I’m not going to lie. During my year abroad in Spain I can honestly say I was never really overly enamoured with Spanish cuisine. Being a vegetarian, there’s only so many times you can order patatas bravas without wanting to just bury yourself in the ground in place of yet another potato. I had heard the South was known for its Iberian ham so I was very much prepared for my tuber diet but OH MY DAYS I WAS SO WRONG.

Seville:

El Pintón.
Fairly fancy restaurant with a lush interior but the real fun is outside at the front. Watching everyone milling around the streets as the scorching sun sets around you leaving a warm breeze to keep you company. The waiter spoke perfect English and was very happy to recommend the best of the menu.
No need to book. Find them here.

Perro Viejo.
Beautiful restaurant. 3 floors high with a view of the kitchen. A modern interior compliments a very modern take on service. Bluetooth sets adorned the ears of all the waiters. Although the service was pretty bad, all was forgiven due to the delicious food and cocktail menu.
Definitely book! Find them here.

Habanita.
Vegan & Vegetarian restaurant, (meat options available), serving up tapas with a ‘Caribbean’ twist. Pretty well tucked away in Seville but definitely worth the walk. Cocktails come in pitcher size too which is always a bonus.
We went for lunch which we had booked but upon arrival it was totally empty, so I wouldn’t say booking was essential. Find them here.

La Cantina Mexicana.
Mexican food is my favourite food. Not Tex-Mex. Not that Old El Paso bollocks. Proper Mexican food, and that is exactly what you’re going to get at La Cantina Mexicana. Quite a small restaurant, fairly rustic and traditional in appearance with a great menu. If you’re vegetarian, let your waiter know as there are some tweaks they can make to the dishes that aren’t explicitly on the menu. It is SO tucked away it may take you walking straight past it a few times before you actually clock it.
Definitely book. Find them here.

We also ate at L’Oca Guiliva, an Italian restaurant with a fantastic Menu del Día. Across the road from there, (up the road from La Casa de la Guitarra, where we saw the flamenco show), we found Casa Tomate. Super cute bar and restaurant with a few tables outside. Amazing waiters and amazing service. (I forgot to take pictures for them but they were definitely worth a mention). You’ll find them both on Calle Mateos Gago, which is a road FULL of bars and restaurants, so a good place to start if you’re looking for a quick lunch spot.

In Córdoba we ate at Mercado los Patios de la Marquesa, which is similar in style to Mercado de San Miguel or San Ildefonso in Madrid. Self service with lots of space to eat so definitely no need to book. Not many tourists know about it, so the food is fairly cheap and has a very chilled atmosphere. Vegetarian or not, you NEED to try Salmorejo if you visit Córdoba as this is where is comes from! It’s similar to gazpacho except slightly thiccccca.
In Cádiz we ate at La Candela. A super quirky place with an interior of mismatched items dotted around the place. Really good food and lovely staff. The whole vibe is just unapologetically different and I was 100% here for it.

Is it obvious that eating is one of, if not, my favourite pastime?