Granada Food
The region of Andalucia is rightfully well known for its tapas and its second city, Granada, is no different.
There are hundreds of bars that will offer small plates of various delicacies and in the summer months many locals enjoy sharing a number of dishes as they go bar hopping in the city.
However, it is the more substantial meal that provides the visitor with a sense of the real uniqueness of the local cuisine. The Arab influence is clearly seen in many of the local dishes, with many spices used to provide some wonderful flavours.
The abundance of vegetables in the area is often put to good use and lima beans with ham, lima beans casserole, and albornia, a wonderful combination of vegetables, spices and olive oil, are among the dishes to try.
Also popular is papas a lo pobre and tortilla Sacromonte, which is an omelette housing a mixture of vegetables.
Stews are also often on the menu, with the olla de San Anton, which is a combination of pig's ear, bacon, blood sausage and lima beans, tasting particularly fine, while the olla podrida is one for the ravenous, containing as it does pork, lamb, veal, chicken, pigeon, ham and sausage with a whole host of vegetables, although, for once, no lima beans.
The nuns of the region are famed for their ability to make desserts, with the Encarnacion nuns well known for the partridge pie, while the sisters of Jeronimas have turned their hands to a number of delicacies, including chestnut soup, wild blackberries and apples and their famous sweet pumpkins.
The majority of locals tend to like to wash their meals down with a small beer or glass of wine, although as increasing numbers of pint ordering foreigners have arrived, many bars have adapted to their larger requirements. Spanish lager has been rightfully lauded and Cruzcampo is particularly fine. To really blend in with the Granadians, be sure to order a dry sherry such as a fino or manzanilla - they may not appeal to all but are a wonderful accompaniment to seafood.
But where to go? Fortunately, there are a number of good but reasonably priced restaurants to choose from.
The Restaurante Leon on Calle Pan is well known for its sizeable and delicious meals as well as its affordable prices. As with most restaurants in the city, tapas is available at the bar during the week.
For the best in local dishes, two places stand out. The first, Meson Gallego Noemi at the Plaza Trinidad is tiny but has a staggering range of traditional dishes on offer, while the Patio Andaluz on Escudo del Carmen is inexpensive and also full of locals, who know a good dish when they eat one.
Other places to try are the Nueva Bodega on Calle Cettimeriem, which has a superb choice of food, and the Gargantua on Placeta Silleria which has a great atmosphere and even better menu.
Out of town, along the coast, there are innumerable seafood restaurants, with fried fish proving particularly popular. For those who don't wish to travel far, the Albaicin area of town provides a number of establishments for seafood fans.
For something different, try the Calle Caldereria where all things are Moroccan. The area has a number of Moroccan health food shops, tearooms and even a vegetarian restaurant to enjoy.
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Eating & Drinking
