One of Seville's many charms is its gastronomy. The Giralda is great, the Guadalquivir has its charm, but you will see the special colour of the city when they put a good salmorejo in front of you.
Seville is a great place to eat, even if you have no idea where to go, even if you can't imagine what to order, if you go totally blind, you'll still eat like a real king or queen.
But of course, if in addition to being here, you know which bars to visit, and you get an idea of what the most typical dishes are and what is usually ordered in each of these bars... then you eat like a God.
And that's what we're here for, to give you a hand and show you the best route with the perfect places for good, nice and cheap tapas. Come with us.
Eating cheap and quality tapas in Seville
Things to keep in mind when eating tapas in Seville
If you are from here, we have little to talk about. But if you are not from or have lived for some time in Andalusia, or somewhere else in Spain, be careful with meal times. If you want to really integrate into our culture, be prepared for a major time change.
Here you have lunch between 14:00 and 15:00 and dinner from 21:00 onwards. On the plus side, this land is used to receiving tourists from all over the world, so the kitchens in the bars and restaurants have adapted a little to the demand, and you will see many places that have kitchens at full capacity from 13:00 onwards. It's up to you to choose when to eat. Or just go with the flow and give your body what it asks for, when it asks for it.
Of all the wonders you are about to taste, some may catch your eye. Not all stomachs are ready to try snails. And we understand that. That's why we encourage you to give it a try, but we know it may not be easy. And that brings us to our next tip; less is more.
Whoever said size doesn't matter, had no idea. Size does matter, and in this case, less is more, and you didn't see that coming. Going out to eat and ordering tapas is the best decision you can make. Portions, or even half portions, known as “ración” and “media ración” can be too much if you are interested in discovering new dishes and flavours. And if there's something you've fallen in love with, then you repeat, and that's it.
We're going to give you a list of the best bars where you can have good and cheap tapas, but not because we're better people than anyone else, but because you have to be careful with what's on the street. Don't worry, nobody is going to rip you off or steal from you. But we want to take you to places where if you read ‘homemade’ which is “casera” it is really homemade.
Must-try dishes and tapas
It may sound exaggerated to say that Sevillian gastronomy has everything, and everything is good. But if that's true, who are we to deny it? To give you an idea, here are just a few of the most traditional and well-known dishes of its cuisine. Order in tapa size so you can try them all.
To start the day as it should be, with strength and with the desire to eat Seville, order a serranito. This sandwich has pork fillet, but we also accept chicken if you are not a pork lover, Serrano ham and fried green pepper. That's the base. From there you will see places where they add tortilla, cheese or tomato.
We get to lunch, and here we can order something light, meat or fish. To whet your appetite, something very local: salmorejo. It is a cousin of gazpacho, because it is also a cold soup, although thicker and with small pieces of cured ham and hard-boiled egg. If you want something more solid, but still light, order a shrimp omelette, tortilla de camarones, or a prawn salad, ensalada de gambas.
If the waiter asks you if you want picos or piquitos, don't be surprised. The waiter is offering you bread, a small crusty bread, perfect as an accompaniment to any tapa. And you'll need bread, of course, if you order the huevos a la flamenca.
Although there are as many ways of making huevos a la flamenca as there are people who like to eat them, it is usually served in a clay pot with cured ham, chorizo, peas and tomato. Of course, the eggs are a must.
If we talk about fish, pescaíto frito, fried fish, is one of the kings along with prawns. From cuttlefish and dogfish to anchovies and squid. Everything that swims in the sea is fried here. So if you see people walking down the street with paper cartridges and you wonder what they are eating, it's fried fish.
Good cod is not only found in Bilbao, here it is prepared to perfection, and we recommend you order it with tomato. It is a real treat for the palate and a typical Sevillian recipe.
We haven't forgotten about meat lovers. Before you pick up a menu and start looking through the dishes, there are two things you should know, two tapas you have to order. Ready? Sirloin steak with whisky, solomillo al whisky, and the pringá. Just saying that makes you hungry. The sirloin steak with whisky has little to explain, well yes, it has some lemon and garlic. And little else, the rest is to enjoy it.
The pringá, the mystery of the taste of the pringá. A simple but delicious dish. The shredded meat comes from the cocido (stew) that is cooked all over Andalusia. And that meat is spread on bread, or picked up with your hands, and enjoyed. It's a real treat and should be one of the first things you try.
Best bars to eat cheap and quality tapas in Seville
La Taberna
C. Gamazo, 6, A, Old Town
Would you go to a bar called El Bar? Of course you would, why? Because it sounds like the best bar of all the bars in the city, because it's the one that has earned the title, it's not just any bar, it's THE bar.
If we agree on this, let us accompany you to La Taberna, because it is what it sounds like, the best tavern in the centre of Seville. It's small, cosy and very popular, and the latter is not because of any marketing campaign, it's because they've made a good job of it.
Its menu brings you the most typical of Seville's gastronomy, with a fantastic value for money. The ambience is as good as the food. The dishes make you go, but the atmosphere and the treatment of the staff will make you come back.
Bar Casa Morales
C. García de Vinuesa, 11, Casco Antiguo
If it's OK with you, we're going to stay close by, in the city centre, so we can walk everywhere. We're going to walk just enough to bring the food down and to be able to continue tasting bits and pieces of Seville's gastronomy.
Close to the Cathedral, in the heart of Seville and with one of the best value for money you will find in the city. And if we have chosen it as our first stop, it is because it is a place that is very characteristic of the image we want you to take away with you of the city.
Open since 1850, Bar Casa Morales has the elements of a real bar; decorated with jars, a wooden bar, high tables and a great atmosphere from the moment it opens its doors at 12:30.
For 3€ and 4€ you can try some of the city's best-known tapas, such as the pringá or the prawn salad we've seen before, or papas alioli and carrillada ibérica. Soak up the best atmosphere and the best cuisine in Seville just a few steps from the Giralda.
El Rinconcillo
C. Gerona, 40, Casco Antiguo
If Casa Morales looks good and appeals to you, wait until you discover El Rinconcillo. Barrels acting as a high table, wooden bar, Andalusian tiles, jamones hanging from the ceiling and a menu that you're almost eaten just by reading it.
The oldest bar in Seville, open and serving local wonders since 1670, is a true example of a local tavern and how the customer and his stomach should be treated. Although you have both high and low tables, we recommend eating at the bar, which is the most typical thing to do here.
You can't leave without ordering the salmorejo, the spinach with chickpeas or the impressive bacalao con tomate, cod with tomato. And if you fancy a little Iberian snack, you're in the right place. Let yourself be tempted by their ham and other cured meats. You are just a few steps away from Las Setas and
JOY Setas Coworking, the best hostel in Seville. Take our advice. By the way, with 15€ per head you are full and ready to go, what more can you ask for?
Taberna Manolo Cateca
C. Sta. María de Gracia, 13, Casco Antiguo
Between the two JOY locations,
Setas Coworking and
JOY Hostel Plaza de Armas, you'll find one of the best taverns in Seville. And right in the middle, so you can stay in whichever JOY gives you the most courage.
In the Taberna de Manolo Cateca you will discover the meaning of the word ‘solera’. Its wooden bar, its decoration, the barrels on the wall and its reduced space make this Sevillian corner a place of pilgrimage if you want to mingle in the Sevillian atmosphere and taste the best of its cuisine.
The atmosphere is one of the best in the city, with a lot of people waiting for you, a very good vibe and a lot of hunger. It is popular for everything, for its location, for its prices, for its friendly service and for its wines, hams, cured meats and sausages. Here you can order almost any part of the pig and it will be delicious.
Bar Dos de Mayo
Pl. de la Gavidia, 6, Casco Antiguo
We finish our route of bars and taverns with a bodega, winery. We set foot inside a traditional bodega in the centre of Seville where, on top of that, you can eat well and cheaply. A traditional bodega where you can eat well and cheaply in the centre of Seville. What do you think?
A beautiful bodega that mixes traditional elements with more modern ones, creating this Sevillian bar with a style and soul of its own. Its menu is no exception, and you'll find traditional dishes, some just like grandmothers used to cook them and others with the same essence but with more modern touches.
The great Sevillian classics await you; sirloin steak with whisky and Mozarabic sauce, fried fish, cod in tomato, croquettes or fritters, prawns with garlic and a long etcetera that you'll struggle to believe.
As for the bill, no unpleasant surprises. Their dishes are inexpensive if you look at the location and the fantastic quality of the products. By the way, order a glass of wine even if you're not much of a wine drinker. They will recommend the perfect wine for you.
This was my first time staying in a hostel and I loved this place; everything was perfect. I highly recommend it.