760 Best Restaurants in Spain

Between the buzzing indoor dining room, the breezy outdoor patio, and the strongest Bloody Mary game in town, there's a reason why Picnic has reigned supreme on the Barcelona brunch scene for more than a decade. House specials include the quinoa and potato hash browns, the fried green tomatoes with feta and fresh corn salsa, and, of course, the killer eggs Benedict. Accompany it with a ginger gin lemonade or one of the famous chipotle Bloody Marys and you won't go home disappointed.

This bar and restaurant, just off Plaza Nueva, is in a 17th-century palace with a stunning patio (complete with original marble columns) and peaceful garden. The menu emphasizes meat dishes such as chuletas de cordero (lamb chops) and the house specialty, braised rabo de toro and giant croquettes known as croquetón. Eat in the lovely downstairs patio or in the elegant restaurant upstairs.

Named for Roman Polanski's film of the same name, this extraordinary little spot just a block away from the Auditori de Barcelona and the new Encants market is an excellent choice for a pre- or post-concert taste of chef Lluis Ortega's improvisational cuisine, all prepared behind the bar on a single salamander. Hams, potatoes, foies, caviars, olives, anchovies, and tuna, as well as carefully selected wines and cavas, flow freely here. The main draw, though, is the cheese, which is chosen by a chef who loves it dearly and is served in perfect condition. Space is limited, so reservations are essential.

Filled with couples night after night, this candlelit dining spot is an atmospheric space that plays up the room's ancient stone, brick, and wood. The cuisine is light and contemporary, featuring classic Catalan staples like pa amb tomàquet and patatas bravas as well as inventive salads and fresh seafood. Some vegetarian dishes are available.

This coffee shop with exposed-brick walls is an adorable breakfast nook worth seeking out for its single-origin brews and well-priced plant-based brunches.

Sweeping beach views through picture windows, aromas of fresh fish cooking over hot coals, a sophisticated country dining room—these are a few reasons Portuondo, a 15-minute walk outside town, is a Mundaka stalwart. Those in the mood for something more informal can post up at the walk-in-only downstairs cervecera (brewery).

Get your brunch fix here with killer homemade pastries, eggs Benedict, and single-origin coffees. 

The secret is out about this tiny, century-plus-old tapas bar, which has become so overrun with visitors in recent years that locals have mostly started steering clear. Nevertheless, it's an atmospheric place, and the innovative tapas—largely made using conservas (foods from cans or jars) and served as bite-size open-sandwiches called montaditos—are well worth the visit. You can’t reserve a table, so arrive early (around noon or at 6 pm when it reopens) to snag a spot.

After browsing the art collection at the Lázaro Galdiano, walk north a block to reach this charming café suited to both working and schmoozing. There are sandwiches, chia bowls, smoothies, and pastries on the menu, in addition to teas and the usual coffee drinks. The handful of wooden tables fill up fast at brunch on weekends.

With picture-perfect views of the Cadaqués seafront, this restaurant’s terrace is always packed. Check the chalkboard for the day’s offerings, which overwhelmingly focus on local seafood and seafood-based rice dishes.

A fixture in the neighborhood for over 30 years, Canet is a cozy (just 12 tables, seating about 40) little hideaway with a retro decor vibe, much enjoyed by the locals. The menú del dia (prix-fixe lunch) is a bit pricy, at €12.95, but the deft touch here, with variations on traditional Catalan cooking, makes it well worthwhile.  

This excellent pocket of authentic Costa Brava cuisine serves everything from snails to wild boar in season. Wild mushrooms scrambled with eggs or stewed with hare are specialties.

Dine on fresh seafood and paella on the terrace, enjoying fabulous views of the sea and the castle beyond.

Come for a coveted spot on the sun-kissed patio and the spread of so-called tapas, which are far larger than the average and sourced from the neighboring farmers’ market held every Tuesday and Sunday. The patatas bravas with housemade aioli and chili oil are a must, along with the creative take on escalivada and a cachopo (breaded and fried beef, cheese, and ham) that could feed a crowd.

Chef Jose Antonio Moyano takes traditional Málaga cuisine and gives it an innovative twist in all his dishes. Go for local favorites such as the fideos tostados con alioli de pimientos asados (baked pasta with pepper aioli) and the daily stew, or the beetroot carpaccio with smoked eel or the calamar con crema de apio (squid with celery puree). Finish with the "salmon sandwich with chips" for dessert, one of the best culinary "deceptions" in the city. Many dishes come as halves or wholes, so you can share and try a variety of dishes. There are also two value tasting menus (€40 or €55), with wine pairing options available. The venue is small, so be prepared for an intimate dining experience.

Local cooking meets Moroccan cuisine in one of the best fusion menus in the province at this venue with small dining spaces and an Arabian theme. White prawns, tuna croquettes (fig and goat cheese salad), and wild boar with quince sit perfectly next to pastela (game pie), lamb tajine, and chicken dishes. Make your dessert Moroccan with mint tea and traditional sweets. 

This rustic spot in Anciles is ingeniously constructed of glass, wood, and stone and specializes in local Benasqué and Aragonese dishes, such as civet de jabalí and perdiz guisada con setas de temporada (partridge stew with seasonal wild mushrooms). The latter is a perennial house favorite—the meat is cooked to perfection. The restaurant is sometimes closed unexpectedly on weekdays and out of season, so check before you go. Memorable and exuberant holiday meals are served at Christmas and Easter; reserve well in advance.

Run by Basque chef Álvaro Arriaga, this restaurant sits on the top floor of the Museo de la Memoria de Andalucía just outside the city (it's well worth the taxi drive) and has panoramic views of Granada with the Sierra Nevada behind. Choose from two tasting menus (€80 for six dishes and €100 for nine dishes), both with one surprise after another and available with Andalusian wine pairing.

As the name suggests, this cozy restaurant offers art in cooking, and its take on typical local dishes is one of the best in Málaga province. The menu is seasonal with an emphasis on local produce; it might include a selection of porras (thick, cold soup) and choto malagueño (kid goat in spicy sauce). Don't miss the delicious desserts, including the local bienmesabe (made from honey, egg yolks, and almonds, it translates to \"it tastes good to me\"). Next door Arte de Tapas does excellent, inexpensive tapas.

This upscale, glass-enclosed dining room, housed in what was once Gijón's fish market, overlooks the harbor and serves imaginative seafood and meat dishes, including a variety of raw, grilled, smoked, foamed, and roasted options, all plated with panache. Tasting menus (€75) are a good value.

This mom-and-pop lunch-only staple has paper tablecloths, walls hung with ceramic plates, and a chalked menu. The ever-rotating prix fixe menu is the move here—for €15 (or €18 on weekends), choose from, say, rustic bean stew, a huge T-bone steak, or a wild-mushroom scramble, followed by homemade chocolate cake.

A Trujillo institution conveniently located on the Plaza Mayor, Bizcocho specializes in Extremaduran cuisine—think local jamón, cheese, and migas—and the stone-and-tile dining room is cozy and cool even in the summer. The prime location means menu prices are a tad higher than usual.

Tucked into the elbow of a narrow street near the main church square, this restaurant serves up superb local dishes, including alcachofas salteadas con jamón y langostinos (braised artichokes with ham and shrimps), tartar de salchichón de Málaga (cured sausage), and berenjenas con miel (eggplant with sugar cane syrup). The three-course daily menu with a half bottle of wine (€19.50) offers a wide range of choices. The interior is warm and rustic, with lots of dark wood and beamed ceilings. The tapas bar comes with a tempting display of light bites (from €4), and the wine selection is well conceived and extensive.

Exquisite Andalusian food with a contemporary twist is served at this somber yet elegant restaurant with three small dining rooms, all with cherrywood-paneled walls and dramatic contemporary artwork. Try the arroz de cigala y espárragos verdes (rice with crayfish and asparagus) or bacalao con crema de espinacas y garbanzos fritos (cod with spinach and fried chickpeas).

In an old house on the pleasant Plaza de la Constitución, this restaurant is run by a Basque family that's been in the Costa del Sol restaurant business since 1968. The cozy indoor dining room, with a log fire for cooler days, is welcoming and intimate, with original and noteworthy artwork interspersed among the arches, hanging plants, and traditional white paintwork. Outdoor dining takes in views of the square from the lovely rooftop terrace, perfectly shaded by grapevines in the summer. Good choices here are Basque specialties such as txangurro and bacalao a la vizcaína (cod in a tomato and pepper sauce), plus roasted meats, particularly the lamb. And don't miss the sensational Grand Marnier soufflé for dessert. There's a long gin list too.

Slow cooking with familiar flavors form the basis of the cozy restaurant around 10 minutes’ walk from Puerta de Purchena. Chef Ginés draws on his decade of cooking in Amsterdam to bring about a unique fusion of local produce with Asian touches. For example, his bullabesa almeriense soup comes with coconut milk instead of mayo, plus a hint of garam masala. Two tasting menus are available: the Almería focuses on traditional, local dishes (six courses, €59) and the house menu (five courses, €49). Wine pairing is available from the extensive list that includes a dozen local labels. The small venue has austere decor, but the dishes bursting with vibrant color more than make up for the plain surroundings.

The menu at this award-winning restaurant in the heart of the Parte Vieja hinges on chef Daniel López’s clean, innovative cuisine, which plays on traditional Basque and Spanish flavors and often adds an Asian twist. Opt for a market-driven degustación or López's signature tasting menu, which includes dishes like whole langoustine with Navarrese white beans and Sichuan-spiced squab in liver ragout.

Creative cooking with Canarian roots is the philosophy behind the dishes at this 10-table restaurant east of the San Ginés lagoon. In the white-tablecloth, blue-walled dining room—or, if you're lucky, on the outdoor terrace—feast on creamy croquetas with a variety of fillings and local fish spooned with nontraditional sauces.

On one of the town’s main squares, this busy, smart-casual restaurant decorated in whites and grays serves local cider, fine Spanish wines, and honest regional dishes. In 2024 they were awarded the best cachopo in Spain.