Seville is a tapas city. People rarely sit down to a big dinner; they move from bar to bar, standing at the counter with a small plate and a cold drink. The cooking mixes Andalusian produce with centuries of Moorish and Castilian influence. Here is what to order.
Classic Sevillian tapas
- Espinacas con garbanzos: spinach and chickpeas with cumin and paprika, a dish with Moorish roots.
- Carrillada: pork cheeks slow-cooked until they fall apart.
- Solomillo al whisky: pork tenderloin in a garlic and whisky sauce – a very Sevillian classic.
- Montaditos: small toasted sandwiches with fillings such as pringá, the meats from a stew.
- Jamón ibérico: acorn-fed ham from the nearby sierras, cut thin by hand.
- Cola de toro: rich oxtail stew.
Fish and seafood
Seville is close to the coast of Cádiz and Huelva. Order pescaíto frito – lightly fried small fish, squid and dogfish marinated in adobo – and, if you see them, tortillitas de camarones, crisp shrimp fritters.
Tours and activities in Seville
Cold soups for hot days
Gazpacho is drunk cold from a glass in summer. Salmorejo is thicker, made from tomato, bread, garlic and olive oil, and topped with ham and egg.
Seasonal treats
- Caracoles: from spring to early summer, bars put up signs announcing small snails in a spiced broth.
- Torrijas at Easter, and the convent sweets – yemas, biscuits and cakes – sold by nuns through a revolving wooden hatch in convents such as San Leandro.
What to drink
A glass of cold fino or manzanilla (dry sherry from Jerez and Sanlúcar), a local Cruzcampo beer, or tinto de verano, red wine with lemon soda. The orange trees along the streets bear bitter oranges: beautiful, but not for eating.
Where to eat
- El Rinconcillo (since 1670), near Santa Catalina, is said to be the oldest bar in Seville.
- Mercado de Triana, by the bridge, built over the remains of the castle of San Jorge, has stalls and small bars.
- Mercado de la Feria, near the Alameda de Hércules, has bars among the stalls.
- Evening tapas around the Alameda, in Santa Cruz, near the Metropol Parasol and along Calle Betis in Triana.
Food tips
- Lunch from about 2 pm, dinner from 9 pm, and later in summer.
- Order at the bar: many places serve tapas only standing, with half or full portions at the table.
- Book ahead for popular places near the Cathedral.
Plan your tapas evenings into Seville in 3 days, choose a base in where to stay in Seville, and read our Seville travel tips before you go.
