Five of the Best Seville Tapas Bars by Ben Cooper

From stylish modern eateries and atmospheric old neighbourhood haunts, right the way through to noisy spit and sawdust joints, there are more mouth-watering bars and restaurants in Seville than you could possibly take in on your average stay.

So, given the range of likely candidates to choose from, this list makes no claims to being the best five Seville tapas bars (definitively and incontestably). But it is the product of many, many happy hours of gorging...

1. Bodega Extremeña; Calle San Esteban, 17

Tucked away off a noisy, traffic-choked street that hurries its way out of the Alfalfa, is Bodega Extremeña. Sophisticated it ain’t (it’s probably the least prestigious place to make this list of Seville tapas bars); as is so often the case with eating out in Spain, though, that’s more than half the charm.

Bodega Extremeña is just up the road from the Puerta de la Carne (the gate where the meat was historically brought into the city), and it’s an appropriate setting: if you like huge chunks of char-grilled flesh whipped straight off the coals onto your plate, then this is very much the place for you.

2. Bar La Eslava; Calle Eslava, 3-5

Standing up in a noisy corridor while you wolf down your dinner may not be to everyone’s taste. Particularly when you’re being elbowed by ravenous – and noisy – hordes of fellow diners...

The food at Bar La Eslava undoubtedly makes up for it, however: the cordero con miel (honey-brushed lamb) and solomillo al whisky (fillets in a rich whisky sauce) are particularly delicious. And after a few drinks, coming out on to the Basilica of Jesus del Gran Poder, gloriously lit up against the night sky, is worth it in and of itself. 

3. El Rinconcillo; Calle Gerona, 40

Like its well-heeled neighbour, Los Coloniales (prettily appointed over the road in Plaza Cristo de Burgos), El Rinconcillo is something of a victim of its enduring reputation. Because, as the oldest of all Seville tapas bars, it was always going to attract its fair share of guidebook-lugging visitors.

But that shouldn’t put anyone off. More often than not, tourists tend to have a quick drink and a glance around at the lovely traditional tiles and head straight off again. Stay, and your reward is a selection of the best value tapas around (mini portions of arroz come particularly recommended…) washed down with a glass or two of ice-cold fino.  

4. La Giganta; Calle Alhondigas, 6 (Plaza de los Terceros)

Another Santa Catalina favourite (if you didn’t know better, you’d think this writer used to live in the area!), the fare at La Giganta veers from staple dishes to the slightly more unusual tablas – boards of cheeses and smoked fish.

It’s a lively place with friendly staff and a relaxed, and generally rather welcoming, clientele. The real beauty of La Giganta, however, is in the inviting tapas triumvirate it forms with El Rinconcillo (see above) and La Huerta (just across the Plaza de los Terceros).

5. Bar Yebra; Calle Medalla Milagrosa, 3

To get to Bar Yebra from the heart of the city you have to set a course through the Macarena (the least polished – and one of the most interesting – of Seville’s old neighbourhoods). As you wander amongst its crumbling churches and echoing streets, it’s all too clear that you’re a long way from the well-trodden route of Seville tapas bars…

So by the time you cross the threshold at Bar Yebra, there’s a strong sense of ‘having arrived’ – which only increases the sense of anticipation. It doesn’t disappoint. It may not be the cheapest place to eat in Seville, but it really does provide some pretty superior offerings, with sumptuous cuts of meat and a range of to-die-for fish dishes.

Has this article whetted your appetite? Get more top tips on where to eat in the city with Shawn Hennessey's guest post on the TI Blog about the best tapas bars in Seville. Alternatively, if you're looking for a fantastic place to stay, see all our luxury hotels in Seville.

If you're after up-to-the-minute information on what's on when in Andalucia, check out our partner's events guide.