The streets around the cathedral are thick with sidrerías — traditional cider houses that double as restaurants serving hearty Asturian food. A typical meal starts with a tabla de quesos (cheese board featuring Cabrales, the region's pungent blue cheese), moves to fabada asturiana or cachopo, and involves many pours of sidra natural along the way. Prices are remarkably fair: a full meal with cider rarely tops 25 euros.
Most sidrerías are interchangeable in quality — the food is traditional and the portions generous everywhere. Tierra Astur on Calle Gascona is a reliable choice for a first visit. Casa Fermín near the cathedral is a step up in ambition, applying modern technique to Asturian ingredients. For the full experience, sit at the bar and watch the escanciar — the ritual pour from above the head — happen dozens of times an evening.