30 casual dining worth the trip across Spain, editor-ranked by TableJourney. All Spain guides.
La Cuchara de San Telmo ★ 4.8 · San Sebastián
parte-vieja · Calle 31 de Agosto 28, 20003 Donostia-San Sebastian
La Cuchara de San Telmo on Calle 31 de Agosto in San Sebastian, open since 1999 by El Bulli and Lasarte-trained chefs, cooks made-to-order modern pintxos with no display, just a blackboard.
Tip: Queue before 13:00 or after 21:00; the bar is four-deep at peak. No reservations.
Ganbara ★ 4.8 · San Sebastián
parte-vieja · San Jeronimo Kalea 21, 20003 Donostia-San Sebastian
Ganbara on San Jeronimo in San Sebastian's Old Town has run the Martinez-Ortuzar family kitchen since 1984, anchored by an autumn mushroom counter and a basement dining room.
Tip: Counter walk-in, basement takes reservations. October to December is peak mushroom season.
Borda Berri ★ 4.7 · San Sebastián
parte-vieja · Fermin Calbeton Kalea 12, 20003 Donostia-San Sebastian
Borda Berri on Fermin Calbeton in San Sebastian cooks hot made-to-order pintxos off a tight blackboard menu, no counter display, the Idiazabal-cheese risotto the consistent table order.
Tip: Walk in only, closed Sundays. Stand outside if the bar is full; orders come out fast.
Bar Txepetxa ★ 4.6 · San Sebastián
parte-vieja · Pescaderia Kalea 5, 20003 Donostia-San Sebastian
Bar Txepetxa on Pescaderia in San Sebastian has cured white anchovies since 1972 by a guarded family recipe, served on toasted baguette with a dozen toppings from spider crab to pepper jardinera.
Tip: Counter standing only. The blackboard lists 12 toppings; shout your order.
Antonio Bar ★ 4.6 · San Sebastián
centro · Bergara Kalea 3, 20005 Donostia-San Sebastian
Antonio Bar on Bergara in San Sebastian's Centro is the locals' tortilla room, with a deep-caramelised 28-egg tortilla and the canonical double-anchovy Donostian gilda.
Tip: Tortilla finishes by 14:30 most days. Counter is small and stand-only.
Goiz Argi ★ 4.5 · San Sebastián
parte-vieja · Fermin Calbeton Kalea 4, 20003 Donostia-San Sebastian
Goiz Argi on Fermin Calbeton in San Sebastian cooks a single perfect prawn brochette to order, griddled with a sweet red pepper sauce on bread, plus a tight list of plancha pintxos.
Tip: Stand only; brochette is fired fresh. Open 10:00 to 16:00 and 18:30 to 23:30.
Can Paixano (La Xampanyeria) ★ 4.4 · Barcelona
barceloneta · Carrer de la Reina Cristina 7, 08003 Barcelona
Can Paixano in Barcelona's Barceloneta has poured pink cava out of bottle-lined tile walls since 1969. Two euro cava, one euro chorizo bocadillo, standing only.
Tip: No reservations, no tables. Bar closes early; arrive before 22:00 to get a corner.
Casa Camacho ★ 4.4 · Madrid
malasana · Calle de San Andres 4, 28004 Madrid
Casa Camacho in Madrid's Malasana has poured the yayo (vermut with gin and seltzer, served from height) since 1928. The 95-year-old taberna runs on cash, formica tables and standing-room only.
Tip: Cash only. Walk-in only. Closed Sundays. The bar is tiny; arrive before 13:30 or after 21:30 to find space.
Casa Amadeo Los Caracoles ★ 4.4 · Madrid
lavapies · Plaza de Cascorro 18, 28005 Madrid
Casa Amadeo Los Caracoles on Plaza Cascorro in Madrid's Lavapies has cooked the caracoles (snails in spicy chorizo broth) for a Sunday rastro crowd since 1942. Three generations still run it.
Tip: Walk-in only Sundays during the rastro market; very busy after 12:00. Closed Mondays. Cash preferred at the bar.
El Pescador ★ 4.4 · Madrid
salamanca · Calle de Jose Ortega y Gasset 75, 28006 Madrid
El Pescador on Calle Jose Ortega y Gasset in Madrid's Salamanca has cooked Galician seafood since 1976, with a live tank of shellfish and the rape (monkfish) and pulpo running the carte.
Tip: Book five days ahead for weekend dinner. The marble counter seats 8; the dining room is wood-panelled and formal.
Casa Gonzalez ★ 4.4 · Madrid
las-letras · Calle del Leon 12, 28014 Madrid
Casa Gonzalez on Calle del Leon in Madrid's Barrio de las Letras is the 1931-founded ultramarinos (deli-and-wine-bar), with 30 by-the-glass wines and tablas of jamon iberico, queso and conservas.
Tip: Walk-in only; the marble tables fill up by 13:30. Closed Sundays. The deli sells the same products to take away.
Bodegas Rosell ★ 4.4 · Madrid
retiro · Calle General Lacy 14, 28045 Madrid
Bodegas Rosell near Atocha in Madrid has poured the vermut de grifo from oak barrels since 1920, with a marble counter, formica tables and bocadillos, boquerones and croquetas for the working-day lunch.
Tip: Walk-in only; the counter fills up at 13:00. Cash strongly preferred at the bar. The terrace is on weekends only.
El Zerain ★ 4.4 · Madrid
las-letras · Calle de la Cruz 21, 28012 Madrid
El Zerain on Calle de la Cruz in Madrid is the Basque sidreria with a coal grill at the back of the room, the chuleton de buey for two, tortilla de bacalao and natural cider poured from height.
Tip: Book five days ahead for weekend dinner. The downstairs dining room is small; the upstairs is the spillover.
Bodega de la Ardosa ★ 4.4 · Madrid
malasana · Calle de Colon 13, 28004 Madrid
Bodega de la Ardosa in Madrid's Malasana has poured the vermut de grifo since 1892 from the 30-foot zinc bar, with salmorejo, tortilla de patatas and the antique mosaic tile floor still original.
Tip: Walk-in only; the back room takes 8 people max. The historic main bar fills up at 13:00; cash preferred.
Atari Gastroteka ★ 4.4 · San Sebastián
parte-vieja · Calle Mayor 18, 20003 Donostia-San Sebastian
Atari Gastroteka on Calle Mayor in San Sebastian, opposite the Santa Maria del Coro church, runs a long bar of experimental pintxos and a church-step standing terrace open until 02:30 at weekends.
Tip: No reservations, walk in only. The terrace is the social hour; pull up at 19:30 to beat the queue.
Bar Sport ★ 4.4 · San Sebastián
parte-vieja · Fermin Calbeton Kalea 10, 20003 Donostia-San Sebastian
Bar Sport on Fermin Calbeton in San Sebastian's Old Town runs a brisk pintxos counter of grilled foie, stuffed squid and braised cheek, with a Txakoli pour and a moving crowd of locals.
Tip: Counter standing only. Open daily until midnight; weekends from 11:00.
Bar Martinez ★ 4.4 · San Sebastián
parte-vieja · Calle 31 de Agosto 13, 20003 Donostia-San Sebastian
Bar Martinez on Calle 31 de Agosto in San Sebastian's Old Town has been a shellfish pintxo bar since 1942, now in its third generation with a long counter and house-made plates.
Tip: Busy from 13:00 and 21:00. No reservations. Weekends and August are extremely crowded.
Paco Meralgo ★ 4.3 · Barcelona
eixample · Carrer de Muntaner 171, 08036 Barcelona
Paco Meralgo in Barcelona's Eixample is the long-marble-bar tapas room locals send out-of-towners to. Cantabrian anchovies and Iberico are the headlines.
Tip: Open daily; book the bar for solo dining, the back room for groups.
Ramen-Ya Hiro ★ 4.3 · Barcelona
sant-antoni · Carrer de Girona 164, 08025 Barcelona
Ramen-Ya Hiro in Barcelona's Eixample is the locals' tonkotsu counter where the pork broth simmers 12 hours and the queue starts forming at 13:30.
Tip: No reservations; queue forms before 13:30 for the lunch turn. Closed Monday all day.
Taberna Matritum ★ 4.3 · Madrid
la-latina · Cava Alta 17, 28005 Madrid
Taberna Matritum on Cava Alta in Madrid's La Latina is the modern taberna by chef Tony Sanjuan, with a focused carte of cocido, tartare and seasonal market plates since 2010.
Tip: Book five days ahead for weekend dinner. The terrace on Cava Alta seats six; the inside dining room is wood-panelled.
Celso y Manolo ★ 4.3 · Madrid
chueca · Calle de la Libertad 1, 28004 Madrid
Celso y Manolo in Madrid's Chueca is the 1928-revived taberna by the Carlos Zamora group, with a vermut barrel, tortilla de patatas and croquetas at counter prices in a marble-tile dining room.
Tip: Walk-in only at the bar; the dining room takes reservations. The terrace on Calle Libertad fills up by 13:00.
Estado Puro ★ 4.3 · Madrid
centro · Plaza Canovas del Castillo 4, 28014 Madrid
Estado Puro on Plaza Canovas in Madrid is the modern-tapas room by Paco Roncero, with a clean white dining room, an open kitchen and a carte that runs the modern Spanish tapas canon.
Tip: Book three days ahead for weekend dinner. The terrace seats 12; the inside dining room is the design-led room.
El Doble ★ 4.3 · Madrid
salamanca · Calle de Ponzano 58, 28003 Madrid
El Doble on Calle Ponzano in Madrid is the cana doble (double-pour beer in tall glasses) headline counter, with sharp Mahou and short-cellar wines. Boquerones, tortilla and croquetas under 5 euros.
Tip: Walk-in only. Standing room at the bar. Cash strongly preferred. The terrace is on weekends only.
La Castela ★ 4.3 · Madrid
retiro · Calle de Doctor Castelo 22, 28009 Madrid
La Castela near El Retiro in Madrid is the family-run taberna behind a zinc bar, with croquetas de bacalao, pisto manchego and the daily-changing pizarra of seasonal plates since 1981.
Tip: Book two days ahead for weekday lunch. The bar serves the same pizarra menu standing for half the dining room price.
Bar Astelena ★ 4.3 · San Sebastián
parte-vieja · Calle Inigo 1, 20003 Donostia-San Sebastian
Bar Astelena on Calle Inigo in San Sebastian's Old Town, in business since 1960, runs a tight counter of pintxos plus a small dining room behind for sit-down lunches off a daily blackboard.
Tip: Smaller crowd than the Calle 31 de Agosto rooms; lunch sit-down requires booking by phone.
Topa Sukalderia ★ 4.3 · San Sebastián
gros · Calle Aguirre Miramon 7, 20002 Donostia-San Sebastian
Topa Sukalderia in San Sebastian's Gros is the IXO Grupo (Andoni Luis Aduriz) Basque-Latin American room since 2017, with tacos, ceviches and pisco cocktails alongside Basque grill plates.
Tip: Walk in at the bar or book a table through topasukalderia.com. The kitchen runs continuously from 13:00.
Hidalgo 56 ★ 4.3 · San Sebastián
gros · Paseo Colon 15, 20002 Donostia-San Sebastian
Hidalgo 56 on Paseo Colon in San Sebastian's Gros runs a busy locals' counter with a daily blackboard of pintxos and the callos y morros that the morning crowd order with cana.
Tip: Across from Zurriola beach; the morning crowd is local. Walk in only.
Euskal Etxea ★ 4.2 · Barcelona
born · Plaçeta de Montcada 1, 08003 Barcelona
Euskal Etxea in Barcelona's Born is the cultural-centre pintxos bar where the Basque counter runs from 19:00 with cider, txakoli and tortilla toothpicks.
Tip: Bar opens 19:00. Closed Sunday-Monday. Pay at the end by toothpick count.
Tapeo ★ 4.2 · Barcelona
born · Carrer de Montcada 29, 08003 Barcelona
Tapeo in Barcelona's Born is the smaller-room counter on Montcada with a sister to El Xampanyet's vibe and a chalkboard list of daily Catalan plates.
Tip: Walk-in for the bar; reserve the back table the night before.
Cera 23 ★ 4.2 · Barcelona
raval · Carrer de la Cera 23, 08001 Barcelona
Cera 23 in Barcelona's Raval is the locals' modern-Catalan room: the volcano black rice arrives at the table flaming, the tuna tartare is the back-up order.
Tip: Closed Sunday; the early sitting at 20:00 walks in easier than 22:00.