Tapas: a sneak peek into the mouthwatering Spanish tapas Melbourne
Tapas is a cuisine credited to Spanish culture. It is usually served cold or hot, mainly in restaurants and bars. Some diners have it as an appetizer or a snack, while other restaurants in Spain combine different tapas delicacies to form a full course meal.
Did you know that tapas owes its origin to pot lids and covers? The noun "tapas" is derived from a verb in Spanish and Portuguese meaning "to cover." History has it that inns set up along old Roman roads in Europe used to present samples of their delicacies to fatigued travelers on the pot lids. This was the custom mainly because both the travelers and the owners of the inns could hardly read or write.
Melbourne's tapas: what's it like?
Melbourne has some of the world's best tapas, bearing in mind that tapas owes its origin to the Spanish. There are various types of tapas cuisines served in different restaurants and bars across Melbourne, but it can be a daunting task figuring out which spots offer the very best. Below are some of the top restaurants to check out should you find yourself in this great city.
Vamos Melbourne
That's us! At the top of our list of tapas bars in Melbourne is Vamos Melbourne. Come and try our baby octopus tostadas, our chorizo croquettes, and our delightful Peruvian ceviche. We have more than just tapas to offer, and every weekend we host a range of live Spanish and Latin American bands to accompany your meal. You can find us at 1st Floor, 37 Little Bourke St, Melbourne.
Other tapas restaurants in Melbourne
We like to share the love, so we've compiled a list of other tapas restaurants in Melbourne for you to try.
Movida
While strolling along Hosier Lane in Melbourne's CBD, be on the lookout for Movida, a long-standing tapas bar packed with locals and visitors alike. Movida is famous for its mouthwatering pressed pork tapas, beef, and filleted anchovies, and it consistently tops the list of the best tapas bars in Melbourne's CBD.
Portello Rosso
Another great addition to the best tapas Melbourne CBD has to offer. This is one of those bars you'll want to put on your to-do list while in the city. Don't miss Portello Rosso's grilled king prawns tapas and wagyu empanadas, served with superior Spanish wines.
Bomba
Looking to escape the crazy madness of traffic and find a place to relax while you dig into some great tapas? Bomba will take you away with their marinated lamb chops and pork jowl. Sink into your seat, sip some fine sherry, and enjoy the ambience of this welcoming joint.
Lona
Drop in and get well taken care of with Lona's finest Spanish menu, ranging from sliders to tacos and meat delicacies. It's one of the top Spanish tapas bars in Melbourne and a great choice for after-work drinks with a group of friends.
Pablo Honey
From time to time we're all looking for something extraordinary. Pablo Honey offers the best of Latin American tapas: mild pork cheeks grazed with Latino chilli, spring bay mussel, and squid with chorizo. Don't forget to grab a glass of your favourite cocktail while you experience one of Melbourne's most exciting tapas bar experiences.
Anada
Looking for a restaurant to relax, hang out with friends over dinner, catch up with family, or find the perfect atmospheric spot for date night? Anada delivers on all counts. There's a variety of delicacies drawn from southern Spain, including great manchego croquettes and patatas. The drinks and cocktail list is extensive, and it all complements the food beautifully.
Naked for Satan
Don't be fooled by the name. Naked for Satan is one of the best Melbourne tapas dining restaurants and bars in town, with diners hooked every night. The restaurant is famed for its rotation tables that let you select from a great range of tapas at the comfort of your bar stool. The concept is simple: fill your plate with your favourite tapas, then settle up via the coloured toothpicks that evidence your appetite.
Are you a lover of great views? The rooftop bar provides more than just comfort. Enjoy a serene view of Melbourne's night life with a background of smooth, chilled music.
Plus 5 bar
If you love spacious, lofty interiors and a great view of the surrounds, Plus 5 bar is worth a visit. Enjoy the space, the waterfront view, and a classy mix of styled furniture. The tapas menu spans global influences, and there's no rush to be anywhere else.
Robert Burns Hotel
The best way to dine is to find a great room and order well. At Robert Burns Hotel, you don't have to overthink it. Sardine tapas and tacos are both on the menu, the environment is relaxed and accommodating, and a good brandy alongside squid chorizo rounds out the experience nicely.
Naked in the Sky
Just as the name suggests, you can enjoy a great selection of tapas and an ice-cold beer as you sit and take it all in. The fresh air and the sprawling view of Melbourne make this a wonderful getaway during a hot afternoon or a warm summer evening when the sky is full of stars.
El Rincon
Serving a wide range of international tapas, El Rincon is famed for its Mediterranean, European, and Spanish offerings. The menu is very vegan-friendly, so nobody at the table needs to feel left out.
Hairy Little Sister
Another one of Melbourne's top tapas CBD spots. Enjoy the potato fritters and pork tapas here; the flavours are vivid and the portions are generous. Whether you want a loud bar for a night out with friends or a quieter seat with live music, Melbourne's tapas scene delivers on every front.
Making your own tapas: how do you do it?
Making your own tapas at home is a considerably formidable task. It's even harder when you're deciding whether to head out to a Melbourne tapas dining spot for those tostadas, or to roll up your sleeves and fill the kitchen with the aroma of Almendras al Pimenton. Both options have genuine pros and cons.
Eating from home: ingredients
While preparing tapas at home, you have the control to leave out anything unwanted. The almonds you're allergic to, the butter that doesn't agree with you; at home, that call is yours. When you order Alcachofas al Ajillo at a tapas bar in Melbourne's CBD, it's much harder to know exactly how much oil or which spices went into the dish. That control is a real advantage of the home kitchen.
Eating from home: hale and hearty options
The stigma that eating out is unhealthy runs deep among many Melburnians. Whether or not it's true, healthier options at restaurants do tend to carry a higher price tag. At home, you can opt for even healthier products for your tapas without the premium. Sometimes the answer really is a quick trip to the store and back in time to cook.
Eating out: high value
Restaurants in Melbourne are held to high standards by government regulators. Chefs are trained and examined, food quality is checked, and facilities are audited. That accountability is a real reason to trust what you're served when you go out for tapas.
Eating from home: food allergies
It's easier to control food allergies at home than when eating out. Melbourne's tapas menus span a wide range of recipes and ingredients. A particular tapas prepared in the same pan used for a different dish can trigger reactions in sensitive diners, even when chefs are aware and take precautions. At home, you eliminate that variable entirely.
Eating out: proficient chefs
Your own competency matters here. If you're unsure how much of an ingredient to use in that sardine tapas, or you're not confident about how long to cook pork cheeks, the professional kitchen has an obvious edge. A trained chef produces a Tomato Salad with Capers consistently. That's hard to replicate at home without practice.
Eating from home: options
Going out to a restaurant confines you to the menu. At home, the choice is entirely yours. You can try something new, stick to the usual recipe, or swap out any ingredient on a whim. That freedom is genuinely valuable, especially for adventurous cooks.
Why tapas?
Back in Spain, lunch is served during the late afternoon and dinner as late as 9pm to 11pm. That gap creates a natural need for snacks between meals. Tapas fills that space. Bars and restaurants serve a range of tapas delicacies alongside purchased drinks, and it's common in parts of Spain for free tapas to come with every drink ordered.
Tapas vary by region. On the Spanish coast, seafood tapas arrive garnished with olives: mackerel, sardines, anchovies dressed in olive oil. On the mainland, meat products take over: beef, mutton, and more. Melbourne's tapas scene borrows from all of these traditions, which is a big part of what makes it so worth exploring.