The Rúa do Franco is Santiago's most concentrated eating and drinking street — a narrow granite lane running south from the Cathedral, lined on both sides with restaurants, tapas bars, and wine shops. It is lively from midday until late, packed in summer, and best visited hungry with no fixed plan.
The street earned its name from the Franks — French pilgrims who settled in this quarter during the medieval pilgrimage boom. Today it draws students, pilgrims, and visitors in roughly equal measure. Pulpo (octopus), empanada, and Albariño are available in almost every establishment; the better places rotate their menus with the catch and the season. Wander before you commit — the quality varies considerably and the menus posted outside the door will tell you most of what you need to know.