olivemagazine
type: channel
link: https://www.olivemagazine.com
date: 2026-04-21T11:55:05.000Z
update period: hourly
update frequency: 1
update base: 2000-01-01T12:00+00:00
items: Best Spanish hotels for food lovers
items: Why I love Valencia, Spain's sunny citrus-filled city
items: 12 best Spanish food trips
items: Where to eat and drink in Málaga: an insider shares her favourite restaurants
items: Basque cuisine: how to cook like a local
items: Best restaurants in San Sebastián: where locals eat and drink
items: Andalusian cuisine: 10 things we love
items: Must-try Spanish produce
items: Spain's unique regional foods
items: 10 things we love about Asturian cuisine
items: Bilbao foodie guide: where locals eat and drink
items: Madrid foodie guide: where locals eat and drink
items: Balearic Islands: foodie guide
items: Seville foodie guide: where locals eat and drink
items: Barcelona foodie guide: where locals eat and drink
items: Baqueira Beret ski resort: where to eat and drink
items: Menorca foodie guide: where locals eat and drink
items: Trujillo, Spain: Marina O'Loughlin's guide to food and drink
items: Cádiz, Spain: best budget food and drink guide

Best Spanish hotels for food lovers
type: item
date: 2026-04-21T11:19:29.000Z
creator: Lucy Roxburgh
subject: Europe
subject: Spain
subject: Travel
subject: Hotel guides
description: From boutique hotels in Ibiza to city break bases in Barcelona and Madrid, here's our pick of the best Spanish hotels
encoded: Looking for the best Spanish hotel to visit? We've found the best Spanish hotels for food lovers in Barcelona, Madrid, Ibiza and everywhere in between. Whether you're on a budget or looking for luxury, need a city break or a relaxing vineyard getaway, check out our round-up of the best Spanish hotels for something for everyone. For more travel and hotel inspiration, check out our guide to the best European hidden gem hotels, best Italian hotels or the best Paris hotels, or get more ideas for your Spanish holiday with our best Spanish trips for foodies. Best Spanish hotels for food lovers Gran Hotel Mas d’en Bruno, Catalonia Rooms from €350 per night, check availability at mrandmrssmith.com In the vineyard-strewn hills of Catalonia’s Priorat region, Gran Hotel Mas d’en Bruno reimagines the Spanish manor house with design-led clarity. A Relais & Châteaux property with just 24 suites, it’s a study in refined minimalism, with arched stone walls, polished marble, hand-thrown ceramics and an infinity pool sculpted in the silhouette of a wine bottle. Inside, curves dominate the design language: vaulted ceilings, sculptural fireplaces and custom-made furniture soften the bold, monastic architecture. Food is central to the experience. At restaurant Vinum, chef Josep Queralt draws inspiration from Llibre de Sent Soví, a 14th-century Catalan recipe manuscript. Expect candied leeks with Bellmunt cottage cheese and confit egg yolk, or poultry broth layered with roasted Reus hazelnuts, dishes that feel both timeless and quietly radical. For a more relaxed rhythm, Tarraco serves poolside classics with polish: think citrus-cured ceviche, creamy Ibérico rice and chilled tomato gazpacho elevated by prawns and diced watermelon. Evenings unfold at Bruno’s Bar, where bold regional reds and vermouth-spiked cocktails are poured beneath vaulted stone, best enjoyed fireside or on the terrace overlooking the vines. Book the Bruno Suite for its vineyard-facing freestanding bath, vaulted inter…

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Why I love Valencia, Spain's sunny citrus-filled city
type: item
date: 2026-04-17T09:24:47.000Z
creator: Eduardo Idrobo
subject: Spain
subject: Travel
subject: Europe
subject: 10 things
description: This sunny Spanish city is frequently nominated as the best place in the world to live in for its work/life balance, not to mention its incredible food scene
encoded: Learn all about what makes the cuisine of this Spanish city so special from local chef Eduardo Idrobo. From iconic paella to citrus and local signature drinks, there is plenty for foodies to enjoy. Want to learn more about regional cuisine? Check out our guides to the cuisines of Trentino in Italy, Istria in Croatia, the Algarve in Portugal or Cork in Ireland. Valencia cuisine: 10 things I love Gamba roja This Mediterranean red prawn is deeply embedded in our cuisine and considered one of the most exceptional seafoods around the world. Its red colour is a result of the depth at which the prawns live in the sea, which contributes to the intensity of flavour and natural sweetness. The texture is very delicate, almost like butter. Rice Rice is the most important ingredient in our culture, we use it as a transmitter of flavours. There are three different varieties. The first is bomba, a short-grain rice cultivated in Albufera Natural Park, which is great at absorbing broth. The second is albufera and the third is senia. These are both considered good but don’t hold up as well when cooked over fire. Bomba allows you to play more with it. Paella valenciana Paella valenciana is our most iconic dish. It traditionally contains chicken, rabbit, garrofón beans (a type of butter bean), artichokes and runner beans, though ingredients vary depending on where you are in the region. You’ll find snails and pork near the mountains, and seafood on the coast. Paella is not just a dish but a ritual that we usually cook on Sunday, similar to a Sunday roast, over a fire pit and enjoy with friends. Fire itself is embedded within the paella tradition – it’s considered an important ingredient that adds smokiness. Las Fallas This is a major festival held annually in March where locals build huge satirical sculptures that are set alight at the end of the celebrations. At the fairs you’ll find people selling a dessert called buñuelos de calabaza, which is fried pumpkin dough sprinkled with suga…

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12 best Spanish food trips
type: item
date: 2026-01-19T11:20:04.000Z
creator: Lucy Roxburgh
subject: Europe
subject: Spain
subject: Travel
subject: Great Getaways
description: Looking for places to visit in Spain? Check out our top Spanish food trips, from pintxos in San Sebastian to al fresco paella in Barcelona
encoded: Looking for places to visit in Spain? Check out our top Spanish food trips and discover where to eat and drink across the country, from natural wines in Barcelona to ibérico ham and hand-cut chips in Tarifa, and juicy skewered prawns in San Sebastian. For more travel inspiration, check out our best Portuguese food trips, best French food trips or best Morocco food trips. Learn about Spanish coffee culture with our expert barista Celeste Wong's guide, including traditional rituals, how to order it and the perfect recipe for at-home brewing. Best Spanish food trips San Sebastián For pintxos and Michelin stars A picturesque port and resort on the Bay of Biscay, San Sebastián has notched up 16 Michelin stars. There are seven three-star restaurants across Spain and three of them are here: Akelarre, Martin Berasategui and Arzak, the bastion of chef Juan Mari Arzak. It has the second highest number of Michelin stars per square metre after Kyoto in Japan, and more than Paris. It's not all fine dining though. Pintxos is a signature of San Sebastián, born because “it’s not our custom to entertain at home. We meet friends for a drink and snack before dinner”. It’s one of the reasons that, originally, there were no sweet pintxos – these were pre-dinner snacks, not the main meal. There are over 100 pintxos spots to choose from in San Sebastian, mainly in the Old Town, and so a tailored tour is a good way to narrow it down. A locals top tip: ignore the piles of pretty pintxos on each bar’s counter and order dishes chalked on the blackboard. These are cooked fresh to order and each bar has its own specialities. At Goiz Argi that means the brocheta de gamba, a juicy prawn served on a skewer soaked in a sweet and sour garlic, pepper and onion marinade. The mari juli baguette, with salty slivers of smoked salmon, sardine and oily green pepper is equally moreish, with a glass of txakoli, the local sparkling white wine. Find out where else to eat and drink in San Sebastian. Where to st…

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Where to eat and drink in Málaga: an insider shares her favourite restaurants
type: item
date: 2025-12-22T12:01:07.000Z
creator: Milli Taylor
subject: Europe
subject: Spain
subject: Travel
description: From breakfast churros to market seafood and sherry straight from the cask, here is Milli Taylor's pick of where to eat and drink in the sunny Andalucían seaside city
encoded: Looking for the best restaurants in Málaga? Want to know where to eat and drink in the southern Spanish coastal city? Insider Milli Taylor says, "My family spent much of my childhood between Málaga and London, and eventually settled there permanently when I was 17. Although I stayed in London, I think of Málaga as my soul home and, however many times I visit in a year, the city still gives me the same buzz. This year, I co-hosted our first Spanish retreat, Sobremesa – a few unforgettable days of introducing food lovers to the city and teaching them to cook and bake with its extraordinary local produce from the market. Playing city guide was pure joy, so I’m thrilled to do the same here." For more Spanish travel inspiration, check out our guide to the best Spanish food trips, best Spanish hotels for food lovers or the best restaurants in San Sebastian. A local's best restaurants in Málaga Eat breakfast at Churrería de Malagueña I like to get into the city early for coffee and churros. Everyone will tell you to go to Casa Aranda and, don’t get me wrong, both places do great churros (also called porras or tejeringos) but I prefer the chewy texture at La Malagueña and the chocolate is far superior. Where Casa Aranda is fun and fast paced, it is very touristy and I find La Malagueña a more chilled out local spot, perched up on the bar watching the waiters move around each other like dancers. Sample local wine at Antigua Casa de Guardia It’s the oldest wine bar in Málaga and really feels like not much has changed there since it opened in 1840. I wouldn’t order food other than a couple of banderillas to whet the appetite but standing at the bar tasting sweet Màlaga wines from the barrel for a couple of euros a pop really roots you in a good time and place. In the summer this place is heaving but the service is quick and the glasses are small so it’s worth waiting for your spot. When you’re done they chalk up your bill on the counter and you’ll feel ready to head out and ea…

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Basque cuisine: how to cook like a local
type: item
creator: María José Sevilla
subject: Europe
subject: Guides
subject: Spain
subject: Travel
description: Celebrate the unique flavours of the Basque Country, from melt-in-the-middle tortilla to perfectly charred steak served with sweet, smoky Piquillo peppers
encoded: Want to learn about the cuisine of the Basque Country? Discover what makes this unique cuisine special, plus three recipes to try, from María José Sevilla. For more global recipes, check out our guides to Grenadian cuisine and Neapolitan cuisine. Recipes extracted from <a href="https://www.amazon.co.uk/Cocina-Vasca-Recipes-traditions-Cookbooks/dp/1788796772/ref=sr_1_1?crid=3AK5J1ULCLYM5&dib=eyJ2IjoiMSJ9.q6ckSY2TLVS5b6M8tHQ1I429WdmAmvxT8jlJUoy_GGYfhzJw0lJeR-pKWnW2SSnC2osk7dX4I9kLXy-RAfF9xAoYMQ2-HbNz8BJa4ginVTCt-rcmGCe1ndtUVMGellOgObVkCQNNkMxDxD7ZV5_yMbaTaDRhusnrNAS3xkPnuG4MCetc94OUTC8qH7nnM3lpltFUCZ4BBU_g9B2Y6IT0qSfjfOgGFZtaqBigeZsyf9M.Rgq03CvX_Fx7RtPpM-k9JllmsyX9lkUZuXgf7wEe5II&dib_tag=se&keywords=La+Cocina+Vasca&qid=1749563399&s=books&sprefix=la+cocina+vasca%2Cstripbooks%2C182&sr=1-1&tag=olivemag-21&ascsubtag=olivemagazine-265631" target="_blank" rel="sponsored">La Cocina Vasca (£22, Ryland Peters & Small). Photographs: Clare Winfield, © Ryland Peters & Small. Recipes are sent by the publisher and not retested by us. Basque cuisine Basque Spain, known as Euskadi, includes the provinces of Vizcaya, Guipúzcoa, Alava and parts of Navarra. The land of the Basques, Euskal Herria, actually continues much further along the coast, right through to the Pyrenees and into the French provinces of Lower Navarre, Labourd and Soule. Basques simply love cooking, as much as to please themselves as to please others. The vegetables most strongly associated with the cuisine today are fresh, dried or preserved Basque peppers, both red and green. There are fresh or dry red Choriceros, cured or fresh green Piparras, Lodosa peppers (usually canned), hot red Guindillas or sweet Pimientos del Cristal, plus the French Piment d’Espelette. Basques also adore peas, especially the minute ones known as Lagrima (tear drops). Salads are often present on the Basque table, prepared with the popular Cogollos, which are Little Gem lettuces from Tudela; Escarola (Frisée or curly Endive); and young carto…

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Best restaurants in San Sebastián: where locals eat and drink
type: item
date: 2024-08-07T09:00:38.000Z
creator: Lucy Gillmore
subject: Guides
subject: Spain
subject: Travel
subject: Europe
subject: Cook Like A Local
subject: Local city guides
description: Sparkling white wine poured from a height, mounds of gooseneck barnacles and melt-in-the-mouth suckling pig with quince sauce – Spain’s coastal corner surely wins the prize for the world’s best bar crawl
encoded: Looking for the best restaurants in San Sebastian? Read our guide to the best places to eat and drink in Donostia San Sebastian. Including local favourites and must-visit haunts of Jose Pizarro (London's favourite Basque chef). From Michelin-starred restaurants to San Sebastian's best casual pintxo bars and bars to drink Basque txakoli wines. For more travel inspiration, check out our guide to the best Spanish food trips or travel across the border with our best French food trips. Jump to: Best restaurants in San Sebastián Best pintxo bars in San Sebastián Best bars in San Sebastián Best food shops in San Sebastián Where to stay in San Sebastián Best places to eat and drink in San Sebastián Michelin-starred restaurants in San Sebastián A picturesque port and resort on the Bay of Biscay, San Sebastián has notched up 16 Michelin stars. There are seven three-star restaurants across Spain and three of them are here: Akelarre, Martin Berasategui and Arzak, the bastion of chef Juan Mari Arzak. It has the second highest number of Michelin stars per square metre after Kyoto in Japan, and more than Paris. Jose Pizarro, London's favourite Basque restaurateur, loves Arzak. This three Michelin-starred restaurant continues to push the boundaries of Spanish food, turning it into art. It’s no wonder Arzak is included in the World’s 50 Best Restaurants list. A visit here will be one of the best food experiences you will ever have. The brightest in the constellation is Mugaritz. Chef Andoni Luis Aduriz’s insatiable appetite for pushing limits and unwavering loyalty to local ingredients and traditions results in a show-stopping tasting menu, with dishes like trompe l’oeil olives and beer, or perfect pork under autumn ‘leaves’. Read our extensive interview with Jessica Lorigo, head chef at Mugaritz. Topa Rowdy and colourful, all graffiti-covered walls, loud music and raw, recycled materials, the Basque-Latin American mash up tells the story of Basque immigration to Latin America. Try …

Andalusian cuisine: 10 things we love
type: item
date: 2024-05-21T14:09:01.000Z
creator: Dani Garcia
subject: Guides
subject: Spain
subject: Travel
subject: Europe
subject: 10 things
description: Dani García hails from the southern Spanish region of Andalusia. He’s earned multiple Michelin stars throughout his career, before creating his own restaurants celebrating his native cuisine. He tells us the traditional local dishes that are not to be missed
encoded: Want to learn more about Andalusian cuisine? Looking for Andalusian dishes to try? Read Dani García guide below, then check out Dani's recipe for Spanish rice pudding and our best Spanish dessert recipes. We also have our guides on must-try Spanish produce, Spain's unique regional foods and a San Sebastián foodie guide. Andalusian-born chef Dani García nurtured his passion for food at the Málaga school of hospitality, La Consula, before he started his career with Martín Berasategui in 1996. He received his first Michelin star for Tragabuches in Málaga at just 25 years old, followed by two Michelin stars for Calima in Marbella. In 2013, he opened BiBo Andalusian Brasserie & Tapas in Marbella, and since then has opened restaurants in Doha, Ibiza and, in August 2021, at the Mondrian Shoreditch. Dani wanted to create a casual tapas and brasserie concept to democratise fine dining. Learn about Spanish coffee culture with our expert barista Celeste Wong's guide, including traditional rituals, how to order it and the perfect recipe for at-home brewing. 10 things I love about Andalucían food: Dani García's guide Mangoes from Málaga Málaga province is the biggest mango producer in Europe – the sub-tropical climate allows all kinds of fruit to be grown there. I couldn’t make a vegan sweet recipe without thinking about this tropical fruit. I like to pair it with oranges. Fried aubergine with sugarcane syrup This is one of the most popular dishes in Andalusia, and traditionally hails from Córdoba. Our heritage comes largely from Arabian culture, which is evident all over the provinces. We fry the aubergine before breading and serve it with sugarcane syrup, which proves to be the perfect sauce. In the evenings, we eat late, around 10pm, so this is the perfect tapas dish to soak up the cava. Atún encebollado One of the most popular seafood dishes is called atún encebollado, a traditional stew from Cádiz. The dish starts with only two ingredients, red tuna and onion, and ordinaril…

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Must-try Spanish produce
type: item
date: 2021-04-09T10:40:47.000Z
creator: Alex Crossley
subject: Europe
subject: Spain
subject: Travel
description: Spain’s diverse landscape and climate provides plenty of natural resources that yield an abundance of fresh fruit and veg, celebrated in dishes, communities and customs across the country
encoded: Check out our guide to Spanish produce. Then try our Spanish recipes and learn about Spanish coffee culture with our expert barista Celeste Wong's guide, including traditional rituals, how to order it and the perfect recipe for at-home brewing. Tomatoes – Huesca and Catalonia Spain’s Mediterranean climate is ideal for growing a wide variety of intensely flavoured, juicy tomatoes. While perusing markets in northern Spain, look out for the intense pink tomato of Huesca, Rosa de Barbastro, grown in the foothills of Aragon's Pyrenees, and the uniquely shaped Montserrat tomato, famous in the neighbouring region of Catalonia. “Pa amb tomàquet”, more widely known as “pan con tomate”, is a breakfast staple in Spain. Toasted bread is rubbed with garlic, topped with grated fresh tomatoes and topped with olive oil and sea salt. Duck into any of Spain’s bars in the morning and you’ll see locals building their own tomato bread stacks and tucking into with an espresso or cortado (espresso with a splash of milk). Aubergines – Castilla La Mancha Aubergines are grown throughout the land-locked region of Castilla La Mancha, known for its vast, windmill-dotted plains and fruitful vineyards. In the area surrounding Almagro, a beautiful town boasting its own open air theatre, a particular, small variety of aubergine is grown, picked and preserved in clay jars and sent to tapas bars in Madrid and beyond. Aubergines are also combined with courgettes, peppers, tomatoes and spices to create the region’s signature dish, pisto. This simple stew lets the quality of Spain’s produce sing and is often served in locally-crafted clay pots on menus across the region, notably in UNESCO World Heritage site Toledo, where atmospheric restaurants are found down cobbled streets, nestled in the shadows of the spectacular cathedral. Oranges – Valencia Known across the world for their well-balanced sweetness and acidity, Valencian oranges benefit from the region’s warm climate and cooling sea breeze. The cit…

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Spain's unique regional foods
type: item
date: 2020-11-27T10:55:13.000Z
creator: Alex Crossley
subject: Europe
subject: Spain
subject: Travel
description: The diverse regions of this vibrant country yield rich culinary rewards, from herbaceous gins and roast suckling pig to salty white wines, paprika-spiked octopus and handmade doughnuts dipped in hot chocolate
encoded: Aged steak – Basque Country This lush green region is where Spain’s most prized cows graze and roam until the ripe old age of 18. This long life, along with a dry-aging process of up to 100 days, results in dark meat with stunning marbling and deep flavour, served most famously in the form of txuleta rib steak. The countryside’s Michelin-starred restaurants and family-run taverns cook these huge cuts over charcoal, open flames or on hot plates until the edges are charred and crisp. Only simple sides are needed – fresh tomato salads or neighbouring Navarra’s delicate white asparagus. This regional delicacy isn’t only found in countryside spots – San Sebastián and Bilbao’s many pintxo bars serve little skewers of steak drizzled with olive oil, alongside homemade tortilla, salty slivers of sardine and green pepper, and glasses of the local wine, mineral txakoli, poured from a height into glasses to aerate. Mediterranean gin – Menorca This laidback Balearic island in the Mediterranean is wild and rugged, but also boasts plenty of greenery (it’s a UNESCO Biosphere Reserve) and bustling small towns. The drink at the centre of the island’s weekend celebrations (including the lively jáleo, where horses and riders dramatically process into town squares and dance to local music) is the refreshing pomada cocktail. Lemonade is poured over ice with Xoriguer, the island’s wine-based, juniper-forward gin. Though made in Mahón in wood-fired copper stills, the gin encapsulates the island’s wild side, with notes of Menorcan herbs, Mediterranean citrus and a subtle woody aroma from large oak barrels. When it comes to cuisine, the island’s rich cultural heritage makes it a true melting pot, with delicacies including caldereta lobster stew, sobrasada slathered on hot toast with a drizzle of honey, and salty Mahón cheese sprinkled with black pepper and tarragon. Cabrales cheese – Asturias Discover orchards, cheese caves and chorizo farms amongst the rolling hills and breathtaking mountai…

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10 things we love about Asturian cuisine
type: item
date: 2020-04-21T13:46:52.000Z
creator: Nacho Manzano
subject: Europe
subject: Spain
subject: Travel
subject: 10 things
description: Nacho Manzano, executive chef at the Ibérica restaurants in London and Leeds, shares what he loves about the food of Asturias
encoded: Want to learn more about Asturian cuisine? Looking for Asturian dishes to try? Read our guide below then check out Nacho's recipe for Spanish scrambled eggs here. After, read our guide to best internal routes for food lovers. Nacho Manzano and his sisters Esther, Olga and Sandra were born in the house that’s now their two Michelin starred restaurant, Casa Marcial, in La Salgar, Spain. He is also executive chef at Ibérica restaurants in London and Leeds. While the menu at Ibérica showcases dishes from around Spain – including tapas, paella and jamón ibérico – it’s Casa Marcial’s dishes that have made Nacho one of Spain’s most celebrated chefs. Championing sustainability, his passion is for the produce that grows around his restaurant. His specialities include retired dairy cow beef and hyper-local ingredients. casamarcial.com Learn about Spanish coffee culture with our expert barista Celeste Wong's guide, including traditional rituals, how to order it and the perfect recipe for at-home brewing. 1. Fabada Leaving Asturias without eating a good fabada (faba bean casserole) is a sin. It’s our most popular dish and is a stew made from white beans, chorizo, blood sausage and pork belly. It’s a filling comfort food that everybody loves – you can make it in the UK with butter beans. The markets in Asturias sell vacuum packs of ingredients to take home to cook. Another classic Asturian stew similar to fabada is pote, made with pork, sausage, chorizo, beans, cabbage and potatoes. 2. Terrain Asturias lies between the sea and mountains, and is full of inspiration. Our cuisine is about roots, respect and tradition – the importance of the products and recipes. It’s also about how we develop, evolve and are creative with the ingredients that are on our doorstep. Many of our dishes involve combined sea and mountain produce that’s inspired by the landscape that surrounds us. The region is rich in amazing vegetables and fruits, meat, cheese, seafood, poultry, mushrooms and cider. 3. …

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Bilbao foodie guide: where locals eat and drink
type: item
date: 2019-11-13T15:36:12.000Z
subject: Europe
subject: Spain
subject: Travel
subject: Local city guides
description: Futuristic architecture, renowned art galleries, elegant cobbled streets and a thriving food scene make this Basque city a great Spanish weekend destination. Join locals at the bar for pintxos and txakoli wine, browse for seafood and croquetas at one of Europe’s largest food markets, and eat Basque-style French toast
encoded: Looking for restaurants in Bilbao? Want to know where to eat in the Basque city? Local travel writer Esme Fox shares her insider trips for the best restaurants in Bilbao, along with where to find the best homemade tarts, Iberian cured ham and mushroom croquetas. Make it a longer trip and head onwards to San Sebastián, or check out our best Spanish food trips to discover more of Spain. Casa Rufo – for traditional deli produce This cute little restaurant is squeezed into a traditional 1950s deli, complete with original wooden shelves and floral green and red floor tiles. In the shop at the front they sell everything from cheeses and tinned seafood to bottles of wine; in the back, you can dine on regional delicacies such as anchovies from Cantabria, grilled asparagus from Navarra and peppers from Guernica. For something more substantial, order the succulent sirloin or traditional oven-baked cod. casarufo.com Bistró Guggenheim – for modern Basque cuisine A museum restaurant might not be your first stop in a new city, but the Bistró Guggenheim isn’t your typical gallery café. A favourite with locals and visitors alike, it focuses on Basque cuisine with a modern edge. Contemporary art decorates the walls and you can eat while enjoying soothing river views. Try pork meatballs with cauliflower cream in a Jerez sherry sauce, or creamy rice with mushrooms and duck (many dishes can be made vegetarian on request). Make sure you try the torrija for dessert – it’s the Basque answer to French toast, topped with caramelised sugar and served with a dollop of ice cream. bistroguggenheimbilbao.com Café Iruña – for coffee in style Serving locals since 1903, Café Iruña makes for an elegant coffee stop. Decorated with Moorish-style décor, it’s filled with geometric coloured tiles, intricately carved wooden panels and graceful arched doorways. Pair your coffee with a homemade tart such as the typical Gâteau Basque – an almond pastry case filled with smooth custard and sharp black cherries…

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Madrid foodie guide: where locals eat and drink
type: item
date: 2019-03-12T11:13:24.000Z
creator: Hannah Guinness
subject: Europe
subject: Spain
subject: Travel
subject: Local city guides
description: Find salt cod croquetas, elaborate squid sarnies, Iberian eggy bread and orange cappuccinos (plus cured ham and sherry, of course) in Spain’s lively capital
encoded: Looking for restaurants in Madrid? Want to know where to eat in the Spanish capital? olive’s sub editor Hannah Guinness shares her insider tips for the best restaurants in Madrid, along with where to find the best salt cod, artisan cheeses and squid sandwiches. Looking for places to stay in Madrid? Click here for our top Madrid hotel recommendations. For more travel inspiration, check out our best Spanish food trips. olive's must-visits for foodies in Madrid Casa Labra – for salt cod In Madrid's central Sol district, Casa Labra (going strong since 1860) is packed with locals who throng the restaurant's elegantly austere, high-ceilinged interior for the house speciality – salt cod. Served by efficient, white-jacketed staff, it’s best eaten deep-fried or cooked in plump, creamy croquetas, paired with a little glass of vermouth. casalabra.es Quesería Cultivo – for artisan cheese Enter cool, charcoal-grey Quesería Cultivo for shelves stacked high with hefty wheels of cheese, and a counter home to even more. It’s a collaboration between three master Spanish cheesemakers (they’ve recently opened a second branch on Carrera de San Francisco), who wanted to showcase smaller, artisan producers from across Europe. Try nutty Catalan Puigpedrós or buttery Asturian Rey Silo, paired with a freshly baked loaf from new wave bakery Panic, just a few doors down on Calle Conde Duque. queseriacultivo.com Taberna La Bola – for cocido Cocido madrileño is a beloved local dish, and at the venerable Taberna La Bola this hearty chickpea-based stew made with sausage, bacon, chicken and potatoes is slow-cooked over charcoal for hours in serried ranks of individual clay pots, before being served over two or three courses. First the intense, savoury broth, eaten with noodles; then the pulses and tender meat, alongside cabbage fried with garlic. labola.es Toma Café – for speciality coffee Toma Café was one of the pioneers of Madrid’s burgeoning coffee scene, and remains a must-visit if you’re crav…

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Balearic Islands: foodie guide
type: item
date: 2019-02-13T15:10:53.000Z
creator: Lucy Gillmore
subject: Europe
subject: Spain
subject: Travel
description: Head to the foodie Balearic islands of Mallorca, Menorca and Ibiza. Here you can try homemade fig jam, soft sugary buns and sobrasada for breakfast before exploring the islands' vineyards and olive groves
encoded: Looking for places to eat in the Balearics? Here are our favourite restaurants, hotels and foodie tours to take in the Balearics. The best foodie spots include farm-to-table restaurants, luxury hotels and cookery classes in Mallorca, Menorca and Ibiza. Mallorca: foodie hotels and things to do Son Brull – best foodie farmhouse in Mallorca Guests at gastronomic bolthole Son Brull can ask the kitchen to pack a gourmet picnic if they’re heading out to hike or bike around the surrounding hills. This elegant finca, or farmhouse, in the foothills of the Serra de Tramuntana, dates back to the 12th century but the approach to food is bang up to date. The kitchen garden, where chef Rafel Perello sources the ingredients for his inventive menus and cookery classes, brims with home-grown herbs, salad leaves and vegetables while the trees surrounding the hotel are laden with oranges, lemons and figs. The hotel also has its own organic vineyard; pair its wines with dinner in the fine-dining restaurant, 365, where seasonal eight-course tasting menus showcase local Mallorcan ingredients. More casual, bistro-style, dining can be had in the bar (with its ancient olive press) during the winter or on the terrace in sunnier months. Doubles from £361, check availability at booking.com The elegant finca, or farmhouse, in the foothills of the Serra de Tramuntana Culinary Tours – best food tour in Mallorca For a private olive oil tasting or a tailor-made tour of Mallorca Deborah Pina Zitrone, of Deborah's Culinary Island, is the woman to call. Mallorca-born but with a French mother, the former lawyer now creates off-the-beaten track itineraries for visitors who want to explore the hidden corners and cultural heritage of this well-known island. Olive oil is her passion, however, and she has trained as an Extra Virgin Olive Oil sommelier. She is also a private chef, and offers cookery classes and workshops on Mallorcan gastronomy between stints as a culinary guide for guests at gourmet bolthol…

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Seville foodie guide: where locals eat and drink
type: item
date: 2018-12-13T15:21:35.000Z
subject: Europe
subject: Spain
subject: Travel
subject: Local city guides
description: Tapas is still at the heart of eating out in this orange tree-filled city. But the Andalucían capital also means vermouth, honey ribs and manchego ice cream
encoded: Looking for restaurants in Seville? Want to know where to eat in the southern Spanish city? Local food writer Shawn Hennessey and travel writer Aoife O'Riordain share their insider tips for the best restaurants in Seville, along with where to find the best tapas, vermouth and paella. After check out the our Bologna foodie guide and the 10 things we love about Sicilian cuisine. Best tapas restaurants in Seville The spiritual home of flamenco, Seville is also the birthplace of tapas. One of the best ways to experience Seville’s fabulous gourmet scene is to engage in your own little ‘tapeo’ – a relaxed wander around some of its many bars. You can also ask for a media ración or ración, which are larger than a tapa. Eslava Sixto Tovar’s Eslava bar is at the forefront of innovative tapas in Seville. Park yourself at the counter for must-try honey pork ribs and award-winning huevo tapa, along with a recommended wine. There are plenty of traditional pork and fish dishes, too, and manchego ice cream to finish. Casa Morales Founded in 1850, and into its fourth generation, the historic charm of Casa Morales is hard to beat. There are front and back sections, with the latter featuring massive terracotta wine urns. Enjoy some salt cod with salmorejo, tortilla de patatas or lomo en manteca, with vermouth, sherry or house wine alongside them. It’s the perfect place to start a “tapeo” tour in Seville. Calle Garcia de Vinuesa 11 Bodeguita Romero This family-run bar is always busy and friendly and serves some of the best traditional tapas in town. Don't miss the pringá (hot toasted pork bun), the braised pork cheeks or the spinach with chickpeas. Pedro and Angeles are in charge of the bar and kitchen, while son Alejandro is responsible for their extensive wine list, including some top quality sherries. bodeguitaromero.es Cañabota A modern restaurant specialising in top quality fish and seafood, Cañabota also has an eclectic wine list that includes international wines (unusual for Spa…

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Barcelona foodie guide: where locals eat and drink
type: item
date: 2018-08-20T07:56:10.000Z
subject: Europe
subject: Spain
subject: Travel
description: Local food writers pick the best places to eat and drink in Barcelona for a foodie weekend break
encoded: Looking for the best restaurants in Barcelona? We've found the best places to eat in Barcelona, including the top tapas restaurants where the locals eat, coffee shops and food markets. For more travel inspiration, check out our guide to the best Spanish food trips or travel across the border with our best French food trips. Best tapas restaurants in Barcelona El Xampanyet Escape the tourists of El Barrio Gótico to join locals in the bars of neighbouring El Born. This one is particularly popular among locals, who come to drink the bar’s own-brand cava before a night on the town. There are tapas bar clichés aplenty – cigarette boxes framed on pale-yellow walls, a zinc bar showcasing Catalan dishes, blue-tiled alcoves at the back for when it gets busy (all the time) – but it’s the real deal. Come for the cava (served by the glass or in litre bottles), and stay to soak up the loud, chaotic atmosphere. Tapas are simple but on-point – order as the locals do with ‘pimientos con carne’ to receive a plate of blistered padrón peppers and soft, pink pluma ibérico pork. Carrer de Montcada 22, +34 933197003 Bar La Plata Pop in to this pretty, old-school tapas bar, on a corner in El Bairro Gótico, to pick on the same four dishes it’s been serving since opening in 1945 – piles of little fried fish (pescaditos), glistening anchovy montaditos, a simple tomato salad with chopped onion and olives and Catalan butifarra sausage. There’s a handful of tables in the tiny room, made all the more cosy with framed photographs, blue tiles covering the corner bar and barrels of sherry sitting snuggly next to rows of vermouth bottles. Glass doors open onto the pavement on both sides to ensure it doesn’t get too stuffy, and to encourage passers-by to chat with punters. Barlaplata.com Centric Canalla, Raval This atmospheric bar-cum-café has been going since 1940, and is still a cosy hangout to kick back with a café con leche or a glass of red. Lamps protrude elegantly from wood-panelled walls line…

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Baqueira Beret ski resort: where to eat and drink
type: item
date: 2018-06-04T15:45:53.000Z
creator: Rhiannon Batten
subject: Spain
subject: Europe
subject: Travel
description: For ski food fit for a king slope off to Baqueira Beret in the Val d”Aran, high in the Catalan Pyrenees, to fuel up on local cheeses, pintxos, Iberico ham and inky Priorat wines after a day on the piste
encoded: Looking for Spanish ski resorts in the Pyrenees? Read our foodie guide to Baqueira Beret ski resort and the Val d'Aran for skiing in Spain and the Pyrenees. Then check out the best of Scotland's ski resorts. Some people eat so they have the energy to ski, others ski simply to work up an appetite. If you veer more towards the latter there can be few better destinations to buy a lift pass for than Baqueira Beret, in Spain’s Val d’Aran (whose definitively circular name translates as “valley of the valley”). High in the Catalan Pyrenees, this purpose-built resort (actually a cluster of three linked ski areas - Baqueira, Beret and Bonaigua) also has one of the best food scenes of any ski resort in the world. After all, who wouldn’t like to end a day on the slopes with a glass of cava, and a plate of sliced-to-order Iberico ham? Or, later in the evening, a dinner of slow-cooked local lamb with a bottle of inky Priorat? Opened in 1964, the core of Baqueira is largely purpose-built and sits at 1,500m. Regularly re-invested in, the surrounding ski area now extends to 157km of pistes and 35 lifts spread over 2,166 hectares. Long patronised by the Spanish royal family, Baqueira genuinely caters for all: book into one of its five-star hotels and spend your evenings hopping between upmarket wine bars and elegant restaurants. Or, book a cheap self-catering apartment 10 or 20 minutes’ easy drive away, down in the valley, and treat yourself to the odd night out in Vielha indulging in Spanish beers and tapas (check out the top places to eat tapas in the UK here) at bargain prices (when you want to ski there’s free parking in the centre of Baqueira, then a free little train to shuttle you up the road to the main gondola, and the resort’s tourist information office and ski hire/ lift pass shops). Better still, prices are much more affordable in this corner of Spain than in the more ostentatiously gastronomic Alpine resorts. If you’re seeking fine dining you will find it here but the r…

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Menorca foodie guide: where locals eat and drink
type: item
date: 2016-05-03T14:24:30.000Z
subject: Europe
subject: Spain
subject: Travel
description: Read our food, drink and activity guide to Menorca, in the Spanish Balearic Islands, and discover caldereta de langosta (lobster stew), locally distilled gins fragrant with island botanicals, and sobrasada sausage that you’ll want to pack an extra suitcase for
encoded: Fly over the island of Menorca, just off the eastern coast of Spain, and it’s easy to see why tourists began flocking here in the ’60s: clean turquoise waters lap against golden beaches, while lush greenery borders the picture-perfect homes that are dotted along the coastline. But unlike parts of the costas on the mainland, or the neighbouring party isles of Ibiza and Mallorca, this small Balearic island has managed to stay relatively unspoiled – in everything from the landscape to the food and culture. Where to eat in Menorca As on mainland Spain, tapas is big here, but thanks to numerous occupations by the Moors, Brits, Catalans and French, the local cuisine is a literal melting pot. The most famous dish is caldereta, a Menorcan lobster stew that’s cooked and served in an earthenware pot. These local shellfish, in season from April to August, are different to their Atlantic cousins, which you’ve probably tried before, sweeter. The recipe starts out with a classic Spanish sofrito of garlic, onions, peppers and tomatoes, which bubble and melt together slowly, before raw lobster is added. Any spare juices, the stomach, liver and eggs (if it’s a female) are then ground with a pestle, with garlic and parsley, and added to the stew. Can Bernat des Grau, Es Grau Chef Richard Tejada, who owns and runs Can Bernat des Grau in the Menorcan countryside close to the fishing village of Es Grau, where his boats catch the lobsters, adds almonds to the final paste of the caldereta, to help thicken the stew, before pouring it over toasted bread. Richard will show you how to cook the dish, and other Menorcan classics, in his kitchen before eating supper together if there’s a group of you (minimum six people, €55 per person). When we visit we can’t help but work our way through the catch of the day – Richard buys by catch rather than specifically ordering certain fish. Three lobsters from that morning make our caldereta, which we eat with a plate of chips and fried eggs from the hens…

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Trujillo, Spain: Marina O'Loughlin's guide to food and drink
type: item
date: 2015-11-03T10:41:46.000Z
creator: Marina O'Loughlin
subject: Europe
subject: Spain
subject: Travel
description: The medieval town of Trujillo's kitchens have long been rich thanks to Ibérico ham, smoky pimentón de la Vera and creamy sheep's milk cheeses, discovers Marina O'Loughlin
encoded: I ’d cross continents and climb mountains for pure acorn-fed Ibérico pata negra ham. Once tasted, it’s hard to go back to lesser animals fed on grains, or prosaic white-hoofed porkers: the fragrant meat and the fat vanishing on the tongue with a back note of clean, porcine sweetness. It’s healthy even– the monounsaturated fat bursting with oleic acid; only olives have more. Just a few Spanish regions boast the holm oak trees (encinas) and open pastures necessary for the feeding and rearing of this most coveted beast. Extremadura is one of these. From our temporary home, the gorgeous Villa Moritos at the very pinnacle of the equally beautiful medieval town of Trujillo, we can see miles of those plains to as far as Portugal. We’re going to eat ourselves some ham. All the ham. This plan is executed easily. Everywhere, from restaurants to tiny cafés, offer plates of the stuff, freshly carved to order. Our first stop, just off the main square, is Corral del Rey. After the inevitable jamón, I have Ibérico pork secreto (the shoulder cut that, with its liberal marbling of fat, has sometimes been called pork wagyu) thickly dusted with another of Extremadura’s hero products – sweet, smoky pimentón de la Vera, and grilled over encino, the very wood that fed it – a wonderfully symmetrical cooking method. Despite being one of the swishest restaurants in town, the three-course set meal costs, with drinks, a gentle €23. We soon discover the norm is €10-15; it’s easy to eat well on very little here. All the steep, narrow roads seem to lead to Plaza Mayor, the main square, with its ravishing conquistadors’ mansions. There’s Cerveceria for beers and the locals’ favourite dish, migas – paprika-laced breadcrumbs fried in pork fat, studded with chorizo and topped with a frilly fried egg; a reminder that, in a poor area, nothing must be wasted, even stale bread. When I ask for pan con tomate, I get toast and strawberry jam. With chips. (Worth it for the laughs.) More ham, served with sha…

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Cádiz, Spain: best budget food and drink guide
type: item
date: 2015-01-07T13:56:39.000Z
subject: Europe
subject: Meet the chef
subject: Spain
subject: Travel
subject: Guides
description: Where to eat, drink and sleep on a budget in Cádiz, including bargain tapas bars, chicharrones de Cádiz and vibrant food markets. By our travel expert Audrey Gillan.
encoded: The thin layers of soft, fatty pork are laid on waxed paper and dressed with sea salt and lemon – chicharrones de Cádiz, a speciality of the region. Beside them are ‘fritos’, fat, crisp chunks of spicy pork belly almost like pork scratchings, as well as slices of longaniza picante (spiced sausage), chorizo, morcilla and queso de arte. All of these are slapped down in front of us without fanfare, no single ‘tapa’ costing more than €2.30. I roll the chicharrones round tiny breadsticks – picos – to make a cumin and pepper-scented, crunchy snack of lardy delight, accompanied by glasses of chilled Cruzcampo then barbadillo, a light, grassy local white wine. This is Taberna Casa Manteca, (Calle Corralón 66) which means, literally, House of Lard, where Matador memorabilia adorns the walls and sausages hang behind the bar. It’s a noisy spit-and-sawdust kind of place, where roaring locals spill out onto the pavement and I immediately feel at home. So at home that I soon find myself joining in a round of happy birthday – and I can barely speak Spanish. Round the corner is Virgen de la Palma, a pedestrianised cobbled street in the heart of this slightly shabby former fishermen’s quarter. It’s lined with tapas bars and restaurants, but we joyfully discover that during daytime hours it becomes a magnet for weatherbeaten men selling oysters (six for €5) and prawns from carts on corners. We’re staying nearby in the Parador Hotel Atlántico, which affords astonishing views out across the ocean at almost every turn. From here we walk everywhere, mostly along cobbled streets, turning corners, losing our bearings and then suddenly surprised to see the sea again. On Saturday at the Mercado Central (Calle Santa Lucia, 10), housed inside a former convent, we watch as the theatre of the working day unfolds: swordfish are butchered, chocos (cuttlefish) cleaned of their black ink. There’s time to stock up on vacuum- packed mojama (smoked tuna), ham, chicharrones and fritos, before hitting th…

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