LA RIOJA - LOGROÑO - PINCHO BAR CRAWL

LA RIOJA - LOGROÑO PINCHO BAR CRAWL

On our recent trip to La Rioja, we decided to take a pinchos bar crawl down the famous Calle Laurel in Logroño. These were our favourite bars and bites on this very busy and pleasant evening in November.

BAR CID

Travesía de Laurel, 1, 26001 Logroño, La Rioja

Quite literally a hole in the wall and easy to walk past. The very traditional Bar Cid has vines and grapes dangling from the wooden beam ceiling, above the same pair of men hanging out at the bar every night.

They serve up one pincho only,

grilled mushrooms (setas a la plancha).

Setas are basically all types of mushrooms that aren't the typical white button-cap ones (champiñon).

Order a big plate of grilled setas to share with friends. With a toothpick, you skewer one or two and put it between two slices of crispy bread to make a mini sandwich. As you bite into them, the garlic wine sauce seeps into the bread making it a very filling and delicious pincho.

LETRAS DE LAUREL

Calle del Laurel 22, 26001 Logroño, La Rioja

+34 941 28 96 80

This is a modern-looking bar with a restaurant at the back. It has a speciality pincho called piruleta de solomillo Ibérico. It’s an Ibérico pork lollipop, grilled, with a mushroom sauce on top. It’s one of the most famous pinchos in Calle Laurel and therefore is required for eating.

BAR PÁGANOS Calle del Laurel 22, 26001 Logroño, La Rioja +34 606 28 70 95

This place is literally just a little hole in the wall. The chistorra hot dogs (€1.80) are not to be missed and also very tasty pinchos muronos. They are all made freshly to order.

BAR JUBERA

Calle del Laurel, 18, 26001 Logroño, La Rioja +34 941 24 52 14

This is a very busy bar specialising in very good patatas bravas with an excellent spicy sauce. You have to fight your way to the bar to order. If you want it extra hot, ask for “muy Picante“.

They serve, like most bars here, a very good, well-priced glass of the local Rioja as well.

BAR TORRECILLA

Calle del Laurel 15, 26001 Logroño, La Rioja

+34 608 34 46 94

We would have been happily eating just about anything on their 16-item menu.

They had mini hamburgers.

Anchoas con pimientos verdes (anchovies and green peppers). All are served on a slice of bread.

Solomillo con una crema de barbacoa (fillet steak served with a BBQ cream sauce)

Queso con una rodaja de tomate y una pieza caramelizada de jamón ibérico (cheese with a slice of tomato and a caramelised piece of Jamón Iberico).

Saying all that, the must-have pincho here, is the

Foie con mermelada de cebolla caramelizada (foie gras with caramelised onion marmalade).

To drink, you can have cider, beer or wine. There are no pinchos on the bar, every order is cooked fresh.

BAR ÁNGEL

Calle del Laurel 12, 26001 Logroño, La Rioja

+34 941 20 63 55

This bar also just serves mushroom pinchos and various wines de La Rioja. It is in the heart of Calle Laurel. In this case, a stack of large mushroom caps is grilled on a plancha and then topped with garlic butter and a small shrimp. They are served skewered on a piece of bread.

Just go to the bar and order champi or just point at the plancha to the lady cooking.

There are places to sit or stand inside but the ambiance is so much better outside sitting at a table overlooking the crowds in the Calle Laurel. We had very friendly service.

JUAN Y PINCHAMÉ

Calle del Laurel 9, 26001 Logroño, La Rioja

+34 678 58 96 33

This bar is located right in the heart of Calle Laurel and it’s dedicated entirely to grilled shrimp and pineapple skewers. The flavours meld together so that the shrimp take on a sweetness. The pineapple becomes somewhat savoury and caramelised at the same time. You’ll get bread to sop up the juices too.

D.O. LAUREL

Calle del Laurel 4, 26001 Logroño, La Rioja

+34 941 70 05 93

A place to have good pinchos, modern and classic with outstanding quality. Their specialty is a layered liquid tortilla served in a small bowl. It is available with just egg and potato, with cheese or ham added.

LA TAVINA

Calle del Laurel 2, 26001 Logroño, La Rioja

+34 941 102 300

Sleek, shiny, and contemporary, La Tavina is a bar, wine shop, and restaurant in one, on three levels.

The ingredients for the pinchos, particularly the vegetables, are locally sourced and include bites such as grilled sardine with pisto. They also serve dessert pinchos, including deliciously gooey brownies and creamy cheesecakes. The wine shop sells over 500 different varieties of wine, so is a great place to shop for a bottle of Rioja’s famous wine to take back home with you.

A glass of Rioja Tinto costs €1.

The street is very busy on Friday and Saturday evenings, but be aware, some bars may close on Monday and Tuesday.