What & Where to Eat in Santiago de Compostela

Getting ready to explore Santiago de Compostela? Good choice! You’ve selected one of Spain’s greatest culinary destinations, complete with an intriguing history and a vibrant and unique culture in addition to plenty of great Galician food.

This guide provides a foundation for what and where to eat in Santiago de Compostela. Get ready to have the Galician food experience of your dreams.

Large stone cathedral against a clear blue sky
Santiago’s impressive cathedral: the end goal for thousands of pilgrims walking the famous Camino! Photo credit: Rafael Furtado

Tucked away in the northwest corner of Spain, Santiago de Compostela is an unexpected gem.

With dark stone buildings, regular rainfall and bagpiping buskers, you’d be excused for thinking you were a little further north in the world. But no, this is what they call Green Spain. And up here the cuisine is fantastic, meaning that discovering Galician food is a dream.

There’s fresh seafood from the cold waters of the Cantabrian Sea, delicious beef from the grassy Galician hills and an abundance of vegetables from small market gardens. We’ll get into where to eat in Santiago de Compostela in a bit, but first: a primer on Galician food and what you need to try!

Galician Food: What to Eat in Santiago de Compostela

In no particular order, here are the bites you can’t leave Santiago (make that Galicia!) without trying.

Pulpo a la Gallega

Also known locally as polbo á feira, this is octopus boiled to perfection and then lightly sprinkled with sea salt and Spanish paprika. For seafood lovers, this dish is the holy grail. And rightly so, as it’s delicious when cooked perfectly—but so hard to get right.

Galician octopus seasoned with paprika served on a wooden plate
Galician-style octopus is the essential Santiago food.

Pimientos de Padrón

These small green peppers are the Russian roulette of tapas: Most are mild, but one in about 20 is nice and spicy! They’re lightly fried and then sprinkled with sea salt, and are served either on their own as a tapa or as a garnish with red meat.

Two square white plates of small green peppers
As the saying goes: Some are hot and some are not!

Tarta de Santiago

Tarta de Santiago is one of the city’s must-try desserts. This moist almond cake is covered with powdered sugar and features an imprint of the cross of Santiago (St. James). Paired with a cup of coffee, it’s the perfect pick-me-up between sightseeing stops.

A slice of Galician almond cake dusted with powdered sugar on a table beside two cups of coffee.
Tarta de Santiago is the quintessential Galician dessert.

Steamed Mussels

Mussels are so prized in Galicia that they even have their own protected designation of origin quality seal. Caught locally, they are so fresh and delicious that they don’t need much else to shine—most gallegos will enjoy them with a simple squeeze of lemon.

Close up of a plate of mussels with lemon wedges.
Incredible Galician mussels!

Caldo Gallego

Galicia is one of Spain’s rainiest regions, but luckily this warming local stew helps make the dreary days a bit cozier. Made with kale, pork, chorizo, white beans, and more, caldo gallego is the ultimate Galician comfort food.

Close up of a bowl of Galician soup with greens, beans, and pork, with a spoonful being held by someone out of frame hovering above it.
A warming bowl of caldo gallego always hits the spot on a chilly day. Photo credit: Garrett Ziegler

T-Bone Steak

Galician beef is famous throughout Spain, so don’t miss the chance to enjoy it straight from the source. It doesn’t get much better than a fantastic grilled steak, known locally as chuletón, cooked medium rare and finished with a dash of sea salt.

T-bone steak cooked medium rare on a white plate
Sometimes all you need is a really good steak.

Tetilla Cheese

Spanish cheese is incredible across the board, and Galicia’s best-known variety is no different. Creamy and mild tetilla cheese is easy to spot thanks to its unique pointed dome shape. Grab some at the market and enjoy with a glass of your favorite Spanish wine!

Cone-shaped pieces of Galician cheese for sale at a market
Tetilla cheese is one of Galicia’s top gourmet products.

Empanada

Empanadas are perhaps one of the most widespread Galician foods throughout Spain. There are dozens, if not hundreds, of possible fillings, but the most classic variety is a simple tuna and tomato blend.

Slices of Galician empanada and Spanish potato omelet on a black tray
Empanada gallega is one of Galicia’s top bites.

Where to Eat in Santiago de Compostela

Now that you know a few local specialties to look out for, here’s where to eat in Santiago de Compostela.

Casa Pepe

Rustic yet refined, Casa Pepe (Cantón de San Bieito, 5) is a top spot for wine, cheese and cured meats. Swing by early in your evening, or for a bite before lunch. Even better, head here after a morning spent foraging in the nearby Santiago market.

Overhead shot of two small trays of cheeses and cured meats next to a glass of red wine and a smaller glass of pale yellow sherry wine
Delicious Spanish cheese, charcuterie, and wine makes Casa Pepe one of our top choices for where to eat in Santiago de Compostela. 

Abastos 2.0

When it comes to where to eat in Santiago de Compostela, it doesn’t get any fresher than this.

Abastos 2.0 is a hole-in-the-wall tapas joint that forms part of the Santiago market. Owners (and brothers) Marcos and Iago cast a keen eye over the market produce each morning, buy whatever looks good, then cook it up for guests.

As you’d expect, the preparation is simple, the ingredients are ultra-fresh, and once something runs out… well, there’s always tomorrow, right?

Boxes of fresh fruit for sale at a market stall
Beautiful fresh produce for sale at the Santiago market. Photo credit: Trevor Huxham

El Caballo Blanco

If you’re looking for gourmet Galician food, then El Caballo Blanco (Praza da Pescadería Vella, 5) is not the place for you. But if you like cold beer, generous free tapas, and a salt-of-the-earth wait staff, then you’ve come to the right place.

Casa Marcelo

Whoever thought of combining the cuisines of Galicia, Peru, and Japan must have known what they were doing. After all, this place got a Michelin star for it!

If you’re hankering for fresh, inventive and cooked-before-your eyes food that’s both comforting and surprising, then hit up Casa Marcelo. The communal tables are a nice touch.

Razor clams and half of a lemon on a white plate.
Simple Galician razor clams, cooked and seasoned to perfection.

Mercado de Abastos (Santiago Market)

This traditional food market opens every morning, but is especially lively on Saturdays. Vendors selling meats and seafood line the vaulted passageways while local gardeners sell a cornucopia of freshly picked crops outside. You’ll see mountains of Padrón peppers, and this is perhaps the most authentic place to try pulpo a la gallega

A man in a white cook's outfit cuts pieces of boiled Galician octopus onto a wooden plate.
A market vendor preparing octopus for pulpo a la gallega.

Los Sobrinos del Padre Benito & Pulpería os Concheiros

Apart from the market, we recommend two spots for the best pulpo in Santiago. Los Sobrinos del Padre Benito and Pulpería os Concheiros are both rustic joints that are locally famous for their octopus.

Where to Eat in Santiago de Compostela FAQs

Where is Galicia in Spain?

Galicia is located in the northwest corner of the Iberian Peninsula. It is a region of Spain that sits directly to the north of Portugal.

What food is Galicia known for?

Some of the most famous Galician foods are boiled octopus with paprika, empanadas, tetilla cheese, T-bone steak, and almond cake.

What is special about Santiago de Compostela?

Santiago de Compostela is the ending point of the famous Camino de Santiago pilgrimage. The city’s cathedral is traditionally the ending point for pilgrims walking one of the several routes, which are each hundreds of kilometers long.

Update Notice: This post was updated on August 21, 2023. 

11 Comment

  1. April 22, 2017 at 1:07 pm

    Nice article and blog! I will follow this website.

    1. Brianne Garrett says
      April 22, 2017 at 4:23 pm

      Thanks so much! We’re so glad you enjoyed the article!

  2. May 24, 2017 at 5:30 pm

    What I really like from Santiago de Compostela is that everytime you order a beer they give you a huge “tapa”!

  3. September 13, 2017 at 9:10 am

    Thank you so much for sharing this blog. i really liked it.

    1. Ashley Duncan says
      September 22, 2017 at 3:29 pm

      Thanks so much Nicole!

  4. Peter Johnson says
    July 17, 2019 at 4:22 am

    I am going in September – too bad no tour – however I shall be with you in San Sebastián – does Devour do casas de Cidra?

    1. Devour Tours says
      July 22, 2019 at 11:44 am

      Yay, we can’t wait! We don’t have any cider house tours but we do have a blog post with tips! http://devoursansebastianfoodtours.com/cider-houses-in-san-sebastian/

  5. February 13, 2020 at 5:13 am

    nice blog !!

    1. Devour Tours says
      February 14, 2020 at 8:51 am

      Thanks so much for reading!

  6. April 17, 2021 at 10:25 pm

    nice!

    1. Devour Tours says
      April 19, 2021 at 8:38 am

      Thanks for reading!

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