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The tapa is one of the great Spanish inventions, responsible for saving many a serious 'social' session from starvation as well as providing an excellent opportunity to sample some of the local dishes and delicious home cooking.

Tapa literally means lid, once used to cover a glass of wine from the marauding flies. Nowadays, however, it generally refers to any little snack given to you in many of the bars and restaurants when you order a wine or beer. It could be a handful of olives or a slice of cheese on bread. Or it may be something more substantial, like a chunk of sausage or a few spoonfuls of carne en salsa (pork in a wine and garlic or tomato sauce). We've also been offered raw haricot beans in their pods (traditionally, but not always, served with a slice of salted bacalao, or cod), fried quail's eggs on toast, Moroccan kebabs and even smoked salmon. In principal, a tapa can be almost anything although we haven't yet come across lobster thermidor on anyone's list.

See our page on Local Dishes for more information on the sort of foods you're likely to find.

Tapas normally arrive unbidden and they're still free in this part of the country. Sometimes you can choose from a display on the counter, in other places they turn out a different one for every round of drinks you order. Don't be afraid to ask for something different if you're given something you don't want to eat - which is pretty rare.In other parts of Spain, tapas usually need to be specifically ordered and paid for like any other food so in Almuñécar and La Herradura it really is tapa paradise.

We have made a selection of tapa bars where we feel you will enjoy the experience but this can be very subjective and we'd like to have your feedback. If you know or discover a place that you feel should be listed, then send us your recommendation. Similarly, if you don't enjoy one of the places that we have chosen, then let us know. It's only through your help that we can update and addapt our listings in a useful way so that all visitors can enjoy the experience.

See our list of Tapa Bars.

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