One of the highlights of our time in Seville, and Spain as a whole, was the sampling of local tapas! Tapas refer to small servings of food, often accompanied with a drink, served at bars and eateries around the city (and the country). The history of tapas varies, but a common story is that eating tapas originated from King Alfonso X, who was prescribed large quantities of wine to recovery from an illness. The King supplemented the wine with small portions of food to reduce the effects of the alcohol, and after his recovery, he insisted households must serve small portions of food with beverages to prevent drunk behaviour. Whether this story is true or not, tapas are a delight, and a true highlight of your time in Spain!

We completed a little Tapas Tour (‘ir de tapas‘) during our 5 day stay in the wonderous Seville and wanted to share our thoughts, recommendations and highlights. The video below captures our excitement and the reviews of the little tapas bars we sampled, whilst the list below is in order of what bars we visited (not our recommended order of favourites). Watch and read on for more! If you think we have missed any Tapas Bars in Seville, please comment below so we can add them to our list for next time!

Our Tapas Tour Vlog:

Our Seville Tapas Tour

1. Cerveceria Giralda Bar

This was our first stop on the tapas tour. While a little more touristy and not necessarily ground breaking it was a good place to start. We sampled the salmon and squid with black rice – both of which were good but unremarkable. While the food itself wasn’t amazing we enjoyed sitting outside and people watching along the main street.

Vibe: 7.5/10

Food: 7.5/10

2. El Rinconcillo

If you only have time to visit one tapas bar in all of Seville this one is a must! Being the oldest bar in Seville (over 350 years old!), stepping inside is like stepping back in time. This also means it’s very popular amongst both tourists and locals. Opening at 8pm for dinner daily, we arrived at 7.55pm and were already 10th in the queue. Definitely arrive early and don’t be disheartened if you have to wait. Being a stand up only venue meant there was relatively fast turn over of customers all after a quick but quality feed. Our top dishes were definitely the local delicacy of Jamon paired with a hard cheese. We also enjoyed a hearty dish of ‘Espinach’ or spinach and chickpeas – like something Mum would cook to feed the masses.

Vibe and authenticity: 10/10

Food: 8.5/10

3. Bread Square

While we had high hopes after enjoying some of the best empanadas on a previous trip in Portugal, sadly we were left disappointed. Flavour combos were so-so, fillings were cold and overall the pastry tasted like it has been sitting out all day (which in retrospect it probably had). Perhaps we should have been warned by the not to authentic name, but alas you live and learn. Not worth it despite the price and convenience. For a better alternative see our review of Empanadas Malvon below.

Vibe: 0/10 – takeaway

Food: 4/10

4. Bar Alfalfa

Situated on the corner of a bustling street and on the fridge of Alfalfa square we received multiple recommendations to try this place. Vibes were high and tables are nestled amongst the hanging cured meats on the ceiling. We sampled 4-5 dishes here which hit the spot, although probably didn’t make the top of our list overall. Our favourite tapas we tried here would have had to be the Bacalau (cod fish).

Vibe: 8/10

Food: 7/10

5. Bodega Santa Cruz

Bodega Santra Cruz was our second favourite venue for tapas. Situated only a short distance from the Seville Cathedral and entrance to the Alcazar it was heaving by the time we arrived at around 8.30pm. With no way of keeping track of who is waiting for a table you have to be on your game and pounce when you see a group getting ready to leave – we learnt the hard way that there are no friends in the table game! Thankfully the staff were happy for us to enjoy a glass on wine on the street while we waited. All 3 tapas we tried were good and only ended up costing us €12 including 2 wines which was a massive win!

Vibe: 9/10

Food: 7/10

6. Sal Gorda

This place also came highly recommended from locals and online. While a little pricier than some of the other places we visited the quality of the food was definitely up there. Ingredients were fresh and there was definitely a more modern take on the humble tapas dish. The salmon boasting smoky flavours and creamy croquettes were definitely a highlight.

Vibe: 7/10

Food: 7.5/10

7. Empanadas Malvon

If you’re after a cheap (less than €3) and tasty meal on the go you can’t go past the humble empanada. In comparison to those we tried at bread square (#2) this place was a definitely winner. We sampled the pulled pork, eggplant, and spinach empanadas. All of which did not disappoint.

Vibe: 0/10 – Take away only

Food: 7.5/10

8. Casa Milano

While it took us a while to finally try the food here (as every time we tried the outdoor dining area was full) it was worth the wait. In terms of the food, order wisely as there seem to be some more ‘touristy’ options on the menu (nuggets and chips etc.). What we did order though was actually very good – squid with red peppers and tempura eggplant. The real drawcard for this place though has to be the fact that it is situated in the middle of a delightful little square with live music in the evenings and an overall buzz that’ll make your heart sing. Worth the wait, even if just for a drink and 1-2 tapas.

Vibe: 8.5/10

Food: 7.5/10

9. La Centuria

Amongst the plethora of savoury dishes, we couldn’t possibly leave Spain without trying some authentic churros! The churros from La Centuria were not exactly what we were expecting but we enjoyed them none-the-less. While much lighter and slightly saltier than churros we have had at home, they went down a treat dipped in into a generous serving of chocolate. For €4, these were a bargain, and could be enjoyed at Le Centuria, or take-away to sit in another square. Sadly we didn’t get to try any other churros meaning we have nothing to compare it to. If we had that chance we would have loved to sample those from Bar El Comercio which also came highly recommended.

Vibe: 6.5/10

Food: 8.5/10

Overall Tapas Recommendations

Best Jamón at El Rinconcillo, but it was good everywhere.
Best croquettes at El Rinconcillo, however Sal Gorda were an excellent runners up!
Best espinach at El Rinconcillo, a very hearty flavourful option. However Bodega Santa Cruz had good cheesy runners up
Best bacalhau at Bar Alfalfa, however El Rinconcillo was also excellent.
Ones we missed: 100s of excellent looking tapas bars and restaurants, however the one we really wanted to get to but missed was Bar El Comercio. It apparently has the best churros and authentic tapas at a good price, however it was closed on the two days we wanted to visit.
Pro Tip: if you’re not sure what to get, ask the waiter/server for their recommendations. If the place is authentic, you’ll get something good! Additionally, make a habit of asking your AirBnB/accommodation hosts for recommendations, and ask the locals you meet!

WANT TO SEE MORE SPAIN & TRAVEL MEMORIES?

Take a look at our highlights and recommendations for Seville! Have a look here!

Keep reading about our time in Spain! Check it out!

Want to read about our time in France? See here!

Keen to see another of our food tours? Take a look at our Paris croissant tour, including a little vlog of the adventure! Take a look!

Keen to take a look at further travel memories and advice? Take a look here!

Our Tapas Tour Vlog: