Salamanca, the capital of a province, is where the oldest university of Spain is located. Its student ambiance has lasted until today, when more than 27.000 students live in the city. If you are visiting Salamanca you should spend at least a whole weekend here, so it’s vital that you know where to eat. The tapas and the restaurants will surprise you.
The gastronomy of Salamanca, city where the oldest university of Spain is located, presents a lot of options: it offers an authentic Castilian cuisine and traditional dishes with Extemaduran influences.
If you want advice about what to eat in Salamanca, the Iberian pork has a vital importance. It is raised in the meadows and feed with acorns, and it’s the source of the desired jamón de Guijuelo (ham) with D.O.P..
Other sausages you could try are the Iberian chorizo, the longaniza salmantina and the farinato, which comes from Ciudad Rodrigo and is elaborated with bread, onion, olive oil and anise and eaten with fried eggs.
A typical meal is the “hornazo salmantino”, an empanada made of chorizo, ham, pork loin or bacon and boiled egg. Its eaten traditionally in the country side the day of Lunes de Aguas, but it is also very practical for getaways. You can buy it in bakeries and pastries shops during the entire year.
Regarding meats, the typical ones are the vaca morucha, with a redder color due to its natural diet; and the lamb, which is usually grilled or cooked using a recipe known as chanfaina (rice with lamb fetlocks, boiled blood and spices).
The beans of la Alberca are also a great option, which could be cooked along with other legumes and sausage pieces, as well as the Lentejas de la Armuña (lentils), a product with I.G.P..
It is also a good idea to try the famous trout of the Tormes river, frequently cooked in marinade sauce. Regarding the cheese, the most known is the cheese of Hinojosa de Duero.
Samalanca is a land of great wine. Try the Arribes, Sierra de Salamanca and Tierra del Vino de Zamora ones (all of them have Denomination of Origin).
And to finish, try the artisan sweets of Salamanca, such as the turrón de la Alberca and the bollo maimón (a type of cake).
If you want to eat tapas in Salamanca, there’s a huge range of possibilities. We recommend the bars located in the Plaza Mayor.
Starting with Bambú, here you will find great tapas and really good prices (around 1’50 euros). If you go to Las tapas de Gonzalo, apart from the traditional tapas found in many classic bars, you will also find more creative recipes.
The small Tapas 2.0 is the place to enjoy fusion tapas. They also have a big terrace where the clients can enjoy de good time.
Lastly, try Doze, a place that has become the trending bar in the city. Here you can eat but also just have a drink.
Salamanca offers many other options besides the ones above. If you try some of them, let us know how your experience was!
We have selected some restaurants between the many ones where you can eat in Salamanca. Close to the Plaza Mayor is El Mesón de Gonzalo, where a third generation of chefs and waiters offer a cuisine balanced between tradition and modernity.
El Alquimista is the home of the cooks César Niño and Sandra Martín, who are responsible of the service in the local. They offer a Mediterranean food with some flavors of other countries.
