As far as eating in Huelva is concerned, it would not be out of place to speak of l’embarras du choix. Lots of quality, at reasonable prices. In terms of price-quality matchup, you’d be hard pressed to find better in any other province of Spain.
To know exactly where to eat, just follow what the locals tell you. They know a thing or two about that. And it’s hardly surprising; this is a province where eating out is an integral part of social one-to-oneing.
All of that said though, here are some restaurants that can be readily recommended, offering everything from sophisticated haute cuisine to the most popular culinary gems, in Huelva itself and the rest of the province.
Restaurants that are established references in Huelva
- Hotel Barceló Isla Canela Buffet Restaurant (Ayamonte): a good place to sample the range of food typical of Huelva, plus other regional and national dishes.
- Barceló Punta Umbría Beach Resort (Punta Umbría):
in all, some four buffet style restaurants, (El Calé, El Estero, Cormoranes and Brújula), located within the different sectors of the resort. In the high season, the culinary offer is unfurled thematically, making every dinner a different experience.
- Arrozante, at Hotel Barceló Punta Umbría Mar (Punta Umbría): some of today’s most acclaimed maestros paelleros have had a hand in the menu of this self-styled Casa del Arroz. The upshot: some truly remarkable variants of paella, soupy rice and fidueá are now here for you to savour. All of that as you look out onto the sea.
- Hotel Occidental Isla Cristina Buffet Restaurant (Isla Cristina): Not a bad place to start tucking into some of the most exquisite food to be found in Huelva. And into national and international cuisine as well. The terrace, adjacent to the hotel swimming pool, is most pleasant.
Best restaurants in Huelva
There is no shortage of places for eating in Huelva. But if you’re after creativity and authenticity, and food elaborated from unquestionably good source material, here are some of the best restaurants in the city:
- Azabache (Vázquez López, 22): used to be one of the best places for tapas. Such are the vagaries of good quality though, it soon became a reference for fine, local-produce-based cuisine (sit-down meals), in Huelva itself. Is never exactly short of all the Iberian ham varieties, fish or Atlantic seafood either.
- Acánthum (San Salvador, 17): Huelva-born chef, Xanty Elias, is the man behind the elaboration of the food here. He is very much into produce from the region, giving a very creative twist to everything he touches. With the classicism you’re wont to find in most restaurants in the city, some of his dishes certainly give pause.
- Er Chiclanero (Padre Jesús de la Pasión, 8): though not in the most up-market part of town, and though undeniably small, the quality of the crab dishes made here is certainly not lost on lovers of good seafood. There is so much more than white prawns from Huelva here.
- Sabor Amor Gastrobar (Avenida de la Ría, 13): a nice, cosy place, neatly perched between the port and the estuary. Sophisticated cuisine, elaborated from a good product-base. Classy presentation. You can hardly ask for more.
Best restaurants in Huelva Province
It would be silly to stick just to the capital when looking for places to eat. There are good eating establishments at every turn, all over Huelva province, where you can savour the exquisite produce of the earth in this part of the country, as well as stuff plucked out of the Atlantic. Here are some of the most recommendable places:
- Anyma (Antonio Concepción Reboura, 12, Ayamonte): good Italian food, that makes the most of quality local produce. There is no pizza. And no reason for it either. Everything is professionally served up, in the most pleasant fashion.
- Jacarandá (Plaza de la Constitución, Higuera de la Sierra): smack in the heart of Sierra de Aracena (Link: Sierra de Aracena), so it’s best to go for its Iberian pork-based dishes. Everything made here is slow-cooked, to safeguard the subtle flavours and bring out the slightest nuance, invariably producing something soft on the tongue and easy on the digestive system.
- Consolación (Avenida Consolación, 2, Cartaya): This restaurant has been serving up good Andalusian food since 1958. Yes, Sir! 1958! Pescaíto frito, fish stew, meat stew, good local seafood, and, it goes without saying, myriad varieties of Iberian ham and cold cuts. You name it, they serve it.
Other noted tapas places
Doing the rounds of tapas bars is, without doubt, one of the best options for eating in Huelva. Not only is the food good, the helpings are generous. Some memorable bars readily spring to mind: Juan José (Villa Mundaka, 1, Huelva), where they make one of the best Spanish omelettes in Spain, and which is usually chock-a-block.
In Huelva you’ll also find bars like Pappis (Conde López Muñoz, 4) and Templo (Avenida de la Ría, 11), conceptually different, but always up there among the favourites of Huelva locals.
As for the rest of the province, there are very recommendable places where you can get both quality and quantity. Like LPA The Culinary Bar (Plaza La Lota, 10, Ayamonte), which goes for contemporary and fusion alike.
Or Jesus Carrión tapas restaurant (Pozo de la Nieve, 35, Aracena), which offers top quality product and Iberian pork is the star of the show.
Restaurants in Huelva where you can eat cheap and good
As mentioned, finding somewhere to eat in Huelva at a reasonable price is not difficult. But there are places where you can indulge in the noble art of quality nourishment even more cheaply. Here are some of them:
- Entre Amigos (Vázquez López, 21, Huelva): a good place for genuine homemade food, typical of Huelva and the rest of the region. At truly amazing prices.
- Cervecería El Gallo Negro (Plaza Quintero Báez, 3, Huelva): the menu list is by no means exhaustive, but it certainly is striking. The best thing about the place, though, is the wide variety of beer on offer, which can be savoured on the terrace if the weather is good.
- Los Cuartelillos (Roque Barcia, 21): This is student territory par excellence. They come here in droves to enjoy the beer (the staff certainly know how to pull a pint!) and the montaditos. The carne mechá montadito, for instance, is a perennial favourite.
