The city of Granada is one of the few places where you still get a free tapa with your drink. It’s a great system that can be enjoyed for hours – drink, tapa, drink, tapa, etc.
But there are a lot of places to choose from in the city and since there are so many tourists (and also local university students looking for cheap eats), sometimes the quality can suffer. To steer you clear of the tourist traps we have put together our list of the best bars and restaurants in Granada. Enjoy!
Bodegas Castañeda is a traditional Spanish bar and restaurant serving up some very satisfying comfort food. Their pastel de carne (meat pie) and pastel de salmon (salmon pie) will have you sopping up every last bit of the saucy goodness with your bread.
The restaurant also offers a diverse selection of “assortment plates” that allow visitors to taste an array of local specialities: ham, olives, cheese, croquettes, etc. The kitchen stays open from lunch until dinner time, the staff is super hard working and you get a free tapa with every drink. Bodegas Castañeda is our favorite place to eat in the city.
Address: Calle Almireceros 1-3
La Vinoteca has some great food at really good prices in a casual and contemporary atmosphere. There’s a nice selection of tapas and also a regular menu with some great dishes such as the suckling pig with orange sauce and the rabo de toro (oxtail) burger.
For lunch they offer a set menú del día (menu of the day) for an unbeatable price of 12€. You also get a free tapa with every drink.
Address: Calle Almireceros 5
Restaurante La Auténtica Carmela is located in the city center, next to the Granada Cathedral. Even though it’s right on a big tourist thoroughfare, this place is thankfully not a tourist trap restaurant. They have some solid food made from a lot of local Andalusian ingredients.
In addition to lunch and dinner, they also do breakfast. There are good vegetarian and gluten-free options.
Address: Calle Colcha 13
A local establishment offering traditional cuisine with a modern touch. Great local atmosphere (popular among both locals and tourists), with outstanding service and superb food. Customers get one free tapa with each drink.
*Must try: “carrillada” tapa (pork cheeks with plum and sherry sauce).
Address: Calle Varela 10
El Claustro is fine dinning located within the Hotel Palacio de Santa Paula. The restaurant’s setting is stunning – it’s housed in a 16th century cloister. But it’s not just the architecture that’s beautiful here – so is the food. See and try a variety of their dishes with their 50€ tasting menu and add on the wine pairing for 10€ more.
If the weather is nice out, the courtyard is the best place to be. Oh, and if you like avocado (and who doesn’t), then make sure to try the avocado gazpacho. Reservations are required.
Address: Calle Gran Vía de Colón 31
Helados San Nicolás is a little home made ice cream parlor located right next to the lookout with the same name, the Mirador de San Nicolas.
Make sure to grab some of this delicious ice cream on the way up and savor it while enjoying the views of the Alhambra! There are always some unusual but interesting flavors on offer. Our pick is the honey, dates & orange blossom ice cream.
Address: Callejón Atarazana
Jardines de Zoraya is a restaurant in the heart of the Albayzin neighborhood, just minutes away from the San Nicolas lookout. It has an outdoor terrace that also features two live flamenco performances per night.
We aren’t normally big fans of these kind of dinner and flamenco show combinations because often times the food is not that great. However, Jardines de Zoraya is an exception. They offer mediterranean food with a focus on local Granada gastronomy. Many of the dishes are family recipes.
The flamenco show is an hour long and costs 25€. To get the best seats, we recommend to stop by the restaurant and have a look at the seating chart – that way you can reserve the best possibly seats.
Address: Calle Panaderos 32
Open since the 1930’s, this café has a long tradition in Granada. It not only offers delicious pastries, cakes and ice cream, but also a variety of salads and sandwiches. It is a great option for an early breakfast, since it opens at 7:30am. Be sure to try the piononos, a local cream and rum pastry.
Address: Calle Almireceros 4
If you are looking for a change of pace from the usual tapas, then you might be interested to check out the Moroccan restaurant Arrayanes. It was one of the first Moroccan restaurants to open up in Granada back in 1996. They have all of the typical Moroccan classics such as tajin, couscous, lamb skewers and more.
Please note that no alcohol is served. Reservations are recommended.
Address: Callejón del gato
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