No need to buy a ticket to Madrid! Spain can also be experienced on the plate. And in Brussels, several restaurants play the Iberian card with brio – think warm ambience, sunny cuisine and chilled sangria. Here are our favorite Spanish restaurants where you can escape for a meal.
Tapas Locas
A well-known institution in the Saint-Jacques district, Tapas Locas ticks all the boxes of the Iberian cantina: tightly packed tables, a lively atmosphere, tapas by the bucketful and sangria flowing like water. We come for the well-executed classics – gambas a la plancha, chorizo flambé, ham croquettes – to be shared in good company against a backdrop of laughter and a Spanish accent. Bonus: a sunny terrace for al fresco dining in one of Brussels’ liveliest neighborhoods.
📍Address: Rue du Marché au Charbon 74, 1000 Brussels
Hispania
Forget the clichés: at Hispania, Spanish gastronomy goes far beyond tapas and paella. In this chic but no-fuss restaurant on the Grand Sablon, chef Adrián Mancheño, supported by the Michelin-starred talent of Marcos Morán, revisits Iberian classics with modern finesse – Asturian fabada, Galician entrecôte with peppers, octopus with paprika or potato espuma with truffles. A refined, yet welcoming address that takes you on a true sensory voyage through Spanish terroirs… without leaving Brussels.
📍Address: 2 Rue Bodenbrock (Place du Grand Sablon), 1000 Brussels
Le Bar à Tapas
Here, everything’s bigger! A vast room, a large heated terrace and an XXL menu that will make Iberian flavors salivate – with an Oriental twist to boot! In a subdued, exotic setting, you can share tortillas, patatas bravas, honeyed chicken fritters or paella in generous style. In the evening, the atmosphere is stepped up a notch: DJ sets and Latino concerts in the adjoining lounge bar extend the pleasure right down to the last olive.
📍Address: Borgwal 11, 1000 Brussels
La Cueva de Castilla
This is Spain at its most sincere and generous. This unpretentious but heartfelt address offers family-style, regional cuisine. Tapas rub shoulders with paellas with bomba rice, fideuas with saffron or ink, and simmered dishes like tripe abuela-style. All accompanied by a well-chosen glass of Rioja! And why not round things off with a Catalan crème brûlée or turrón ice cream? A haven for Spanish restaurant regulars, for whom eating is synonymous with authenticity, sharing… and a guaranteed return.
📍Address: Place Colignon 8, 1030 Schaerbeek
El Fontán
Nestled in the heart of Marolles, El Fontán is a veritable embassy of Asturian cuisine in Brussels. Winner of several awards for its fabada, this restaurant offers a generous menu of tapas and traditional Spanish dishes, from iberico croquettes to seafood paellas. The warm atmosphere and friendly welcome make it a must for lovers of authentic Iberian flavors.
📍Address: Rue Haute 179, 1000 Brussels