Last updated on November 27, 2018
Cyra Alcock from Devour Seville Food Tours shares her personal favourite foodie spots in Seville, Spain. Whether you’re looking for a beautiful breakfast/brunch spot or a sun-kissed terrace for lunch with the locals, this is your essential foodie guide to Seville!
Many people come to Seville seeking sun, siesta and flamenco, but actually the gastronomy on offer alone makes it worth the trip.
Seville could be considered the heart of Spain’s tapas culture, with everything from traditional tapas that have been influenced by the moors, to modern tapas using creative combinations and international flavors.
Aside from the tapas, with the nearby region of Huelva producing decadent Iberian ham, and the Jerez wine region producing interesting types of wines and sherries, interesting local produce is never too hard to find in Seville.
But with over 3,000 bars in Seville choosing where to eat can be a difficult talk. You can turn to the local assistance, and that’s where Devour Seville Food Tours come in, but if you want to attempt eating your way around Seville on your own, here are some of Seville’s best places to satisfy your stomach.
Best Breakfast/Brunch Cafes in Seville, Spain
La Cacharreria ~ Cafe Chic
This popular little café on the trendy Calle Regina is popular among the locals, which means be prepared to wait but know that the wait is worth it! A range of toasts, muesli bowls, cakes and milkshakes make the breakfast offerings in this café unique and worth the splurge. It’s also open until 9.30pm in the evening for cocktails, and is well known among locals for their €2.50 mojitos.
Address: Calle Regina, 14, 41003
Bar Alfalfa ~ Classic Andaluz
One of our favourite spots for breakfast is Bar Alfalfa near the busy Plaza Alfalfa. This little bar is popular all throughout the day, although their breakfast offerings are definitely a winner. Here they serve up a small range of breakfast tostadas (toasts), some with Italian influence, though we recommend the “Andaluz” – tomato and ham, an absolute classic. Wash it down with a good cafe con leche (coffee with milk) and you are ready for a day exploring Seville!
Address: Calle Candilejo, 1, 41004
Best Restaurants for Lunch in Seville
La Isla ~ Fish Feasts and Tapas Treats
Fried fish is a staple in Seville’s cuisine, and the best place to try it is La Isla. This great family run joint is serving up no-fuss fried fish in paper cones, with many different types of fish and seafood on offer from the typical boquerones (white anchovies) to cazón en adobo (marinated dogfish). Join us on our Tastes, Tapas & Traditions of Seville tour to learn all about this great little eatery!
Address: Calle García de Vinuesa, 13, 41001
Mercado de Feria ~ Fresh Market Produce
Mercado de Feria is the oldest fresh produce market in Seville, so a visit to the market itself is worth it, however it is also surrounded by great places to eat. We love La Cantina on the edge of the market, a popular local bar with a range of seafood tapas. Don’t miss the house speciality, aliño de atún (tuna drizzled in olive oil).
Address: Plaza Calderón de la Barca, 41002
Cheap Eats in Seville
Antigua Abacería de San Lorenzo ~ Serious Tapas
An abacería is a grocery store turned bar, meaning you can sample the produce then purchase it to take home with you, and one of our favorite abacerías to visit is Antigua Abacería de San Lorenzo. Here you find a long menu of local cheese, cold cuts, conserves, wine hailing from the nearby province of Huelva, making it the perfect spot for a glass of vino and a snack, but they also have daily specials of cooked dishes such as chorizo a la sidra (chorizo cooked in cider sauce).
Address: Calle Teodosio, 53, 41002
Bar Comercio ~ Best Chocolate Churros in Seville
This bar is known as the place to get churros – those long, fried pieces of dough which go perfect dipped in a cup of hot chocolate. If you don’t feel like churros con chocolate, Bar Comercio is one of the few places in Seville that serves up homemade vermouth, a popular aperitif. We will be whetting our appetite here on our newly launched Tapas, Taverns & History tour, join us to explore Seville after dark!
Address: Calle Lineros, 9, 41004
Best Restaurants for Dinner in Seville
Contenedor ~ Contemporary Classic
This restaurant is a bit different to the ordinary tapas affair found in Seville, so if you are looking for something upscale and different, this is your place. Contenedor is a “slow food” restaurant, with all its dishes being based around fresh, organic and/or biological products, with a menu of approximately 15 plates which change daily, based on the products available in the market.
Address: Calle San Luis, 50, 41003
La Brunilda ~ Traditional Tapas
For an amazing tapas experience La Brunilda is the place! This is a popular little bar in Seville’s central El Arenal neighborhood, with a small menu offering creative tapas made from interesting ingredient combinations. Try the scallops with butifarra sausage and cauliflower puree – an interesting combination that really works!
Calle Galera, 5, 41002
Best Bars in Seville for After Dark Moments
Doña Maria Hotel ~ Rooftop Ritz
The roof terrace bar at Doña Maria Hotel is a great spot for an evening drink with a view. The bar offers reasonably priced drinks, and perfect views of the Cathedral and La Giralda tower. During the summer months there are concerts on Wednesday, Thursday and Sunday evenings at 10.30pm, which just adds to the already great atmosphere!
Address: Calle Don Remondo, 19
El Rinconcillo ~ The Oldest Bar in Seville
El Rinconcillo is not a well kept secret, but this little bar in Seville’s Catalina neighborhood is an absolute must on any Seville itinerary, as dating from 1670 makes it the oldest bar in Seville, and walking inside simply feels like stepping into a time warp. Do as the locals do and prop yourself up at the bar with a cold glass of manzanilla sherry, accompanied by a tapa of mouth watering jamón ibérico (Iberian ham).
Address: Calle Gerona, 40, 41003
Make it Happen
Best areas to stay in in Seville
Broadly speaking you’ll want to stay somewhere within walking distance of Seville’s historic centre. It’s a compact city and you’ll be able to walk to pretty much everything if you stay in the historic Barrio Santa Cruz, El Arenal or Alfalfa areas. I’d also recommend staying in Triana if you want more of a villagey local vibe, or Macarena if you want piece and quiet.
Best hostels and budget hotels in Seville
I was travelling alone so I checked into the boutique For You Hostel Seville. It was honestly the best posh-tel I’ve ever stayed at, with modern rooms and facilities and a stunning rooftop terrace. The Black Swan Hostel is another popular budget hostel in the centre. And the family-run Hotel Alcántara is a fantastic budget hotel located in the historic Santa Cruz barrio.
Best mid-range (3*) hotels in Seville
Adriano Boutique / Casona de San Andrés / Petit Palace Puerta de Triana
Best luxury hotels (4* + 5*) in Seville
Gravina 51 (4*) / Lobby Room (4*) / EME Catedral (5*) / Gran Meliá Colon
Best apartments in Seville
Mint Urban Suites The 7th Heaven / Triana Pureza / Puerta Catedral Indias Lofts
Do you know any other fantastic places to eat in Seville? Let us know in the comment section below and we’ll check them out!
Author Bio:
Cyra Alcock left her hometown 10 years ago in search of good food and adventure and now spends most of her time eating her way around sunny Seville, Spain. She is the Andalusia Operations Manager for food tour company Devour Spain, and shares her food and travel stories in her blog The Road Less Forked.
More from Seville and Andalusia
Glorious Things to Do in Seville ~ An Impassioned Guide
Holy Smoke & Lingering Goodbyes: Pursuing the Cruz De Mayo Procession in Sevilla ~ A Photo Journal
Things to Do, See & Eat in Chipiona, Spain ~ The Andalusian Beach Paradise You’ve Never Heard of
Southern Sojourns: The Best Day-trips from Seville, Spain
