One of the things I love about travelling is being able to sample the local food. Before my year abroad people would tell me how lucky I was to be spending my second semester eating lovely Italian food in Padua, but I have to say that the culinary experiences of my first semester in Seville, Spain beat the pizza and pasta hands down! As if being a beautiful city full of sunshine, orange trees and pretty squares wasn’t enough, Seville also has a vast array of amazing eateries to offer. Here are my top five:
1. Taberna Los Coloniales- This is by far my favourite restaurant in the city. There are two of them; one in Plaza Cristo de Burgos and the other on Calle Fernandez y Gonzalez. The menu is full of all things typically Spanish, with a few specialities which set their food apart from other restaurants. Their patatas bravas are second to none (and believe me I’ve tried a lot) and their pollo en salsa de almendras (chicken in almond sauce) is one of the nicest things I have ever tasted! What really makes it great is that the service is impeccable and the portions are huge for the price. I have had equally good experiences there for romantic meals and for big parties. We once arrived at 11pm in a party of 20 and they still made sure we were all well-fed! Friendly, welcoming and delicious!
2. Restaurante Carmela- Situated in the beautiful surroundings of the barrio Santa Cruz on Calle Santa Maria de la Blanca, this tapas bar has a wonderful holiday atmosphere as you can sit on the patio and watch the world go by. The tapas are fantastic and there are some dishes served there which I have never seen anywhere else, my favourite being the goat’s cheese and raspberry crepe. They also have a great breakfast and speciality coffee menu, so it’s a lovely place to catch up with friends in the sun.
3. Café-BarLeviés- This is an equally nice place to go for a drink out on the terrace or for some delicious tapas, situated on the corner of CalleLeviés and Calle San Jose. They have a good range of seafood for any fish lovers! It is also just around the corner from a famous flamenco bar called La Carbonería, which is definitely a must-see for any culture vultures!
4. Patio San Eloy (on Calle San Eloy)- They say you know a restaurant is good when it’s always full of locals. This is one of those places. Instead of tables you sit on big steps covered in traditional Spanish azulejos, surrounded by hams hanging from the ceiling.
5. CerveceriaCienMontaditos- I know it may seem boring as this is a chain restaurant which can be found in most of Spain’s big cities, but I cannot believe this concept has not yet caught on in England! Essentially it is a sandwich bar, but as the name suggests, it has 100 different varieties. It is the ultimate student eatery for lunch or just a snack, situated right opposite the university, with prices ranging from around €1-4. And on Wednesdays everything is €1! Imagine that in the Student’s Union!
By Anna Graves
