10 Best Restaurants in Centro, Andalusia

Located southeast of Granada's cathedral, this modern hot spot is a world apart from Granada's usual traditional tapas bar. It attracts an eclectic crowd of students, families, and businesspeople with a diverse international menu, including Mexican fajitas, poke bowls, and Thai cod. The good-value lunch menu offers three courses plus a drink for €14. Seating is outside on the pleasant sidewalk overlooking the Botanical Garden or inside in two sizeable dining areas.

Also known simply as Casa de Vinos (Wine House), this place, up a pedestrian street just behind Plaza Nueva, is a must for Spanish wine lovers. The cozy interior is reminiscent of a ship's cabin, with wood paneling lining the walls along with more than 150 bottles of Spanish wines. A different wine is featured each week, and vermouth and sherries are on tap in barrels behind the counter. Choose from tapas (€3.50–€6.50) or cold meats, cheeses, and pâtés, served on 11 different types and sizes of boards (€10–€25). The house board includes three cold meats, goat cheese, and two pâtés.

This lively bar (with a sister branch on Plaza Nueva) is a big favorite with locals and draws crowds whatever the time of year. Specialties include fried fish and seafood—try the surtido de pescado (assortment of fried fish) to sample the best—as well as sesos (fried lambs' brains). No reservations are taken and seating is inside or outside with views of the Plaza de Bib-Rambla, so arrive early (1:30 pm or 8 pm) to be sure of some bar space or a tall table outside. Even when it's crowded, the service comes with a smile.

A block from the cathedral across Gran Vía, this is a delightfully typical Granada bodega with low ceilings and dark wood furniture. In addition to the wines, specialties here are plates of cheese, pâté, and embutidos (cold meats). You can also order a bandeja tradicional that comes with a taste of all traditional Spanish tapas. If you like garlic, don't miss the Spanish tortilla with creamy aioli.

Around the corner from the cathedral, this is one of Granada's longest-established fish restaurants. Catch-of-the-day fish and shellfish, fresh from the boats at Motril, are displayed in the window at the front of the tapas bar, adjacent to the cozy wood-paneled dining room. Fish both frito (fried) and parrillado (grilled) are good choices, and this is the only place in Granada serving angulas (glass eels). If it's chilly, you can warm up with caldereta de arroz, pescado y marisco (rice, fish, and seafood stew). There are tables outdoors overlooking a busy plaza.

Just off Calle Puentezuelas, this authentic patio complete with original pillars provides a cozy vibe. Specials include the house cod (with prawns and clams) and Galician-style octopus, best enjoyed with a cerdito (a "little pig" ceramic jug of sweet white wine, so named for its snout pourer). The weekday menú del día (€10) is an excellent value with giant portions. This is a busy venue, especially on weekends, and reservations aren't accepted, so arrive early (1:30 pm for lunch or 8 pm for dinner) to snag a table. You can also put your name on the list and order a tapa at the bar while you wait.

The interior may look a bit bare, but whatever this fish restaurant lacks in warmth it makes up for with the food. It serves simple but high-quality dishes like grilled mullet, dorado baked in salt, prawns with garlic, and monkfish in saffron sauce. The tapas bar, which is more popular with locals than the dining room, offers classic dishes (from €1.50) like migas (fried bread crumbs), beans with jamón serrano (dry-cured Spanish ham), and tortilla del Sacromonte (tortilla with lamb testicles and brains, as traditionally prepared by the Sacromonte Gypsies). Service is friendly.

The Moroccan tapas at this small and bustling venue make a pleasant change from the traditional local fare. Tagine, couscous, and kefta are all menu staples. You’ll find a selection of Middle Eastern dishes as well, also available in vegetarian versions. Choose your complimentary tapa with your first drink and then go for more tapas (from €2) or sharing plates. The plato de degustación (selection of tapas) gives a good overview of the house best.

Sweet and savory treats come into their own at this family-owned business in the city center. Top of the specialty list are piononos (sponge bites filled with caramel and custard) and pastela (Moroccan chicken pie). Eat in with a drink at the bar or in the small cafeteria space, or take out to feast on in one of the nearby squares.

Underneath the arches just off Puerta Real, this modern bar and restaurant has a reputation for being one of Granada's most chic venues. It's known for fresh seafood, including oysters and red shrimp, though generous portions of chargrilled steaks, steak tartare, and fresh foie gras are a hit with carnivores. The cocktail list is extensive, and G&T lovers delight in the choice of 33 gins.