The best tapas in Spain
The top 3 according to 43 votes from people: Tortilla pincho · Boquerones en vinagre · Patatas bravas. (Updated Sep 14, 2026.)
The tapas and raciones you will always find on a Spanish bar counter, according to tapas guides (Spain.info, TheFork and food blogs). For a tapas crawl rather than a sit-down meal.
Automatically translated (original in Español). See the original
Top 20
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1
Tortilla pincho
A wedge of Spanish potato omelette, the most ordered tapa on bar counters across the country.
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2
Boquerones en vinagre
Anchovy fillets marinated in vinegar with garlic and parsley, typical of Málaga.
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3
Patatas bravas
Fried potato cubes with spicy brava sauce; in Madrid they are a religion.
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4
Padrón peppers
Fried peppers with coarse salt; every so often one is hot.
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5
Pulpo a feira
Boiled octopus with paprika and olive oil, the star ración in Galicia.
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6
Ham croquetas
Creamy béchamel with ham, breaded and fried; a bar is judged by its croquetas.
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7
Calamares a la romana
Battered squid rings; in a sandwich they are the classic of Madrid's Plaza Mayor.
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8
Gambas al ajillo
A small clay dish of oil, garlic and chilli that arrives at the table sizzling.
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9
Ensaladilla rusa
Potato, tuna, egg, carrot and mayonnaise; a permanent fixture in Seville and Madrid bars.
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10
Iberian ham
A few hand-carved slices with breadsticks or bread, the luxury tapa.
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11
Gilda
A skewer of olive, anchovy and pickled chilli, born in San Sebastián in the 1940s.
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12
Champiñones al ajillo
Mushrooms sautéed with garlic, parsley and white wine; the speciality of Calle Laurel in Logroño.
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13
Montadito de pringá
Bread with the shredded meat from the stew, Seville's tapa par excellence.
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14
Flamenquín
Roll of pork loin and ham, breaded and fried, from Córdoba.
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15
Callos a la madrileña
Tripe stewed with chorizo, black pudding and paprika, served in a clay dish.
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16
Moorish skewer
Pork or lamb skewer marinated with paprika and spices, grilled or grilled.
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17
Chopitos
Little fried baby squid, typical of Andalusia.
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18
Mejillones tigre
Mussels stuffed with spicy béchamel, breaded and fried in the shell; very Bilbao.
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19
Grilled pig's ear
Griddled pork ear with paprika and brava sauce, a classic in Madrid bars.
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20
Banderillas
Skewers of pickles (gherkin, pickled onion, olive) to go with a vermouth.
Candidates
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21
Meatballs in sauce
Meat meatballs in tomato or almond sauce, classic in bars throughout Spain.
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22
Burgos blood sausage
Rice blood sausage with PGI, served grilled in slices.
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23
broken eggs
Fried eggs on French fries, broken on top, often with ham or chistorra.
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24
Grilled razor clams
Grilled open razor clams with oil, lemon and parsley.
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25
Grilled scallops
Small Galician scallops grilled with garlic and parsley.
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26
Chorizo with cider
Chorizo cooked in natural cider, a classic tapa from Asturian cider houses.
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27
Sailor
Murcian tapa: Russian salad on a crispy doughnut, topped with an anchovy.
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28
Torreznos
Crispy fried strips of pork belly; those from Soria have a quality mark.
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29
Salmorejo
A small bowl of cold tomato cream with egg and ham, Córdoba's tapa.
How is this ranking ordered? By people's votes: each ▲ adds a point and each ▼ takes one away. Anyone can vote and add what is missing.
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Comments (4)
Las bravas de Madrid son otra cosa.
La tortilla, con cebolla por supuesto.
La gilda en el puesto 8 me parece poco, en Donosti es sagrada.
Faltan el pincho moruno, los huevos rotos, la morcilla de Burgos, las albóndigas... ¡lista muy corta!