Granada is famous for its free tapas culture — order a drink at most bars and you get a small plate of food. The quality and generosity of the tapas increases the more you drink, and the tradition is taken seriously. The best streets for tapas-hopping are around Calle Navas near the cathedral, Calle Elvira in the Albaicín area, and the streets off Pedro Antonio de Alarcón.
For sit-down meals, the Albaicín has a concentration of good restaurants, particularly along Calderería Nueva (North African and Middle Eastern food) and the streets around Plaza Nueva. The Realejo neighbourhood, just south of the cathedral, has several more serious restaurants.
Granadino cuisine borrows from its Moorish past: lamb, honey, almonds, and spices show up in more dishes than you would expect in other parts of Spain. The local pastries — pionono, a small cream-filled roll from the town of Santa Fe — are worth seeking out.