The Best Tapas Bars in La Rioja, Spain

Located in the small town of Haro, Mesón Los Berones is an old and very traditional-looking bar filled with lots of stone, wooden rafters and wrought-iron fixtures. Wine barrel lids, bottles and odd knick-knacks complete the look. It serves main meals, tapas and pintxos offerings in the glass case on the bar or made-to-order. Think plates such as stuffed red peppers, fried blood sausage (morcilla), patatas bravas (fried cubes of potato with spicy tomato sauce) and slices of tortilla (Spanish potato omelette).

Also located in Haro, Bar Benigno is a small and simple bar with black and white tiles around the walls and standing room-only at old wine barrel tables. Choose from tapas offerings along the bar including battered pig’s ears, cured sheep’s cheese, fried artichokes and cod fish.

Offering the best tapas in the small town of Ezcaray, Bar Roypa is an excellent choice for tapas, pintxos and larger sharing rations. A simple and cosy place, it mixes a contemporary interior with original elements such as old wooden beams. Try their small pancakes topped with chorizo, cheese, courgettes and tomatoes, or the small rolls (montaditos) with a variety of fillings. A range of various types of scrambled egg dishes with everything from peppers and tuna to chorizo are also available.

Another of Haro’s tasty tapas bars, Los Caños is a popular spot for pintxos. The deep-fried peppers stuffed with meat are a particular favourite here, as is the quail egg with pork and potatoes. Other dishes to try are the flaky pastry hojaldre filled with foie gras, wild mushrooms and ham.

One of Logroño’s fantastic tapas bars, is the tiny Bar Soriano. With standing room-only or space at old wine barrels on the street outside, this place serves just one tapas dish. This dish is a piece of bread stacked with mushrooms dripping in garlic butter and topped with a small shrimp. Pair this with glass of La Rioja’s famous red wine.

Like many of the tapas bars in Logroño, La Taberna del Laurel specialises in one particular thing, and does that dish better than any others in the city. In the case of this bar it’s their delicious patatas bravas that keep punters coming back for more. They also offer pintxos and tempura, but of course the patatas bravas are the star of the show.

El Trinquete can be found in the small town of Nájera and is both a restaurant and tapas bar in one. Covered in bright tropical-themed wall paper, elegant lamps and old fashioned curios, it’s a stylish spot and one of the best restaurants in the area. As well as pintxos, the tapas bar specialises in meat and vegetables skewers.