Bar Ávila

Bar Ávila is a neighbourhood tapas bar at Calle Verónica de la Virgen, 16, in the Ronda area south of Granada's historic centre, Andalusia, Spain. Away from the busiest tourist streets, it is popular with local residents who come for large free tapas and low prices, which makes it a useful choice for travellers who want to see how the city's tapas custom works in everyday life. The cuisine is Granadino home cooking. The free tapa that comes with each drink is generous and often takes the form of a small plate of cooked food rather than a snack. Dishes noted at the bar include pork casserole with peppers, rabo de toro (braised oxtail), chipirones fritos (fried baby squid) and bacalao con tomate (salt cod in tomato sauce). These are the kinds of recipes served at family tables across the province, and the portions reflect the neighbourhood clientele. The atmosphere is unpretentious and local. The room is functional, with a counter and tables, a regular crowd and conversation rather than music at the centre of the experience. Noise rises at lunch and in the evening, and there is no dress code. Drinks follow the usual pattern of draught beer, house wine and soft drinks. Reservations are not taken. The bar operates on a walk-in basis, with free tapa served with every drink, and the busiest period is the Spanish lunch hour. Typical spending is about €8–€15 (roughly $9.20–$17.25) per person. Opening hours are generally Monday to Friday from 09:00 to 16:45 and from 20:00 to midnight, Saturday from 12:00 to 17:00 and closed on Sunday; visitors should confirm locally. Because it opens in the morning, the bar also works for coffee and breakfast. It lies south of the centre, so most visitors reach it on foot from the Puerta Real area in around fifteen minutes or by a short bus or taxi ride.