Fogón de Galicia: Galician Pulpo on Granada's Tapas Street

Galicia comes to Calle Navas

Fogón de Galicia sits at the entrance of Calle Navas, Granada's main tapas street in Centro, and it does something different from every other bar along the corridor. The kitchen's reference point is not Andalusia but Galicia, the green coastal region in northwest Spain famous for its seafood and distinctive cooking style.

In Granada, every drink order comes with a free tapa, and at Fogón de Galicia that tapa is likely to be something you will not find at the jamón-and-boquerones bars on the rest of the street.

The Galician specialities

Pulpo a la gallega is the reason to come. Galician-style octopus is sliced, cooked until tender, laid on a wooden board with boiled potatoes, and finished with coarse salt, smoked paprika (pimentón de la Vera), and olive oil. It is one of the most specific regional dishes in Spanish cooking and requires the right technique. The version here is the real thing, not a gesture toward it.

Rabo de cerdo ibérico (ibérico pork tail) is another departure from Andalusian standard: braised slowly, the meat falls from the small bones and the sauce is rich. The empanada gallega (Galician pie filled with tuna, tomato, and peppers) arrives in thick slices and is more filling than most tapas bar food.

The local crowd

Granadinos looking for something different from the Calle Navas standard come to Fogón de Galicia. The bar attracts people who have been through the usual tapas route and want the pulpo. It is not a tourist-facing bar in the way some of its neighbours are: the menu is in Spanish, the staff assume some familiarity with Galician food, and no one explains what pulpo is.

Prices are slightly higher than the budget bars further down the street: budget €4–6 per drink with tapas. Worth it for the pulpo.

The position on Calle Navas

Being at the start of Calle Navas makes Fogón de Galicia a natural first or last stop on a tapas circuit along the street. From Plaza del Carmen, walk south and the bar is within the first few doors. Open from noon daily.