As I said earlier, Regina is a central Casco Antiguo neighbourhood north of Calle Imagen and around Plaza de Encarnacion and Las Setas (see previous post). This post is about places to eat in the area. Map of the barrio here. My interactive map of the city here.
Regina is a very typical neighbourhood with some of oldest traditional bars in the city. I review three below. The first is more somewhere to see rather than eat, the second a bit of both, and the third is very much for the food. And finally there’a a great ice cream parlour.
El Rinconcillo (Intermediate B), 40 Calle Gerona, www.elrinconcillo.es
This is Seville’s oldest bar, opened in 1670. My video here.
It has a beautifully tiled interior, in particular the rear dining room, which also has old posters advertising the Feria (Seville’s fair) on the walls.
Most guide books generally consider El Rinconcillo to be the most beautiful traditional bar in Seville so it attracts a steady stream of tourists. Probably as a result, they don’t like you taking pictures, I’m guessing because it would disturb the diners, but I got a few sneaky ones in anyway while it was empty.
Unfortunately though the food isn’t up to much and the wine I had was quite mediocre. And the service isn’t very friendly. Local friends agree it’s a place resting on its laurels, but it’s still worth popping in for a drink to have a look. However Casa Moreno remains my all round favourite traditional bar (see my Arenal post here).
Los Claveles (High Elementary B), 1 Calle Capataz Manuel Santiago
Technically Los Claveles is in the neighbouring barrio of Santa Catalina but as it’s immediately over the road from El Rinconcillo, I include it here. It’s another nice old place (albeit smaller and plainer) and the barmen are a bit friendlier than the ones over the road.
The food I had was also better although the menu is mainly fried stuff. Their speciality, Tortallitas de Camarones; pancakes made with tiny prawns mixed into the chickpea batter, are a good option (B). Croquettas served up with beetroot were a change from the norm (B).
And a few minutes up the road is another tradtional place…
Las Dueñas (Intermediate A), 3 Calle Gerona, www.lasduenas.es
A cosy, friendly restaurant with a tiny tapas bar; this is the place to come if you want to experience some proper traditional cooking, including offal.
I had a really good value Menu del Dia for €9.50 and enjoyed Riñones (kidneys) with rice, Albóndigas (meatballs) with chips (both A) and some strawberries with squirty cream to finish (B). It’s proper Granny cooking, as I call it. It’s not for everyone, not even some locals, but I love it.
They’re so old school that they don’t have a credit card machine so make sure you bring cash.
Helados Rayas (Elementary A), Calle Almte. Apodaca, www.facebook.com
Locally, this is considered the best ice cream shop in town according to my friends Chris and John who have lived in Seville for years.
I went for my favourite double hit of Stracciatella and Salted Caramel (both A). I think our faces say all that needs to be said.
We came here after eating at Los Coloniales, a great tapas bar that’s just over the road in the next central neighbourhood, Alfalfa. Let’s go there next…