44 Best Restaurants in Spain

If gorging yourself on fresh, seasonal shellfish without paying an arm and a leg sounds like your idea of a good time, then Batea is the place for you. Led by two young chefs, one from Catalonia, the other from Galicia, this is the more laid-back sister restaurant of nearby Besta. The menu is made up almost entirely of different takes on spiny sea creatures---from oysters to mussels, razor clams and white shrimp---sourced fresh from either the Atlantic or the Mediterranean. Seafood-loving locals can't get enough of this place, and neither can overseas visitors, so book well in advance to avoid disappointment.

A Menorca institution set above Cala Sa Mesquida, a short drive from Mahón, Cap Roig owes its well-deserved fame to the quality of its seafood and the splendor of its views. The mussels from the port of Mahón are excellent, as is the lobster, which can be served grilled, in a stew, or as part of one of the restaurant's celebrated rice dishes or paellas.

Four generations ago, Pablo Cámara turned this 19th-century fishing wharf on the Pasaia narrows into a first-class seafood restaurant with lovely views over the shipping lane. A steaming sopa de pescado (fish soup) is just the ticket on a wet Atlantic day, or try cangrejo del mar (spider crab with vegetable sauce) or the superb hake with salsa verde. A central "live" tank rises and falls with the tide and has lobsters and crayfish that can be hauled up for your inspection.

One of the buzziest restaurants in Madrid, this modern seafood mecca—with sleek wooden tables and floor-to-ceiling windows—serves rare delicacies from the country's top fishing fleets. On the ever-changing menu, you might find quisquillas de Motril (sweet white shrimp with bright blue roe), precious little elvers, or Basque lobster stew—all accompanied by wines selected by Sergio Otero, of DiverXO fame.

Ever since Anthony Bourdain waxed poetic about award-winning Elkano's grilled turbot on Parts Unknown, the dish has become something of a holy grail among in-the-know foodies. Order the famous flatfish (ideally at its fatty prime in May and June), and you'll receive what Bourdain called an "anatomy lesson" as the maître d' extols the virtues of each separate cut, culminating with the gelatinous fins---which you're encouraged to suck between your fingers, caveman style.

Presided over by a legendary Basque fishermen's guild, this central restaurant serves the freshest fish money can buy at fair prices. At simple wooden tables and a handsome mahogany bar, locals dig into local comfort food—think sopa de pescado, steamed mussels, and clams a la marinera (in a thick, garlicky sauce).

There's no need for complicated sauces here—the superfresh grilled fish and seafood speaks for itself, simply drizzled with olive oil or served with a lemon slice. The diminutive dining space is equally unadorned, with plain white walls and bright, somewhat industrial-style lighting; an illuminated panel above the bar lists what’s available that day, which might include razor clams, octopus, sardines, and the restaurant’s namesake fish. A same-concept sibling, Lluritu 2, is a 10-minute walk away.

On a hill overlooking the port, this small family-run restaurant is all about the catch of the day (try the barracuda if available), served either fried or grilled and always accompanied by papas arrugadas. Arroz caldoso con bogavante (soupy rice with lobster) is another highlight. Try to score a table on the outdoor terrace, where you can watch the boats ply across the harbor; inside, eclectic family artworks are on display.

Expertly grilled fish and fried seafood lure crowds night after night to this open-air restaurant steps from the beach. Let the chatty waitstaff talk you through the extensive, well-priced menu, which runs the gamut from morena frita (crisp-fried eel) to alfonsino (a delectable red-skinned fish) to escaldón, a hearty gofio (toasted grain) porridge made with fish stock and topped with mojo.

Of all the seafood restaurants in the tiny hamlet of El Golfo, this harborside standby stands out for its ultrafresh fish and homemade Canarian dishes. Order the parrillada de marisco, or grilled seafood platter, for a sampling of local fish (the barracuda is consistently exceptional), calamari, and fried shellfish, all of which soar to new heights when dunked in cilantro-packed mojo verde.

The modest, old-fashioned exterior of this local favorite is a bit deceiving: inside you'll be greeted not with stodgy decor but with spacious dining rooms with soccer memorabilia, photos of famous patrons, and tanks of fish. Seafood choices include fried or grilled squid, spider crab, lobster, sole, red snapper, and sea bass. If you're not a fish eater, though, you'll have to make do with little more than a roll and dessert. The latter includes homemade rice pudding and chocolate mousse. This is a popular venue with locals and tourists, so go early to be sure of a table—especially if you want to dine outside on the lovely terrace on the plaza.

Step back in time in this pocket-size seafood restaurant specializing in boquerones en vinagre, freshly shucked oysters, and prawns a la plancha.

In an enormous, riverboat-like building at the end of the yacht marina in Barceloneta, this seafood restaurant is geared for high-volume business, but the paellas and grilled fish are reliably excellent. The hundreds of fellow diners make the place feel like a cheerful celebration.

Decorated with an ornate barometer to gauge the famously unpredictable local weather, this family-run seafood spot is in a 19th-century building on the harbor. In addition to an inexpensive menú del día (prix fixe), there's outstanding seafood à la carte including fried calamares (squid) and uni-stuffed asparagus. If there were ever a place to splurge on bogavante, large-claw lobster, it's here. For dessert, the fig ice cream is delicious.

A solid bet on a street packed with middling tourist eateries, this seafood restaurant has polished wood floors and a bustling terrace. The caldo gallego, santiaguiños (slipper lobsters), arroz con bogavante (rice with lobster), and seafood empanadas are superb—as any of the university-faculty regulars will tell you.

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).

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).

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.

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.

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).

Simple, fresh, and generous dishes are the draw at this informal little eatery, an institution in Cadaqués. Tables are shared, and there is no menu; the staff recite the offerings of the day, which might include local prawns and sardines a la plancha (pan-fried), mussels, and sea bass. The walls are plastered with pictures of the celebrities who have made the pilgrimage here, including Dalí himself. 

Colorful and informal, this spot near the beach is known for its fried acedia (a type of small sole) and langostinos, which come from these very waters. The seafood paella is also catch-of-the-day fresh. In summer, the place gets packed with vacationers and locals.

Popular with malagueño families who flock here on weekends for the legendary fresh seafood, this restaurant seats 170 inside and 150 outside in an attractive square, one block back from the seafront. Try for a table overlooking the mermaid fountain. This is a good place to indulge in fritura malagueña (fried fish) or arroz marinera, one of 12 different rice dishes prepared here; others include lobster rice, vegetable rice, and black rice flavored with squid ink. The generous set menus feature different types of seafood, fish, or rice dishes. Service can be brisk and impersonal.

Welcome to mussel mecca—this Ponzano restaurant spotlights the oft-overlooked mollusk in dishes like curried moules frites; fried bechamel-stuffed tigres; and zippy ceviches and escabeches.

Seafood lovers shouldn't miss this modern, Ibiza-chic marisquería (seafood restaurant) with original wrought-iron columns, white tablecloths, and ample alfresco seating. The griddled prawns from Dénia are always a treat, as are the cloudlike roasted sole and any number of rice dishes.

Around the southern end of the beach at Sant Feliu de Guixols, perched over the entrance to the harbor, this family seafood restaurant offers superb sea views as well as fine fare at unbeatable prices. Whether straight seafood such as lubina (sea bass) or dorada (gilt-head bream) or revuelto de setas (eggs scrambled with wild mushrooms), everything served here is fresh and flavorful.

Hidden away at the end of a narrow unmarked passageway off the Pla del Palau, near the Santa Maria del Mar church, this restaurant is a favorite with well-heeled and well-fed gourmands who tuck in their napkins before devouring some of the city's best traditional seafood dishes. Don't bother asking for a menu—there isn't one (although you can prebook a set menu in advance online if you prefer), rather, you can either place yourself completely in the hands of the team, or tell your server what your budget is (starting from around €60 per person, but the sky's the limit). This is the upscale version of nearby Cal Pep, so if your budget doesn't stretch as far as the Passadís---head over to the more affordable sister restaurant instead.

Owned by the proprietors of one the best fish markets in town, Pescaderías Coruñesas, this seafood restaurant with a warm modern interior welcomes guests with an impressive window display of fresh seafood—red and white prawns, Kumamoto oysters, goose barnacles, and the renowned Galician Carril clams are just some of what you might see. Fish (including turbot, sole, grouper, and sea bass) is cooked to your liking in the oven, on the grill, in a pan with garlic, or battered and fried.

Set alongside the harbor, this Valencian favorite has been serving traditional cuisine with a modern twist for more than 30 years. From a terrace with views of the water you can choose from an array of excellent seafood dishes, including house specialties such as arroz en caldero (rice with monkfish, lobster, or prawns) and gambas rojas (local red prawns). À la carte dining can be expensive, while set menus are easier on your wallet.