Tapas: The Centerpiece of Sevillian Culture

The Sevillian character is open and social and loves being in the streets in the open-air terraces of restaurants and bars. It's not a surprise that the streets are more full with tapas bars than restaurants because this is more conducive to the sociability of the Sevillians who like to move around and eat small meals before moving on to the next bar.

Contrary to the North of Spain, where the meals are heavier and the rations larger, in the South people eat less and lighter. Instead of eating a full meal, people often "snack" ("picar", which means to eat a few tapas or a ration). Furthermore, the rhythm of life is more relaxed and eating is a daily social event not only reserved for the weekends.

Try discovering what and how Sevillians eat. If you miss the food from your part of the world or want to try different tastes, we will give you some clues about where to look.

Also remember that the eating schedules are different in Spain, lunch is between 14:00 and 15:00 (or even later) and dinner from 21:30 on.


Las Tapas

Sevillians go out for tapas at night, as an alternative to a seated dinner in a restaurant, or even at midday to substitute lunch.

Tapas are small quantities of any type of typical Andalusian food and usually people have a tapa with each drink. Sometimes people order a ration to share, and everyone can eat ("picar") from each other's plates. As for drinking, people usually have a beer, most commonly a Cruzcampo.

This brand of beer, created in 1904 in Seville, has become the leading brand on the market in Spain. Another typical drink is "tinto de verano" which is red wine with orange, lemon, or clear soda (similar to Sprite) called "casera blanca". Tapas can be an inexpensive way to eat (prices range from about 1.50€ to 3€ and about 1€ for a drink), although it depends on how hungry you are and which bar you go to.

While eating tapas, ("el tapeo"), people either eat sitting down or standing up at the bar or at a small, high table. The list of tapas offered is generally written on a chalkboard, but in some places the waiters recite the long list of tapas offered (which makes it hard to remember them all!). Easiest is to ask for ‘la carta' which is the menu of tapas. Some bars have the tapas described in English alongside the Spanish.

Here is a list of the most common tapas:

· Pinchitos morunos: Typical Andalusian dish, inherited from Arabic cooking. It is made of pieces of chicken or pork flavored with a mix of spices.

· "Montaditos": Small pieces of toasted bread like a sandwich, filled with different things (like cured ham, sausage, anchovies, shrimp, etc.).

· Gazpacho: A typical Sevillian and Andaluz dish known for its excellence. It is usually eaten in the summertime and served as a starter plate. It is a cold soup made of tomato, cucumber, pepper, garlic, bread, olive oil, salt and vinegar. "Salmorejo" is the same but no water is added.

· Pescado frito: Fried fish, whole or cut into pieces, battered in flour and deep fried: anchovies, pijotas, squid, puntillitas (very small squid) among other things. A good way to try them all is to order a "frito variado", which is a bit of everything.

· Espinacas con garbanzos: Spinach with garbanzo beans, a traditional Sevillian dish. The condiments that give the spinach flavor are fried bread, garlic, cumin or bay leaves, with salt and crushed red pepper.

· Menudo: Made of cow tripe. In the rest of Spain it's called "callos". It is a spiced and hearty stew, sometimes quite hot, and contrary to its appearance, not too greasy. It can be stewed up with garbanzo beans, chorizo, blood sausage, etc.

· Huevos a la flamenca: This dish is made of vegetables (tomato, red pepper, peas, green beans, onion and garlic), chacina (a mix of cured ham and sausage) and egg. It is prepared in a casserole clay dish in the oven.

· Tortillitas de bacalao: This is made of dough with codfish (stripped and unsalted), garlic, onion, and parsley mixed together and then battered and deep fried.

· Ensaladilla: Potato salad with hard-boiled egg, tuna, peas and mayonnaise.

Tapas Bars in Seville  

CENTRE
On the pedestrian streets near school there is a wide variety of tapas bars. Although they are often frequented by foreigners because of their location, the majority serve delicious tapas.

Barbiana(Albareda street). 50 meters from school, serves delicious fish and seafood tapas, brought in daily from Sanlúcar de Barrameda, on the coast of Cádiz. It is also a restaurant, simple but of great quality. Not cheap.
Bodeguita del Salvador (Plaza del Salvador). Offers some great tapas, but is mainly a meeting point for Sevillians, they come here to have a beer or a glass of wine before going out for tapas elsewhere. On Saturdays and Sundays at around 14:00 it´s worth the trip just for the atmosphere.
Café Bar La Universal (Plaza Salvador ).
Coloniales (Plaza Cristo de Burgos).
La Moneda (c/Almirantazgo).
Casablanca (c/ Zaragoza next to Plaza Nueva) Small bar, usually quite crowded. The tapas are of extraordinary quality, frequented by King Juan Carlos when visiting Seville.
Eslava (c/ Eslava, 3/5, San Lorenzo area).
El Rinconcillo (Plaza de los Terceros - c/ Gerona, Santa Catalina area) The oldest bar in Seville, dated from various centuries ago. Offers a wide variety of excellent tapas.
El Colmao (Plaza Ponce de Leon, 5, Santa Catalina area).

ALAMEDA
La Madraza (c/ Peris Mencheta)
La Ilustre Victima (c/ Correduría )

TRIANA
Casa Cuesta (c/ Castilla)
La Oliva (c/ San Jacinto ).

SANTA CRUZ
Las Teresas (c/ Santa Teresa, 2) One of the bars with the most "flavor" of Seville. Very popular with Sevillians and has an excellent tapas menu.
Modesto (c/ Cano y Cueto – next to Murillo gardens) Great tapas and excellent open-air terrace. All around this area you can find tapas bars and terraces that are well worth visiting.

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