, or from the local producers in Mercado del Val, a late 19th-century iron-built market near the grand church of San Benito el Real. During the festival, creative culinary talents stretch the definition of tapas, experimenting with fusion ingredients from all over the world.
4. Las Palmas
The old town of Vegueta in the Gran Canarian capital is a labyrinth of cobbled streets lined with brightly colored buildings and wrought-iron balconies. The area is centered around the grand Catedral de Santa Ana and the Casa de Colón, the former residence of Christopher Columbus. On Thursday evenings, people flock to the bars along Calle Mendizábal and the old town’s various pedestrian plazas for a pincho crawl, where a drink and a small serving should cost less than €3. Alternatively, you can have a meal under the arches of the city market, Mercado del Puerto, a Modernist structure designed by the French engineer Gustave Eiffel. Here, you can indulge in tempting bites from different stalls, each offering its own specialty, from sheep’s cheeses to local cured meats. And enjoy them while perched at its tall tables. Expect traditional Spanish dishes as well as the Canary Islands’ signature papas arrugadas (wrinkled potatoes) with red and green mojo sauces.
5. Logroño
The La Rioja region is famous for its wines, but it also offers excellent tapas, especially in the capital city of Logroño. In the medieval old town, Calle Laurel and the surrounding streets are lined with numerous bars and restaurants serving delicious pinchos every night. It's possible to spend an entire evening hopping from one spot to the next and still not try everything. Each place has its own specialty dish featuring local ingredients such as white asparagus, sun-ripened peppers, garlic-infused mushrooms, and the regional favorite patatas a la riojana, which includes paprika-spiced chorizo. Chorizo is available in various forms, but one of the simplest and best is chistorra, which is grilled chorizo with paprika and garlic.
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