A Tapas Tour in Granada, Spain
DYK: Does the word tapas mean lids? & traditionally, they are free! Tapas were invented in Andalusia, Tour in Granada, Spain. A tapa, or cover, was placed over a glass to keep out flies. Food was then placed on this saucer to attract clients. The rest is history.
2nd stop: Los Diamantes. No frills seafood joint with friendly staff. We stood at the bar & ordered two cervezas that was accompanied by a plate of fried pink fish. This is similar to cod & common in Spain. It was very good, and a large serving was free!
Last stop: El bar de Fede. At 5pm on a Friday it had a good vibe. We ordered two glasses of wine a piece and experienced a Spanish stew as well as a shrimp salad (consistency of potato salad). We ended up staying a lot longer to test a theory. What time do they switch from free tapas to dinner? By 8pm, it didn’t matter. Free tapas continued. For 4 rounds of drinks & tapas in a 3 hr period, we spent $15 per person.
BONUS: We were there on the eve of El Dia de los Reyes which is a big Spanish holiday to celebrate the Three Wise Men returning to Bethlehem after Jesus birth. Three members of the town dress up, parade through the streets & give out candy & pictures 
.
So while in Granada when you walk into a restaurant and are asked “food or tapas?”, give the tapas a try!
Tour in Granada
One of the few remaining cities that offers free tapas is Granada.
The proper way to order is sitting or stand close to the bar where you are served a small tapa once you order a drink. The longer you stay, the better the tapas are. I decided to experience how the locals “tapa” & hop around to different establishments. First up: Bodegas Castañeda. Dating back to the 1920s, this place felt very authentic, even with its close proximity to the Catedral plaza. We ordered the local beer on draft & were presented with what looked & tasted like Thanksgiving stuffing.
2nd stop: Los Diamantes. No frills seafood joint with friendly staff. We stood at the bar & ordered two cervezas that was accompanied by a plate of fried pink fish. This is similar to cod & common in Spain. It was very good, and a large serving was free!
Last stop: El bar de Fede. At 5pm on a Friday it had a good vibe. We ordered two glasses of wine a piece and experienced a Spanish stew as well as a shrimp salad (consistency of potato salad). We ended up staying a lot longer to test a theory. What time do they switch from free tapas to dinner? By 8pm, it didn’t matter. Free tapas continued. For 4 rounds of drinks & tapas in a 3 hr period, we spent $15 per person.
BONUS: We were there on the eve of El Dia de los Reyes which is a big Spanish holiday to celebrate the Three Wise Men returning to Bethlehem after Jesus birth. Three members of the town dress up, parade through the streets & give out candy & pictures .
So while in Granada when you walk into a restaurant and are asked “food or tapas?”, give the tapas a try!
