Europe · Spain

Where to eat in Santander

Santander eats from the Cantabrian Sea, with clams, razor clams, anchovies, sardines and squid in everyday rotation. Fried squid rings, or rabas, are the favourite coastal snack, taken with white wine or vermouth. The region adds mountain stew, strong cheeses and sweet pastries such as sobaos and quesada.

Santander at a glance

What to eat
Rabas; Anchoas de Cantabria; Cocido montañés; Sobaos and quesada pasiega; Picón Bejes-Tresviso.
Top tables
This guide lists 2 award-winning restaurants, starting with El Serbal and Casona del Judío.
Where locals eat
Local favorites off the prestige lists include Agua Salada, Cañadío and Bodega del Riojano.
Rabas

The dish to eat here

Rabas

Strips of squid in a light, crisp flour coating, fried and eaten with lemon.

The best three: Bar del Puerto, Cañadío, Taberna La Radio.

Where to eat it, and the recipe →

37places in Santander, ready to save to your trip
5Dishes to tryWhere to eat each one, and how to cook it at home10Romantic dinnersTen tables for date night
What is in the 37
3 award-winning3 local favorites10 romantic dinners5 breakfast spots10 new openings14 more in our database

Browse by category

Going to Santander?Plan every meal, see them on a map by your hotel, capture the dishes, share the list.
Plan my Santander food trip
Plan my Santander food trip

New and buzzing in Santander

The top pick here; the rest are on their own page.

See all 9: The best new restaurants in Santander →

New places change fast. “Provisional” means a guide or directory lists it as new but we have not confirmed the opening date. Check hours and book ahead before you go.

Memorable breakfasts in Santander

The top pick here; the rest are on their own page.

Café Suizo

Paseo de Pereda

Order: Pastry and café con leche

A historic café with a terrace facing the bay.

Café breakfast.

Source: Details and menu
Directions

See all 5: The best breakfast and brunch in Santander →

Orders are suggestions, not guaranteed menu items. Confirm opening hours and morning service before you go.

Romantic dinners in Santander

Ten tables that come up again and again for date night, anniversaries and quiet candlelit evenings. In no ranked order.

Picks come from romantic-dinner lists on booking and review sites. Confirm dinner service, menus and availability before you book.

Hot right now in Santander

We have not verified a current craze in Santander yet. We only list one once it has been reported in the press.

The Santander food map

Every place in this guide, pinned. Tap a pin to see what to order, then add it to your trip.

· Pins are placed by address or name and can be a little off; always confirm in your maps app.

Plan my days in Santander

Tell us what you like and we will line up the places on this page into a day-by-day plan. Only places from this guide, never anything else.

What to eat in Santander, and where

Each dish comes with the places that do it best. Tap Add to my trip on the ones you want, or find them on the map above.

Rabas

Fried squid pieces, the most popular coastal snack

Where to eat it: we are still verifying the best places for this dish.

Anchoas de Cantabria

Cantabrian anchovies, a regional seafood staple

Where to eat it: we are still verifying the best places for this dish.

Cocido montañés

Mountain stew of beans, cabbage and pork

Where to eat it: we are still verifying the best places for this dish.

Sobaos and quesada pasiega

Traditional Cantabrian sweet pastries

Where to eat it: we are still verifying the best places for this dish.

Picón Bejes-Tresviso

Strong blue-veined cheese from the Cantabrian mountains

Where to eat it: we are still verifying the best places for this dish.

The most celebrated tables

The top 2 restaurants in Santander, per Michelin Spain 2026. All 3 award winners we track are in the full list below.

More award winners

El Serbal

Modern · €€€
Michelin 1★

Modern

Casona del Judío

Modern · €€€€
Michelin 1★

Modern

When to go and what is in season

Santander food calendar: month by month → What is in season, what to eat and the food festivals each month.

The best of Santander, by category

The top pick in each, then every place on its own page with what to get and a map.

Breakfast and brunch
5 placesBreakfast and brunch

Start with Maremondo, El Sardinero, Plaza de Italia

Get: Breakfast toast and coffee

See all 5 →
New restaurants
9 placesNew restaurants

Start with HYPE Burger Santander

Provisional: directory labels it new; physical opening date unverified

See all 9 →

Every place on the Santander food map → · A to Z

Secret discoveries

Locally loved places that are not on the big prestige lists.

restaurant

Agua Salada

€€

Contemporary

Seen in Michelin Guide · worth confirming hours before you go
restaurant

Cañadío

Santander · Gómez Oreña

Traditional; anchovies, fish

Seen in Michelin Guide · worth confirming hours before you go
tavern

Bodega del Riojano

€€

Traditional

Seen in Michelin Guide · worth confirming hours before you go
Plan a food trip to Santander All 81 food citiesExplore the 250 food markets

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Awards come from the guides named on each listing (Michelin Spain 2026). Researched October 25, 2026. Restaurants change; confirm hours, reservations and current stars before you go. Some addresses, phone numbers and websites come from OpenStreetMap contributors (ODbL), so call ahead to confirm. Local favorites are editorial picks, not rankings.

Chef Amazing’s lists for Santander: where locals eat, new openings, romantic dinners, ice cream, cooking classes and more, each place with what to order. Cooking classes in Santander: who teaches, what you cook, how long and how to book.

Every place in this guide, A to Z (20)

Chef Amazing · Will Travel for Food · Food cities · 250 food markets · The Best 100