Food & Drink · Tapas Bars
Tapas bars in Frigiliana.
Tapas — small plates meant for sharing — are the social side of Andalusian eating. In Frigiliana the tapas evening is the village coming alive: drinks at one bar, plates at another, a slow lap of the old town between sunset and dinner.
What tapas actually are
Tapas are small plates of food, ordered with drinks, meant to be shared. Originally — the story goes — they were a slice of bread or jamón placed on top of a glass of sherry to keep flies out (tapa = "lid"). Today they’re a national institution: small portions of dishes that range from olives and cured ham to hot meatballs in tomato sauce, fried calamari, salt cod fritters, or slow-braised oxtail.
The trick to tapas is quantity. A typical tapas evening for two adults is 4–6 plates plus drinks, ordered in waves rather than all at once. You order, eat, drink, talk, decide what to have next, order another round.
Our picks
Tapas bars we recommend.
La Taberna del Sacristán
In the postcard-pretty square next to the Iglesia de San Antonio de Padua. Strong tapas menu alongside the bigger sit-down options — roast lamb, steaks, fresh salads. Book ahead on summer evenings.
La Bodeguilla
Family-run with two locations. A particular focus on Andalusian regional dishes — choto al ajillo, salmorejo, well-cured local jamón — and the famous Especial de Bodeguilla sharing plate.
El Boquetillo Street Food & Tapas
The casual end of the spectrum. Mediterranean and British fusion in a rock-and-roll-themed bar — burgers in particular have built a following. A more relaxed evening than the white-tablecloth options.
What to order
Order a mix — some cold, some hot, some you know, one or two that sound interesting. A typical order for two:
Cold tapas
- Jamón Ibérico — cured ham. The good stuff is de bellota (acorn-fed); cheaper is cebo. Both are excellent.
- Manchego or local cheese — a tabla of cheese, sometimes with quince paste.
- Salmorejo — thick cold tomato soup, topped with hard-boiled egg and more jamón. Andalusian comfort food in a bowl.
- Olives — usually free with drinks; ask for the marinated kind specifically if you want them.
Hot tapas
- Patatas bravas — fried potato cubes with spicy tomato sauce and aioli. The benchmark; everywhere does them.
- Albóndigas — meatballs in tomato sauce. Comforting, soaked-up-with-bread good.
- Boquerones fritos — small fried anchovies. Eat them whole, with a squeeze of lemon.
- Calamares a la plancha — calamari, grilled rather than fried. Fresh, simple, excellent.
- Croquetas — usually ham or chicken; fried to order, crisp outside, melting inside. Hard to get wrong.
Local specialities
- Choto al ajillo — young goat in garlic. Regional Axarquía dish; ask if it’s on.
- Migas — fried breadcrumbs with chorizo and peppers. Originally a shepherd’s breakfast.
- Tortilla de patatas — Spanish potato omelette. Should be slightly runny in the middle.
How to do it
Tapas evening, the local way.
Start late
7.30–8pm is the right time to begin. Earlier and the bars are quiet; the locals don’t arrive until 8 or 9. The energy builds across the evening.
Stand at the bar
Tables are for sit-down meals; tapas are for the bar. You’ll see most regulars on their feet, leaning on the counter — order, eat, chat, move on.
Order in waves
Don’t order everything at once. Two or three plates, drink, finish, decide what next. The whole point is to slow down.
Move between bars
Two or three plates per bar, then walk to the next. Three bars in an evening is a normal pace. Each has its specialities — try the calamari at one, the croquetas at another.
What to drink with tapas
- Caña — small draft beer (around 200ml). The default Spanish drink with tapas. Refreshing, light, doesn’t fill you up.
- Vino tinto — local red wine. The Axarquía produces some, but most bars also pour Rioja or Ribera del Duero. Ask what’s house.
- Vermut — Spanish vermouth, served on the rocks with a slice of orange. Increasingly popular in Andalusia.
- Tinto de verano — red wine with lemonade. The summer drink; lighter and cheaper than sangria.
- Sherry (jerez) — fino or manzanilla, served chilled. Pairs especially well with seafood and jamón. An acquired taste worth acquiring.
What it costs
- Caña of beer: €1.50–2.50
- Glass of house wine: €2.00–3.50
- A tapa: €2–6 typically. Some specialities (jamón Ibérico) are pricier.
- Total tapas evening for two: €25–40 including drinks. Cheaper than dinner, more sociable.
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