Seville · Spain
Espacio Eslava
A practical guide to Espacio Eslava, the creative tapas bar in Seville's San Lorenzo: what to order, what it costs, how the no-reservation wait works and what time to arrive.
Yes, it's worth it, and a good pick for a last dinner in Seville. The kitchen has restaurant technique at bar prices; the only condition is arriving at 20:00 on the dot.
Espacio Eslava is one of the best-known tapas bars in Seville, in the San Lorenzo neighborhood. Sixto Tovar and Rosa María Borja opened it in 1988, when a tapa in Andalusia still meant olives, ham and croquettes, and it was one of the first to cook creative tapas: restaurant technique, a daily chalkboard and portions meant for sitting down and taking your time.
Our experience
It was our farewell dinner in Seville, on Tuesday, after getting back from the Córdoba day trip. We arrived at 20:00 sharp, without a reservation, so we wouldn’t wait on the street. We ordered the ribs with honey, the pork cheek in red wine and the cigarro para Bécquer. The calendar decided the day: Eslava serves no dinner on Sunday or Monday, our nights in Seville were Sunday, Monday and Tuesday, and on Wednesday we left for Granada at 5:30. The full day is in our day 10.
A bit of history
The dish that changed everything came in 2010: the egg on porcini sponge cake with Pedro Ximénez caramel won first prize in the Sevilla en Boca de Todos competition and took Eslava from neighborhood favorite to the national press. The ribs with rosemary honey came earlier and have been on the menu since the nineties.
In December 2020 the place was remodeled, merging the bar and the restaurant into a single space, hence the name Espacio Eslava. In 2023 Sixto Tovar retired after 35 years and the business passed to new owners, who kept the kitchen team, with Isabel Capote as head chef, the menu and nearly the same prices.
What to know
The tables are close together, it’s loud and the service is fast because they want to turn tables. Some diners notice prices went up 5 to 10 % since 2023. For a long, quiet dinner, this isn’t the place; for eating very well at bar prices, it is.
What to see, in order
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Ribs with rosemary honey
Iberian pork ribs cooked until they fall off the bone and glazed with rosemary honey and a touch of orange. If you order just one thing, make it this.
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Egg on porcini sponge cake
A low-temperature egg yolk on a savory porcini sponge cake, with Pedro Ximénez caramel. It won the 2010 Sevilla en Boca de Todos competition.
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Cigarro para Bécquer
A filo pastry tube filled with cuttlefish ink and squid, with caramelized onion. It's named after the Seville poet.
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Pork cheek in red wine
Pork cheek braised in red wine until it falls apart, served with potatoes. The classic of a Seville evening.
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The daily chalkboard
The day's specials are written every morning behind the bar. Order at least one, and ask the price first.
Tips we wish we’d known
Tips
- If you arrive after 20:15, count on a 20- to 30-minute wait; after 20:30, more than 40.
- Ask for tap water, which is free: "Dos vasos de agua del grifo, por favor."
- If you're two light drinkers, order by the glass: a bottle of manzanilla runs €18.
- Greet the staff in Spanish: it solves almost every complaint about curt service.
Do
- Hold your place in line: the list goes by name and arrival time.
- Order a glass of Pedro Ximénez with the egg to taste the link with the caramel.
- If the wait is too long, La Brunilda, on Calle Galera, about a 10-minute walk, was our plan B.
Don’t
- Don't come on a Monday: it's closed.
- Don't accept anyone on the square who offers to "get you a table" for a tip: they have nothing to do with the restaurant.
- Don't drift out of fatigue into the neighboring bars that live off Eslava's wait; most are run-of-the-mill.
Frequently asked questions
Does Espacio Eslava take reservations?
Not for the bar or the terrace: seating is first come, first served. That's why it pays to be at the door at 20:00.
What should you order at Espacio Eslava?
The ribs with rosemary honey, the egg on porcini sponge cake and the cigarro para Bécquer. If you're still hungry, the pork cheek.
How much does dinner cost?
Between €25 and €35 per person with wine. Dishes run from €4.50 to €15.
Which nights is it open for dinner?
There's no dinner on Sunday or Monday. Dinner starts at 20:00.