Almería is your destination and you’re in for a treat: with the best tapas, it was selected as the Spanish capital of Gastronomy for 2019.
Where exactly are you going to find the best tapas in Almería? Here is a tour of nine spots to roll up your sleeves and grab a napkin.
Casa Puga
First on our list: Casa Puga, and we assure you, it couldn’t be more personable. You might be wondering why their website stops frozen in time at 2015, but that’s how strong the memory is of the family who handed down the business from 1870 to 2015, when Casa Puga was sold to new owners. Not to worry, the tradition of this best-loved bar continues strong, famous all the way to China and Hollywood—check out the certificates and the photos that prove it.
Restaurante Casco Antiguo
Second on our list is Restaurante Casco Antiguo (and it’s first on Huffington Post's list of top tapas bars in Almería). For seafood or land food, they focus on rice and bring out the unmistakable flavors of the Mediterranean. These folks are right at home where they are, and put their hearts and hands into it, contributing through cooking to a fundraiser to build the future hospital for mothers with infants in Torrecárdenas.
De Tal Palo
De Tal Palo is third, just a few feet down from the first two. You can’t talk about food in Almeria without this name coming up. Spanish for “Like Father (like son)”, “De Tal Palo (tal astilla)”, we taste hints of Italian in the family just looking at the menu. With a better website than most of its competitors, this younger establishment is consistently at the top, competing well with the town's time-honored classics. Also rated highly by Huffington Post, De Tal Palo works to benefit local causes too, just like Caso Antiguo.
La Consentida
Now that you’ve visited three tapas bars, you’re not starving anymore, so take a stroll to digest and prepare for the warm welcome from around the grill at La Consentida. You’ll get all smiles. Hey, enjoying the experience is what going out for tapas is all about. Check La Consentida out on YouTube, featured in the documentary "Almeria se va de tapas” (“Almeria goes out for tapas"). You'll heartily consent to their passion for food (and we love that the names on the menu honor women).
Restaurante Añorga
Make sure to pass by the Cathedral on your way back around to Restaurante Añorga, then relax on the stunningly spacious terrace under the portico and enjoy a cool breeze. You might just smell the wafting aroma of roast chicken. Añorga is featured in the Michelin guide. Yes, the very same one that give stars to the best restaurants in the world, but with totally affordable prices. Expect to see locals, which is a telltale sign that it’s good.
Casa Añorga is located next to AIRE Ancient Baths Almería and also our hotel. You shouldn´t live the city before enjoying the AIRE experience.
Taberna Nuestra Tierra
Up next, Taberna Nuestra Tierra. This all-Almerian bar is gourmet. You couldn’t get a much better definition of delectable authenticity than by tasting their award-winning fare. The vast majority of the menu is sourced totally from Almeria, hence the name: with local flavors, local feel and high quality, Nuestra Tierra (“Our Land”) is truly meant to be savored.
Bodega Las Botas
Just a few streets over, step into Bodega Las Botas and Spain as you would imagine it from the old movies: an elegant air, ham all around, bullfighting décor… But most importantly, here are the Spanish flavors you know and love. Take it at the rhythm of the summertime: relax and rehydrate in the oh-so-appreciated AC. Fun fact: Las Botas was recently awarded a local culinary prize which was delivered by Pedro Sanchez himself, the current president of Spain.
El Quinto Toro
The name El Quinto Toro is a reference to the second-to-last bull in a bull fight and this is our second to last stop on this tour, but it’s an absolute must. Featured in national press, El Quinto Toro is about lifelong traditions. It is an Almería classic founded in 1947 that has been passed through multiple generations of the family. It remains highly rated even with the newer generations, who give it 4.8 of 5 on Facebook. With a wine cellar boasting 50 varieties, you'll come back for more. Ask the owners for recommendations by name: Curro, Manolo and José Luis.
Casa Sevilla
Last, but not least, we stop short of the grand Calle Belén to tuck in at Casa Sevilla. Founded in 1958, its style is actually quite modern. This elegant establishment might cost you one of your shinier pennies, but its good reputation assures you it’s worth it. Serving catch directly from the sea, its lengthy menu and bigger cellar are impressive, along with those beautiful arching ceilings. Seek out your own corner among the large number of cozy spaces in this intimate restaurant.
