The City of Sevilla, restaurants and gastronomy in Sevilla, Andalucia, Spain

These are more expensive than tapas bars; expect to pay at least 5 euros for a starter (primero plato) and 8-10 for a main course (segundo plato); in the top places it'll be more like 15 and 25 euros. Some restaurants have a menú del día, a set three-course meal, with dishes such as gazpacho to start and solomillo (pork fillet) or merluza (hake) as a main course. Menús cost from 8 euros and are pretty good value - also useful if you're feeling overwhelmed by the huge choice of tapas on offer!

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Restaurants (and bars) generally open from about 12.30 - 16.00 and 20.00-24.00 - the typical time for lunch is at about 14.00, while Sevillanos have their evening meal at around 22.00.

There are fewer restaurants than tapas bars listed here because Sevillanos prefer to ir de tapas than to sit down to eat - it's cheaper, livelier and there's a wider choice. However on a much-needed holiday, sometimes it's exactly what you need: to sit down to a relaxing, leisurely meal in a beautiful setting with a bottle of wine. These places are ideal for intimate, memorable meals and special occasions. Treat yourself - just don't forget the credit card!

La Albahaca
Plaza Santa Cruz 12
You can't get better than Plaza Santa Cruz itself as an atmospheric dining location. In summer, eat outside and enjoy the exquisite square with its orange trees and rose beds; in winter, dine in a converted palace beautifully decorated with antique furniture, reproduction paintings and exquisite tiling. Prices match the experience; this one is for special occasions only; there's also a menú for 27 euro. Recommended are ostras gratinadas al aroma de eneldo y cava (oysters au gratin with dill and cava), presas ibéricas asadas con salsa de pera a la vainilla (roast Iberian pork with pear and vanilla sauce) and mille-feuille de cola de toro (millefeuille of bull's tail).

Corral del Agua
Callejon del Agua 6
One of the most delightful settings in Seville, this place is in a quiet, leafy courtyard by the Alcazar wall. Its romantic, secluded setting away from the city's hustle and bustle makes it ideal for an intimate dinner - it's popular for romantic occasions. It has the same owner as La Albahaca, and shares a few dishes such as the ajoblanco de almendras con pasas (garlic and almond soup with raisins), a local speciality. The sea bass in sherry (dorada al Tio Pepe) and pork fillet in brandy (solomillo de cerdo al brandy) are also excellent. Polite, efficient service.

San Marco
Mesón de Moro 6, and branches
Good pizza and pasta, as well as other authentic Italian dishes such as prosciutto. But the real attraction here is the setting; perfectly preserved 12th century Arabic baths, with wonderful stone arches. Spain desserts aren't much to shout about, so treat yourself to the irresistible dolci: tiramisu, cheesecake with raspberry coulis, chocolate marquis with pistachio sauce…
Friendly, efficient service. The central branch (Cuna 6) offers pricier French and Italian specialities in an 18th century palace.

Egana Oriza
San Fernando 41
www.restauranteoriza.com
Housed in an airy, pavilion-style space on the corner of the Alcazar walls, opposite the university, this prestigious restaurant offers Basco-Andaluz cuisine - superb local ingredients cooked in an innovative style. Basque chef-owner Jose Maria Egana swears by Andalucian olive oil and vinegar in his cooking. Signature dishes include ceviche de rape y mero con berberechas al aceite virgen extra (raw marinated monkfish and sea bass with cockles in extra virgin olive oil) and arroz calodoso de paloma torcaz en su jugo (stewed woodpigeon with rice). There's also a selection of tempting desserts. Steep prices, but worth it.

This place vies with Egana Oriza (see above) as the best-regarded restaurant in town, but with more reasonable prices. It's actually part of a renowned hotel school; ex-alumni include star young chef Jesús González (see El Crujiente, below). Typical starters are pastel de berenjenas y gambas de Huelva con salsa mariscada (aubergine and prawn terrine with shellfish sauce) and arroz cremoso con codorniz (quail risotto). Salmonete (red mullet) is a big local favourite: here it's cooked with garlic, leek and black olive oil, while truly red-blooded carnivores can try cochinillo confitado al aceite, pina y cogollo (suckling pig confit in olive oil with pineapple and lettuce hearts). El Alabardero is a celeb hang-out; Orlando Bloom, Anastacia and Grammy award-winner Alejandro Sanz have all dined here.

The school is housed in a converted 19th century mansion, previously home to a romantic Sevillano poet, and also includes a hotel and an informal restaurant on the ground floor offering a weekday lunch menú for 10 euros. The dishes are similarly innovative, if sometimes a little more experimental: examples include calabacines rellenos de mango y bacon (courgettes stuffed with mango and bacon) and estofada de ternera en salsa de ciruelas (venison stew with plum sauce).

Enrique Becerra
Gamazo 2
An old favourite with Sevillanos, this place offers simple, tasty Andalucian dishes in a characterful converted 17th-century house with art deco-style stained windows, wooden beams and Roman marble columns. Everyone who's anyone in Spain has eaten here, from ex-president Jose Maria Aznar to filmmaker Carlos Saura and opera singer Placido Domingo.
The eponymous owner is a popular local figure, well-respected and friendly; his passion is wine - he has 18,000 bottles and offers a good selection by the glass including decent dry whites, unusual for this area. Try the Muga, a rich, creamy, golden blanco, or the Enate Cabernet-Merlot - a fruity tinto. Recommended dishes include calamares rellenos a la antigua (squid stuffed with ham, garlic and red peppers with saffron sauce) and cordero asado a la miel relleno de espinacas y pinónes (honey-roast lamb stuffed with spinach and pinenuts). There's also a small but pleasant bar with a decent tapas menu, including delicious vegetable pasteles (terrines). Excellent service.

Madrasa
Mata
With a light, modern interior and well-priced, innovative food, this place is invariably packed on weekends. Tapas are very generous and have the modern, experimental but also unfussy style which is increasingly popular in famously conservative Seville; fish is especially good, such as sardines rellenas al estilo marroqui (Morrocan-style stuffed sardines), lomo de merluza al pesto (fillet of hake with pesto). Other dishes to try include pollo con pasas y pinónes (chicken with raisins and pinenuts), while good starters to share are paté casero (home-made pate) and queso frito con mermelada (deep fried cheese with a fruity sauce). Service can be slow, so prepared to be patient.

El Crujiente
San Hermenegildo 42
www.elcrujiente.com
Hidden away in an unremarkable residential street in Macarena is this simple, understated but stylish restaurant where up-and-coming chef Jesús González is earning a reputation for classic dishes with an innovative twist.
Just 25 years old, this talented local boy has already won three awards, including Young Chef of Spain 2003. Signature dishes are ensalada templada de cordoniz, sus huevos poché (warm quail salad with poached quail's eggs) and solomillo de cerdo relleno de queso y frutos secos con couscous de verduras (pork fillet stuffed with cheese and dried fruit with vegetable couscous). For the ultimate gastronomic experience, there's a seven-course menú de degustación for 30 euro.

Coral del Rey
Opened on the fringes of the old Jewish quarter in the Barrio Alfalfa, Corral del Rey is a former private palace from the seventeenth century that has been converted into a top restaurant & bar offering a relaxed fine dining experience.
Corral del Rey has many chill out areas including the roof top terrace and the extended mirador giving spectacular views of the Cathedral & Giralda. Private dining can be arranged in these areas as well as in the vaulted lower ground cellars, which were discovered during restoration.
You can book your table online or contact us at info@corraldelrey.com. You can also ring us on Tel +34 954 500 708, or send a fax to +34 954 226 706 for further information or to make a reservation.

Tapas in Seville is like coffee and croissant in Paris - it's a key part of life and integral to local culture, both gastronomically and socially. Ir de tapeo - to go on a 'tapas crawl' - is how most Sevillanos spend their evenings out. The selection and quality of food are both invariably superb, you can eat as little or as much as you like, and you can usually find somewhere serving food, whatever the time of day. The seafood and ham are especially good here.

There are hundreds of tapas bars in Seville, on main streets and tucked away in little side alleys; good grazing areas include Alfalfa; Calles Mateas Gago and Santa Maria la Blanca in Santa Cruz; the Plaza San Salvador end of Tetuán; and San Eloy/Plaza del Duque.

Note that in some tapas bars you have to order at the bar and collect the tapa yourself when it's ready (usually in a matter of minutes), while at others you'll have the option to sit at a table and be served by a waiter - and may be charged extra for privilege. A tapa will generally cost between 1.50 and 2 euros.

La Giralda
Mateos Gago 1
Arguably one of the best tapas bars in Seville, with delicious dishes such as solomillo al whiskey (beef sirloin in whisky) and the divine pimientos del piquillo con musselina de bacalao (red peppers stuffed with cod), plus a good selection of sherries Beautiful interior with vaulted ceiling, while the tables outside have a ringside view of the Giralda. Very efficient service and reasonable prices considering the quality. Recommended.

Las Teresas
Santa Teresa 2
In the heart of the barrio's windy cobbled streets, this place is decorated in traditional style, with hanging hams (beware veggies; these are actually above your head rather than behind the bar as normal!), antique posters of Seville and bottles of vintage sherry. Plenty of tables outside to watch the evening paseo (stroll). Excellent cured meats from Huelva and Salamanca.

Corral del Rey
Seville´s top fine dining experience set in an exclusive 17th century Casa Palacio.

Bodega Santa Cruz
Rodrigo Caro 2
Known locally as Las Columnas because of the massive stone pillars outside, this has a great selection of montaditos (small toasted sandwiches) and famed adobo (marinated fried fish). A good snack stop on your walk around charming Barrio Santa Cruz. It's cheap, the food's tasty and the service is speedy - no wonder it's a local institution.

Cafe Levies
San José
A very popular café-bar with friendly service, this place is a good all-day option - it's open from breakfast until late at night. There's seating in the pleasant café-style interior, or outside in the plaza. Recommended are the spinach croquettes and the chipirones a la plancha (grilled baby squid). Gets lively later on; handy for the nearby Carbonería (see live music).

Flahertys
Alemanes 7
Seville has several Irish bars; this one and Merchants (see Copa Bars) are two of the best. Both are lively and friendly with good music, and a mixed clientele of locals, tourists and expats; however their prices are steeper than elsewhere.

Flaherty's is the larger of the two, with a couple of bars, an interior patio and plenty of outside tables - which are usually packed as it's right next to the cathedral. Most of the helpful staff speak English, a rarity in Seville, and there's a big screen showing major sports events if there's an unmissable match on while you're here. It does good Irish-influenced tapas - try the spinach soufflé - and excellent salads, as well as tex-mex fare if you need a complete break from tapas. Occasional live music.

Casa de la Moneda
Adolfo Rodríguez Hidalgo 3
Part of the original mint, this is an authentic, old-fashioned venue serving excellent fried fish tapas, such as calamares fritos (fried squid). Also recommended is the espinacas reales con nueces y baicon (royal spinach with nuts and bacon). Not far from the action, it's in a nice square just off Avenida de la Constitución and has outside seating.

La Habanita
Golfo 3, off Pérez Galdós
Great mojitos and caipirinhas, outdoor seating in a leafy cul-de-sac and excellent Cuban/Spanish veggie and vegan tapas make this place just off the main Alfalfa drag well worth a visit. Try the couscous; the leafy salads (around 5 euros) are excellent and imaginative, which is a rarity in Seville.

Bar Alfalfa
Corner of Alfalfa and Candilejo
Small but lively bar with campesino décor, serving Italian/Spanish tapas (the owner, Gianni, is Italian) such as fabulous bruschetta and provolone al horno (baked cheese) plus funky tunes. Interesting mix of clientele.

Sopa de Ganso
Pérez Galdós 8
Buzzy place with huge list of tapas, including vegetarian options. Good croquettes of goat's cheese and walnuts (croquetas de cabrales y nueces) as well as decent (Spanish-style) salads.

La Campana
Sierpes 1
This café is an institution in Seville, serving all the cakes and pastries beloved by locals as they enjoy a pit-stop after a hard morning's shopping. During Semana Santa you can get coloured Nazareno sweets (the penitents wearing long robes and hoods) which make a fantastic, if bizarre, souvenir. Otherwise traditional goodies include yema (sweets made from egg yolks) and lenguas de almendra (almond biscuits).

Cafetería Universal
Blanca de los Rios 1 (near Plaza del Salvador)
Excellent, affordable tapas with good-sized portions in a handy location near the main shopping area. Sit at the bar, by the window or outside. Good vegetable pasteles (terrines) and caldereta de venao (venison stew).

El Rinconcillo
Gerona 40
Allegedly the oldest tapas bar in Seville, dating from the 17th century. It certainly feels like nothing's changed in many years, with its flagstone floor and ancient bottles of wine lining the walls. Very atmospheric and popular with locals and tourists alike.

Coloniales
Plaza del Cristo de Burgos 19
Pleasantly located on the recently revamped Plaza Cristo de Burgos, this place does reasonably-priced tapas including tabla (bread baked with a topping, such as cheese or fish - better than it sounds) as well as grilled fish and meat.

La Giganta
Alhóndiga 6
The speciality here is tabla. Try the delicious queso gratinado con miel y romero (bread topped with cheese, honey and rosemary - very Roman!) or bacalao ahumado (smoked cod) for between 5 and 8 euros. Tapas of the day might include costillas a la miel (spare ribs in honey) or lomo a la cerveza (beef sirloin in beer).

La Fábrica
Plaza de Armas
Excellent home-brewed beer in this bar in the Plaza de Armas shopping centre, formerly the Estación de Cordoba. Some good tapas as well try the bacalao a la riojana (cod in red wine) and cazon en adobo (marinated dogfish). Handy for the nearby bus station if you've got a wait; the prices are slightly higher than normal.

Eslava
Eslava 3-5
One of Seville's best and most popular tapas bars, this place just off Plaza San Lorenzo near the <Museo de Bellas Artes> is permanently packed. It does a range of good, inexpensive tapas - try the salmorejo.

Café de la Prensa
Betis 8
Its walls are plastered with pages from old newspapers and the clientele are as happy playing chess or cards as they are talking and drinking. An equally good place to relax with a coffee in the afternoon, or pop in for a late-night copa.

Sol y Sombra
Castilla 151
Cosy bar with friendly atmosphere and bullfighting memorabilia on the walls. Specializes in appropriately meaty tapas including garlic-roasted beef and revueltos (scrambled eggs) with meat. Good wines.

Tetería Chefcahouen
Pureza 22
This cosy Moroccan-style tea house is decorated in soothing tones with lots of floor cushions, rugs and low lighting. If you need a change of scene from bright, noisy, tiled tapas bars, this is the place to come. Recline in comfort with an exotic tea served in a pretty tea glass. Perfect for a good, long chin-wag.

El Faro de Triana
Puente Isabel II
With one of the best views in the city, right on the bridge (known locally as the Puente de Triana), this former lighthouse (faro) has good, cheap tapas and huge glasses of beer and wine. Excellent gambas (prawns) and habas con jamon (ham and broad beans). Try to get a table on the terrace upstairs.

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