Brits Are Losing Their Minds Over Spain’s Most Underrated Food Street

If you’re a foodie surviving overseas (or conscionable travelling each complete Spain), you mightiness person stumbled crossed a narrow, wine-lit thoroughfare successful bluish Spain. It is called Calle Laurel, it’s successful Logroño. and it’s slow becoming a favourite extremity for foreigners. 

Expats from nan UK, Northern Europe and beyond are discovering this mini 300-metre neighbourhood arsenic a spot wherever eating retired is little astir formality and much astir joy, flavour and community.

A thoroughfare for illustration nary other

Tucked into nan Casco Antiguo of nan La Rioja capital, Calle Laurel (and its adjoining San Agustín, Albornoz and Travesía del Laurel) boasts much than 60 bars and tavernas successful conscionable a fewer 100 paces. 

The locals telephone it la “senda de los elefantes”, meaning nan way of nan elephants. Why is that? Because hopping from barroom to bar, goblet successful hand, you mightiness conscionable consciousness for illustration you’re marching pinch dense steps afterwards. For expats utilized to edifice menus, general reservations aliases room-for-dessert, it’s a vibrant, somewhat chaotic revelation.

Community and section flavour

What sets this thoroughfare isolated for expats isn’t only nan pinchos (bite-sized tapas) aliases nan fantabulous young Rioja wines, though some are world-class. It’s nan atmosphere. At 7 PM you’ll find locals chatting astatine nan bar, older couples, students, families and wanderers mixing successful nan aforesaid queue for sapid morsels. 

For British expats looking for authenticity (and not conscionable different concatenation pub), this is nutrient civilization astatine crushed level.

Why does it matter to expats?

For galore Brits surviving successful Spain aliases travelling location regularly, Calle Laurel ticks respective boxes. It’s authentic, affordable, societal and walkable. No high-fuss good dining, nary over-priced menus, conscionable bars filled pinch group sharing bites, vino and laughter. It’s easy to consciousness for illustration you belong. And pinch bars unfastened from day into precocious night, it offers a benignant of tapas manner that fits nan relaxed expat tempo.

Also, nan truth that nan thoroughfare remains existent to its roots is simply a plus. While it’s much world now, it hasn’t mislaid its section soul. One master connected nan thoroughfare put it simply, according to COPE: “It’s nan spot group spell erstwhile they want to eat and portion well, without complications.” 

Joining nan pilgrimage

If you’re readying a visit: gait yourself. A classical tapas crawl mightiness impact 4–5 bars, 1 signature pincho and a young Rioja astatine each stop. Expect to stand, stock tables, chat pinch strangers, savour mini plates for illustration mushrooms pinch prawns, croquetas aliases breadstuff topped pinch jamón and piquillo pepper. 

For expat foodies tired of over-styled destinations, Calle Laurel offers thing different: a spot wherever flavour, organization and spot matter. One bite, 1 solid astatine a time.

Read here more articles astir life successful Spain.