Intro
Tapas are a defining component of the culture in Granada, and there is no better place in Spain to experience this style of eating. If you aren’t familiar, tapas are small plates of food that are served with your drink. There are a variety of legends about where this tradition actually came from, but one says that this small portion of food on a piece of bread was used to cover drinks to keep flies out. In Granada, you can't always choose the tapa, but this is an awesome way to explore varieties of local food. Also in Granada, every drink comes with a FREE tapa (cocktails and coffee excluded), which is not always true in the rest of Spain. And the best part, this makes going out for dinner and drinks sooo cheap, which is part of the reason Spanish people are eating out ALL the time.
Granada has an entire assortment of cuisine you can eat “tapa style,” so if you get sick of the traditional Spanish menu, there are plenty of options! Restaurants will be serving food in the afternoon from about 1-4pm and at night from 8pm to 11pm, so make sure you stick to this schedule!
Places:
La Sitarilla
@kalicoubrough
Very traditional Spanish tapas bar. Busy, loud, classic decor. They have large tapas plates that are usually a type of meat in a sauce, but they will usually have a potato option for vegetarians. Reservations are not possible. They open at 1 for lunch and again at 8 for dinner, and the line will start forming out front 15-20 minutes before they open.
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Rosario Varela
@kalicoubrough
Cute and trendy tapas restaurant with Spanish cuisine. You can’t pick your tapas here, but they have delicious shareable plates, and a surprise tapa is always fun!
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La Tabernilla del Darro
@kalicoubrough
Traditional Spanish food, nice indoor and outdoor seating.
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Om Kalsum
@kalicoubrough
Tapas restaurant with Morrocan cuisine and ambience. Seating is very limited here.
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La Goma
@kalicoubrough
Nice ambience, creative vegan tapas. You can pick your tapas here!
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Bar El Peruano
@kalicoubrough
Peruvian tapas bar, tapas plates are huge and you can pick your tapas. There is usually a line to enter, no reservations allowed.
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Tango Bar
@kalicoubrough
Small “tapa-sized” pizzas. You can pick your tapa from the menu here.
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Bodegas Castañeda
@kalicoubrough
Classic Spanish cuisine and traditional Spanish ambience.
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La Crême Gastrobar Tapas y Copas
@kalicoubrough
Trendy and modern tapas bar with a mix of cuisines. Tapas are good-sized and quality!
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Potemkin
@kalicoubrough
Sushi tapas and Japanese cuisine in a casual bar setting.
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Restaurante Bella Kurva
@kalicoubrough
A variety of cuisines for tapas, cute and casual ambience.
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Los Manueles Reyes Católicos - Restaurante Granadino
@kalicoubrough
There are three locations in Granada, known for their croquetas. Everything else is just average.
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El Pozo
@kalicoubrough
Traditional Spanish food, located in the Albayzin (the old Arab neighborhood in Granada). Nice patio.
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Bar Poë
@kalicoubrough
Busy and casual tapas bar offering African style cuisine. Owned by a British man, known to be the expat hangout.
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Calle Navas
@kalicoubrough
If you're wanting to browse places in an area very dense with tapas bars, this street is a good place to go. Restaurants along here have traditional Spanish food, some more geared towards tourists.
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Tips for tapas bar hopping:
1. Order a couple of things all at once if you’re hungry, sometimes it takes a while to get your server's attention again.
2. Drinks that normally include tapas are beers, wine, sodas, tinto de verano (when in doubt you can ask your server). Drinks that normally do NOT include tapas are cocktails, coffee drinks, water.
3. Lots of places in Granada are cash only, make sure to have cash on you!
4. No tipping here. They aren't used to it, they'll be confused, just don't do it.
5. Many of the places above have delicious bigger and shared plate options. You're allowed to order other things besides tapas!
Happy tapa eating!
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