The best tapas bars in Seville

1. Mercado Lonja del Barranco

The Spanish have long enjoyed dining out on small dishes from many vendors, so having a food court in Seville brings the global tapas trend full circle. Since 2014, the 1880s riverside glass-and-iron former fish market hall has played host to about 20 food and drink stalls. This is the place to mix and match, judgment-free: why not have Spanish seafood rice with an Aperol spritz, or a glass of rioja with some sushi?Tapas from £2 (mercado lonjabarranco.com)

2. El Rinconcillo

There are — by one possibly enthusiastic estimate — more than 3,000 tapas joints in Seville, and with its foundation date of 1670, El Rinconcillo claims seniority over them all. This corner bar by the church of Santa Catalina is certainly on the tourist trail, but the vintage ambience is justified, down to the hanging hams and tabs chalked up on the counter. Seville-specific tapas include spinach with chickpeas, spiced with cumin.Tapas from £2.50 (elrinconcillo.es)

3. Castizo

Opened in 2017 on the long but narrow Calle Zaragoza in the Arenal neighbourhood, Castizo takes a neo-traditional approach: neither sawdust and sherry barrels, nor fusion tapas. Behind the blue awning, the wood-lined interior is warm and understated. Pull up a seat at the bar by the open kitchen and order finely executed classics such as cod fritters, scallops in their shells or pork loin in whisky sauce, with the odd artistic spin.Tapas from £2.50 (barracastizo.es)

La Azotea Vinos

LA AZOTEA/FACEBOOK

4. La Azotea Vinos y Tapas

Among the main movers in Seville’s tapas new wave has been La Azotea. Its flagship branch is a straight-up restaurant now, with more of a bar atmosphere in neighbouring La Tienda, but the third venture Vinos y Tapas stands out for offering something different on the ultra-touristy Calle Mateos Gago. Besides the Andalusian focus of the wine list, vegetables make a stronger-than-average showing on the menu. The highlight? Courgette carpaccio with anchovies and goat’s cheese “snow”.Tapas from £3 (laazoteasevilla.com)

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La Brunilda

LA BRUNILDA/FACEBOOK

5. La Brunilda

To see what tapas can be when not afraid to break out of the mould, look behind the big blue door on an Arenal backstreet. A modern bistro-like space with exposed stone walls and a half-dozen seats at the bar in addition to restaurant tables, La Brunilda has a menu mixing dishes old (ham croquetas) and new (tuna tataki), plus spins on originals, such as a chilled salmorejo soup made with beetroot rather than tomato.Tapas from £2.70 (labrunildatapas.com)

6. Bar Europa

Coming up to its centenary, Bar Europa, in a tangle of old-town lanes, shows there’s still life in the perro viejo yet. The space is quite tight, with bar stools and small tables lining the blue-and-white tiled walls, plus a few more outside on the cobbles. What comes out of the kitchen though is frequently inventive, with many a fish tartare or tapas-sized pasta dish, alongside all the expected Iberian hams and cheeses.Tapas from £3 (facebook.com/BarEuropa1925)

7. Bodeguita Romero

The crowds gather at this institution, now in its eighth decade, above all for its montadito de pringa — slow-cooked pork in a toasted roll. Also claimed to be the best in Seville is the papas aliñas, a deceptively simple vinegary potato salad. Despite the bar’s location in the heart of the old town near the cathedral, it hasn’t got lazy from easy custom, and there’s an excellent sherry list to accompany the proudly old-school tapas.Tapas from £2 (bodeguitaromero.es)