If your tour of Andalucia has taken you to the shadow of the Alhambra hill in Granada, then you will probably find yourself after hiking all day along the winding ups and downs of the Albayzín neighborhood or among the superb Moorish rooms of the royal palaces. make a complex choice: where to eat in Granada?
In the articles of the Granada guide, I have already told you which are the neighborhoods in which it is convenient to venture in search of the best restaurants and tapas bars, but in this article the time has come to name the places that impressed me the most, so as not to leave you in a panic of choice when hunger prevails. It is not easy to make a ranking of the top places to eat in Granada, because the offer is truly remarkable in terms of quantity and quality (the best cuisine is, in general, the homemade-traditional one). One of the main reasons for this flourishing of tapas bars, cervecerias, bodegas in Granada is to be found in one of the most resistant traditions of the city: the free tapas.
That's right: free tapas to Granada! Unlike other cities in Andalusia, a Granada restaurateurs are proud to keep alive a historic custom: that of offering a tapa as a tribute to the guests of the restaurant who order a jarra de cerveza (a pint of beer, for those who do not chew Spanish) or a glass of good rioja, a granadino wine. Obviously, the tapas that restaurateurs will offer you will not be the best that their cuisine offers: do not forget to browse the à la carte menus, to find out what to eat in Granada that is truly typical. But let's find out what the recommended places to eat in Granada.
Where to eat in Granada? Restaurants and bars in the Albayzín
What do you think of a candlelit dinner on the terrace of a restaurant overlooking theAlhambra illuminated? Well, you will have understood: you will have to enter the puzzle of the narrow streets ofAlbayzín. There are not a few restaurants that offer this possibility, and you have to be very careful not to run into the tourist rip-off, those places that maybe put you on a chair with a view of the Alhambra, but then serve you poor dishes at unreasonable prices.
Morayma viewpoint, dinner with sull'Alhambra view
One of those that we recommend is the Morayma viewpoint (Calle Pianista García Carrillo 2), which already from the name presents itself as a restaurant that focuses heavily on its fortunate position (see cover photo). The Mirador is located inside one of the many carmen of the neighborhood - villas with gardens or terraces - and it is satisfying even when it comes to gripping the fork: the menu offers tasty and refined traditional dishes, and the wine list is remarkable. The bill, as you can imagine, is quite high, but it's worth it ...
Bar Aliatar Los Caracoles, in the heart of Albayzín
At the top of the Albayzín, looking for the way out in the labyrinth of splendid white alleys of the neighborhood, you come up as if by a miracle in the pretty plaza Aliatar, where the Bar Los Caracoles (Plaza Aliatar 4), one of the best places to eat in Granada's popular Moorish quarter.
If, tired from the climb in search of miradores, you sit at the outdoor tables, in the shade of the trees, and order a beer, most likely they will bring you a plate of caracoles (snails), which could also be just the aperitif of your fish dinner: excellent to the taste and honest for the wallet.
A dinner in the caves of Sacromonte
Not everyone chooses to venture into the gypsy quarter, among the white cuevas (caves) of Sacromonte of Granada, along the Camino de Sacromonte, which we told you about in our article on what to see in Granada. We recommend two places:
- Juanillo House (Camino del Sacromonte 83): not everyone loves the rustic style of this restaurant, but you can eat well and enjoy a beautiful view if you are seated at the table on the panoramic terrace;
- Kid (Camino del Sacromonte 41): since we are in the cuevas area, why not choose one where to eat? Kid it is a restaurant (with a view) obtained from one of the classic caves of the area: the decor is typical, as are the tasty dishes that are served.
Ristoranti e bar in Plaza Nueva area
La Trastienda, a paradise for ham in Andalusian style
In a sheltered corner on Calle Cuchilleros, it is located The Trasper (Plaza de Cuchilleros 11), a welcoming Andalusian-style bar-restaurant that opens behind a counter where inviting jamones dangle, amidst slicers and scales.
Make a note of this place if you are a lover of the renowned Andalusian hams: here you can eat excellent tapas, especially based on Serrano ham, cheeses and cold cuts, accompanied by a glass of excellent Rioja wine. A really recommended place to eat in Granada.
Los Diamantes, for a fried fish lunch
Al The Diamonds Bar, located in Plaza Nueva 13, they eat mostly fried fish tapas, and some say that there is no place in Granada where you can eat better fried shrimp. The notoriety of this place - whose original headquarters is still active in Calle Navas - has always been remarkable, which is why you will most likely find it packed, and not only because the fried fish - but also the aubergines and the brain (seso) ! - they are sublime, but also because the free welcome tapa alone would be enough to feed you completely ...
Bodegas Castañeda, combined tables di ottime tapas
There are those who, during their Andalusian gastronomic tours, never get tired of tapear, that is to go around in search of the best tapas bar to eat in Granada, picking here and there free samples or not until they are full. Well, who gets to Bodegas Castañeda (calle de Almireceros 1), you will most likely be able to conclude your research and have an evening here. This place is very popular with tourists and citizens of Granada, and you will need to choose the right time to avoid the crowd.
If you can find your own spot, order one beer and one combined table cold or hot, a rich cutting board full of delicious dishes served in a rustic and appetizing way, without too many frills. The bill is good.
The Merchant, a Nascosta Pearl
This place is a must try, and represents a nice alternative to the aforementioned restaurants, which are often a bit crowded with tourists. The space is really very small (around 10 tables) so it is highly recommended, if not obligatory to book. When you have obtained your seat, all you have to do is let yourself be pampered by the manager, who is also the husband of the chef, by ordering some dishes from the menu: the attention to detail in the presentation of the dishes, tasty and full of imagination, is the reason main (but not the only one) worth coming here for! Very high quality / price ratio.
La Antigualla, the eccentric bar dedicated to the Reconquista
Not far from New Square, the last bulwark before the ascent of Cuesta de Gomerez to the Alhambra, is located The Antique (Calle Elvira 22), an eccentric Reconquista-themed tapas bar, decked out with armor, greatswords, shields, helmets and sometimes kitschy gadgets. Here you can eat "fighting" tapas and, even if the competition from the locals that multiply along Calle Elvira and its surroundings is fierce, on the counters of La Antigualla, between one beer and another, you can enjoy free tapas that are always different and abundant. The quality and type of tapas is certainly not excellent, but go there even just to photograph yourself with a beer in your hand next to a soldier in armor!
The center of Granada
Gran Cafe Bib Rambla, churros and hot chocolate
In the heart of Granada, a quarter of an hour's walk from the Alhambra hill, is one of the most popular squares in the city. Plaza Bib Rambla, which rises on the space once occupied by one of the access gates to the city. In the center of the tree-lined square there is a fountain, while on the sides there are bars, ice cream parlors and pastry shops: one of the best is precisely the Gran Cafe Bib Rambla, whose churros are considered an institution, especially when accompanied with the classic hot chocolate: the perfect breakfast before venturing out to discover the city.
La Candela, a tapas bar for students and artists
Il Bar La Candela it is located in calle Panaderas de San Cecilio 9, in Realejo, adjacent to the small and shabby Placeta Ospicio Viejo and, on the outside, it looks like a place without great pretensions, surrounded by grotesque murals. But, overcoming all mistrust, I invite you to enter: you will find yourself in a small and well-kept environment, populated by artists and students from the nearby Centro de Lenguas Modernas.
The montadidos (bruschetta excellently seasoned with the most varied breads) and the tapas that can be enjoyed at Bar La Candela are certainly not gourmet dishes, but are prepared on the spot and represent an excellent solution for those who want to eat well at a more than honest price .
Chikito, guarantees Federico García Lorca ...
In spite of the name - which in Torremolinos could be that of a disco-pub - this restaurant is completely different from La Candela: Chikito (Plaza del Campillo Bajo 9) a historical local of Granada, which I wanted to visit when I found out it was popular with Federico Garcia Lorca, a poet whom I love very much and who is remembered here with a statue.
In fact, it is a restaurant where you spend a little more but eat excellent fish dishes: I recommend the boquerones (fried anchovies), a house specialty.
La Bodega de Antonio… to finish with a flourish
The last tip concerns Antonio's Winery (calle Jardines 4), what we would define as an upscale but well furnished retro-style tavern, with Andalusian-style barrels, stools and crockery.
The raciones served in this gluttonous paradise are very abundant! With 10 euros you split a dish, and it almost satisfies us: the size of the paella next door could convince you.
And you have chosen the venue where to eat in Granada? What other places did you discover during your Granada raids in search of welcome tapas? I am ready to take note and fill in the gaps (and the belly) during the next visits ...
Although in recent years new routes have been opened with direct flights from Italy to Granada and Almeria, together with that of Malaga, Seville airport remains the most important and used of ...
Although it is the largest in all of Andalusia, Seville is also a city on a human scale or, better said, for tourists. This already gives us a first answer to the question of the title: if you are going to ...
For reasons of organization of the visit, convenience and saving time and money, buying a tourist card in Seville can be a very interesting option, both for those who hate queuing ...
