There are great tapas bars all over Spain, all over the world, really. But, AndalucÃa is generally regarded as the birthplace of tapas. And, Seville, in my mind, has the best tapas culture.
The story goes that in nearby Cadiz, a windy place on the Atlantic, bartenders began placing a slice of cured meat on top of glasses of Sherry to keep sand out of drink. By giving their customers a salty treat, the bar sold more drinks!
This topping on the glass (Tapa in Spanish) became popular when King Alfonso XIII (1886-1941) was supposedly passing through Cadiz and was served his drink with a slice of Jamon (cured pork) on top of his glass. After that, King Alf, ordered another glass “con la tapa,” or with “with the top.”
There is another story that many Tapa are pork-based in order to aid the Spanish Inquisition.
In the late 15th century, Jews and Muslims were forced to convert to Christianity or leave Spain. These so-called conversos (converted) would be offered Tapas and if they took a snack without pork it was used as evidence that they were still practicing their outlawed religion. Truly a dark time in Spanish history.
There are so many amazing Tapas bars in Seville, it would be impossible to visit them all. My friend Pilar, who has lived in Seville all her life told me that she is still discovering new places, even after all these years. So, the following list is by no means exhaustive, but it does represent my favorites; a mix of traditional and modern tapas places in Seville.
Las Golondrinas is first on the list because it’s my favorite tapas bar in Seville. Busy and loud, Las Golondrinas has some good wine and excellent tapas. I especially like the stuffed mushrooms, but the best is the marinated veggies, served from a display case on the bar. Seville is known for its marinated vegetables, especially the carrots, and you should definitely seek them out!
The oldest of old school tapas joints in Seville, El Rinconcillo has been around for 350 years! Their egg dishes like Revueltos and Tortilla are especially good. The well-dressed waiter will write your bill on the bar in chalk as you order, adding it up when you’re ready to pay. Delightful!
While Seville is filled with traditional tapas bars, there’s also several great spots where they are experimenting with new and modern tapas. Espacio Eslava is bright and sleek with an excellent wine selection. They offer excellent tapas including a dish of egg yolk topped with grated truffle perched on a mushroom puree. Highly recommended!
La Brunilda is another modern spot for tapas. Salmorejo is a traditional tomato, garlic, and bread soup (served cold) from nearby Cordoba. La Brunilda has created their own version of Salmorejo using beets rather than tomato and upscaling it by serving the soup in a martini glass topped with micro greens.
Another modern tapas place, La Bartola, makes an outstanding Caponata (Sicilian eggplant stew). Their stuffed zucchini topped with tomato sauce is also outstanding.
Bodega Santa Cruz is a busy tapas bar near the Cathedral. They serve a nice tortilla (similar to a frittata) but you’re really here for the lively atmosphere. Bartenders playfully yell at eachother while orders come out fast and furious.
Casa Román is one of the stalwarts of Seville. It’s been around for over 150 years, first as a grocery store, then as an inn, but always with great food. Tortillas (frittata) in Spain are often huge, several inches high, as big as a birthday cake. Slices of room temperature tortilla are cut and served as customers order.
At Casa Román, however, they make Tortillas to order, in single serving size. Hot from the kitchen, this is one of my favorite places in Spain to get a Tortilla.
Bodeguita Romero is a super busy tapas place near the Cathedral. Get ready to muscle your way to the bar to order and be aggressive to get a seat. You can sit at a table, but waits can be long. It’s worth the wait for a nice glass of wine and the delicious Papas Aliñás (marinated potatoes).
Brent Petersen is the Editor-in-Chief of Destination Eat Drink. He currently resides in Setubal, Portugal. Brent has written the novel Truffle Hunt (Eckhartz Press) and the short story collection That Bird. He’s also written dozens of foodie travel guides to cities around the world on Destination Eat Drink, including an in-depth eating and drinking guide to Portugal. Brent’s podcast, also called Destination Eat Drink, is available on all major podcasting platforms.
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