WHERE TO SCORE THE TASTIEST FREE TAPAS IN GRANADA
Are you the kind of person that travels just to eat? Are culinary adventures the highlight of your trip? Then imagine a city that gives you a free plate of food every time you order a drink. Would you believe us if we told you that somewhere like that actually exists? Welcome to Granada in southern Spain, a heaven for food lovers everywhere.
The tradition of free tapas in Granada
There is a long-standing tradition of free tapas in Granada, and almost all bars in the city honor it. When you order a drink, one of two things happen. Either, your server will bring you a tapa of their choosing from the available selection or you’ll select a tapa from the menu. All in all, you can expect a drink and a tapa to cost you around €2. Do like the locals do and sample a tapa at one bar, then hop on to the next place for round two.
Los Diamantes
Ask any local where they go for delicious free tapas in Granada and the first place they’ll tell you is Los Diamantes. Seafood lovers are in luck here as the bulk of the bar’s menu features a variety of fried fish and seafood. Some examples of tasty tapas coming your way include calamares (squid), gambas (shrimp), and boquerones (anchovies), to name a few. In this bar, the servers bring you a tapa as soon as you order a drink. This bar is always packed, but luckily there are now several locations across the city.
Address: Calle Navas, 28
See more: Everything You Need to Know about Visiting the Alhambra of Granada
El Bar de Fede
Another place that’s popular with the local crowd is El Bar de Fede where you can sample some of the region’s most traditional dishes. Here, too, a tapa will be brought out to you when you order a drink. If you’re on the hungrier side, you can order off the restaurant’s menu, which includes classic Spanish dishes like rice, seafood, and grilled meat. Customers come back to El Bar de Fede for the affordable prices, delicious tapas, and excellent service.
Address: Calle Marqués de Falces, 1
Bodegas Castañeda
Every local in Granada knows and loves Bodegas Castañeda. This little joint is a must if you’re looking for a real Spanish experience: hanging legs of jamón ibérico, flamenco posters, and a lively ambiance. There is indoor and outdoor seating, but to score the free tapas you must head to the bar where you’ll see everyone standing up, eating, drinking, and chatting. This is where the real action is! This place is always buzzing, so be prepared to wait to get a spot at a table or at the bar.
Address: Calle Almireceros, 1, 3
Bar Poë
Taking a step away from traditional tapas and embracing international cuisine is Bar Poë, a family-owned establishment with its own cult following (really, there’s a group on Facebook called “I Love Poë!”). Each drink will get you unique, international tapas that you can’t find anywhere else. You can choose your tapa from the menu, so you have a little more freedom here than at other bars that we’ve mentioned. Some favorite tapas include pineapple and pork skewers, chicken with polenta and coconut sauce, and Thai chicken.
Address: Calle Verónica de la Magdalena, 40
Bar Casa Julio
Casa Julio is a tiny gem near Plaza Nueva that’s about as traditional as it gets. Don’t expect to sit down as this bar is standing room only. Loud, chaotic, and a favorite of the locals, this is a must when you’re tapas hopping in Granada. Again, fried seafood is a specialty here and you get what comes out of the kitchen, no choosing. If you feel like ordering off of the tapas menu, try the berenjenas con miel, fried eggplant rounds that are drizzled in a homemade honey sauce.
Address: Calle Hermosa, 5
La Blanca Paloma
Speaking of berenjenas, La Blanca Paloma is rumored to serve up some of the best in town. This tapa is the house specialty and a must if you stop at this restaurant for a drink. Here, you don’t choose your tapa but you will always get berenjenas con miel with your first drink. After that, there’s a fantastic selection of fish and other fried dishes, since this restaurant is known to have some of the best frituras, or fried tapas selections, in Granada.
Address: Calle Alhamar, 18
Do you have a favorite bar that didn’t make our list? Let us know all about it in the comments below! And the next time you’re in Granada, be sure to join Food Lover Tour for an unforgettable culinary adventure!
