The 10 Best Restaurants for Local Cuisine in Granada

Bodegas Castañeda is a traditional Andalusian bar decorated with wine barrels, wineskins, cured hams that hang from the ceiling and other characteristic elements. With the tapa that is served free of charge with your drink, you can enjoy traditional fare such as montaditos (small baguette sandwiches), patés, cheeses and cured meats. This bar-restaurant is best-known for its hot and cold platters. Enjoy a selection of tapas accompanied by a delicious sangria or glass of local wine. Choose between standing at the bar or eating at a table – either way, is a great place to enjoy good food with friends and family. It is an essential visit if you want to enjoy the best of local cooking in the heart of Granada.

Bar los Diamantes opened for business in 1942, fulfilling a family dream to offer local people fish of the very highest quality. Having subsequently opened 4 other bars, the original Diamantes in Calle Navas continues to serve Granada's freshest tapas to locals and tourists alike. Ensaladilla rusa (Russian salad), calamares (squid), gambas (prawns) and almejas en salsa (clams cooked in sauce) are just some of the specialities of this restaurant. Those who love fried fish, rice dishes and the food from southern Spain can enjoy huge tapas at a cheap price, all in a very relaxed atmosphere. Go to the bar, order a beer or a glass of wine, and enjoy a taste of the sea.

Taberna La Tana takes the concept of tapas and raises it to the level of a perfect gastronomic experience that will delight the most demanding of palates. Don't be fooled by the typical Andalusian decor, with the natural ingredients adorning the walls. Let yourself be taken on a culinary journey with the tapas you are offered. Patés accompanied by figs, toasted canapés of avocado and tomato and artichokes with sun dried tomato combine perfectly with the local wines selected by the owner. The local Granadinos have no doubt: you can't visit the city without having a glass of wine here, trying the cheeses and delighting in the freshness of the tomato dressed with extra-virgin olive oil. It's a real luxury for those who delight in traditional flavours with an original, innovative touch.

El Huerto de Juan Ranas seeks to bring together the best of traditional Andalusian cuisine and the chef's culinary creativity, using ingredients of the very highest quality in a menu that can suit any type of occasion. Visit this magical spot with its panoramic views out over the city as you enjoy a dish of ravioli de melón foie caramelizado (melon ravioli with caramelised foie gras), huevos rotos con patatas, jamón ibérico y aceite de trufa (fried eggs and potatoes with Iberian cured ham and truffle oil) and bacalao confitado con crema de piquillos y cebolla caramelizada (confit of salt cod with cream of red pepper and caramelised onions). If you would like to see the sun set as you enjoy a fine coffee, accompany it with one of El Huerto de Juan Ranas' homemade deserts. It's the authentic flavour of the region in a special, relaxed setting.

Bar Aliatar was ahead of its time when Salvador Peña Palacios opened it 50 years ago to serve fast food in the form of filled baguettes like nobody had done before. The concept won the hearts of locals and tourists alike, with a further 2 establishments opening elsewhere in Granada. The local wines and beers served ice-cold are the perfect accompaniment to these original filled baguettes: habas con jamón (broad beans with cured ham), jamón serrano y roquefort (cured ham with Roquefort cheese), ensaladilla rusa (Russian salad) and serranito con pimiento frito (cured ham with fried peppers). Are you getting hungry? Bar Aliatar is open for all your meal needs, and for less than 5 euros you can enjoy one of Granada's most typical aperitifs before you continue your stroll through the city's streets.

Restaurante Mirador de Morayma is situated on the Albaicín hill overlooking the Alhambra and offers a gastronomic experience inspired by the most traditional flavours of Andalusia. Its dining room is decorated in the style of the country house of the Andalusian nobility, with old portraits, wooden beams and candelabras over the tables. Outside, meanwhile, the decoration is faithful to the rustic style that characterises this restaurant, with a rural simplicity that only serves to accentuate the spectacular views it offers. We recommend you start by sharing a tabla de queso de oveja al romero con mermelada de pimientos del piquillo (selection of sheep's milk cheeses with rosemary and a compote of piquillo peppers) and lomos de sardina ahumada con alcaparras y aguacate (smoked sardine fillets with capers and avocado). Then enjoy a glass of wine chosen by the sommelier and a main dish of secreto ibérico con calabaza y patatas especiadas (Iberian pork steak with pumpkin and spiced potatoes). As you can see, it's a select menu for a special occasion.

Restaurante Las Tomasas will delight those who visit with its concept that brings together signature cuisine and the culinary traditions of Andalusia. In order to guarantee quality and flavour, the menu changes by the season to offer a wide variety of starters to share, individual 'pincho' snacks, soups, salads, rice and pasta dishes, meats and fish. The wine list also changes throughout the year in order to best complement the cuisine. The sommelier will advise you on the Spanish wine that will best accompany the dishes you choose. Ask for your favourite dish and enjoy the modern presentation that gives a special touch to your experience.

Tetería Palacio Nazarí is the perfect place to rest and relax over a glass of Moroccan tea. It is decorated in the style of a traditional Arabic tea shop in which the textures of the seating, the subtle lighting and the intense colours are worthy of special mention. Try the Atardecer en Marrakech (Dusk in Marrakech) – an infusion of green tea, mint and lemon sugar, served in a traditional silver teapot and elegant glasses. Accompany this reviving tea with almond or pistachio sweetmeats and let yourself be carried away by the intense flavours of North Africa.

The Tetería Kasbah came to Granada with a decor that perfectly recalls the tea shops of the Middle East. With its Arabic arches, ceramic-topped tables, diaphanous fabrics hanging from the ceiling and stained-glass lamps, visitors can travel to distant lands without leaving the city. As well as serving the traditional tea and sweetmeats typical of this culture, this tea shop also offers the best of Moroccan and Middle Eastern cuisine in all its splendour. Start by sharing a dish of hummus and pita bread and follow it with lamb couscous, a Moroccan savoury pastry and a plate of falafel. Don't leave town without trying one of the wide variety of spiced teas with their enticing aromas.

A visit to Granada isn't complete without trying the piononos de Casa Ysla, which created these famous egg yolk-based sweetmeats in 1897. Caferino Isla, a devoted Catholic, invented this desert , which he named 'pionono' in honour of Pope Pius IX. Years later, the patisserie moved to Santa Fe, with Granada becoming home to numerous Casa Ysla cafes in which you can sample this delicious creation. The original pionono is a small custard-filled sponge cake topped with toasted egg yolk. Casa Ysla has always sought to innovate, however, and offers its clientele surprising new flavours, such as chocolate piononos, white chocolate and vanilla piononos and mandarin piononos. Accompany your choice with a delicious coffee and you will have the perfect way to start the day or rest and recharge your batteries after a long walk.