The best tapas in Seville: 12 bars and what to order

Tapas in Seville isn’t just a way of eating, it’s a social custom: you order just a little at each stop, eat standing at the bar, and move on to the next bar. The charm lies in the journey, not in the venue itself.

Here you have twelve bars inspected including addresses and opening hours, organised by area, and the seven tapas what to order. Keep an eye on the opening hours: several of the best ones are closed on certain days or stop serving at midday.

What is a tapa and how do you order one?

A tapa is a small dish ordered to go with a drink. The important thing in Seville is that Almost all bars offer three sizes of the same dish: tapa, half portion and full portion. Asking which is which before ordering helps you avoid ending up with too little or ordering three times as much as you intended.

The custom is to have a drink standing at the bar, which is also usually quicker and cheaper than sitting at a table, and in many places is the only way to get in without having to wait.

Tapas near the Cathedral and Santa Cruz

The starting point for almost everyone, just a few metres from the Cathedral, the Giralda and the Santa Cruz neighbourhood.

1. Santa Cruz Winery «Las Columnas»

The tapas bar most popular in Seville, just outside Santa Cruz, and one of the cheapest. Its specialities are the spinach with chickpeas, but also the little pile of pringá, the salmorejo and the fried fish.

Address: 1 Rodrigo Caro Street.
Timetable: from 8.00 am until midnight, every day. It’s one of the few that’s also open breakfasts, and it’s quiet first thing in the morning.
Notice: You order it at the bar and it’s always full. It’s included.

2. Pelayo Bar

Just two minutes from the Giralda, on Calle Placentines. Generous portions and well-executed traditional cuisine: oxtail croquettes, pork cheeks, fried fish and Iberian ham.

Address: 25 Placentines Street —next to the Cathedral, not on the Alameda.
Timetable: from 12:00 to midnight, every day.

3. Álvaro Peregil’s Tavern

A tiny little place on Mateos Gago, one of the neighbourhood’s longest-standing establishments, famous for its orange wine. Short menu: mojama, cheeses, cold cuts.

Address: 22 Mateos Gago Street.
Timetable: open at 1.00 pm.
Notice: There’s room for very few people, and almost everyone eats standing up on the street.

4. Casa Robles

In a narrow alleyway next to the Cathedral, serving classic Sevillian fare and its aubergines with honey a signature dish. A tastefully decorated interior and a spacious wine cellar.

Address: 58 Álvarez Quintero Street.
Timetable: from 12:00 to midnight, every day.
Tender notice: is the most expensive in this guide. It works better as a restaurant than as a place to stop for tapas, and the tables are usually booked.

Going for tapas in La Alfalfa and the city centre

A few minutes further north, and offering better value for money than the historic centre.

5. Bar Alfalfa

One of the the highest-rated in the whole centre and at local prices. Order at the bar: mushroom croquettes, bruschetta, salmorejo, and the daily stews.

Address: 1 Candilejo Street — in the area of Alfalfa, not in Santa Cruz.
Timetable: from 9.00 pm to midnight, every day.
Notice: It’s tiny and the tables are for two, so you almost always have to wait.

6. The Colonials

Located in the Plaza Cristo de Burgos, with a terrace in a quiet square, despite being right in the centre. Its signature dish is the whisky-glazed fillet of beef, and the croquettes and scrambled eggs with mushrooms are also very good.

Address: 19 Plaza Cristo de Burgos.
Timetable: The service runs from Monday to Thursday —13:00 to 17:00 and 19:30 to 23:30—, whilst from Open all day from Friday to Sunday from 1.00 pm. If you’re going mid-afternoon on a weekday, check beforehand.

7. San Eloy Courtyard

A classic with walls lined with tiles and some makeshift steps serving as seating, which make it instantly recognisable. Canapés, an assortment of fish and generous portions at reasonable prices.

Address: San Eloy Street, 9.
Timetable: from 12:00 to 16:30 and 7.00 pm to 11.30 pm, every day.
Watch out for this: there are several establishments called San Eloy on the same street, but they’re not the same. The one with the tiles and the steps is number 9; the others are rated considerably lower.

The historic taverns

Three houses with centuries of history behind them, and all three full of Sevillians.

8. El Rinconcillo

The oldest tavern in Seville, founded in 1670. He keeps keeping tally with chalk on the wooden bar. His spinach with chickpeas They’re the city’s signature dishes, and Iberian chicken and Rota-style cod are every bit as good.

Address: 40 Gerona Street.
Notice: Turn up fifteen minutes before opening if you want a table, and Check the timetable before you go, because it varies depending on the season. It’s slightly more expensive than the taverns in the surrounding area.

9. Bar Casa Morales

Open since 1850, with the original barrels in the back room. It is the home of the small open sandwiches: pringá, pork loin with cheese, sirloin. Also spinach with chickpeas and pork cheeks.

Address: 11 Calle García de Vinuesa — at El Arenal, not in Santa Cruz.
Timetable: from 12.30 pm to 4.00 pm and 8.00 pm to midnight. It is closed on Sundays.
Notice: They don’t reserve seats; the custom is to take the first available seat.

10. Casa Ricardo

The former Casa Ovidio, now in operation since 1939, and for many Sevillians, the the best ham croquettes in town. There are also aubergines with honey, salmorejo and flamenquines. The chapel is decorated and the walls feature images of religious devotion.

Address: 2 Hernán Cortés Street — in the area of San Lorenzo, north of the city centre. It’s not in Triana, as is sometimes said.
Notice: Arrive ten or twenty minutes before opening to get a seat. The dishes come in three sizes.

Alameda de Hércules and San Lorenzo

The liveliest and least touristy part of the city centre, and home to the two best-rated bars in this guide.

11. Espacio Eslava

The highest-rated of them all. Signature tapas with a traditional twist, featuring two dishes that are must-try: the honey-glazed ribs and the egg on a boletus sponge cake. A small place with a short menu.

Address: 3 Eslava Street.
Timetable: from 12.30 to 16.30 and 8.00 pm to midnight. It is closed on Mondays and Sundays.
Notice: It’s best to book in advance, or else arrive when it opens. This is the place on this list where the most people are turned away.

12. Brunilda

Creative tapas, expertly prepared and reasonably priced for what’s on offer: patatas bravas, mushroom risotto, duck confit, baby squid. A small dining room, with no loud music.

Address: 5 Galera Street.
Notice: You need to book. It fills up as soon as it opens and there’s a queue every day before opening time; without a booking, the only option is the bar.

And also: La Azotea

More elaborate tapas and rice dishes in the Alameda area. Prices are slightly higher than in traditional taverns, with salmon tartare and pork cheek among the most popular dishes. Address: 13 Calle Conde de Barajas.

Tapas in Triana

On the other side of the Guadalquivir, the atmosphere is more neighbourhood-like. The Triana Marketnext to the Triana Bridge, has bars where you can enjoy tapas made with freshly bought fish and seafood. The San Jacinto Street is home to a concentration of traditional taverns and the Betis Street the terraces overlooking the historic centre.

It’s well worth popping over to Triana for some tapas if you’ve got more than a day to spend in the city, as it’s easier to find a table there than in the city centre.

The 7 tapas you must try in Seville

1. Spinach with chickpeas — The quintessential Sevillian dish. A stew with garlic, cumin and paprika, traditionally eaten during Lent but available all year round. Where: El Rinconcillo and Las Columnas.
2. Pringá montadito — Shredded stewed meat in a warm roll. The classic way to round off the meal. Where: Casa Morales and Las Columnas.
3. Homemade croquettes — Ham, stew or spinach, with a creamy béchamel sauce and a light batter. Where: Casa Ricardo and La Brunilda.
4. Salmorejo — A cold tomato soup made with bread, olive oil and garlic, thicker than gazpacho, served with ham and a hard-boiled egg. It originates from Córdoba and is found throughout Andalusia; if you’re interested in the city where it originated, you can What to see in Córdoba.
5. Whisky-glazed fillet of beef — Pork medallions in a garlic and wine sauce with a dash of whisky. Where: The Colonials.
6. Aubergines with honey — Fried aubergine drizzled with cane sugar honey – the quintessential Sevillian combination of sweet and savoury. Where: Casa Ricardo and Casa Robles.
7. Iberian pork cheek — Cheeks braised over a low heat until they fall apart. Where: El Rinconcillo and Casa Morales.

Always ask about the daily specials: in many places, the best dishes aren’t on the menu. And for the rest of the city’s culinary offerings, from restaurants to markets, you’ve got where to eat in Seville.

Tips for enjoying tapas in Seville

• Set the time forward. Lunch is served from 2.00 pm to 3.00 pm and dinner starts at around 9.00 pm. On arrival at 1.00 pm or at 8.00 pm you sit down without waiting.
• Check the fastenings. Eslava is closed on Mondays and Sundays, Casa Morales is closed on Sundays, and Los Coloniales has limited service on weekdays.
• Book a table at both signature restaurants. Eslava and La Brunilda are packed every day. At the others, you can’t book a table: you have to arrive early.
• Standing at the bar. Faster, cheaper and more typical of Seville than sitting at a table.
• Don’t just stick to one bar. All but two of the places in this guide are within a fifteen-minute walk of one another.
• Ask for the size. A ‘tapa’, a ‘half portion’ and a ‘full portion’ are not the same thing, and the difference in price is significant.

Excursions to Seville from Malaga

We are a local operator based in Málaga with over 50 years’ experience organising trips around Andalusia. If you’re staying in Málaga or on the Costa del Sol, a day trip to Seville It takes care of your transport, leaving you free to enjoy tapas at your own pace.

To plan the rest of the day, you have Seville’s must-see sights, what to see in Seville and, to start the day, Where to have breakfast in Seville.

Frequently asked questions about tapas in Seville

Where is the best area for tapas in Seville?

The area around the Cathedral and Santa Cruz is the most convenient if you’re visiting, with Las Columnas and Pelayo Bar just a few metres from the Giralda. For better value, try La Alfalfa. And for the city’s best-rated bars, head to the Alameda de Hércules and San Lorenzo, where you’ll find Eslava and La Brunilda. Triana, on the other side of the river, offers the most local atmosphere. It’s common to hop from bar to bar within the same neighbourhood.

What are the typical tapas to order in Seville?

Spinach with chickpeas, the ‘montadito de pringá’, homemade croquettes, salmorejo, sirloin steak with whisky, aubergines with honey and Iberian pork cheeks. Almost all of these are served in three sizes — tapa, half portion and full portion — so it’s best to ask before ordering to ensure you don’t end up with too little or too much.

Which is the best-rated tapas bar in Seville?

Espacio Eslava, at 3 Calle Eslava, next to San Lorenzo, has the highest overall rating based on thousands of reviews. Its honey-glazed ribs and egg on a boletus sponge cake are the most popular dishes. It’s closed on Mondays and Sundays, and it’s advisable to book, as it gets very busy every day. La Brunilda, on Calle Galera, is very close in terms of ratings and also requires a booking.

Are there any tapas bars in Seville that close on specific days?

Yes, and it’s a good idea to check before you go. Espacio Eslava is closed on Mondays and Sundays. Bar Casa Morales is closed on Sundays. Los Coloniales is open from Monday to Thursday, but closes between 5.00 pm and 7.30 pm. And Taberna Álvaro Peregil doesn’t open until 1.00 pm.

How much does a tapa cost in Seville?

It varies considerably depending on the bar and the area, and tapas remain a good value-for-money way to eat. The cheapest options in this guide are Las Columnas, Bar Alfalfa and Patio San Eloy; the most expensive is Casa Robles. It’s worth checking the blackboard at all of them, as many charge different prices for a tapa, a half-portion and a full portion.

Do you need to book a table to go out for tapas in Seville?

In most traditional tavernas, you don’t book a table: you arrive early and wait. The exceptions are signature tapas bars such as Espacio Eslava and La Brunilda, where booking is practically essential. Elsewhere, the rule is to arrive ten or fifteen minutes before opening time if you want a table.