The Difference Between Seville And Granada Tapas Culture

Spain is an amazing country that has a lot to offer for tourists. Each part of this country has its own history, architecture, and food culture. You probably have heard about famous pinchos in Barcelona, or tapas in Seville and Granada. And although Seville and Granada are both Andalusian cities that are famous for tapas, the experience you get at these places is completely different. So here is a short article that will explain the difference between Seville and Granada tapa culture. 

Tapas In Seville

First of all, you need to know that tapa is not a sit-down meal, it is a small plate of food (kinda like a starter or a snack) that is usually served at the bar. Very rarely you can order tapas in Seville (read “The Comprehensive Guide To Seville, Spain“) at the dining table, usually you will get a completely different menu than at the bar. Therefore the first thing you will want to do in a tapas bar in Seville is to find a free seat near the bar and get comfortable. 

The way you order tapas in Seville is the same as ordering a regular meal. You get a menu, you say what you want, and then just wait for food.

It is not mandatory to order a drink with your tapas in Seville because here they are not free. Traditionally tapas are served with drinks, so you might want to follow that tradition. 

Note: I advise you not to order too many tapas, since the amount of food that you are served is different at each tapas bar in Seville. It is better not to order too much at the beginning. Tapas are usually served very fast, so you always can get more later. 

The Best Tapas Bars in Seville

After spending quite a long time in Seville I created a list of the best tapas bars I have visited. Here are a few of those bars from my larger article The Best Tapas Bars In Seville:

El Rinconcillo

El Rinconcillo is the oldest tapas bar in Seville. This is one of the most popular places in Seville. This tapas bar has been around since 1670. Here you can try traditional Seville tapas in a very special atmosphere. Although be aware that this place is quite popular and there is almost always a long waiting line.

Location: C. Gerona, 40, 41003 Sevilla, Spain

Official website: https://www.elrinconcillo.es/

Espacio Eslava

Espacio Eslava is an award winning tapas bar that combines the traditional taste of Seville tapas with modern innovation. This is one of the places that I highly recommend if you are a gourmand and would love to try something special and unique.

Location: C. Eslava, 3, 41002 Sevilla, Spain

Official website: espacioeslava.com

Bodega Mateo

Bodega Mateo is a great tapas bar to try seafood tapas. They serve the best fried bacalao (cod) in the city. Their octopus and shrimps are also full of flavor and a great choice to have at this bar. 

Location: C. Palacios Malaver, 33, 41003 Sevilla, Spain

Tapas In Granada

Tapas culture in Granada is completely different from Seville. The main difference between Seville and Granada tapas is that you don’t pay for tapas in Granada. 

Tapas in Granada are more like a gift that you receive when ordering a drink. At most tapas bars in Granada you don’t know what you will get with your drink. Only a few tapas bars in Granada will give you a menu of tapas to choose from, but this is an exception rather than the rule. 

Tapas Traditions In Granada:

1. You get your tapa for free by ordering a drink (beer, wine, sherry, soda..)
2. At most of the places you cannot choose what tapa to get. A tapa is a gift from the chef, and you don’t choose your own gift.
3. Tapas that you receive at one place should never be the same. Every time you order a drink you will receive a different tapa with it. There is also an unsaid rule that the third tapa you receive is the best.
4. No matter what drink you order, be it a large glass of beer or a small one, you will get a tapa. So if you are planning on visiting a few tapas bars in one night you might want to stick to the smallest amounts of alcohol. However it is your adventure and you can do whatever you desire.
5. Once you order a main dish, you will stop receiving tapas with your drinks. So if you want to try tapas, you might want to stick with just drinks until you are ready to get an actual main. 

The Best Tapas Bars In Granada

Granada is my favorite city in Spain. It is, of course, not just because of the free tapas (although it is a big part of it), but also due to its amazing Moorish architecture that you can see in the Alhambra, and many palaces and old houses that are spread around the city. 

Granada is definitely one of the most beautiful places in Spain. For this reason every year we try to spend between two weeks and a month in Granada alone. During my long periods here I created a long list of great tapas bars in Granada. Here are a few of them:

Ávila Tapas II

Avila Tapas II is one of those bars that has a tapas menu you can choose from. This bar is located a bit out of the way from all the bar streets, however it gets quite crowded (mostly with locals) due to their delicious tapas. 

Location: C. San Isidro, 11, 18005 Granada, Spain

Casa Julio

Casa Julio is a great place to get seafood tapas. It is quite a small bar with no sitting at all, but with an amazing atmosphere. Every tapa we received here was delicious. I suggest arriving early as this place gets PACKED!

Location: C. Hermosa, 5, 18010 Granada, Spain

EntreBrasas

EntreBrasas is one of my favorite tapas bars. They specialize in meat dishes and you might want to stay at this place for more than one tapa.  

Location: Calle Navas, 27, 18009 Granada, Spain

Conclusion

Seville and Granada tapas culture is very different from each other, nevertheless it is nice to experience both of them. 

In Seville, and in Granada you can have tapas tours with a guide, or just do it on your own. Bar hopping is a very popular activity in these cities. You try new tapas, and you meet new people. 

The Difference Between Seville And Granada Tapas Culture