In Spain, you don’t just eat: you take your time and enjoy the moment. The “sobremesa,” that moment after the meal when you stay at the table to chat and extend the evening, is an integral part of the culture. Here, a drink is never complete without a few plates to share. Tapas can be ordered at any time of day, as the mood takes you, with no real beginning or end. A beer, a vermouth, a tinto de verano... and immediately croquetas, a little ham, patatas bravas and seafood arrive. The street becomes a terrace, and eating becomes a social ritual.
In Luxembourg, certain addresses manage to recreate this lively, spontaneous atmosphere. Here are three places where you eat whilst you talk, drink while you eat and where tapas circulate like pretexts for never leaving each other too quickly.
Podenco
Located in Bertrange, this modern bodega is one of the country’s most prominent Spanish establishments. Chef Eduardo Ramos is at the helm, preparing a refined Mediterranean cuisine that combines tradition and high standards. Here, tapas are based around quality products: Iberian charcuterie, mature cheeses, marinated vegetables, seafood and tasty grilled meats.
Eduardo Ramos is the chef of the Podenco restaurant, named “Mediterranean of the Year” in the Gault&Millau Luxembourg 2025 guide. Photo: Podenco
The restaurant is also renowned for its expertly cooked rice dishes: seafood paella marinera, crispy fideuá served straight from the pan, arroz negro or octopus rice, all designed to be shared in a spirit of conviviality. The wine list, focussing on Spanish appellations, is a fitting accompaniment.
In a contemporary dining room or on the elegant terrace, Podenco offers an experience halfway between traditional bodega and gourmet table. Podenco is as much about the finesse of its dishes as it is about its warm and welcoming setting, ideal for a refined lunch or a sunny dinner with friends.
Address: 1 Rue de l’Industrie, Bertrange. Telephone: +352 26 68 75 50
La Tapería
Nested in the Limpertsberg district, La Tapería is a discreet address that focuses on simplicity and quality. Inspired by traditional tapas bars, the menu focuses on the great Spanish classics: tortilla de patatas (served without onions), lightly grilled and salted pimientos de padrón, fried aubergines topped with honey, as well as tasty homemade croquettes with serrano ham, mushrooms, txipirones and bull tail.
Lovers of charcuterie will be delighted with bellota pata negra ham, txistrorra and the unmissable black pudding. There are also mature Spanish cheeses such as manchego, Catalan-style pan con tomate, Galician-style octopus and pan-fried prawns with garlic.
The atmosphere is relaxed, ideal for an aperitif on the terrace or a dinner to share. The cuisine relies on products imported from Spain and recipes faithful to tradition, executed with precision but without pretension. A popular address with local regulars, who praise the consistency of the food and the warm welcome.
Address: 120 Rue Albert Unden, Luxembourg-Limpertsberg. Telephone: +352 46 03 87
Compañero
In the heart of the old town, Compañero recreates the lively atmosphere of Spanish tapas bars. People come here mainly for the atmosphere: a large terrace that’s always packed, loud discussions, plate after plate of food and glasses clinking late into the night. This is the place where tapas are experienced as much as they are eaten.
The menu, inspired by Spanish, Cuban and Latin American cuisine, is packed with small plates to share: grilled chorizo with peppers and cider reduction, fried chipirones with aïoli, croquetas, garlic octopus, cockles in white wine, or the generous assortment of mixed tapas. There's no shortage of more elaborate dishes either, from sea bream ceviche, cachopo-style cordon bleu, grilled picanha or Andalusian-style fried fish.
You can get lost... but everyone has their own craving, and the plates quickly pile up to satisfy every taste. But don’t panic: at any real Spanish table, there is always a maître de table, without being elected by anyone, to take charge and place the order.
It’s not so much the finesse of the dishes as the spirit of sharing and the lively atmosphere that keep the clientele coming back. The house cocktails, arranged rums and generous gin and tonics add to the energy of the place.
Compañero attracts a young and cosmopolitan clientele, who come to extend the aperitif, spend the evening with friends or improvise a party in the heart of the city centre. The atmosphere is guaranteed, especially on summer evenings when the terrace becomes a real meeting point.
Address: 26-30 Rue de l’Eau, Luxembourg-city. Telephone: +352 26 39 42 74
This article was originally published in French.
