The Best Tapas Bars In La Rioja Spain

The small region of La Rioja, tucked in between the Basque Country, Castilla y León and Navarra, is world-famous for its quality wines, though it also rivals some of the best cities in Spain for its tapas. Here are some of our picks for the best tapas bars in La Rioja, from Logroño and Haro to Ezcaray.

1. Mesón Los Berones

Restaurant, Tapas, Spanish

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).

2. Bar Benigno

Bar, Spanish

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.

3. Bar Roypa

Bar, Tapas

Courtesy of Bar Roypa, Ezcaray, La Rioja

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.

5. Bar Soriano

Bar, Tapas, Wine

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.

6. La Taberna del Laurel

Bar, Tapas

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.

7. El Trinquete

Restaurant, Spanish

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.

Since you are here, we would like to share our vision for the future of travel - and the direction Culture Trip is moving in.

Culture Trip launched in 2011 with a simple yet passionate mission: to inspire people to go beyond their boundaries and experience what makes a place, its people and its culture special and meaningful — and this is still in our DNA today. We are proud that, for more than a decade, millions like you have trusted our award-winning recommendations by people who deeply understand what makes certain places and communities so special.

Increasingly we believe the world needs more meaningful, real-life connections between curious travellers keen to explore the world in a more responsible way. That is why we have intensively curated a collection of premium small-group trips as an invitation to meet and connect with new, like-minded people for once-in-a-lifetime experiences in three categories: Culture Trips, Rail Trips and Private Trips. Our Trips are suitable for both solo travelers, couples and friends who want to explore the world together.

Culture Trips are deeply immersive 5 to 16 days itineraries, that combine authentic local experiences, exciting activities and 4-5* accommodation to look forward to at the end of each day. Our Rail Trips are our most planet-friendly itineraries that invite you to take the scenic route, relax whilst getting under the skin of a destination. Our Private Trips are fully tailored itineraries, curated by our Travel Experts specifically for you, your friends or your family.

We know that many of you worry about the environmental impact of travel and are looking for ways of expanding horizons in ways that do minimal harm - and may even bring benefits. We are committed to go as far as possible in curating our trips with care for the planet. That is why all of our trips are flightless in destination, fully carbon offset - and we have ambitious plans to be net zero in the very near future.