The Bodega del Riojano is one of Santander's most characterful wine bars, tucked into the old streets near the cathedral. The walls are lined with painted wine barrels, the ceiling is low, and the selection of wines — principally from Rioja, as the name suggests, but also from Galicia and the Basque country — is serious without being intimidating. It has been operating since 1949 and the interior has the unhurried, slightly worn quality of a place that has nothing to prove.
The kitchen produces solid bar food to go alongside the wine: cheese plates, cured meats, and a few hot dishes. It is the kind of place where an hour intended as a quick stop tends to stretch into an evening. Particularly good in the late afternoon before the dinner hour, when you can usually find a space at the bar without fighting for it.