Galicia
Atlantic seafood, empanadas, and the cooking of Galicia
Spanish food guide, region by region.
Traditional Spanish food is uncomplicated, flavorful, and based on the freshest regional ingredients made available by Spain’s diverse geography. The Atlantic and Mediterranean oceans surround most of the country, and Spain shares its eastern border with France. While mountains and valleys sprawl across the country’s vast and varied interior landscape. Historically, these mountains acted as natural barriers impeding communication and transportation between regions, and culinary traditions tended to remain local.
Explore Spanish food by region
Find the dishes, ingredients, and local traditions that make each place its own.
Regional food guides
Basque
Pintxos, grilled fish and Basque txuleta
Rioja
Patatas a la riojana, caparrones and regional vegetables
Castilla y León
Lechazo, cochinillo and cooking of Castilla y León
Catalonia
Calçots, rice dishes and the Catalan kitchen
Andalusia
Cold soups, fried fish and flavors of the south
Dishes, ingredients & traditions
Follow the ingredients, dishes and customs that shape food in Spain.
Follow your appetite
Spanish Ham
Understand Ibérico, Serrano, and the labels that distinguish them
Spanish Paprika
Explore pimentón and its place in Spanish cooking
Olive Oil
Discover the varieties and regional styles of Spanish olive oil
Plan a Tapas Party
How to Plan and Host a Spanish Tapas and Wine Party
Food and Wine Pairing
Learn to master the art of pairing wines like Albariño, Rioja, and Cava with your favorite dishes
Know your menu
Understanding Spanish menus before you order
Taste Spain
Taste the Spain you’ve been reading about
From Basque pintxos to the wines of Rioja, let your favorite regional flavors inspire your next trip. We’ll plan a private food and wine journey around your tastes, with local producers, winery visits, and carefully chosen restaurants.
Where We Love to Eat in Spain
These are some of the restaurants we enjoy sharing with guests on our private food and wine tours across Spain. Our recommendations draw on personal dining experiences, restaurants featured in selected itineraries, and guest feedback. From traditional Castilian roasts to Atlantic seafood and inventive contemporary cooking, each reflects the region's distinctive culinary character.
Restaurante José María
Segovia, Castilla y León · Traditional Castilian cuisine
Why we recommend it
Few dishes capture Castilian cooking as vividly as Segovia’s roast suckling pig. At José María, crisp-skinned cochinillo is the house specialty, paired with seasonal dishes and wines from Pago de Carraovejas. Its traditional dining rooms make it a wonderful introduction to Spain’s great roasting culture.
Elkano
Getaria, Basque Country · Charcoal-grilled seafood
Why we recommend it
Getaria’s fishing heritage is at the heart of Elkano, where whole turbot cooked over charcoal is the defining dish. The kitchen prepares outstanding Cantabrian fish and shellfish with remarkable precision, while an extensive wine cellar, including local Txakoli, complements one of the Basque Country’s most memorable dining experiences.
Sábrego
Ribadavia, Galicia · Galician cuisine and Ribeiro wines
Why we recommend it
Surrounded by the vineyards of Casal de Armán, Sábrego offers a wonderful introduction to Ribeiro's food and wines. Seasonal Galician ingredients, from local vegetables and meats to Atlantic fish, are thoughtfully prepared and accompanied by the estate’s wines, including its distinctive Treixadura-based whites.
Aponiente
El Puerto de Santa María, Andalusia · Innovative marine cuisine
Why we recommend it
At a restored tidal mill surrounded by Cádiz’s salt marshes, chef Ángel León explores the extraordinary possibilities of marine ingredients. Aponiente’s inventive tasting menus celebrate the flavours of the sea, including lesser-known fish, shellfish and marine plants, with exceptional wine and sherry pairings adding another dimension to the experience.
La Vieja Bodega
Casalarreina, La Rioja · Traditional Riojan cuisine
Why we recommend it
A beautifully restored 17th-century wine-cellar building provides an atmospheric setting for traditional Riojan cooking. Seasonal vegetables, carefully prepared roast meats, and an extensive wine list make La Vieja Bodega a particularly appealing stop in Rioja wine country. The hospitality is warm, and the cooking remains firmly connected to the region.
Casa Marcial
Arriondas, Asturias · Contemporary Asturian cuisine
Why we recommend it
In the green hills above Arriondas, Nacho and Esther Manzano draw inspiration from family recipes and the ingredients of rural Asturias. Casa Marcial combines contemporary techniques with a deep respect for local cooking traditions, bringing the region’s farms, mountains and nearby Cantabrian coast together in a highly individual dining experience.
Lhardy
Madrid · Historic Madrileño cuisine
Why we recommend it
Established in 1839, Lhardy is part of Madrid’s culinary history. Its elegant dining rooms provide a memorable setting for cocido madrileño, consommé and other traditional dishes that have long defined the capital’s cooking. Few restaurants capture the atmosphere and gastronomic traditions of old Madrid quite so evocatively.
Marc Fosh
Palma de Mallorca, Balearic Islands · Contemporary Mediterranean cuisine
Why we recommend it
Set in Palma’s historic center, Marc Fosh brings a contemporary approach to Mallorca's and the Balearic Islands' seasonal ingredients. His elegant Mediterranean cooking combines creativity with the distinctive flavors of local produce, complemented by carefully selected wines in a stylish, intimate setting.
