Food History of Seville

Key eras

1. Tartessian Ispal and Roman Hispalis (8th century BC onward)

   Seville began as the Tartessian settlement of Ispal, whose core dates to the 8th century BC, enriched by contact with Phoenician traders. Phoenicians are credited with the first frying of fish in olive oil. Hispalis became a Hispano-Roman craft and trade hub, in a Guadalquivir region (Baetica) whose olive oil travelled in Dressel 20 amphorae.

2. Al-Andalus (712 to 1248)

   Hispalis fell to Abd al-Aziz in 712 and surrendered to Ferdinand III on 23 November 1248. Arab rule brought sugar cane, rice, oranges, lemons, spinach, aubergines, carrots and saffron to Spain and extended Roman irrigation with new techniques such as the acequia. Spinach, now paired with chickpeas on Seville's Lenten tables, arrived in this period.

3. Castilian Seville and the 1391 revolt (1248 to 1500)

   After 1248 Seville passed to the Crown of Castile. The anti-Jewish revolt of 1391 left the Jewish quarter, the present Santa Cruz, almost empty after murders and forced conversions. Fish dredged in flour before frying, the basis of pescaito frito, is credited to Sephardic cooks of the Middle Ages.

   Taste it todayPescaito Frito

4. The Indies trade (1503 to 1717)

   The Crown founded the Casa de Contratacion in Seville in 1503, and the city held exclusive privileges as the port for the Indies trade; the Casa was transferred to Cadiz in 1717. The tomato reached Europe after the discovery of the New World: the word salmorejo is recorded from the 17th century, and red gazpacho dates from the 19th.

   Taste it todaySalmorejo

5. Taverns and tapas (1670 to 1904)

   The origin of tapas is a matter of legend: Visita Sevilla gives one tale of a drink covered with ham against the wind and another of cold cuts laid over glasses in Seville's private clubs. Counters that still trade date from this period: El Rinconcillo from 1670, in the De Rueda family since 1858, Casa Cuesta from 1880, Confiteria La Campana from 1885 and Bar El Comercio from 1904.

   Taste it todayEl RinconcilloCasa CuestaConfiteria La CampanaBar El Comercio

6. Civil War and autarky (1936 to 1950s)

   The Civil War ran from July 1936 to April 1939. The regime that followed pursued autarky and isolation until the 1950s, and hunger and disease related to the conflict killed more than 200,000 Spaniards between 1940 and 1942.

7. Modern kitchens and Michelin (2004 to today)

   Vineria San Telmo, open since 2004, aims to modernise tapas culture without losing the Andalusian soul, and Espacio Eslava has combined tradition and innovation for more than 30 years. Canabota won a Michelin star at the Michelin Guide Spain and Portugal 2022 event in December 2021; Abantal, under chef Julio Fernandez Quintero, also holds one.

   Taste it todayVineria San TelmoEspacio EslavaAbantal

Immigrant influences

Romani community in Triana

Triana was home to a large Romani population and has a flamenco culture; the tourist board lists T de Triana on Calle Betis as a tavern with flamenco shows.

Taste it todayT de Triana

Sephardic Jewish

Jews lived in the quarter that is now Santa Cruz until the revolt of 1391. Fish dredged in flour before frying is credited to medieval Sephardic cooks, and Visita Sevilla lists spinach with chickpeas among Lenten dishes.

Arab and Andalusi

Arab rule from 712 to 1248 brought sugar cane, rice, citrus, spinach, aubergines, carrots and saffron to Spain, and extended Roman irrigation with new techniques such as the acequia.

Caribbean

Habanita on Calle Golfo serves Caribbean, Mediterranean and vegetarian dishes, and says it has served mojitos since 1998.

Taste it todayHabanita

Signature innovations

• Tapeo, the Sevillian custom of moving from bar to bar for small plates, which Visita Sevilla calls very Sevillian
• Montadito de pringa, a hot roll of stew meats that began as a way to use leftover stew
  Taste it todayMontadito de Pringa
• Pescaito frito, fish dredged in flour only and fried in olive oil, eaten on the Feria's alumbrao night
  Taste it todayPescaito Frito
• Cold tomato soups: gazpacho, the thicker salmorejo, and ajoblanco from bread, almonds and garlic
  Taste it todaySalmorejo
• Cocina de Cuaresma: spinach with chickpeas, cod pavias, torrijas and pestinos
  Taste it todayTorrijas
• Convent sweets, such as the yemas made by the nuns of San Leandro in their obrador