A few great places to eat and drink in Granada 2022

The economics of eating out in Granada is bafflingly brilliant.

Of all the places I’ve visited in Spain, it’s the only place I’ve been where it’s common to be offered a complimentary tapa with every drink you purchase.

It means that with every €2 glass of beer, sherry or tinto de verano, there’s something to guzzle to go with it.

So, as long as you’re drinking, there’s no need to pay for any other food on the menu. With cheap drinks and free food, I don’t really know how any of these places make any money.

One of our most memorable lunches comprised of eight alcoholic drinks and four plates of tapas for a mere £12. 

Throw in the absolutely stunning Alhambra, one of the most impressive sights I’ve ever visited in my life. And the narrow streets of the Moorish quarter of the Albaicin, the historic street market of the Alcaiceria, and a bunch of impressive churches and monasteries, and it makes for a cracking mini-break destination. We got the coach up from Malaga and it was a swift one hour and thirty minute non-stop journey. 

Over the space of a few days, here’s our eating highlights. Thanks go to Edible Reading for some very useful recommendations.

Los Diamantes

Calle Navas, 28, 18009 Granada and Plaza de los Campos, 1, 18009 Granada

With a few branches dotted around Malaga, all of which specialise in fried seafood, Los Diamantes is an absolute corker of a place.

Filling up within minutes after opening and with regular queues outside, we gorged on excellent complimentary tapas of lightly battered sweet prawns and boquerones, tender mixed fried fish, potent garlic fried oyster mushrooms and the crowning glory, pork and prawn flecked arroz with a big wallop of stock.

On a separate visit, we supplemented our order with a larger plate of the excellent arroz as well as a fresh tomato salad with enough salt to keep us reaching for the tinto de verano.

Taberna La Tana

Placeta. del Agua, 3, 18009 Granada

The excellent selection of wines by the glass at this place was a real standout feature. Mrs G enjoyed a coravin glass of Vina Tondonia 2008 Rioja whilst I chugged glasses of manzanilla.

We also ordered excellent warming-spiced, sweet and savoury morcilla topped with toasted pine nuts and roasted peppers.

Los Manueles

Reyes Católicos, 61, 18010 Granada

Another traditional tapas joint which dates back to 1917, we enjoyed one of our favourite tapas dishes of the trip at Los Manueles. Slow cooked chicken thigh pieces in a salty, thyme-fragranced and meaty gravy were perfect booze food.

We also bolstered our dinner with a whopping bowlful of ensalada rusa, studded with sweet langoustines. 

Los Italianos

C. Gran Vía de Colón, 4, 18010 Granada

This old-fashioned gelato parlour was easily the best of a procession of ice cream places we tried during our Granada trip.

As well as the traditional metal-lidded serving pots, I also loved that you buy a token at the counter before placing your order with someone else. Whilst other people enjoyed big wedges of ice cream cake stuffed into a cone, we snaffled scoops of brilliantly smooth gianduja and citrus and nut-studded turron.

Capitan Amargo

C. Molinos, 28, 18009 Granada

This cracker of a craft beer bar, with over 35 taps, has a good representation of Spanish brewers including Basqueland, Garage and Peninsula. We were particularly impressed by a silky dark fruited sour by Catalonia’s Mager and a wine-barrel aged wild beer by La Quince and Guinea.

Complimentary tapas included comforting pork stew, fiery vegetarian arroz and marinated chickpeas, all of which were served with a lovely American mustard slaw.

Bodegas Castaneda

Calle Almireceros, 1, 3, 18010 Granada, Spain

Straddling two sides of a narrow lane, we enjoyed a few bigger plates at this traditional gaff. Salty and socky crystalline manchego was served with caramelised almonds and a vibrant tomato salad was dotted with olives and gherkins.

Broad beans with jamon was pure porky goodness. In fact, it tasted more meat than vegetable. 

Casa Ysala

Calle Acera del Darro, 62, 18005 Granada and other locations

A cake shop which dates back over 100 years, we enjoyed Casa Ysala’s house speciality, the pionono, a dinky cinnamon-spiced sugar syrup soaked pastry, which reminded me a little bit of a rum baba.

Los Bandios

Calle Sta. Escolástica, 16, 18009 Granada

After a night on the booze we enjoyed a lovely Cubano sandwich from Los Bandios with heaps of tender herb-marinated pork, ham, oozy cheeze, mustard and pickles packed into a toasted roll. P.S. Apologies for the terrible photo, it was the standing on a dark street corner eating a sandwich stage of the evening.

Restaurante Materia Prima, Mercado San Agustin

Plaza de San Agustín, 2, 18001 Granada

Mercado San Agustin is a little bit much with restaurant touts trying to encourage you into different establishments, many of which seem to be owned by the same company. But, finally we settled on the busiest place.

After complimentary tapas of fried boquerones and migas, we enjoyed a superb meaty swordfish steak and a plate of lovely fish stock rich arroz.

Puerta de Syria 2

Calle Elvira, 56, 18010 Granada


Whilst in Granada it would seem remiss not to have ordered a kebab and Puerte de Syria was our destination of choice. 

We enjoyed plates of tender shish taouk with well-spiced rice and excellent freshly fried falafel with smooth hummus served with kobez bread, olives and a potent chilli sauce. It was a tasty kebab but it’s not going to trouble KBS’ crown anytime soon.

La Tarta de la Madre de Cris

Plaza Pescadería, 7, 18001 Granada

Just south of the cathedral, La Tarte de la Madre de Cris specialises in cheesecakes and damn fine they are too. Light, creamy and delicately tangy with a good ooze, it's not quite at the same level as La Vina’s in San Sebastian but it's a great dessert no less.

Galletanas

Calle San Jerónimo, 2, 18001 Granada

Another purveyor of sweet treats located close to the cathedral, we enjoyed Galletanas whopping cookies in flavours like white chocolate and macadamia and pistachio and lemon.