723 Best Restaurants in Spain

A beacon of old-world Spanish hospitality, Horcher is a Madrid classic with German influences. Wild game—boar, venison, partridge, and duck—is the centerpiece of the menu, which also includes comfort-food classics like ox stroganoff with a Pommery mustard sauce and pork chops with sauerkraut. The dining room is decorated with brocade and antique Austrian porcelain; an ample selection of French and German wines rounds out the menu.

This casual restaurant with a beachfront terrace serves fresh seafood and rice dishes, plus a decent-value three-course lunch menu (€27).

Hoyo19 (or Hole 19), open all year, overlooks the golf course, but locals come here to enjoy the serenity and beautiful green setting, just a 10-minute drive from Santa Eulària. From breakfast onward, the menu focuses on Mediterranean haute cuisine, with superb rice dishes cooked over a wood fire and excellent locally sourced meat and fish options.

Basque dishes are competently updated and delivered with a dash of style at this smart, white-walled Eixample establishment. A fiery grill turns out excellent regional meat specialties, but don't overlook fish dishes such as baby squid with cured ham and caramelized onions. Co-owners Ana and Gonzalo have impressive CVs that include stints in some of Spain's finest restaurants, and it shows in the precise service and wine pairings.

There's only one drawback to this lively Basque bar between Plaça del Pi and La Rambla: it's harder to squeeze into than the metro at rush hour. Skip the pintxos (small plates) on the bar and opt instead for the small bites brought out piping-hot from the kitchen. Pair them with a cold and refreshing Txakolí, the young, sparkling Basque white wine.

In a dining room oozing rustic charm (think green tablecloths, beamed ceilings, and squat wine glasses), feast on rich fall-off-the-bone goat stew made with local meat, or opt for the catch of the day, served with salad and papas arrugadas.

Hot griddled flatbreads (shao bing) filled with soy-scented beef will set you back just €2 a pop at this hole-in-the-wall specializing in this northern Chinese delicacy. Noodle and wonton soups (average price: €5) hit the spot when it's cold out.

If you find yourself in Getxo, the beach town north of Bilbao where the Puente de Vizcaya is located, treat yourself to a meal at this graceful mansion serving mouthwatering dishes like rice with squid and salsa verde and oxtail in Rioja wine sauce. Set menus, ranging in price from €15 to €75 per person, are a good value whether you're looking to save or splurge.

Kappo delivers a classic, ultra-refined omakase experience free of fusion fripperies—a reminder that when the quality of fish is this good, there's no need for showy garnishes and tableside pyrotechnics. On a given night, chef Mario Payán might grace your chopsticks with grouper, yellowtail, horse mackerel, or scallop anointed with a drop of ponzu or a scraggle of pickled daikon. Spanish line-caught tuna often figures heavily on the set menu, which includes a starter, 15 pieces of sushi, and dessert. If you're feeling social, sit at the u-shape bar, where you can watch the sushi masters work their magic; for a quiet meal, request a table.

This bright and airy restaurant is one of the best spots in the village for quick bites (tapas start at €4), pastas and pizzas, or a more substantial fish or meat dish. Spanish classics such as patatas bravas (spicy potatoes) and croquettes sit alongside bao buns and tacos. There’s a good choice of salads and a range of dishes for vegetarians. The pleasant outside terrace looks out over the main square, with refreshing shade under the palm trees.

This rustic dining room in Gràcia, a spin-off from the original in Les Corts, is a great spot to savor some of Barcelona's finest paellas and rice dishes. What's more, they can be ordered as individual helpings (as opposed to that standard minimum-two-person serving)—meaning you don't have to eat the same dish as your companion. Fish, seafood, and grilled meats round out a complete menu prepared with loving care and using top ingredients. The midday set lunches offer outstanding value. The other branches at Carrer de Bordeus 35 in Les Corts and at Carrer de Muntaner 6 in Sant Antoni are just as good—the former makes a fine pre- or postmatch option if you're going to an FC Barcelona game at the Camp Nou.

Traditional Spanish cuisine gets a modern twist at this family-run venue on the boulevard that circles the harbor. Inside is cheap and cheerful while the outside terrace sits under palms. Staples on the menu include oxtail cannelloni with pear-infused béchamel sauce, octopus Galician style (with paprika), and what locals consider to be the best cheesecake in town. The lunch prix fixe is an excellent value (€16 for aperitif and three courses). Whatever you choose, start with the chef’s own vermouth.

This five-table establishment, where the chef cooks behind the bar, is where locals flock to feast on curveball-flavored croquetas (think: prawn and kimchi) and slices of brioche towering with toppings, such as sticky chipotle pork and lemon-mayo squid. Come to get your fingers greasy and chin gooey, and swear never to tell a soul about the (refreshingly affordable) gem you just found.

Skip the middling tourist-packed cafés and sandwich shops on the Las Canteras boardwalk and instead grab a bite at this sunny casual storefront that serves tropical fare ranging from tacos to Cubano melts to pad Thai.

Just off Calle Puentezuelas, this authentic patio complete with original pillars serves specials such as house cod (with prawns and clams), best enjoyed with a cerdito (a "little pig" ceramic jug of sweet white wine, so named for its snout pourer). This is a busy venue, especially on weekends, and reservations aren't accepted, so arrive early (1:30 pm for lunch or 8 pm for dinner) to snag a table. You can also put your name on the list and order a tapa at the bar while you wait.

If you can find this dive (literally: it's a short drop below sidewalk level), you'll encounter a warm and cluttered space with a dozen small tables and a few spots at the marble counter. Try the excellent pa amb tomàquet and Manchego cheese, Iberian cured ham, or tortilla de patatas (potato and onion omelet).

This is one of Santiago's favorite spots for tapeo (tapas grazing) and chiquiteo (wine sampling); it's just a five-minute walk from the cathedral. The traditional bar area takes center stage, playing host to locals, pilgrims, and tourists alike, all gathering for wine, Iberian cured meats, cheeses, and seasonal dishes. It can get crowded, but this only adds to the atmosphere. The tapas live up to their reputation, and they're a better choice than the main dishes.

Its proximity to Barceloneta’s bustling Passeig Joan de Borbó makes this old-school tapas restaurant popular with tourists, but that doesn’t keep the locals away. Traditional Catalan small plates, including a delicious version of bombas—potato balls stuffed with meat, deep fried, and topped with a spicy sauce—are delivered by gruff but efficient waiters.

This popular restaurant serves huge, tasty portions of tapas and inexpensive platters such as chicken or ham croquetas, grilled cod, garlic shrimp, and revueltos de ajos con morcilla (scrambled eggs with garlic and black sausage). Within hailing distance of the Llotja, the tables in the back are always at a premium (they're cooler on summer days), but there's additional seating at the counter or on stools around upended wine barrels. The traditional tapas are nothing fancy but they are very good. A sister restaurant, La Taberna de la Bóveda (Paseo Sagrera 3), has a terrace with views of the marina.

This sunlight-flooded gastro-tavern with minimalist decor serves creatively plated dishes that taste as good as they sound (think porcini and foie fideuà or Cantonese-style Iberian pork ribs). There's a clandestine coctelería, Trilero Club, downstairs in the arcaded brick basement if you fancy a cocktail after your meal.

You may have to ring a bell and stand around aimlessly outside to be seated, but once settled in at your high-top table in the quirky but pleasant dining room, it's smooth sailing. The slow-cooked pork cheeks are a must, along with gelatinous pig snout pie if you're feeling adventurous.

A block north of Plaza de la Candelaria and on one of Cádiz's narrow pedestrian streets, La Candela is a good place to try local fare with a modern twist. The tuna tartare comes with a fried egg, the chicharrones de pulpo (cold octopus) are melt-in-the-mouth tender, and several dishes come tempura-style or have Asian touches, such as the Bo Ssam pork. There's also a value tasting menu (€44; prebooking essential). Be sure to try one of the homemade desserts—the cheesecake and chocolate coulant are particularly good.

Cheese geeks unite at this pocket queso bar with enough Manchego, Idiazabal, Mahón, and other delectable national varieties to make you an armchair expert on Spanish cheeses. There's another, newer, location in Barrio Salamanca at Calle de Castelló 38.

A surprisingly varied menu—from tostas to charcuterie boards to lovingly cooked stews—keeps things interesting at this weekday-only beach restaurant strewn with crawling plants and twinkly lights. Surrender to your sangría cravings here without worrying about running up a high tab; it's affordable, house-made, and packs a punch.

Coveted mountain views on the sprawling Plaza Mayor terrace are the primary draw to this tapas bar, which serves a solid list of pinchos (two-bite tapas usually on toasted bread) and mains. Don't miss the gildas (skewered olive, anchovy, and spicy pepper), which sit in a monstrous bowl on the bar, along with local river trout and grilled meats. 

This rustic tapas hall is the oldest of three branches of a beloved local chain, and it has barely changed since it was founded in 1906. The tapa to try here is gambas al ajillo, shrimp sautéed with garlic. Enjoy them with the house red from Toro or branch out with a vino del abuelo, a throwback off-dry red from Alicante.

Llanes has prettier, cleaner, and less noisy places to enjoy seafood, but if you feel like rubbing shoulders with Asturian fishermen and eating their catch cooked just the way they like it, then this spot by the port, guarded by a parrot named Paco, is for you. The glassed-in terrace has a view of the small harbor bobbing with boats, and the menu offers such local classics as baby squid in ink, spider crab, seafood meatballs, and razor clams, all with a minimum of fuss but maximum value.

Just a block from Plaza de las Flores, a 200-year-old building hides this sleek, modern wine bar, serving some of the best tapas in town. Choose from a long list of hot and cold pinchos (small snacks)—the rabo de toro en hojaldre (oxtail in pastry) and graten de bacalao (cod gratin) are perennial favorites—tostas, and miniburgers, or from the à la carte menu, where meat dishes star. The wine list has more than 300 labels (including some of Spain's best), and the friendly staff can offer advice on pairing options.

Blocks from El Retiro Park, this 34-year-old tapas spot is always teeming with locals clamoring over plates of sautéed wild mushrooms, tuna ventresca (tuna belly) and roasted pepper salad, and stewed chickpeas with langoustines. Stop in for a quick bite at the bar—they'll serve you a free tapa with every drink—or enjoy heartier choices in the homey dining room at the back.

This boisterous tavern established in 1948 has walls covered with old photos and a dining room packed with locals and tourists in equal measure. Everything from the Iberian ham to the gildas (olive-pepper-anchovy pintxos) will whet your appetite, but those who opt for a full meal shouldn't overlook the dry-aged txuleton.