723 Best Restaurants in Spain

Hiding in the basement of a timber building in the heart of the Parte Vieja, this restaurant—where world-renowned chef Martín Berasategui cut his teeth—toes the line between traditional and contemporary Basque cuisine. A recent menu included slow-roasted piquillo peppers, tiny de lágrima peas topped with a poached egg and shaved black trufffles, and brûléed torrijas (Spanish "French" toast).

A couple of blocks west of the cathedral lies one of the city’s best-loved tapas venues, usually jam-packed with locals enjoying an aperitif. Established in 1939 and now in its third generation, the bar is most famous for its meat dishes including the pringá sandwich (slow-cooked pork, chorizo, and black pudding in a bun) and pork cheeks. Cod also stars on the menu—try the carpaccio or crispy fried—along with a good selection of vegetable dishes such as the local spinach with chickpeas. Be sure to order a plate of the house potatoes, marinated in garlic and made by the owner every morning. There’s an excellent choice of wines, and sherry lovers are in for a treat because the list runs long. A warm welcome and service with a smile come guaranteed.

Barcelona's best-known Galician restaurant has maritime motifs, snowy white tablecloths, and fleets of waiters in spotless outfits serving uberfresh seafood, from whole grilled fish to lobster paella to raw platters (the latter, gasp-inducing for the spectacle and for the price).

For an upscale treat, Botafumeiro never disappoints; the counter is the place to be for icy Albariño white wine and pop a feira (octopus on potato slices with smoked paprika), a Galician favorite.

In the leafy garden of the Can Bordoy boutique hotel, Botànic is a plant-forward restaurant that also features locally sourced meat and fish. The menu is inspired by Southeast Asian, the Middle Eastern, and Mexican cuisines but firmly rooted in Mediterranean flavors.

One of the oldest bakeries in the city, Brunells has occupied the same corner in El Born since 1852. Recently remodeled, it now sports a contemporary look worthy of a Wes Anderson movie, while its flakey butter croissants filled with everything from ham and cheese to salted caramel, regularly win awards as some of the best in the city.

Tucked away to the north of the old quarter, a block from the Museum of Glass and Crystal, this bustling restaurant offers a range of traditional tapas and sharing plates, plus a good choice of rice dishes, all served in generous portions. The decor inside is eclectic, with vintage children’s bikes and amateur artwork taking center stage, while the small outside terrace (tables for two only) provides a quieter dining option. Despite the large number of tables inside and the rush of locals at weekends, service is efficient and always with a smile.

Chefs (and siblings) Jordi and Isabel Juncà have become legends in the town of La Vall de Bianya, just north of Olot, with exquisite cuisine that’s firmly rooted in local products. Dishes star game of all sorts, wild mushrooms, and vegetables from the garden, and are served in a historic stone-walled 19th-century inn. The two tasting menus (€115 or €140) give you a full range of the Juncàs' virtuosity. 

This restaurant has been serving old-school Catalan cuisine to local and loyal customers since 1940 (and under a different name for 50 years before that), and the practice has been made perfect. Standouts include butifarra sausage with spinach and chickpeas, meatballs with squid and shrimp, or veal stew with wild mushrooms. Most dishes are hearty, but there are a few lighter options such as steamed mussels and oven-baked cod.

Since the early 1970s, Ca l'Isidre has elevated simplicity to the level of the spectacular, with traditional Catalan dishes prepared to an extraordinarily high standard (and at a rather high price tag by Barcelona standards). Ignore the menu—just follow the recommendations and order whatever's in season. The restaurant is decorated with original works by a slew of luminaries, including Miró and Dalí, both former patrons. Spain's King Juan Carlos celebrated his wedding anniversary here, and regular guests include politicians and visiting Hollywood celebrities.

On an island known for its excellent paellas, fresh fish, and seafood, Ca Na Marga is famed for its top-quality steak, served with a choice of sauce, including green peppercorn or Mahón cheese sauce. Balearic specialties such as lamb shank with thyme and grilled rabbit are also good bets.

This café, on a side street behind the church of Sant Francesc, is one of Palma's venerable institutions, in business since 1700. Drop in for coffee or hot chocolate with an ensaimada crema—a spiral-shape Mallorcan pastry with a rich cream-cheese filling. With its green-glass chandeliers, cane-back chairs, and marble tabletops, the setting is a treat in itself.

Salt cod croquettes, fresh tomato salad, roast suckling pig—these are some of the comfort-food classics you'll find on the menu at this neighborhood haunt whose diner decor (steel bar, beige awnings, paper place mats) hasn't changed in decades. If you can snag a patio table in the summer, you've hit pay dirt.

Seafood doesn't get much fresher than here, as the owners' boat docks nearby every day except Sunday. The relaxed atmosphere welcomes either a quick bite or a complete dining experience. The house specialty, arroz caldoso de langosta (lobster and rice stew), is very impressive, as is the carpaccio d'emperador (thin slices of swordfish marinated in lemon, salt, and olive oil), cigalas (crayfish), lobster with onion, and grilled navajas (razor clams).

When this centenary café—one of the oldest in Madrid—shuttered in 2015, ostensibly for good, the public outcry was so great that it inspired a local restaurant group to buy the property and give it a much-needed revamp. In a dining room that combines original elements (huge mirrors, carved wooden columns) with new high-design fixtures, feast on a menu that's a dance between Café Comercial classics, including ham croquetas and tuna-topped ensaladilla rusa (potato salad), and novel creations by chef Pepe Roch.

The grandmotherly upholstery, fringed lampshades, plush wingback chairs, and wooden bookshelves make Café de la Luz a cozy spot to curl up with a book, catch up with friends, or get some work done. Coffees will run you about €2 apiece, and if you're peckish, there's a good variety of sweets and open-faced sandwiches to sate your appetite. Come evening (closing time is 2 am most nights), the lights get dimmed and coffees turn into cocktails.

Pamplona's gentry have been flocking to this ornate, French-style café since 1888, but in 1926 Ernest Hemingway made it part of world literary lore in The Sun Also Rises. You can have a drink with a bronze version of the author in his favorite perch at the far end of the bar, or enjoy views of the plaza from a table on the terrace. Service is spotty; grab a beverage and a tapa here, but don't stick around for a meal.

An excellent spot for coffee or a G&T, this is a classic establishment in the old fishermen's neighborhood. The sunny terrace in front and the bar inside are excellent places for drinks and sandwiches.

This bistro’s menu includes a 20-strong list of Catalan-style pizzas, served on peasant bread and incorporating regional ingredients like botifarra (sausage) and seasonal mushrooms. The delightful terrace is situated below a flight of stone stairs leading to the 17th-century Sant Martí church.

Escape to the tranquil, air-conditioned quiet of this salón de té (tea room) for comfortable booths, picture windows, pastries, breakfast plates, sandwiches, and perhaps the only free coffee refills in the Canaries.

Slightly hidden in the exclusive yachting marina behind the W hotel, this restaurant only attracts those in-the-know, which might explain why it's largely devoid of tourists. The menu includes healthy starters like salmon tartare and ceviche, and there's a nice selection of seafood-, vegetable- and meat-based paellas.

Ibiza might pride itself on its seafood, but there comes a time for meat and potatoes. When that time comes, take the 20-minute drive to the outskirts of Santa Gertrudis to this family-style roadside restaurant where you can feast on skewers of barbecued sobrassada, goat chops, and slow-cooked lamb. Most of the ingredients are from the restaurant's farms. Diners can choose to eat at the long wooden tables on the terrace.

Founded in 1931, this rustic corner restaurant is a local favorite for the array of classic tapas and mains, along with Catalan “pizza”—flatbread topped with traditional ingredients such as caramelized onion and butifarra (garlicky pork sausage) or sobrasada (soft, cured pork sausage) with brie and honey. There’s a small but decent wine list featuring several ecological wines.

Can Majó doesn't consistently reach the standards that once made it famous, but the food is still a notch above most of the touristy haunts nearby. Specialties include caldero de bogavante (a cross between paella and lobster bouillabaisse) and suquet (fish stewed in its own juices), and the terrace overlooking Barceloneta beach is a pleasantly upscale alternative to the surrounding beach bars.

Half a block in from the town's beach, this hotel restaurant serves house-cooked seafood and upland specialties. The pimientos de piquillos rellenos de brandada (sweet red peppers stuffed with codfish mousse) are first-rate, as are the rice dishes.

With no sea views or terrace to attract diners, Can Solé has to rely on its reputation as one of Barceloneta’s best options for seafood. Faded photos of half-forgotten local celebrities line the walls of this more-than-120-year-old establishment, but there's nothing out-of-date about the exquisitely fresh seafood.

If you fancy treating yourself to some of the best fish in town, head for this modern Michelin-star restaurant just down the road from the Palacio de la Condesa de Lebrija. Seasonal fish and seafood take center stage; you can see the catch of the day displayed in the window. The white-tiled venue has an open kitchen—choose barstool seating for the best view of the action. Look out for the daily specials—the marinated sardines are a must in summer—and staples such as swordfish on toast, shrimp tartare, or squid stuffed with pork or seafood. The wine list offers a good by-the-glass selection, and tasting menus with paired wines (from €110) are also available. For a budget-friendly alternative, head for La Barra de Cañabota two doors away at No. 5. Advance booking is essential.

Meals here are served in a train-carriage interior decorated with railway memorabilia, while tapas reign at an outside terrace and at the bar. This distinctive eatery serves two tasting menus (from €37; prebooking only) and always has a guiso del día (stew of the day) as well as creative dishes like milhojas de cordero con boniato (lamb millefeuille with sweet potato). There's also an olive oil–tasting menu (€5 per person). 

Just under the Don Pepe Hotel and right on the promenade, this is the perfect spot for some refreshment before or after a long stroll along the seafront. Done in orange and white with wicker chairs and navy director seats, this outdoor café--restaurant has a fitting nautical theme, and if the temperature drops, blankets and gas heaters are at the ready. Meals are available all day, starting with a range of breakfast options and continuing with brunch-style dishes such as Caesar salad with king prawns and omelets, or something a little more filling like minute steak. Drinks are on the expensive side, but the ocean view is well worth it.

This casual seafood spot around the corner from the Hostal de los Reyes Católicos specializes in shellfish ranging from melt-in-your-mouth battered mini scallops to a take-no-prisoners variado de mariscos platter with langoustines, king prawns, crab, and percebes (barnacles, a local delicacy).