Mateo Bar de Tapas ★ 4.8
Multiple James Beard Best Chef Southeast semifinalist Matt Kelly built his name here. Mateo is NC's definitive Spanish tapas restaurant, driven by wood-fire.
Book2-3 weeks ahead
Matt Kelly's salt cod croquetas are the single dish most associated with Mateo Bar de Tapas and the starting point for virtually every visiting food writer's meal. The combination of a properly bechamel-bound bacalao filling, a shattering-thin fried crust and the house aioli created a benchmark for Spanish cooking in the American South that has not been matched elsewhere in the Triangle. Kelly has been a perennial James Beard Best Chef Southeast semifinalist, and the croqueta is the dish most associated with that recognition.
Where to eat it: 1 restaurant across 1 city.
Multiple James Beard Best Chef Southeast semifinalist Matt Kelly built his name here. Mateo is NC's definitive Spanish tapas restaurant, driven by wood-fire.
Book2-3 weeks ahead
Tours, tastings and classes that match this page, bookable on GetYourGuide.

3 hours
Explore the world of Vietnamese coffee culture by making 6 unique brews, including the iconic salt coffee. Learn about from farm to cup with our host...

Day trip · 9 hours
Depart from Palermo on a guided day trip to Erice and Marsala. Stroll through charming courtyards to breathtaking viewpoints and indulge in a...

Guided tour · 3 hours
Discover the rich flavors of Peru in this hands-on cooking class in Lima city. Learn to prepare 2 of Peru’s most requested dishes, Lomo Saltado and...

Guided tour · 2 hours
This Salt Lake City food walking tour takes you into the heart of downtown where you’ll learn about the area, architecture, and history while tasting...
More cities are in research. Want salt cod croquetas covered somewhere specific? Tell us where you want to eat.