Historic bars/taverns/restaurants/cafes

Posted by History Traveler on 02/19/23 06:05 PM

What have been some of your favorite historic establishments in Spain for food and drink? By "historic" I mean places that have been around since the 1930s or earlier (sometimes MUCH earlier!) Specifically looking at Madrid; Santiago de Compostela; Burgos; Bilbao; San Sebastian; Pamplona; Zaragoza; and Barcelona. Not interested in places that have crossed entirely/solely over to catering to tourists, i.e. riding on the historical cache of something like "Hemingway drank here once" or "Picasso's favorite tapas bar"! Looking for real historic places that continue to cater to locals and visitors alike in authentic spaces and with authentic (and not price-gouged) fare. Any suggestions?

P.S., Feel free to suggest Spain's incredible Paradores, but I almost view them in a separate category. I'm thinking more of places that have always been taverns, cafes, and bars as opposed to places that were once castles, monasteries, and palaces. Thanks!

Posted by MikelBasqueGuide

Bilbao

02/19/23 06:20 PM

645 posts

A classic in Bilbao is Café Iruña, from 1905. Tiles and decorations are still the original ones. Mainly for locals, but of course also touristy. By the way, Iruña is the Basque word for Pamplona.

Posted by Scudder

Hudson Valley

02/19/23 06:47 PM

2267 posts

It's an extensive list. Books have been written on the topic.

I'd suggest you look up Spain Revealed on youtube. A founder/former owner of the foodie Devour Tours, he does restaurant lists/tours videos in many cities.

Posted by Carlos

Barcelona ☀️ Sweden ❄️

02/19/23 07:03 PM

3904 posts

A difficult question, since the intrinsic touristic value of these very historic places usually in the old parts of town have made it nearly impossible not to cater to tourists, sometimes the quality has gone down the drain and some times it is maintained.

In Madrid, Botín comes to mind, the worlds oldest restaurant, although touristy they work hard to maintain some semblance of quality. Taberna La Bola (est. 1870s) is perhaps lesser well known, but very popular for their traditional cocido madrileño.

In Zaragoza, Restaurante Casa Lac (est. 1820s) was recommended to me by a friend, specializes in Aragonese cuisine.

In Barcelona is more difficult, els Quatre Gats and 7 Portes are iconic but I don't know any locals who would eat there. If you make a day trip to Girona, I can recommend Casa Marieta from the 1890s, they serve traditional Catalan cuisine, my favorite are the canelones de ceps, which are pasta tubes stuffed with ceps, which are local mushrooms from the area, and baked with a béchamel sauce on top.

Posted by History Traveler OP

02/19/23 07:19 PM

765 posts

iconic but I don't know any locals who would eat there.

Thanks @Carlos. That's the kind of distinction I was trying to draw! Appreciate all the suggestions thus far. Keep 'em coming!

Posted by jaimeelsabio

Mid-Atlantic area

02/19/23 07:33 PM

6547 posts

A few in Madrid: Sobrino de Botín, La Casa del Abuelo, Casa Alberto, Las Cuevas de Luis Candelas, and El Riojano (cake shop). In Segovia, Mesón De Cándido.

With regard to the Paradors, I doubt the restaurants are that old even though many of the buildings are. The dinner food at most of the Paradors I’ve eaten at has been very good. The restaurants are upscale, a little pricey, and most have a limited selection. The breakfast buffets are spectacular. We’ve stayed at 19 different Paradors including Santiago de Compostela and Hondarrbia.