There are so many great Tapas bars have opened in Palma over the last few years, and to talk about Spanish food without mentioning tapas is almost impossible.
These little plates, often no bigger than a handful, carry the weight of an entire culture. Tapas are not just about eating; they are about sharing, socialising, and savouring life in bite-sized moments.
The origins of tapas are steeped in legend. One popular story claims that tapas began in Andalusia, when bartenders placed slices of bread or ham over glasses of sherry to keep the flies out. The word tapa literally means “lid.” Another tale suggests that King Alfonso X, recovering from illness, ordered that food always be served with wine to prevent the effects of drinking on an empty stomach. Whatever the truth, tapas quickly became a ritual: food served not in courses, but in conversation.
At their heart, tapas reflect Spain’s diverse landscapes and traditions. Along the coast, you’ll find gambas al ajillo—prawns sizzling in garlic and olive oil—or boquerones en vinagre, fresh anchovies marinated in vinegar. Inland regions lean on heartier flavours: chorizo al vino, slow-cooked in red wine, or morcilla, a spiced black pudding often paired with peppers. Then there are the timeless classics found everywhere: patatas bravas with their fiery sauce, tortilla española—a thick, golden omelette of potatoes and onions—and jamón ibérico, cured for years until it melts on the tongue.
But tapas are about more than the dishes themselves. They represent a way of life. A night of tapas often means wandering from bar to bar, sampling a speciality in each place. One tavern may serve the best croquetas, another the freshest seafood, another a humble plate of olives that tastes like the essence of the Mediterranean. The portions are small by design, so the evening stretches, the conversations deepen, and the meal becomes a journey rather than a destination.
Tapas are inseparable from the rhythm of Spanish life: the late dinners, the crowded counters, the hum of voices, the clink of glasses filled with sherry, vermouth, or Rioja. To truly experience tapas, one must embrace the spirit of lingering, of tasting, of sharing without hurry.
Of course, tapas have also evolved. Modern Spanish chefs—many Michelin-starred—have reimagined tapas with contemporary techniques and playful presentations. A patatas bravas may now arrive as delicate spheres, bursting with flavour in a single bite; a simple prawn may be smoked, pickled, or foamed into something entirely new. Yet even in their most avant-garde form, tapas retain their essence: generosity, creativity, and conviviality.
Ultimately, tapas are Spain in miniature. They capture the country’s history, its regions, its ingredients, and above all, its love of food as a social act. To sit at a table—or better yet, to stand at a crowded bar—with a few friends, a plate of croquetas, and a glass of chilled Albariño is to experience Spain at its most joyful.
These are my top 10 Must-Try Tapas in Spain:
1. Patatas Bravas – Crispy potatoes with spicy tomato sauce and aioli.
2. Tortilla Española – Classic potato and onion omelette, golden and hearty.
3. Gambas al Ajillo – Prawns sizzling in garlic, olive oil and chilli.
4. Jamón Ibérico – Silky slices of cured Iberian ham, a national treasure.
5. Boquerones en Vinagre – Fresh anchovies marinated in vinegar, garlic and parsley.
6. Croquetas – Creamy béchamel bites, often filled with ham, chicken or cod.
7. Chorizo al Vino – Spicy sausage slowly simmered in red wine.
8. Pimientos de Padrón – Small green peppers, some sweet, some surprisingly hot.
9. Morcilla – I love a Spanish black pudding, especially the ones with rice, they are heary, rich and often served with roasted peppers.
10.Pulpo a la Gallega – Octopus with olive oil, paprika, and sea salt, Galician-style.
PATATAS BRAVAS
(Brave or bold potatoes)
Ingredients: serves 8-10
6 large potatoes
Salsa bravas:
350ml mayonnaise
2tbsp tomato puree
1tbsp Sherry vinegar
1 garlic clove (crushed)
1tspn paprika
1tspn cayenne pepper
½tspn Ground cumin
Salt
Place all the ingredients in a bowl and whisk together.
Peel and cut the potatoes into roughly 3cm dice. Deep fry them in hot oil until golden brown and crisp. Drain and sprinkle with sea salt. Spoon over the brava sauce and serve immediately.
GAMBAS CON GABARDINA
Most tapas bars serve a dish called gambas con gabardina which translates as ‘prawns in an overcoat’. The prawns are shelled, leaving just the top part of the tail attached, then dipped in batter and deep-fried in hot oil until crisp.
Ingredients serves 4-6
30 prawns, deveined & peeled but with the tip of the tail left on
2 large eggs
250g flour
1tsp baking powder
250ml beer
a pinch of salt
a pinch of paprika
In a large bowl, whisk together the eggs, flour, baking powder, salt and paprika. Add the beer and leave in a warm room for 20 minutes. We are looking for a nice thick batter.
Heat about 2 inches of oil in a small pan over high heat. Dip each prawn into the batter (holding by the tail) and add to the oil.
They will cook very quickly. Cook for about 1 minute until golden brown.
Remove to a paper towel to absorb the oil. Serve hot with a little garlic aioli.
BOQUERONES EN VINAGRE
Ingredients Serves 6
400g fresh anchovies
250ml white wine vinegar
juice of 1 lemon
1 tsp salt
150ml Virgin olive oil
2 Garlic cloves, chopped
a bunch of fresh parsley for serving, chopped
Clean
the fish by simply twisting and pinching off the heads, making a slit along the
belly and pulling out the innards. Rinse well under cold running water.
Butterfly the fish, using a knife to extend the cut along the belly (used for
gutting) right down to the tail. Put the anchovies, belly down, on a board and
open them out, press firmly along the backbone with your thumbs to loosen it.
Turn the fish over and pull out the backbone. Try to leave the little tail fins
on. You will then have the two fillets still joined together. Wash and
carefully dry the anchovies, put them in a shallow dish and pour over the wine
vinegar to cover. Leave for about 10 minutes until the anchovies are beginning
to turn white, then remove them and pat dry.
Arrange the anchovies, skin side up, in a dish and pour over the lemon juice,
scatter over the chopped parsley, salt and garlic, and cover with cling film
and refrigerate for 1 hour. Pour over the olive oil before serving.
Sobrasada & machego cheese croquetas
Croquetas de sobrasada y manchego
Ingredients:
120g of sobrasada with no skin, at room temperature
For the Bechemel:
60g of unsalted butter
2 tbsp olive oil
1 small onion, finely chopped
1 bay leaf
6 black peppercorns
60g flour
500ml milk
25g of cured manchego cheese, finely grated
2tbsp Parsley, finely chopped
Seasoning
2 large eggs
150g of breadcrumbs (panko if possible)
60g seasoned flour
Bring the milk to the boil with
the bay leaf and the peppercorns.
Remove from the heat and leave to infuse for 10
minutes before straining. Then melt the butter and olive oil in a medium
saucepan, stir in the flour, and cook over a low heat for 3-4 minutes.
When smooth, start adding some of the strained
milk. Stir until smooth, and then add more milk until the sauce is
thickened. Cook over a gentle heat for
10-15 minutes and add the sobrasada and grated manchego, whisking regularly
until you have a smooth, thick béchamel sauce.
Stir in the chopped parsley, season with salt and black pepper then transfer to a shallow container and cover with a piece of cling film to prevent a skin forming. Allow to cool to room temperature then chill for a minimum of 4 hours, or overnight.
Once the béchamel has chilled and set, lightly beat the eggs in a shallow bowl. Place the breadcrumbs in a second bowl and add the seasoned flour to a third shallow bowl.
Dust your hands with some flour and scoop out a heaped tablespoon of the firm béchamel. Roll into a ball then dip into the egg followed by the breadcrumbs. Repeat until all the mixture is dipped and rolled, continuing to dust your hands and the balls with flour to prevent sticking. Chill for at least 20 minutes.
In batches of 5 or 6, shallow fry the croquettes in a large frying pan, turning regularly until crisp and golden brown. Alternatively, you can heat oil to 180C in a large saucepan or deep fryer and fry for 3–4 minutes. Drain well on kitchen paper and serve piping hot with aioli.
Comments
Post a Comment