Review of Spain Food Sherpas’ Taste of Granada Food Tour

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Eating and drinking my way around my favourite Spanish city is, without doubt, one of the best ways to spend a day. I’ve wanted to visit Granada, Spain, since I read a book about it when I was 16, and when I finally got to visit for the first time last year, I quickly fell in love with this vibrant city. From the world-famous Alhambra and the incredible food scene to the atmospheric winding streets of the Albaicín and traditional flamenco Cuevas, Granada offers more culture than you can sample in a day. And with so many amazing tapas bars and restaurants, it’s almost impossible to know which ones deserve your time. So, when Spain Food Sherpas reached out to me to offer a space on their Taste of Granada Food Tour in return for writing about my experience, I was delighted. Now I’d have a local expert to show me the best restaurants in Granada.

A Culinary Food Tour of Granada, Spain

Casa Castañeda

We met our guide, Marcel, in the centre of Granada and immediately set off on a historical walking tour of the city. Marcel explained that to understand Spanish food culture, you really need to understand Spanish history. He showed us historical spots, statues and monuments, and beautiful buildings and explained some of the stories behind them. After walking for about an hour, we reached our first stop, Casa Castañeda, a restaurant and bar that has been run by the same family since 1884.

In traditional Spanish style, we started with a vermouth aperitif and a plate of Serrano and Ibérico Jamón. Marcel explained the curing process of the Jamón and his enthusiasm for this Spanish delicacy flowed. I’d never understood, or even realised, that there was such a difference in flavours between Serrano and Ibérico Jamón before, but tasting them side by side, you could taste the lightness of the Serrano and the deep richness of the Ibérico.

Following this course, we were served with a Mencal white wine that would complement the next dish, a traditional Spanish tortilla. I usually prefer the eggs in Spanish tortilla to be slightly runny in the middle, but this tortilla was still delicious and melted in the mouth.

Moving on to our third course, and already feeling comfortably full, we were served a Muñana red wine with a simple dish of chickpeas, spinach and goat’s cheese. Being completely honest, from first impressions, I was unsure about this dish, but it was actually one of the most delicious dishes I’ve ever eaten. The flavour was incredible, and so rich. Even my dad, who normally doesn’t like spinach, ate the lot! I am always blown away by how such simple food, can be so incredibly tasty when cooked in the right way and with the best ingredients.

Restaurante Alameda

Moving on to our next stop, we walked a short distance to a more modern establishment called Restaurante Alameda, where we enjoyed a delicious and refreshing sparkling wine, a Lumé Brut, with oxtail croquettes. Croquettes are one of my favourite things to eat and this one did not disappoint. The strong flavour of the oxtail paired with the creamy mushroom filling was divine. This stop was a short one with only one dish, but we were grateful for the time to let our food go down.

Chikito

Already feeling very full, we left for the short walk to the next restaurant, another historical establishment called Chikito. Inside Chikito, the walls are lined with pictures of famous people that have visited the restaurant. In the far corner, you’ll also see a statue of a famous Spanish author called Federico García Lorca, who was known to have frequently visited this spot before his death in the Spanish Civil War.

For our first dish at Chikito, we enjoyed a beautifully served cod, orange and pomegranate salad. Served cold, this dish was light and refreshing, just what we needed after already indulging in so much food. Paired with this and the next dish of artichokes with sugar cane, we were served a red wine, and finally a delicious dessert of almond and raspberry cake.

Finishing off the tour, Marcel told us the three legends that explain how the tapas culture started. No one really knows which one is true, but you’re left to make up your own mind on which story you prefer. I won’t tell you the stories now – you’ll have to join the tour to find out!

Taste of Granada Food Tour Details

This tour costs €67 per person, with two time options of 11am and 6pm. The tour lasts for 3.5 hours.

The tour meets in the centre of Granada outside the Teatro Isabel la Catolica.

We enjoyed 7 different dishes, 4 glasses of wine and a vermouth aperitif, with explanations and information to accompany each dish about the history of the dish, the wine and Marcel’s own personal experiences with the food.

We were asked about any food intolerances prior to the tour, and the guide also asked at the start of the tour to double check.

Spain Food Sherpas also offer culinary tours in other cities: Seville and Malaga.

Book the Taste of Granada Food Tour here

Is the Spain Food Sherpas Taste of Granada Food Tour Good Value?

Absolutely yes. While you could embark on your own self-made food tour of Granada, you’d be missing out on the incredible local knowledge, historical walking tour and Spanish culture if you did this without a guide. Not to mention the delicious morsels of food we sampled in each place – the best of the best! I already felt knowledgeable about Spanish food and culture, having visited the country so many times and having friends who live in Spain, but I learnt so much on this tour.

Marcel was a fantastic guide – incredibly friendly, very knowledgeable and even provided us with a ton of local recommendations for tapas bars, great views of the city and even other towns and villages to visit in the area. His passion for food and his hometown was clear to see and very infectious! Having a local’s knowledge in any city is invaluable, especially when you’re so short on time and don’t want to waste a second.

If I’d paid for this tour, I’d be extremely happy with the value for money and the experience. We were so full that we didn’t eat for the rest of the day – honestly, not a single morsel – which meant we didn’t need to spend any money on dinner that evening.

I’d highly recommend this tour if you’re visiting Granada – delicious food, copious amounts of wine, a friendly local guide, and an interesting and informative tour. If you’re a foodie, you won’t be disappointed.

I was hosted on this Spain Food Sherpas Taste of Granada Food Tour as guests in return for writing about my experience, but all opinions are my own.