Taste Tapas in Zaragoza! 

If you want to have a true taste of the city's gastronomy flavors, then step right in. The locals have a true passion for tapas, which has evolved in recent decades. There are spots everywhere in the city, offering tapas. The El Tubo district in the old quarter is one of the main areas where people gather for tapas. We went on a tapas gastronomy tour with our tapas card in hand! The locals love their food and international cuisines just as much. Each neighborhood has its own tapas areas and as such, tapas joints are often grouped together as locals love to go around tapas-hopping rather than just having tapas at one establishment.

Tapeo

Tapeo is the local colloquial equivalent to bar-hopping for tapas. This is the time when people gather for a quick bite and drink, usually in groups and while standing. Although things have changed and there are now tapas menus or medium plates to share while seated, locals are still inclined to having their tapas eaten at a bar, which is less formal and of course, cheaper. 

1. El Ángel Del Pincho

Address: Jordán De Urries, 5 TEL: 976 39 30 49 

Other than just vegetables coated in batter and deep-fried, what was special was the use of  Zaragoza's local produce - Borraja.  It was definitely very intriguing to spot this big leafy vegetable which was almost as long as our face. Plus point, it tasted really yummy! 

Address: Calle Estébanes, 9, 50003 Zaragoza, Spain

The most traditional dish in Aragon

Here we had our taste of the "Ternasco de Aragon" lamb. You can't miss this when in Zaragoza, Aragon, awarded as the best meats you can enjoy. The quality of the sheep breeds, the excellent weather conditions for which the sheep are reared, the research and development that goes into the rearing procedures, all made up for a typical Aragonese lamb experience. You don't have to travel far because Zaragoza is where you can have them.
Simply grilled and lightly flavored with sea salt. This is the Aragon Lamb at its best. 

More sightings around the Tapas neighbourhood.

Our 3rd Stop brought us to a unique tapas bar with a vintage touch.

Tapas Culture

Tapas are appetizers or snacks and a prominent presence in Spanish cuisine culture, especially so in Zaragoza. They can be hot and cold; cooked in different methods; filled with different ingredients. Tapas play the important role as a complement to wines or beer. Basically, if lunch is a quick affair for anyone, it will be to hear to a bar or tapas joint, order some tapas with a beer and back to work.
It is important to understand Spanians have their dinner mostly from 9pm onwards and thus in between off-work time to dinner time, bar-hopping for tapas has become a common affair.

Small tapas usually cost around 2€ per piece.

 Each Zaragoza Tapas Card purchased includes 4 four tapas ( 1 at each establishment) and a glass of beer, wine or water at any of the nine tapas places. Now the hardest part will be to choose which four to go to? Hmm. The Zaragoza Tapas Card is valid for 72 hours and costs 13€.

Here's what we had at La Republicana.

4. Las Palomas Buffet & Tapas

The sweetest way to discover Zaragoza is to purchase the Chocopass at the Zaragoza Tourism Offices. Each voucher entitles you to enjoy five specialties from a choice of establishments. A true chocolate experience! 9Euros each.

It was great fun snapping at the chocolates! Drool as you scroll below. 

If you are planning to head to Piedra Monastery in Nuevalos, 100km from Zaragoza, you should definitely get this pass, as it includes a special tasting in this monastery, crowned as the first place in Europe where chocolate was consumed.

C/ Don Jaime I, 21 - Zaragoza  

Fantoba is a historical old shop specialising in chocolates, sweets, candies and has been around since the 19th century. The decoration of the shop's intricate interior has remained and passed done from the main designer Ricardo Magalena. Today, constant R&D ensures that the products stay relevant and innovative while retaining the traditional artisan recipes. 

It may be a small little shop but it has all the quaint, vintage elements that will bound to delight the inner-child in you.

Guess who I spotted? A kitty with no mouth.

Next Stop: 

C/ Torrenueva, 29   Zaragoza.

Another shop with strong historical background since 1919. Montal has prided itself for the good quality and excellent standard as a gourmet specialist and is one of the gastronomic references in Aragon. This family business is now in its 4th generation.

On first look, this shop looks like a typical gourmet shop selling cheese, meat cuts, sausages. Probe in further and you will discover a cellar stashing an extensive range of wine and has one of the largest wineries in Europe. 

Located at the front of the store, this is where customers can come in to select whatever gourmet produce they want and experience the all-attentive services by the staff. 

The Cellar

Not only can you purchase wines you can requesting for tastings, organizing dinners in the restaurant on the 2nd level. It's akin to being in a library of, not books, but wine. 

EXCLUSIVE! A Mini Museum

The opportunity came for us when we entered into this mini private museum showcasing the splendor collection of Torre Nueva — the famous Mudéjar leaning tower in Zaragoza. The collection was amassed over generations and decades within the family. History: The leaning tower was located in the current Plaza de San Felipe before its demolishing in 1892. 

Why the interest in assembling a huge collection of the leaning tower by the founders? That's because Montal is located right in front of where this leaning tower used to be; bearing a great significance for the family.

We met the current 4th generation owner, Nacho Montal, who showed and guided us on this amazing tour inside Montal.

There are many photographs, drawings, paintings of the leaning tower,  It was pure amazing as I soaked in the fascinating private collection.
 If you love history, this is it. 

 

The Restaurant 

Situated at the 2nd level, the dine-in concept was added in only in the last 30 years and offers customers exclusive, fine-dining experience for special events with their in-house chefs. This part of the building was, in fact, part of a Reinassance Aragonese palace and was restored by the Montals. 

Pick up a loving chocolate of the Torre Nueva on your way out.

I hope you have enjoyed this article to give you some insights of where you can try out some Aragonese Tapas, wines and chocolates, specialties of Zaragoza, when in the city.

Leave me a comment! How do you like Tapas?


*We were guests of Zaragoza Tourism but opinions are my own.

PIN FOR LATER