Best Restaurants & Bars in Santa Cruz Seville 2026
Dine in the shadow of the Cathedral - Seville's historic Jewish quarter
Updated weekly
About Santa Cruz
Barrio Santa Cruz was Seville's Jewish quarter until the pogrom of 1391. The narrow lanes, hidden patios, and whitewashed walls date from this medieval period. After the expulsion, wealthy Christian families moved in, adding the grand houses and ornate ironwork you see today.
The neighbourhood wraps around the Cathedral and the Real Alcazar, two of Spain's most visited monuments. This proximity makes Santa Cruz Seville's most touristed area - but also its most beautiful. Orange trees line every street, and jasmine fills the air on summer evenings.
The dining scene reflects this dual nature: some tourist traps alongside genuinely excellent restaurants that have survived by quality alone. The best spots are hidden in the back streets, away from the main plazas.
Tourism & Tradition
Santa Cruz has been a tourist destination for centuries - this isn't new. The challenge is finding authenticity amid the crowds. The venues on our Hot List have been validated by locals and repeat visitors, not just passing tourists.
Literary & Royal
Don Juan, Carmen, and the Barber of Seville are all set in these streets. The Alcazar served as a filming location for Game of Thrones. This literary and royal heritage attracts a sophisticated dining scene.
How to Get There
From Seville city centre:
- Walking:You're already here - it IS the centre
- Tram:T1 to Archivo de Indias
- Metro:Puerta de Jerez (Line 1)
TUSSAM Ticket Info
Rechargeable card available at metro stations and kiosks.
Local tip: Enter from Calle Mateos Gago (off Plaza Virgen de los Reyes) and let yourself get lost in the lanes. The further from the Cathedral, the better the value.
Santa Cruz Venue Map
TLDR: Santa Cruz Quick Picks
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The Santa Cruz Hot List
Week of 22 February 2026
This Week
Hola, amigos and welcome back to the Santa Cruz Hot List, brought to you by donde-onde-where.com! I'm your host, spinning the best bars and restaurants in the barrio. Let's dive straight in, shall we? At Numero Uno, holding firm at the top for the 4th week running, it's El Pasaje Tapas! That's right, the tapas kings are still reigning supreme, serving up plate after plate of deliciousness. Can anyone dethrone them?
But hold on to your sombreros, because this week we've got some serious movers! Antigüedades Bar de Tapas makes a HUGE leap, soaring a sensational seven places to land at number three! That's a brand new peak position for them, folks, and well deserved. La Escaloná also climbs, inching up to number four with their incredible tapas.
Elsewhere in the chart, it's all about consistency with Bar Ajo&Agua, Petra, Bar Alfalfa, La Bartola, Bar Sal Gorda, and En La Espero Te Esquina all holding their positions, week after week. But will they be able to hold on next week as new contenders emerge?
Who will be the next to rise? Will El Pasaje Tapas continue their winning streak? Tune in next week, same time, same place, to find out! ¡Hasta la semana que viene!
Rankings updated weekly based on composite scoring methodology · Only positive movements shown — every venue here is winning
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Santa Cruz FAQs
Santa Cruz is Seville's historic Jewish quarter, a maze of narrow whitewashed lanes, hidden plazas, and orange tree patios. It sits directly next to the Cathedral and the Alcazar, making it the most visited neighbourhood in Seville.
While Santa Cruz has its share of tourist traps, there are genuinely excellent restaurants hidden in the back streets. The key is to avoid the main plazas (Plaza del Triunfo, Plaza Virgen de los Reyes) and explore the quieter lanes. Our Hot List filters out the tourist traps.
Look for traditional Andalucian dishes: salmorejo (cold tomato soup), espinacas con garbanzos (spinach with chickpeas), pescaito frito (fried fish), and rabo de toro (oxtail stew). The best restaurants source from Mercado de la Encarnacion.
Get lost. Seriously - the maze-like layout rewards wandering. Head away from the Cathedral towards Calle Mateos Gago and Calle Meson del Moro. The quieter plazas like Plaza de los Venerables and Plaza de Dona Elvira have excellent options.
Very safe. The neighbourhood is well-lit, full of restaurants and bars open late, and has a constant flow of people. It's one of the best areas in Seville for evening dining and post-dinner walks.
Still have questions? The best answers come from locals at the venue.
Rankings recalculated weekly from live Google review data. Our Hot Score weighs review velocity, recency, rating trend, and baseline rating — no editorial picks, no paid placements. We filter out tourist traps and prioritise venues validated by locals and repeat visitors.