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Seville has a lot of bars and restaurants to eat delicious tapas and have a drink. Do not forget the many indoor or covered (food) markets. The choice is huge in the city where tapas have ever been 'invented'. In and around the center there are few streets with no bars or restaurants. But where do you have to go to eat the best tapas or to visit the best markets? What are the common meal times in Seville. We help you on your way with our local tips:
Where do I have to go for food in Seville?
A good and simple tip is to look where not the (Spanish) tourists eat but where the Sevillians go for themself. They know the best where you can eat well. If you prefer to eat with the locals, avoid the tourist and (too) expensive restaurants directly around the cathedral, though Calle Mateos Gago is a reasonable option. There you'll find bars and restaurants with a three course menu for around € 11 (incl. drink and bread) of decent quality. Special is bodega Las Columnas (also called bar Santa Cruz) which is very popular among Sevillians for tapas and drinks. So cozy and crowded but just walk in and buy authentic and local tapas.
• Calle Mateos Gago • location
💡 Reviews of restaurants in Seville?
Want to know which restaurants we visited in Seville and what our experiences? Feel free to send an email to with the subject 'Reviews restaurants Seville'. You will receive our list with a lot of tips for ordering, eating and drinking.
Sevillian meal times
Just make sure you are there at times when it is meal time for the Sevillians. Lunch time (el almuerzo) is between 14:00 and 16:00 hrs. and between 21:00 and 00:00 hrs. for dinner. Take your time for lunch, because that's in Seville the most important meal of the day. Dinner (la cena) is usually smaller and is eaten mainly very late. Restaurants that serve meals outside the mentioned hours are called tourist traps, focused on North European tourists (incl. higher prices and smaller portions). Do not forget to have breakfast outside the door (el desayuno) because that do Sevillians massively. The first breakfast is early in the morning (around 07:00 hrs.), and is no more than a 'café solo' or 'café con leche' possibly with something very small and sweet. Around 10:00 hrs. Sevillians enjoy massive a second breakfast; a fresh, crispy, toasted baguette with Spanish dried or cooked ham (tostada con jamon curado of jamon york), cheese and mashed tomato, olive oil (instead of butter). Of course with a glass of fresh orange juice (zumo de naranja). All this costs only € 2.50 to € 4.50 otherwise you pay really too much.
💡 Cheap breakfasts in Seville!
Book your accommodation in Seville without breakfast. Do this just like the Sevillians and extremely cheap but above all cozy outside the door!
💡 Which tea or coffee can you order in Seville?
• Café solo = small black coffee
• Café con leche = coffee with a lot of warm milk
• Café cortado = small coffee with milk
• Café manchado = small coffee with a lot of warm milk
• Café descafeinado solo = small black decaffeinated coffee
• Café descafeinado con leche = decaffeinated coffee with a lot of warm milk
• Té negro = black tea
• Té verde = green tea
• Té manzanilla = camille tea
• Té poleo = mint tea (of té menta)
Tips for eating in Seville
The menus are bursting of delicious tapas and remember that a Sevillaan will not serve something what's not edible. Andalusian cuisine is straight and simple, not spicy or a strange taste but where pure and honest flavors come together. So just try! For example, salmorejo, a cold soup of mashed tomatoes and old bread with as a garnish, boiled egg and pieces, good Iberico ham. Or deep fried aubergines with honey (berenjenas con miel) are delicious. Also is the solomillo de ternero con mojo picon (sirloin with red paprika sauce). Try the tapas of fish, for example, boquerones fritos (fried crispy anchovies) which are completely eaten with head and tail or chipiron a la plancha (fresh sepia from the griddle).
💡 Cheap eating in Seville!
In the more distant side streets from the tourist center, you will find a menu del dia (menu of the day) for about € 8.50. This is always a starter (primero plato), main course (segundo plato), dessert (postre) with bread and a drink.
💡 Low budget eating and drinking in Seville!
Seville is not expensive compared to northern Europe, America or Canada. Even in Spain it is one of the lower priced cities. Are you still looking for low budget locations? Then consider the following:
• 100 Montaditos: For the cheapest but delicious, sandwiches and more ...
• Pomodora Pasta Pizza: Not typically Sevilian but the cheapest pizza and pasta in Seville.
• La Sureña: Delicious dishes to share and buckets of chilled beer.
How do you eat tapas in Seville?
Don't buy tapas just for yourself but for sharing. Also, do not directly fill up your plate full of different tapas but quietly enjoy one of each tapa. Your little plate is only if the tapa is too hot or not to spill on your clothes. On la carta (the menu) you usually see tapa (small dish), media (half of a dish) and racion or plato (whole dish). Always order one tapa or more of the same tapas! The small price makes it fun and nice to try several tapas. Then is not that big to leave something when you find it not so tasty. Still good? Then order just one more time. ¡Buen aproveche! Or in English, enjoy!
💡 More information about tapas?
Do you not only want to taste the most tastiest and authentic tapas but also want to know the background and historie? Take a look at our tapas tours. You go with a English speaking guide along several restaurants to taste delicious tapas and drinks.
Tips for drinking in Seville
Sevillians often drink beer (una cerveza) of the Cruzcampo brand (part of Heineken brand and served at a temperature of -2 degrees). But tinto de verano is very popular. Absolutely recommended! Literally translated, the red summer wine. It is red wine mixed with sparkling water or the sweeter version with lemon or orange. A delicious summer drink which drinks like lemonade, so it can easily become a very pleasant afternoon. During the Feria de Abril the Sevillans drink rebujito, a typical drink from Andalusia. It is sherry (Fino or Manzanilla) mixed with soft drinks, such as sparkling water or sprite and lots of ice. Sometimes a few mint leaves are added. Do not be surprised if the Sevillians already at 10:30 pm take a beer, wine or other alcoholic beverage. Unlike Northern Europe people drink here moderate and spread over the day. ¡Salud! ie Cheers!
Merienda (pastries time)
To overcome the long time between lunch and late dinner there is coffee time called la merienda. Literally it means a small snack or drink. Around 17:00 hrs the bars and cafes are full of people again, this time for coffee or tea and something sweet to eat. This is done not only by women but by everyone. For example, go to for the Sevillians famous La Campana in Calle Sierpes 1 (Plaza la Campana) for tasty and typical sweets. La Campana is always good but it is also a place 'to see and to be seen'. That must be paid good for. So do not forget the little patisseries (pastelerias of reposterias) in the cozy, remote alleys. Less commercial, smaller, less expensive, but with the full authentic flavors. For example:
• Confitería Ochoa: Calle Sierpes 45,
41004 Sevilla.
• Confitería Los Angeles: Calle
San Pablo 1, 41001 Sevilla.
• Tartas Ambrosius: Carlos Cañal 10, 41001
Sevilla.
• Manu Jara: Calle Pureza 5, 41010 Sevilla
(In our opinion, the very best in Seville!).
💡 Cake or Pastrie as tapas?
Authentic pastelerias often have many cakes in a smaller version. So you can try more or do not hesitate to eat the cakes as tapas. It is not strange or weird to share a cake with four people. Often you will get all automatically with four little forks.
Churros con chocolate in Seville
Typical Sevillian but also a very Spanish custom and available all year round: churros con chocolate (sort of beignet with hot chocolate). Churros, high in calories but no bad fats or trans fats, no sugar, no cholesterol, no artificial additives. It is very important that churros are made freshly. This does not usually apply for the churros that you buy abroad. Which often come from out the freezer, are sweetened and fried in saturated fat and not olive oil. The hot chocolate is unfortunately something else. Cocoa (this is healthy), butter, full cream, cardamom, salt and a lot of sugar. A particularly creamy hot chocolate drink with lots of calories. Even in the sweltering summer this dish is enjoyed by the Sevillians during breakfast, merienda or after going out. How good? Very good!
💡 What is real churros?
Churros are freshly baked on site, in fresh oil and from fresh batter (only flower, water, salt and a little olive oil). Moreover authentic churros are round and absolutely without ripples or stripes. The taste is savory, slightly salty and certainly not sweet. Manufactured churros is frozen, made of potatoes, has ridges and contains many unhealthy fats and a lot of sugars.
Shopping or shop around in Seville
Of course you go shopping and shopping in Seville! The two main shopping streets are calle tetuán and calle sierpes. In the first street are the large and well-known chain stores such as H&M, Zara and Mango. Both streets streets leading to plaza del duque where you can find almost daily a commercial craft market (bags, leather goods, jewelery, etc.) but also the large Spanish department store, El Corte Inglés. Stroll also the nearby streets for the best and small shops. Fear not the heat in the sweltering summer because the streets are provided with canvases to keep the suns rays out and the air-conditionings of the shops (with the doors completely open) are spinning full.
• Calle Tetuán
• website
• location
• Calle Sierpes
• website
• location
Special squares in Seville
Seville is the city of beautiful squares (plazas). Squares in all shapes and sizes, from ancient to nowadays squares. Not without a function because due to the climate the squares have a social function. Sevillians meet on the squares and where once the world was not yet equipped with todays media, squares had the function to distribute news or tidbits. Many squares still have the function of a meeting place. But like much has changed in the world, this applies just only for the residents but has a square acquired its own character that attracts people from far away to have a snack, a drink or two. Listed below are the most special squares in Seville:
• Alameda de Hércules: A cozy,
slightly arty but most cosmopolitan square is Alameda de Hércules. A beautiful, long
square of approximately 450 meters constructed in 1574. Not only the largest public square in
Seville but even in Europe. Everywhere are benches, trees, fountains, playgrounds for children
and many good restaurants or bars with beautiful terraces to eat the tastiest tapas in Seville
center. The square breathes a calm, open and bohemian atmosphere from breakfast until the early
hours or even until the next breakfast. Join and start comfortably on a terrace with a drink or
two. Enjoy and relax meanwhile looking at other people walking and other terraces. Then order
some delicious tapas to eat slowly in the glorious sunshine. Time flies by...
• website
• location
• Plaza del Salvador: Around 14.00 hours
you should definitely take a look at Plaza del Salvador. Except for the magnificent
iglesia de salvador
it is a nice crowded square. With just a bit of sun, especially the weekend, this whole square
is full of people (Sevillians), nice chatting (loudly) with a beer in the hand and some olives.
What an atmosphere! Just go standing between and inhale the environment plus the many people.
And if you're real hungery? Order some delicious tapas or carne a la piedra
(Tender beef sissling on red-hot stone)...
• website
• location
• Plaza de Alfafa: Around the corner from
Plaza de Salvador is the next great square: Plaza Alfalfa. A smaller but special square where
you can sit, eat and drink. On Sunday, the square is filled with children and families from
surrounding houses. If you can get a table, sit down between the locals and enjoy how the
children play football or play while the elderly are also standing on the square. The cozy
Sevillian crowds; a real experience!
• website
• location
• Plaza de la Encarnación: Large square at the foot
of the Metropol Parasol and the Mercado de la
Encarnación. Actually, this is a square, on the first floor, surrounded by another court on the ground
floor where the market is located. This upper square is widely used for festivals or performances while the
lower square has many bars and restaurants.
• website
• location
Attractive markets in Seville
Looking for typical and attractive markets in Seville? Do continue reading. A mercadillo is an open-air market (excluding fresh food) and a mercado is covered to keep the sun and heat away from the fresh vegetables, fish, meat and other fresh products. The mercados are for Sevillian terms not particularly cheap but many locals do shopping here anyway because you can get close to your house the most (fresh) products. A unique opportunity to get to know the local Sevillian life. Listed below are the most special mercados in Seville:
• Mercado Lonja del Barranco: A prestigious object, but it should not be missed! In
fact, not even a Mercado but a dining and food market. This food market has opened its doors in November 2014 in
the former bus station. You can not really buy groceries because you come here to taste 20 different specialties
ranging from fresh fish and seafood to authentic croquettes, cocktails, the best meat and even Japanese
cuisine.
• website
• location
• Mercado del Arenal: The central market of one of the oldest neighborhoods in Seville.
A neighborhood that has always been connected to the port of the city and had a starring role in the era of trade
with India. Like other mercados a market with its own character with wine tastings and the only market with
vegan products.
• website
• location
• Mercado de la Encarnación: Market actually at the base of the
Metropol Parasol in the Plaza de la
Encarnación. One of the most modern markets in Seville. Lots of fresh fruit, fresh fish, seafood, Iberian
meat and in the season a wide range of small and big game hunting. In the back of the market is a local place to
eat as well as around the Metropol Parasol.
• website
• location
• Mercado de Triana: The market in Triana. To be found at the end of Puente Triana (or
Puente de Isabel II) as a gateway to this iconic neighborhood. Besides the regular selection of vegetables, meat,
fish and shellfish there are many opportunities to try the local delicacies. The market even has one of the
better sushi restaurants in Seville.
• website
• location
• Mercado de Feria: Typical market that reflects the history of Seville. Complete and
diverse range of products which is due to the coexistence of different cultures in the history. Next to the
church of Omium Santorum and one of the oldest markets in the city with character and a good atmosphere. Between
the church and the market is a small area to enjoy a meal among the locals.
• website
• location
💡 Markets Bike or Cycle Tour!
Do you want to visit the typical and authentic markets of Seville? Hear what the history, stories and functions are of these markets? Enjoying a drink, some goodies and with a Dutch guide? Then book our unique Markets Bike or Cycle Tour!
