Top 10 culinary specialities in Granada

Planning a trip to Spain? What a great idea, the cuisine is so good, so colourful… so exquisite. Granada is one of the cities with the most “special” traditional dishes, which you won’t find anywhere else. So when you first enter the city, you’ll be seduced by the smells of mouth-watering dishes wafting from the stoves of nearby restaurants. If you’re curious to know in advance what kind of delicacies you might be getting your teeth into, look no further than Inspector Navaway’s research. We tell you all about it, and give you some juicy details!

What to eat in Granada Our top 10 culinary specialities.

1. Bonito Encebollado

We’re kicking off this ranking with a traditional dish, with its origins in the city of Granada. What does it contain? A good portion of tuna, mixed with potatoes and onions. A real treat. As the main ingredient is fish, white meat and lean meat, this is not a particularly high-calorie meal. On the contrary, tuna helps to keep bones healthy: thanks to phosphorus and vitamin B. Some even describe it as “the protein of the sea”. In other words, eating this fish stew will do you a world of good. For pesco-vegetarians, this is the dish for you!

2. Smoked sardines

Are you tempted to continue with fish? Smoked sardines are a big hit in Granada (as are all types of fish). Many locals enjoy eating this fresh meat with a crunchy salad on the side. Or even a plate of chips. It makes a delicious starter. Like tuna, sardines have a number of benefits for the body: they’re a great source of protein, rich in vitamin D and vitamin B12. As well as being easy to prepare, sardines provide the calcium and lipids your body needs.

3. Alpujarreño

And where’s the meat in all this? We can already hear our carnivorous readers getting impatient. Alpujarreño is a hearty meal, eaten mainly in the Granada region. It consists of black pudding, longaniza sausage, Alpujarra cured ham, a few fried eggs, potatoes and marinated pork fillets. A festival of meats! A high-calorie dish (as you’d expect), it can be served with a salad (to ease your conscience). Alpujarreño is one of our visitors’ favourite dishes, as it allows them to discover some of Spain’s typical meats. Melt-in-the-mouth and tender at the same time, what more could you ask for?

4. Piononos de Santa Fe

Navaway is delighted to introduce you to this little delicacy, the Piononos de Santa Fe! A little cake straight from “Santa Fe”, a pretty town in the Granada region. It’s a dessert made with a thin slice of biscuit rolled up like a cylinder: a sheet of sponge cake dipped in a custard-based syrup. Then, to top it all off, the pastry is sprinkled with sugar and a little caramel. Is that enough to make your mouth water? This sweet treat is eaten absolutely everywhere in the city, by young and old alike. It’s easy to find!

5. The Sacramento Omelette

If you were ever expecting a light dish, you were wrong! The Sacramento Omelette makes your stomach churn just by smelling the delicious aroma of the eggs coming out of the pan. A very typical Granada dish, many restaurants serve it. Sometimes, the recipe is even revisited, according to customer requests. The ingredients include potatoes, chorizo (which goes very well with eggs), peas, broad beans, peppers (preferably red) and ham. That’s all there is to it! This mix of flavours, with ingredients as different as each other, makes for a real explosion in the mouth. Perfect for lunchtime!

6. Fried Aubergines with Honey

Yes, you read that right! Who could have imagined such a combination? And yet… the fried aubergines with honey are a hit (in the good sense of the word) with visitors. Some even say it’s their best discovery of Spain. If you go to a restaurant with your partner, order this famous dish. It will be served as tapas, with a typical local drink. The second you take your first bite, you’ll be immediately won over by the perfect contrast between the honey and the aubergine. Your taste buds will tingle, and so will your whole body.

7. Wine

When we eat a delicious dish, we like to accompany it with an equally delicious drink. Wine is often drunk in Granada! The city has its own must-try wines, such as Contraviesa. Contraviesa is a wine with character, easily distinguished by its bright red colour. It’s lively, full of red fruit and has a sober, refined feel on the palate. It goes well with red meat dishes such as rib steaks. One glass and you’ll be delighted!

8. Iberian toast

You can’t say no to a hearty slice of toast! Iberian toast is simple to prepare, but irresistible on the palate. It can be served at any time of day. The toast is lightly toasted, then rubbed with garlic. They are then sprinkled with slices of tomato, Parmesan cheese, Espelette chilli pepper, a little salt and olive oil… And finally, the finishing touch: Iberian ham, with its melting, even bewitching taste. A great way to start the day, with enthusiasm and energy!

9. Remojón Granadino

This is an ancient dish from the Arabic tradition, very much in evidence in Muslim Granada. Over time, it has become a great classic, and is sometimes prepared in different versions. Wondering where the pretty colour in the photo comes from? Olive oil and oranges! Served with eggs, olives, a little cod, potatoes, paprika and lots of other herbs, it has a distinctive smell. It’s a delicacy much appreciated by tourists.

10. Marmite de San Antón

We end this ranking (and yes, it’s already over) with the Marmite de San Antón. It’s a dish that often tops the menus of Granada’s bars and restaurants. Especially on 17 January: the day the city celebrates San Antón, a traditional festival when the locals light bonfires. The dish consists of rice, black pudding, dried beans and broad beans. All cooked in a broth. It’s eaten around a big table, in a joyful and good-humoured atmosphere.