Where to eat in Seville: 14 places by area

Getting your dining experience right in Seville depends on two things: the area whichever one you’re in and the time wherever you end up. Along the main thoroughfare, there’s something for everyone, from century-old taverns to establishments designed for passing visitors, and you only need to walk a block or two away for the value for money to change.

Here you have fourteen specific venues, with addresses and opening hours, grouped by area, plus the dishes you should order and practical tips to avoid finding the door closed.

What to eat in Seville: the dishes you must try

You can order almost anything from starter, half portion or full portion, so the best thing to do is to order a variety of dishes to share:

• Spinach with chickpeas — The most typical Sevillian dish of all. A vegetarian stew with garlic, cumin and paprika, traditionally eaten during Lent but available all year round.
• Pringá montadito — Shredded stewed meat served in a bread roll. The quintessential local snack.
• Salmorejo — Chilled tomato soup with bread, olive oil and garlic, much thicker than gazpacho, which is a liquid. It is served with a hard-boiled egg and ham.
• Horse's tail — A hearty, slow-cooked stew, best enjoyed in the colder months.
• Iberian pork cheek — Meat stewed until it falls apart, another staple of taverns.
• Fried fish — Floured and deep-fried anchovies, squid and catfish.
• Papas aliñás — A salad made with boiled potatoes, dressed with oil, vinegar, spring onions and parsley, originating in Cádiz. Many households add tuna and egg to it.
• Pork crackling — Mind you, in Seville, ‘chicharrones’ aren’t crispy pork rinds: they’re pressed pork served in thin slices.

If you’d like to find out more about the tapa format and tapa-hopping routes, you can check out the guide at the best tapas in Seville.

Eating near the Cathedral and the Giralda

This is the busiest area, and the one where it’s most important to choose wisely. These four are all less than five minutes’ walk from the Giralda.

1. Santa Cruz Winery «Las Columnas»

By far the most popular in Seville, and with good reason: cheap tapas, a bar that’s always packed to the rafters and an atmosphere you simply can’t fake. Salmorejo, fried fish, croquettes and the ‘montadita de pringá’.

Address: 1 Rodrigo Caro Street.
Timetable: from 8.00 am until midnight, every day. It’s one of the few places that serves breakfast and tapas, and it’s much quieter first thing in the morning.
Notice: You order at the bar – there isn’t really any table service – and it’s packed at peak times. It’s all part of the price.

2. Pelayo Bar

Just two minutes from the Giralda, on Calle Placentines. Generous portions and traditional cuisine executed to a high standard: oxtail croquettes, pork cheeks, fried fish and fried Camembert. The service is quick, considering how busy it usually is.

Address: 25 Placentines Street.
Timetable: from 12:00 to midnight, every day.

3. La Sacristía Tapas

At Mateos Gago, specialising in Iberian ham and cured meats, with a dining area featuring wooden benches and religious décor that gives it a distinctive atmosphere. A good selection of classic dishes: Russian salad, salmorejo, spinach with chickpeas, whisky-glazed sirloin, pork cheeks, oxtail and eggs Flamenco-style.

Address: 18 Mateos Gago Street.
Timetable: from 12:00 to midnight, every day.

4. Álvaro Peregil’s «La Goleta’ tavern

A tiny little place on Mateos Gago, one of the oldest in the neighbourhood, famous for its orange wine, which has been served here for generations. The menu is small but good: mojama, cheeses, cured meats.

Address: 22 Mateos Gago Street.
Timetable: open at 1.00 pm. Breakfast isn't served.
Notice: There’s only room for a handful of people, and almost everyone eats standing up on the street. It’s all part of the experience.

5. GastroTerraza La Fortissima

The rooftop terrace of the Hotel Convento de la Gloria, just a minute’s walk from the Giralda, and one of the terraces overlooking the cathedral Some of Seville’s lesser-known spots. Andalusian cuisine, a good wine cellar and a cocktail bar.

Address: 26 Argote de Molina Street.
Please note: opens at 6.00 pm. It’s not an option for lunch; save it for the evening or dinner.

Eating out in the Santa Cruz neighbourhood

The neighbourhood of Santa Cruz It’s the old Jewish quarter and you can walk round it in no time, so you can compare menus before sitting down. The inner squares, such as Doña Elvira or Los Refinadores, are quieter than the main street.

Here it is too Santa Cruz Winery «Las Columnas», which is listed above because it’s right on the boundary with the Cathedral. A word of warning: The Teresas, the pub that features on every list of the neighbourhood’s best spots, has a much lower rating than its reputation would suggest and doesn’t open until 10.00.

If your visit includes the Royal Alcazar, the meeting point is usually on Calle Francos, with about 45 minutes to spare before we go in: that’s just enough time for a quick tapas snack at La Alfalfa or in the Plaza del Salvador, but not for a sit-down meal. You’ll find the details in the a day trip to Seville including tickets to the Real Alcázar.

Tapas in the Plaza del Salvador and La Alfalfa

If your meeting point is on Calle Francos or Calle Alfalfa, this is the area for you. It’s also the best place to get a good meal on a budget.

6. Alfalfa Bar

One of the best-rated places in the whole of the city centre, with neighbourhood prices. A tiny little place where you order at the bar: mushroom croquettes, bruschetta, salmorejo, stews. A meal for two, including a drink, comes to next to nothing.

Address: 1 Candilejo Street.
Timetable: from 9.00 pm to midnight, every day.
Notice: It’s so small that you almost always have to wait for a table, and the tables are for two.

7. La Antigua Bodeguita

Right in the heart of Plaza del Salvador, with a spacious terrace opposite the church. Cod with tomato, whisky-marinated pork loin montadito and seafood.

Address: Plaza del Salvador, 6.
Timetable: from 11:00 to 1:00, every day.
Let’s be clear: People come here for the square and the atmosphere, which are unbeatable, rather than for the food. Its rating is among the lowest in this guide and the service is frequently criticised. For a quick beer whilst looking out over the square, it’s perfect.

8. La Aurora Winery

A neighbourhood wine bar next to Alfalfa, cheap and with a great local atmosphere. Its speciality is the chorizo to hell, which is served to the table still flaming. It is eaten standing up in the street.

Address: 9 Pérez Galdós Street.
Timetable: from the 12:00 until the early hours, every day.

Seville’s historic taverns

Three houses, each over a century old, and all three are still full of Sevillians. Two of them are in El Arenal, the old harbour district between the cathedral and the river.

9. El Rinconcillo

The oldest tavern in Seville, founded in 1670. He continues to keep score with chalk on the wooden bar. His spinach and chickpeas are the city’s benchmark, and the Iberian chicken and Rota-style cod are every bit as good.

Address: 40 Gerona Street.
Notice: Turn up fifteen minutes before opening time if you want a table. It’s a bit more expensive than the taverns in the area, but it’s well worth it. It’s a good idea to check the timetable before you go, because it varies depending on the season.

10. Bar Casa Morales

Open since 1850, with the original barrels still in the back room and old-fashioned fans mounted on the columns. Pringá, carrillada, Galician-style octopus and a proper wine list.

Address: 11 García de Vinuesa Street.
Timetable: from 12.30 pm to 4.00 pm and 8.00 pm to midnight. It is closed on Sundays.
Notice: It fills up as soon as it opens and they don’t take bookings; the local custom is to take the first seat that becomes available.

11. Bodeguita Romero

A classic spot in the Arenal where the locals from Seville go to eat, famous for its pringá and their seasoned potatoes. Tapas come in various sizes, allowing you to try more dishes.

Address: 10 Harinas Street.
Notice: Arrive ten or fifteen minutes before opening to get a seat; after that, there’s a waiting list.

Triana, the Alameda and the Guadalquivir

Once you cross the river, the atmosphere changes and it’s easier to find a table. The Triana Marketnext to the Triana Bridge, has bars where you can eat freshly bought fish and seafood, and opens at 9.00. Calle Betis is lined with terraces offering views of the historic centre.

12. Casa Paco

In the Alameda de Hércules, the liveliest and least touristy part of the city centre. Creative tapas at reasonable prices: salmon on toast, burrata and courgette salad, squid sandwich, and Spanish omelette topped with roasted garlic.

Address: Alameda de Hércules, 6.
Timetable: from the 11:30 until 11.30 pm, every day. It has a terrace with heaters in winter.

13. Encarnación Market

Bajo las Setas is the go-to market in the city centre: stalls selling fresh produce, ham and cheese, and a bar where you can enjoy a tapa and a caña for next to nothing.

Address: Plaza de la Encarnación.
Notice: It is, above all, a food market, not your typical food market, and many stalls close at midday. Go in the morning if you want to see it in full swing.

14. La Carbonería

A former coal store — it served that purpose until the 1970s — converted into a bar with its own flamenco stage, with a courtyard and live music in the evenings. Simple tapas: cold meats, Spanish omelette, ham.

Address: 21 Céspedes Street.
Note: is a nightspot, with flamenco performances from 8 o’clock onwards. It’s not a place to eat, but rather to round off the day. There’s no sign on the door, so it’s hard to find.

Tips for eating well in Seville

• Bring lunch forward. In Seville, lunch is usually eaten between 2.00 pm and 4.00 pm, and the period from 2.00 pm to 3.00 pm is the busiest. Arriving between 1.00 pm and 1.30 pm you sit down without waiting, surrounded by the atmosphere of the Sevillians having their first beer at the bar.
• Check the fastenings. This is the most common mistake: Casa Morales is closed on Sundays, La Fortissima doesn’t open until 6.00 pm, and La Carbonería is only open in the evenings.
• Ask the waiter. In many homes, the best dishes of the day aren’t on the menu.
• Walk a block or two away. Places with large photos and menus in five languages plastered up next to the monuments are rarely the best choice.
• Ask for it as a tapa. If there are several of you, tapas and half-portions to share allow you to try more and keep costs down.
• Seasonal product. Hearty stews in winter; fish dishes, salmorejo and gazpacho in summer.

And if your arrival time is affected by an excursion, book a table for a time when you’re sure to be in town. If you’re not sure, you can contact our customer service team.

Traditional sweets from Seville

Seville’s pastries blend Andalusian and convent traditions, and a large proportion of them are associated with Holy Week and Christmas:

• Torrijas — Slices of bread soaked in milk with cinnamon and lemon, fried in olive oil and coated in sugar or honey. A Holy Week treat.
• Pestiños — A deep-fried pastry flavoured with aniseed and cinnamon, drizzled with honey. Crispy on the outside and soft on the inside. Served at Christmas and during Holy Week.
• Yolks of San Leandro — A sweet made from egg yolks and sugar, produced in the San Leandro Convent, one of the greats of Sevillian convent baking.
• Churros with chocolate — For breakfast or a snack. The best ones are in the historic churros shops in the city centre, which we’ll tell you about in Where to have breakfast in Seville.

Excursions to Seville from Malaga

We are a local operator based in Málaga with over 50 years’ experience organising trips around Andalusia. On our day trips to Seville, you can choose from free time o guided tour, and the decision is made on arrival, not at the time of booking: the guide offers to accompany you before the group splits up.

The guided tour includes the Santa Cruz neighbourhood and, depending on the option chosen, the Cathedral and the Reales Alcázares. In both cases, there is some free time to sit down for a meal. To plan the rest of the day, you have what to see in Seville, the city’s must-see attractions y What to see in Seville in a day.

You can view dates and availability on the excursion to Seville from Malaga.

Frequently asked questions about where to eat in Seville

What’s the best area for eating out in Seville?

The area around the Cathedral and Santa Cruz is the most convenient if you’re visiting the sights, with Bodega Santa Cruz, Pelayo Bar and La Sacristía just a few minutes’ walk from the Giralda. For more affordable dining, try Alfalfa and Plaza del Salvador. For a local atmosphere and fewer crowds, try the Alameda de Hércules and Triana, on the other side of the river. As a general rule, heading one or two streets away from the main tourist area significantly improves value for money.

Where to eat cheaply in Seville city centre?

Bar Alfalfa, on Calle Candilejo, is probably the best value for money in the city centre, with neighbourhood prices and a very high rating. Bodega La Aurora, on Pérez Galdós, and Bodega Santa Cruz, on Rodrigo Caro, are in the same vein. The Mercado de la Encarnación, beneath ‘Las Setas’, is a great place to eat on a budget, and in Triana, the local market serves the same purpose.

What are the most authentic bars in Seville?

El Rinconcillo, on Calle Gerona, is the city’s oldest tavern, founded in 1670, and still keeps the bill written in chalk on the bar. Bar Casa Morales, open since 1850, still has its original wine barrels in the back room. And La Bodeguita Romero, in the Arenal district, is one of the places where the locals go to eat. All three fill up as soon as they open, and none of them take bookings.

What time do people eat in Seville?

Lunch is served between 2.00 pm and 4.00 pm, and it’s busiest between 2.00 pm and 3.00 pm. It’s best to get there early, arriving between 1.00 pm and 1.30 pm: you’ll get a seat straight away and join the locals as they enjoy their first beer. Dinner starts from 9.00 pm.

Are there any restaurants in Seville that are closed on specific days?

Yes, and it’s worth checking. Bar Casa Morales is closed on Sundays. La GastroTerraza La Fortissima doesn’t open until 6.00 pm, so it’s not an option for lunch. La Carbonería is only open in the evenings, with flamenco performances. And Taberna Álvaro Peregil opens from 1.00 pm.

What traditional dishes should you try in Seville?

Spinach with chickpeas, the ‘montadito de pringá’, salmorejo, oxtail, Iberian pork cheeks, fried fish and ‘papas aliñás’. Almost all of these are served as tapas, half-portions or full portions, so ordering a variety to share is the best way to sample the local cuisine in a single meal.