5 Best Restaurants in Albayzin, Andalusia

Tucked away in the warren of alleyways in a restored Albayzín villa, this lovely restaurant offers what may be the best food in the area. There's a formal dining room, an outside garden with pear and quince trees, and a roof terrace with Alhambra views. House specialties include arroz con jabalí y setas silvestres (rice with wild boar and mushrooms) and arroz negro con habas y chipirones con alioli de genjibre (black rice with broad beans, baby squid, and ginger aioli). Try the tasting menu that has a wine-pairing option. The owner welcomes diners personally and keeps a very close eye on the kitchen.

Eclectic decor and innovative food are on offer at this cozy venue off Plaza Nueva whose chef, Nuria de la Torre, won the local Culinary Masters competition in 2021. Her menu takes seasonal ingredients as its base while dishes combine local staples with unusual partners. The lasagna has a venison base, asparagus partners with smoked sardines, and Iberian pork steak comes with piquant Canary Island mojo picón sauce. The short but sweet dessert menu includes pineapple infused with ginger and cured goat’s cheesecake, plus a daily special. LP vinyls serve as placemats, the menu sits tucked inside Asterix albums, and corks line the walls checkered with cookbooks and Granada memorabilia. Book ahead for a guaranteed table.

Inside a pretty brick building and with an informal terrace sprawling over the wide steps of the Cuesta de Abarqueros, Paprika offers unpretentious vegan food. Most ingredients and wines are organic, and dishes include salads, stir-fries, and curries, such as Thai curry with tofu, coconut, and green curry sauce. There are choices of gluten-free dishes and a value menu of the day for €14, which includes three courses and a drink.

This bar and restaurant, just off Plaza Nueva, is in a 17th-century palace with a stunning patio (complete with original marble columns) and peaceful garden. The menu emphasizes meat dishes such as chuletas de cordero (lamb chops) and the house specialty, braised rabo de toro and giant croquettes known as croquetón. Eat in the lovely downstairs patio or in the elegant restaurant upstairs.

A charming surprise nestled at the foot of the Albayzín by the Darro, this sleek contemporary space in the shadow of the Alhambra offers a selection of specialties. The diverse menu includes tuna tataki (a method of pounding fish in Japanese cuisine) with apple chutney and several different couscous dishes. There are also three tasting menus (from €30). Steel furniture and a black-and-red color scheme contribute to the air of sophistication. The kitchen is open from 1 to 11 pm, or until midnight during the summer.