Seville, Spain

Eating out in Seville, Spain

The Arab conquest made a lasting impact on the local cuisine, introducing the rice, lemons, oranges, and grapes, as well as many vegetables and spices, that are thought of now as characteristic Spanish staples. Olives have been important in the region since Roman times, and one-third of Europe's supply are grown in Andalusia. Typical menus items are grilled meats, cumin and saffron sauces, and candies made from crushed almonds. Tomatoes and peppers are used in many dishes, and local sherry vinegars are used for dressing salads. In fact, Andalusia is the world's center for sherry wines, the best of which is Jerez. The region's grilled fish, especially sardines and deep-fried calamares, are a major claim to fame, as are the quality ham and pork used in sausages. Tapas, sometimes called pinchos, are small snacks that originated in Andalusia in the 19th century to accompany sherry. There are many choices from cold or hot meats to cheeses, seafood, vegetables and so on, a wide variety served throughout the region. Gazpacho is a typical - yet world-famous - chilled soup made by mixing pounded bread and garlic with tomatoes, cucumber, and peppers. Have some for a true taste of Seville!.

Gourmet

El Burladero is named after the wooden barricade behind which toreadors escape the charge of an angry bull, and the decor follows the theme. It's practically a bullfighting museum, with photos and memorabilia covering every inch of the place. Specialties include upscale versions of local and other Spaniard and European dishes, like baked salt cod with potatoes and saffron sauce, clams with white kidney beans, and truffled fillet steak in a puff pastry. Canalejas, 1.

Highly Recommended

Egaña-Oriza is Seville's most-celebrated restaurant, set in a historic mansion. It specializes in game dishes, a result of the Basque chef-owner's combination of his two passions - hunting and cooking. The seasonal menu also includes Andalusian delicacies like sea bass with sea urchin sauce and steak with foie gras and plum sauce. The Murillo Gardens view includes part of the fortified wall that protected Muslim Seville. San Fernando 41.

Local Flair

Becerrita is a favorite of Sevillanos that's rarely found by tourists. The service is impressively attentive and the quarters are cramped, but in such a charming way that a better word is "cozy." The food is mostly a tasty modern rendition of classic Spanish fare, with a daily fish special. Recaredo 9.

Romantic

Taverna del Alabardero is not only one of Seville's most prestigious restaurants, regularly hosting dignitaries that have included the king and queen of Spain and nearly every diplomat who visits the city, it is also one of its most romantic. Occupying a 19th-century townhouse near the cathedral, it is appointed with a fine collection of European antiques and oil paintings, and the flower garden is a lovely place to start or end the evening over a drink or coffee. The cuisine, of course, is supreme! Calle Zaragoza, 20.

Going party in Seville, Spain

For centuries, Seville's magnetic lure of warmth, rhythm, and sensuality that has captivated everyone from the literati to the glitterati. The descent of the sun is immediately followed by a surge in body heat, as you begin the evening with sherry and tapas, followed by a rousing session of the soul of Andalusia - the gypsy flamenco - and end in the breaking morning hours by trying to learn the intricate steps of La Sevillana. Of course there are more composed activities, though no less stirring, like the opera, classic guitar and song sessions, ballet, and the theater. For a list of current happenings, check the free leaflet El Giraldillo, or look through the many local papers like the Correo de Andalucía and ABC Sevilla. There's even a bilingual cultural hotline you can check by dialing 010.

El Arenal

In the back room of the Mesón Dos de Mayo, flamenco takes center stage every night. You get your own table rather than the more common set up of row seating but more importantly, the ambiance is unmistakably Old Andalusia with music and dancing that convey the ancient mystery of this gypsy art. Drinks are served, not food.

Los Gallas

In this intimate, high-energy Santa Cruz flamenco club, the dances are good and mostly pure of form. Finding the place through the labyrinthine streets is a bit tricky, but adds to the authentic feel once you find it!.

Teatro de la Maestranza

Seville's opera house wasn't built until the 1990s, but its reputation quickly grew and it is now one of the world's premier venues for first-rate performances. The repertoire focuses on Seville-inspired pieces like Verdi's La Forza del Destino and Mozart's The Marriage of Figaro. Jazz, classical music, and even the quintessentially Spanish zarzuelas (operettas) are also on the schedule.

Abades

"Wonderfully decadent, similar to the ambience in a Visconti film," raved one member of the Spanish press. This converted 19th-century mansion in the Barrio de Santa Cruz hails La Belle Epoque, right down to its central courtyard and fountain. Drinks, quiet chats, and classical music define the scene, with famous faces regularly wandering in.

El Rinconcillo

The authentic 1930s decor is actually ultra-modern for this place, since it was founded in 1670 and is believed to be the oldest bar in Seville. Dim lighting, ceiling beams, and marble-topped tables are the setting for a bargain night of crisp beer, a hardy meal, and easy conversation. Your tab is kept in chalk on a wooden counter!.

Modesto

Many regulars call this the best tapas bar in the city. You'll find it at the northern end of Murillo Gardens, opening onto a quiet square with flower boxes and an ornate iron railing. Despite being the best, the prices remain surprisingly low. There's also a very good and reasonably-priced restaurant upstairs.

La Alicantina

Specializing in excellent seafood tapas at amazingly low prices, the owner of this typically Sevillian tasca with glazed tiles serves generous portions. Just north of the cathedral, its tables indoors and out are always packed full with a good-natured, boisterous crowd.

Classical Potpourri

Classical concerts are periodically staged in many venerable buildings throughout the city, including the cathedral of Seville, the church of San Salvador, and the Conservatorio Superior de Música at Jesús del Gran Poder.

Common events in Seville, Spain

Bullfights

Holy week begins the season for this traditional spectacle all over Spain, especially in Madrid and Seville. April.

Semana Santa (Holy Week)

Many small towns stage similar celebrations, but the festivities in Seville are by far the most elaborate. Processions move to the rhythm of the saeta, a love song to the Virgin or Christ, while floats bear their images through the streets. April.

Feria de Sevilla (Seville Fair)

This is a week of revelry throughout the country, with all-night flamenco dancing, festive casetas (entertainment booths), bullfights, horseback riding, flowers, and dancing in the streets. April.

Corpus Christi

A major holiday on the Spanish calendar, especially in cathedral cities like Seville, Toledo, Málaga, and Granada. Big processions are the main event. June.

Grape Harvest Festival, Jerez de la Frontera

Andalusia's major wine festival honors the famous sherry of Jerez, with 5 days of processions, flamenco dancing, bullfights, livestock on parade, and sherry-drinking. October.

All Saints' Day

The whole country celebrates this holy day, but nowhere as fervently as in Seville. By tradition, the dead are lamented by friends and family who place wreaths on their graves. November.

Dia de los Santos Inocentes

This countrywide holiday is also celebrated with more vigor in Seville than in the rest of the country. Amounting to a Spanish April Fool's Day, people play many practical jokes and goof on each other, which is extra fun for people-watching tourists! December.