A Coruña, perhaps the most charming big city in Spain’s northwestern Galicia region, is a fantastic destination for lovers of good food. With its privileged location on the Atlantic Ocean, the city offers an incredible variety of dishes that range from sea to plate, where seafood, fresh fish, and traditional Galician flavours take center stage. If you’re looking for a unique culinary experience, check this out:
The Seafood Trail: An Atlantic Treasure
A Coruña’s cuisine is based on its fresh seafood, a true gem of the deep blue Atlantic. Fishermen arrive in this seaport every morning with a wide selection of catches destined for local restaurants and markets. Among the most notable local seafood options are clams, scallops, cockles, and even barnacles, all served with the unmistakable briny flavour of the sea.
The single best place to check out this maritime bounty first hand is the 115-year-old Praza de Lugo Municipal Market, and to enjoy it on the plate at excellent nearby restaurants like Marisquería El Pescador or Café Bar La Parra.
Galician-Style Octopus: An Unmissable Classic
We can’t talk about the cuisine of A Coruña without mentioning the famous polbo a la galega (or in Spanish, pulpo a la gallega). This icon of Galician cuisine is prepared with boiled octopus, anointed with paprika, salt, and olive oil, and accompanied by boiled potatoes. Despite its simplicity, its flavor is absolutely delicious. And one of the best places to sample it is Restaurante O’Bodegón, a very popular spot among both locals and visitors, where this is one of the most popular dishes.
Fish Right Off the Boat
Along the Galician coast, fresh fish is a true delight, and A Coruña is no exception. Hake, turbot, and ray are some of the most popular in local restaurants. One of the recommended places to get your fill is the Rías Altas, right in the port. Here you can enjoy dishes such as pescada á gallega (aka merluza a la gallega, Galician-style hake), prepare similarly to the above-mentioned octopus and accompanied by a delicious caldo gallego, a traditional bean soup.
More Typical Galician Flavours: Cheeses and Empanadas
We can’t fail to mention two essential specialities of local cuisine. Empanadas are a folded pasty filled with tuna, meat, or seafood, and delicious regional cheeses include Tetilla and San Simón.
Galician Wine for Perfect Pairing
To accompany the flavours of the sea, nothing beats a good Galician wine. Galicia is known, for example, for its excellent and aromatic Albariño and Godello white wines from the Rías Baixas region. These fresh and aromatic wines are the ideal pairing with local seafood. Many restaurants in A Coruña offer a wide selection of regional wines.
If you’ve whetted your appetite after discovering A Coruña’s rich cuisine, don’t hesitate. Book a flight with Iberia and your taste buds (along with other senses) will say ¡muchas gracias!
Photos | LUNAMARINA; isabeltp; josanmu