206 Best Restaurants in Spain

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.

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.

This restaurant has a classy 1970s charm made surprisingly modern with colorful tiled floors and funky wall art. Start with the olla jacetana, their take on the local stew made with regional white beans, frizzled cabbage, and a fall-apart spiced pork rib. Then try out other seasonal specialties like the savory puff pastry with Swiss chard or the beef tongue salad.

You may have to throw an elbow or two to get into this teeming bar, but it's worth braving the sardine-can digs for outstanding pintxos like mushroom-and-Idiazabal risotto and seared foie gras with Basque cider compote.

Owned by a former professional cyclist and decorated with an abundance of bike memorabilia, this inviting café serves healthy, organic breakfasts and lunches—avocado toast, egg dishes, quinoa bowls—along with superb coffee roasted at the founder's other enterprise, Espresso Mafia. It's a popular fuel-up stop for local cyclists.

If you have an itch for a taste of Old Havana—ropa vieja (shredded beef) or moros y cristianos (black beans and rice) with mojitos (a cocktail of rum, mint, and sugar), or a round of plátanos a puñetazos (punched plantains)—this is your Barcelona refuge. The upstairs tables overlooking the bar are cozy little crow's nests, and the neighborhood is filled with quirky dives and saloons for pre- and post-dinner carousing.

Real talk: it can be hard to find a vegetable in Madrid. But in Navarra, the region this restaurant looks to for inspiration, there's never a shortage of asparagus, artichokes, cardoons, piquillo peppers, and other seasonal delicacies. Savor a vegetable-centric tasting menu that hinges on ingredients from the owners' family farm for €42, a steal in this increasingly overpriced neighborhood.

This restaurant stands out by offering creative twists on classic dishes at comparatively affordable prices. Traditional favorites such as paella, black rice, and fideuà (a paella-like pasta dish) are reinvigorated, and freshness is assured as ingredients come directly from the lonja fish quay across the street, a lively auction where Barcelona's small fishing fleet sells its wares. The fixed-price lunch menu changes weekly and offers a budget-friendly way to try what's in season. You can't do much better for value and quality in otherwise notoriously overpriced Barceloneta.

Not too far from the Giralda, this family-run restaurant has been making a name for itself with fresh fish dishes for more than two decades. The owners hail from Sanlúcar de Barrameda downriver, and the ingredients come from their hometown and always include swordfish, sea bass, and anchovies. House specials are the sopa de galeras (garlic soup with shrimp), alcachofas con gulas (artichokes with eels), and stuffed squid. There's also a daily stew dish, usually fish-based. Eat inside at the slightly prim tables in one of the dining rooms, outside on the more informal but tiny street terrace, or perch at the bar for a tapa or two (from €3.50).

Literally "The Bishop's Belly," this casual spot achieves a rare feat: putting modern international twists on Mediterranean cuisine without ruining it. La Panxa is a bit off the beaten path and thrives on a steady stream of repeat customers, who come for superb tapas and the restaurant's own craft beer on tap.

Tetuán is the unlikely location of this outstanding (and extremely well-priced) Italian restaurant run by a Naples native. Homemade pastas are the star of the show—try the ricotta-stuffed tortellini alla nerano topped with fresh basil and Parmiggiano or the paccheri al ragù swimming in a 10-hour meat sauce.

A modern urban interpretation of a traditional pulpería (octopus restaurant), this casual spot specializes in polbo á feira, boiled octopus cut into coins, drizzled with olive oil, and dusted with smoked paprika. Pair it with an icy glass of Albariño and a heap of blistered padrón peppers.

Shaking up Retiro's traditional tapas scene, La Raquetista is known for nueva cocina dishes that vary from night to night, including tuna "pastrami," uni with potato cream, and cider-marinated wild boar tenderloin, all served bar-side or in a snug five-table dining room.

It feels as if you could be outside at this bright venue on the river whose fresh interior comes with miniature wall gardens—there's even an herb garden in the middle. Local produce takes center stage on the short menu, where you'll find a mix of traditional and modern dishes including house specials such as wild sea bass ceviche, salmorejo with tomato ice cream, and cream of lemon. The wine list is good, and the by-the-glass selection runs particularly long. Service from the young staff comes with a smile.

This family-owned spot serves basic Catalan comfort food­—sausages, smoked cod, croquetas—in a cozy, rustic space with arched ceilings, wood tables, and stone walls. The terrace is a treat, abutting the beautiful 12th-century church of St. Peter.

Make a beeline to this gastro bar on the ground floor of the eponymous mercado to satisfy your Basque food cravings after you've ogled all the shimmering fresh fish, plump jamones ibéricos (Iberian hams), and sweet-smelling fruit. The menú del día is usually a good deal, and the highbrow pintxos are consistently tasty.

One of the best tapas bars in town, La Tasca de Ana is boisterous and filled with locals. With only a handful of tables and standing room by the bar, it's not the setting for a quiet romantic dinner, but it's a fine place to kick-start the evening with local wine and tapas like rodolfitos (battered prawns) and pork paté and eggplant toasts.

La Tasquería, which moved to Chamberí from Salamanca in 2024, draws restaurant industry pros and food writers with its bold menu revolving around off-cuts like liver, kidneys, tripe, and tongue—onetime staples of the Spanish diet that fell out of favor but are now getting a modern makeover. Even the squeamish will be won over by delectable dishes like ravioli filled with lamb sweetbreads, and cod tripe fideuà (pasta "paella").

One of the more sophisticated establishments on Plaza Bibrambla, this restaurant champions Andalusian produce, with the emphasis on seasonal and local goods. They include Pajuna cattle beef and pink tomatoes, in recipes taking the Mediterranean as their theme. You dine under the original wooden beams on comfy moss-green armchairs. The kitchen is open from 1 to 11 pm, and booking is advisable.   

Come up to Tibidabo for the great views, but budget time at the restaurant La Venta on Plaça Doctor Andrea, across the square from where the vistas unfold, for lunch in a charming Moderniste setting. For an unusual appetizer, try the uni (sea urchin) au gratin.

Locals flock to this little tavern for tapas and fat juicy steaks served in the boisterous barroom or white-tablecloth dining area, set in a covered arcaded courtyard. There are 14 hotel rooms available, too—simple, endearingly well-worn arrangements at moderate prices.

Sicilian chef Francesco Ingargiola recreates the bold flavors of his childhood—with plenty of fine-dining flourishes—at this inviting ultramodern trattoria one block from the Gran Vía thoroughfare. Start with an order of crispy artichokes, flavored with lardo and topped with Italian foie gras, before moving on to homemade pastas like linguini with shrimp or Madrid's best carbonara. 

This dapper, friendly space attracts a crowd with its excellent wine list and the well-crafted tapas based on classic Catalan and Asturian recipes. Consider the black pudding with grilled squid and fabada (Asturian bean stew). Year-round late-night hours make it a handy option.

For groups larger than two, reservations are a must at this cozy neighborhood bar decorated with books, colorful knickknacks, and fresh flowers. You can count on British chef Scott Preston to provide craveable pub food like craggy-crispy potato skins and oozy baked feta, plus healthier, more Mediterranean options like curried vegetable couscous and flake-apart hake with clams and salsa verde.

Don't let the crowds dissuade you from entering this Cava Baja stalwart—tables and barstools open up fast. The nonnegotiable dish to try here is huevos estrellados, "bashed" fried eggs tucked between olive-oil-fried potatoes and topped with optional add-ons like jamón, chistorra sausage, and pisto (Spanish ratatouille). The perfect pairing? A glass of tart, citrusy rosé Cava by one of Catalonia's top producers, Raventós i Blanc.