The best bars in Spain: the final ranking
The best cocktail bars · The best specialty bars · The best live music venues · The best bars to eat · The best wine bars · The most photogenic bars
When you have to decide what to study in your life and choose Journalism, you do it so that one day you can publish things like this: the list of the 50 best bars in Spain (to this day, as a good friend would say). This is real journalism, yes sir. In an exercise of tremendous personal and mental effort, the writing of Esquire has selected with care and affection, and from the most subjective point of view possible, the 50 best bars in our geography from among the more than 250,000 restaurants that exist in our country according to official data. With these figures, you will understand that it has not been an easy task.
Among the great sacrifices we have had to make are, for example, trying the best bravas in Spain, reviewing how the most authentic salmorejo is made, having a cocktail overlooking the dunes of Maspalomas and the port of Mahón, attending to a good jazz concert, eat the best torreznos in the world, discover where the name of Toledo's most authentic dish (carcamusa) comes from, attend a 'religious experience', suffer to choose the best photo that can be taken in a beach bar with views of Morocco, and have a few wines around the country to verify if what they had told us is true. If our GP reads these sentences, we apologize in advance.
So choosing the best bars in Spain has been a challenge, but it's all for our readers. Bookmark this page (or cut out the ones you can find in the magazine in your kiosk) and go studying for these upcoming summer months, because you have a job and the goal should be to visit them all before the next pandemic. And, furthermore, this list with the 50 best bars in Spain will serve you to throw the ratatouille with your friends or with your brother-in-law, who is cooler. Do you know which is the oldest tavern in Spain? Where can you try the best croquettes in Seville or the best potato omelette in Madrid? What bar helped create the tradition and trend of the pintxo in San Sebastián? In which café in Pamplona did Ernest Hemingway start writing some of his most famous works? Where is the best wine bar in Spain according to specialists?
We do, we know all this and much more. And now you too.
The best cocktail bars in Spain
Places where cocktails occupy a privileged place. Drinks that, contrary to what Estopa said, are not bitter. Whether shaken, stirred, mixed, or all at once, these are the temples of the most tasteful glasses.
BOADS. Barcelona
The cocktail bar with the most history in Barcelona has been witnessing the heartbeat of Las Ramblas since 1933. A small and cozy bar lined with wood where time stands still while you drink the present in cocktails made with care and wisdom. And if their preparations are delicious, their service is exquisite. To drink at ease, in every way.Carrer dels Tallers, 1. www.boadascocktails.com
SIDARTA. Lion
Neither blood sausage nor cecina (which also). You have to go to León to try the cocktails of this charming place located in the emblematic and lively Barrio Húmedo. You tell them what you like and put yourself in their hands. You will not fail. And now that we have almost forgotten to stay up all night, it is also perfect for vermouth time. Calle Cascaleria, 3.www.gastrolateria-sidarta.negocio.site
RESIDENCE CAFÉ. Bilbao
Very close to the Guggenheim Museum is this small cocktail bar run by Manu Iturregi, a bartender who has almost as many awards in his showcase as whiskeys in his house: more than 200 labels await lovers of this distillate at an altar. And, furthermore, the same taste that he has for concoctions he has for music, including unplugged concerts. Barraincúa Kalea, 1. www.residencecafe.com
THE ONE-EYED FUNKY CASTIZO. Madrid
Although you can dine there, and you will dine well (very well), what really makes the difference are the cocktails: original, delicious and at a more than reasonable price. The place has a lot of vibes and the drinks are served to you in glasses and cups customized by their artist and tattoo artist friends. And be careful with taking them, we know each other. Calle de la Cabeza, 28. @latuertafunkycastizo
SAVAS. Madrid
In one of the most traditional streets (Sombrerería) of one of the most traditional neighborhoods of Madrid (Lavapiés), a Lithuanian couple, Gintas and Dovi, have created a place of pilgrimage, almost literally, for lovers of cocktails It is no coincidence: Gintas worked at Sudestada and Dovi as well, as well as at PuntoMX, reference sites in the liquid part. How not to drop by here. Calle de la Sombrerería, 3. @savasbarmad
SPEAKEASY "THE PHARMACY". Malaga
Local named the Best New Cocktail Bar in Spain three years ago thanks to the work and grace of bartender Elías Bentolila, who had already accumulated successes with his other business in Fuengirola. This is located in the heart of Malaga and has a wonderful setting in which to enjoy timeless classics or some of its creator's 'ida de olla'. Calle García Briz, 3. @speakeasythepharmacy
ATELIER COCKTAIL BAR. Maspalomas (Gran Canaria)
On the eighth floor of the Bohemia Suites&Spa hotel, with views of the Atlantic and the Maspalomas dunes. Do you know of a place with more flow to have a cocktail? Its drinks menu, created by Raimondo Palomba, is fantastic because it is extensive, illustrative and encyclopedic. Artisanal creation and a lot of local products.Av. United States, 28, 35100 San Bartolomé de Tirajana, Las Palmas. www.ateliercocktailbar.com
LEMON. Es Castell (Menorca)
Next (but right next to it, come on) from Mahón is this cocktail bar that is characterized by its unconditional love for the classics of a lifetime, those that always work and never disappoint: Negroni, Old Fashioned, Dry Martini... The mastery of Juan José Marcos combines with a total experience: Cocktail Kingdom glassware and utensils, exquisite service and a charming terrace with views of the port. Carrer Moll de Cales Fonts, 12. @lemon_barcalesfonts
The best bars in Spain... specialists in something
Behind which bar are hidden the tastiest croquettes? And the best shot beers? Where to eat that potato omelette that makes you cry? Those are the best at what they do, the masters at something.
TOMÁS DE SARRÍÁ. Barcelona
This old-fashioned tavern (the kind with napkins and olive pits on the floor) offers a certain variety of tapas, but here you come for what you come for: to eat patatas bravas. Because? Because they are, for many, the best in Barcelona (they have even made a book for them). Without frills or avant-garde: lifelong bravas with that little itch that makes the reeds come in alone. Zero posturing, lots of kicking. Carrer Major de Sarrià, 49. www.eltomasdesarria.com
THE JAM.
In January 2020, when we were still happy, this restaurant by chef Antonio Arrabal won the Bocadillos de Autor de Madrid Fusión contest with its Jambocata, with Saint Honoré Perlage bread, Friesian cow roast beef, rocket salad, mint and basil, smoked mayonnaise, piparra vinaigrette and Parmesan sauce. In your letter you can try it in a cover version, but if you order three, together a Jambocata.Plaza de la Libertad, 4. www.lajamada.es
BODEGÓN OS CONCHEIROS. Santiago de Compostela
If more than four decades of family tradition contemplate it, it will be for a reason... Well, that 'something' is one of the best octopus á feira that you can gobble up in Galicia, and that is saying a lot. In all fairness, it may not be the prettiest place in the world, but octopus isn't exactly the Paul Newman of gastronomy either. You won't rock your Instagram, but your taste buds will. Rua de Berlin, 3.www.pulperiaosconcheiros.com
RICHARD HOUSE. Seville
A place that 'homages' the horror vacui with its walls full of paintings of virgins and with the charm of the bars/restaurants of a lifetime, where you know you are right yes or yes. His specialty: croquettes, the best in Seville, with a secret family recipe. They are made of ham, nothing ridiculously modern, although during Lent they only serve cod. A heavenly bite (sorry). Calle Hernán Cortés, 2. www.casaricardosevilla.com
ENGLISH ROOM AT CASA PALACIO MARÍA LUISA HOTEL. Jerez de la Frontera, Cádiz
This five-star Grand Luxury hotel, flagship in the Cadiz town, has a wide variety of wonderfully decorated spaces. In one of them, the English Hall (which, as its name suggests, pays tribute to English clubs), you can try the best brandies and spirits from the different wineries in the city. And talking about brandy and Jerez are big words, so imagine. To feel like Phileas Fogg at the Reform Club. Calle Tornería, 22. www.casapalaciomarialuisa.com
SILVERBOYS SOCIETY. Cordoba
Choose the best Cordoba salmorejo in Córdoba... world wars have started for less. There is almost absolute consensus that here you can try the purest and most academic in the city. It is no coincidence that the Cordobés Salmorejo Gastronomic Brotherhood was born in this place. The recipe? 1 kg of ripe tomatoes, 200 g of telera bread, 100 g of EVOO, 1 clove of garlic and salt to taste. Calle María Auxiliadora, 25. www.restaurantecordoba.com
DOCK. Alicante
The best rice dishes in Alicante. What else do you want? Well, they have more: privileged views of the city's port and a history that began in 1961 as a Nautical Restaurant and where the term 'arrocería' was coined for the first time in Spain to highlight its experience in these battles. And they even organize workshops to teach you some tricks. Marina Deportiva, Muelle Levante, 6. www.darsena.com
CIERZO BREWING CO. Zaragoza
If Homer Simpson were handy, this would be his second home. Or surely the first. Nothing more and nothing less than 55 home-brewed craft beers can be tasted in this bar with a hipster air and barely three years of life, where you have to be very bad not to finally find the blonde of your dreams. Or toasted, or black... Calle Josefa Amar y Borbón, 8. www.cierzobrewing.com
DANI HOUSE. Madrid
Note that these are big words: the best potato omelette in Spain is eaten here. And point in the mouth. A skewer of this very juicy tortilla with little curd is an orgasm that makes you laugh at Real Madrid's tenth European Cup. Manchego sour potato, sunflower oil and onion. Yes, onion. Crazy. Calle de Ayala, 28. www.casadani.es
ANGEL BAR. Logroño
It owes its fame to three grilled mushrooms mounted on a slice of bread, topped with a shrimp and bathed in a garlic sauce whose recipe is more secret (and more delicious) than that of Coca-Cola. And so for 50 years. You haven't been to Logroño if you haven't been to Bar Ángel. Calle del Laurel, 12. @barangelchampi
The best bars in Spain... to enjoy music
One of the categories that has cost us the most 'thanks' to the happy virus that has made guitars dwindle in bars. But we have found some where music is an essential part of the experience.
RIVER CAFÉ. Girona
A must stop for fans of Bruce Springsteen, authentic inspiration (together with the North American Indians) of this place that also delights beer lovers with an interesting menu of barley juices. People come here to watch football (they're very culés, Messi is their other boss) and, above all, to listen to good music: there are live concerts every Thursday. Note: seven years ago Mark Zuckerberg had a coffee on his terrace and (we presume) "liked" him on Facebook. Carrer de la Barca, 2. www.rivercafegirona.com
THE GIRL FROM YESTERDAY. Salamanca
If eighties and nineties music is your thing, you'll be right at home here. Good drinks at reasonable prices await you while you listen to the soundtrack of your youth or a new band playing live. But we warn you that you will surely feel older surrounded by clicks from Playmobil, Heidi or Mortadelo. At the third glass, the same thing you drop a tear. Of course, here you can continue saying 'cubata'... because it is no longer used, right? Gran Vía, 93. www.lachicadeayersalamanca.es
JAZZ FILLOA. La Coruña
Mythical A Coruña temple of live music that has been paying homage to jazz since 1980. The place is very cozy, but what makes the difference are some great concerts that make this place the pride of music lovers in the city, which are many. There are few places left as authentic and with as much charm as this one.Rúa Orzán, 31. www.jazzfilloa.com
THE NAUTICAL. O Grove (Pontevedra)
Surely, the most mythical live music bar in Galicia and we could say that in Spain. With impressive views of the beach, they often announce concerts without revealing who is playing. So the same thing you find a new band on stage, that you discover yourself watching Leiva, Iván Ferreiro, Vetusta Morla or Kiko Veneno. Or to all those who have met by chance there improvising a fat one. It is that kind of place where magic happens. Playa de la Barrosa s/n. www.elnautico.org
HADDOCK BAR. Santander
A classic of Santander nightlife for its drinks, its pleasant terrace and its concerts on Friday nights. One of those bars that you discover one night and it ends up being your favorite because it has everything: a good atmosphere, good music and good people behind the bar. And, apparently, a spectacular chocolate cake that we have not yet had the pleasure of tasting.Calle Valliciergo, 6. @barhaddock
GASTRONO LINK EL CENTRU. Vila-Seca (Tarragona)
A place to listen to interesting jazz, blues or rock concerts that you can pair with a drink or a delicious beer from the many they have on their menu. If the weather allows it, the stage moves to its terrace (very charming) on weekend nights and some Sundays at aperitif time. A good place to go with friends, even if some of you already have churumbeles. Carrer del Comte de Sicart, 2. www.gastronoteca.cat
The best bars in Spain... to eat
The broadest category of this selection for obvious reasons: when it comes to eating, in Spain we are a Champions League team. Who said bars were made for drinking? (that also). Leaning on these, the gastronomic experience is sublime.
THE QUIM OF THE BOQUERIA. Barcelona
This bar, located in the most famous market in Barcelona, has become a place of worship for lovers of noise and good food for years. Signature dishes made right under your nose, with in-depth knowledge of the product and constantly evolving techniques: it's amazing how well you can eat on a stool. La Boqueria Market, La Rambla, 91. @elquimdelaboqueria
THE BOYS. Valladolid
This place is constantly bustling, so if you are looking for a quiet place, pass by, but if you want to try some very interesting Castilian food, make your way to the bar. Hilarious tapas await you there from these lovers of trompe l'oeil. Ask for a drink and a cigar or a Tigretostón (like the traditional Tigretón, wrapper included) and then tell us. Calle Pasión, 13. www.loszagales.com
THE DOVE. Oviedo
You will not find a place with more tradition to have an aperitif. The most typical is their vermouth and their gabardine prawns, which are not good for the bikini operation but they are for everything else. Once you get down to business, you can continue with the delicious Russian salad until you reach the cachopo. Total, for that matter... Calle de la Independencia, 3. @lapalomaoviedo
THE SPIKE. San Sebastian
It was founded in 1928 by grandmother Luisa, one of the precursors of the pintxo culture in San Sebastián. Now, modernized but with total respect for tradition, it is a meeting place for those from San Sebastian who know how to eat best. To look at its bar is to set foot in paradise: snout in sauce, ropavieja tuna, txorreras, veal brains, stuffed peppers... It has a small terrace in case the rain lets up. But here you go to eat, not sunbathe. San Martzial Kalea, 48. www.laespigabar.com
THREE. Madrid
We met him a few years ago, attracted by the aroma of his torreznos, and we became parishioners of Saúl Sanz, one of the hands that best cooks in this country. At their bar they have a large part of the restaurant's menu, but if you want to go for a shot, apart from the obligatory torreznos, the beef snout and pig's trotter stew with crispy suckling pig's ear is a good summary of their talent. And if you like hunting, what comes out of those stoves is a scandal in season. And watch out for the winery. Vinazos. Calle del Gral. Pardiñas, 34. www.trezerestaurante.com
OUR BAR.
Authentic Manchego cuisine in an authentic Manchego restaurant, enough not to stop to eat here. Since 1967, this place has been the watchword of regional gastronomy, based on great products and traditional recipes, as well as impeccable service. A must and essential visit if you go to Albacete and with illustrious celebrities among its visitors of recent times who have left their signature in the book of honor of the restaurant. Calle Alcalde Conangla, 102. www.nuestrobar.es
LUDEÑA. Toledo
If Federico Martín Bahamontes, the Eagle of Toledo, ate his rations there, there must be a reason. It is difficult to choose one among all the good gastronomy of the imperial city, but this one has something very special: its specialty is carcamusas, a stew of lean pork with seasonal vegetables typical of the province and which they embroider here. Because, apparently, it was in the Bar Ludeña where this dish was given its name when, in the mid-20th century, the elders of the area ('carcas') and young women ('muses') gathered in this place.Plaza Magdalena, 10. Facebook of the bar Ludeña
OLD TAVERN OF THE BROOMS. Seville
They say that this place is the oldest tavern in Spain and they place its birth in 1386!, when the then owner, who sold brooms, also began to dispense wine: thus the concept of tavern was born. Illustrious people from all these centuries have passed through there and even Fernando de los Ríos dedicated a romance to it (which you can read on his website). Its menu is traditional, forceful, very Andalusian and extensive, as it should be if you are in this category. Calle Álvarez Quintero, 62. www.lasescobas.com
THE TROPICAL. Los Alcazares (Murcia)
A classic of good eating that you have to fall into one day even if you don't want to. Mediterranean products, from the Mar Menor, and the best place in the area to eat a very fresh gallopedro (or San Pedro, depending on who says so, but it is the same). It has a fall-back cellar, where you'll spend more time choosing than on Netflix. In addition, it is also a traditional bar recovered by the third generation and you know that they will treat you as if you were part of the family. Calle Sta. Teresa, 66. www.restaurantelatropical.es
TRINITY. Caceres
One of those curious places where, in addition, the food is really good. Themed around religion, the waiter is a 'priest', heavenly music plays while you're at the table and religious imagery is everywhere. In the gastronomic part, here there are only hosts, but the good ones: tapas and dishes ideal for sharing, with modern winks and essential products from the land, which if you are from Extremadura you already know are honors.Calle Pizarro, 21. @trinidadtapas
The best bars in Spain... for wine lovers
If you have to eat, you eat and also well. But this is where the great connoisseurs of this country will drink alive... and those who want to be one day.
TO CURVE. Sanxenxo (Pontevedra)
The best thing you can do when setting foot inside this cathedral of Galician wine is to let yourself be advised. They are true fans of the subject and you will be able to try labels that you did not know existed. And don't worry, we know that it's ugly to drink without eating, and here the second thing you can also do with a level: some scallops here, some Padrón peppers there, let's see how that pulpit is... And, on top of that, with prices Made in Galicia. It has it all.Rua Rafael Pico, 56
MALAUVA WINE BAR.
In front of this small place in the old town is a couple who are passionate about good food and good drinks. She, Marina, will bring the delicacies of the area out of the kitchen and he, Josiño, will advise you with which wine to pair each one so that the experience is round. And it will be right. It is amazing to see how such a large winery can fit in such a small space. Data to give you the ratatouille when you're elbows at the bar with your brother-in-law: Josiño started out as a sommelier... of tea, and in Great Britain. And in 2016 he won the Magnum Award for the best sommelier in Galicia. Baixada Fonte, 12. @malauvavigo
THE RIAS BAJAS. Gijon
This family business, opened in 1985, is actually a cider house – they call it 'chigre' in those parts, it will sound familiar to you – that began to specialize in wines more than a decade ago and now hides in its cellar a few bottles of whoops So much so that for the most connoisseurs it is the most cult wine place in northern Spain. And that is a lot to say. One of their strong and most appetizing points is that they serve authentic and extremely expensive wine gems by the glass. But that's not all: they also have good cheeses, good octopus and excellent meat. Calle Poeta Alfonso Camín, 10.
ATARI. San Sebastian
Although it is true that it does not have the widest list of references in Spain, it is the place to go if you want to have a wine in the old part of Donosti. For many reasons: because they are going to serve you with love, because the atmosphere is wonderful and because you will be able to accompany it with real culinary delicacies. If the act itself is important to you, beyond finding a label from the 84 vintage of that German wine that not even Perry knows, this is your place, don't hesitate.Calle Mayor, 18. www.atarigastroleku .com
WINE FANDANGO. Logroño
In this city the world of wine is lived with passion, and in this particular bar with devotion. Not only does it have a letter with a hundred possibilities, many of them by the glass. In addition, they even dare with fun cocktails that make the most purists' hair stand on end, they do regular tastings with local winemakers and they have a tasting menu, called Wine Flight, so that you can compare three by three certain wines that have something in common. common. La gloria. Calle Gral. Vara de Rey, 5. www.winefandango.com
THE FISNA. Madrid
Under a more avant-garde concept, in a boutique style (they also have a store), this place is already one of the most recognized in Madrid to discover curious things, from small producers, rarities and a lot of international label. Here you come to let yourself go and play a little. You're going to have fun. More than fifty wines by the glass that are accompanied by a short menu but with very rich elaborations.Calle del Amparo, 91. @lafisna.vinoycata
LA TANA TAVERN. Grenada
For many, the best wine bar... in Spain, mind you. In fact, it has just been named in this way by the International Wine Challenge. And because? Because here wine is religion, culture and heritage. In an Andalusian tavern environment, the bottles and glasses take up as much space as possible so that it is clear to you what the pod is about: that people come here to drink, and accompany it with food, not the other way around. Wines from all over Spain, of all kinds, more than 600 references. Amazing, really.Placeta del Agua, 3. www.tabernalatana.com
The most photogenic bars in Spain
Positions to pose, in these bars like nowhere else. Charming places that will make your Instagram profile smoke, while you enjoy these bars with history.
IRUÑA COFFEE. Bilbao
It has been located in front of the Albia gardens since 1903, and the Mudejar inspiration of any of its corners is likely to give you a good number of likes. It was declared a Singular Monument more than 30 years ago and, in the year 2000, the prestigious Café Crème. Guide to the Cafés of Europe named it the best coffee in Spain. And it doesn't surprise us, really.Colón de Larreátegui Kalea, 13. www.cafeirunabilbao.net
WONDER FACTORY. Madrid
No photo of well-drawed beer will look better on you than here. Authentic specialists in the field, they make their own artisan beer in the very heart of the Malasaña neighborhood. You will be able to try a good number of different varieties and, yes, remember to take the photo at the beginning or we are very afraid that it will come out blurry.Calle de Valverde, 29. www.fmaravillas.com
COMMERCIAL COFFEE. Madrid
More than 130 years of life and a comprehensive reform four years ago that respected its traditional essence with modern touches make this place one of the favorite and friendliest places to photograph its menu, which covers the whole day. Its armchairs and mirrors, its lamps, its tables, its bar... Everything here smells of vintage with great taste, just what you need to rock it on social networks.Glorieta de Bilbao, 7. www.cafecomercialmadrid.com
THE BLACKBIRD. Tarifa (Cádiz)
Before getting here you will have had the opportunity to take some good photos, because the dune landscape is incredible. But reserve your battery, because once you sit on your terrace, on top of a small hill in Punta Paloma, you will have fabulous views of the Strait of Gibraltar. It is true that furniture or interior design are not your forte, but so what? When it's time to eat, don't hesitate: fish, always fresh.Punta Paloma s/n. www.elmirlo.es
BAR LARENA. Cartaya (Huelva)
If the photos with the sea in the background are already the bomb, taking them on the beach while you try to focus well on the water next to the dish that you are going to eat or the cold beer that they have served you is a professional in posturing. In this place, between El Rompido and Punta Umbría, you will find a very pleasant treatment and a menu where, if you allow us the recommendation, you have to pay attention to the tomato and any of its tuna preparations.Carretera del Rompido Punta Umbría, Km. 3. @chiringuito_larena
COFFEE OF THE HOURS. Valencia
Its picturesque neo-baroque decoration is reminiscent of an old Parisian café from the early 20th century. For more than 25 years it has been an eclectic place: you can have a cocktail as well as gobble up a cheesecake, discover the water of Valencia, drink some beers or savor a glass of good wine. And you can find yourself in the middle of a literary debate as well as in a painting auction or playing Scrabble in English. To kick it in the stories. Carrer del Comte d'Almodóvar, 1. @cafedelashoras
TASCA THE MUSSEL. Benicàssim (Castellón)
It opened in Castellón de la Plana in the tavern area in 1972 and after four decades it moved to the center of Benicàssim. It has a terrace and an interior where you can breathe an atmosphere that gives a very good vibe and its modern decoration is ideal to serve as a background for your snapshots. Here you come to try the zurra, which is a sweet drink made from grape juice, white wine, lemon juice and cinnamon (although its wine list is equally appetizing). To fill the stomach, its famous tapas. Carrer Bayer, 2. www.tascaelmejillon.com
COAST BAR. Santa Gertrudis de Fruitera (Ibiza)
A cattle dealer from the island bought this place in 1963 and it soon became a meeting place for hippies, who traded their crafts there. Today it is a place of worship to enjoy the more than 80 canvases by well-known artists on display on its walls and to eat the most famous ham sandwiches in the entire Mediterranean.Plaça de l'Església, s/n. @barcosta_s.gertrudis
IRUÑA COFFEE. Pamplona
Another Café Iruña closes this list, this time in Pamplona. Founded in 1888, it was the first establishment in the city with electric light and at its tables Hemingway (who still has his little corner to this day) began to write books such as Fiesta, The Old Man and the Sea or For Whom the Bell Tolls. Put on a black and white filter and freak out photographing its large mirrors, the Thonet chairs or the large wooden bar, while you have a joke from Lecumberri and some Nobel prize gildas. Pl. del Castillo, 44. www.cafeiruna.com
With information from Andrés Galisteo, Rosa Martí, Santiago Rivas and Ana Pérez.
*This content appears in the May 2021 issue of Esquire magazine
