Vigo's eating scene revolves around the sea. The Mercado da Pedra near the old port is the social heart of the city's food culture: women shuck fresh oysters at granite tables and sell them for a euro or two each, eaten on the spot with a glass of Albariño. The tapas culture here differs slightly from the rest of Spain — in Galicia, a tapa is often called a pincho and arrives automatically with a drink at the better old-town bars.
The Barrio do Cura district around Rúa do Príncipe and Rúa Carral is the densest concentration of restaurants and tapas bars. The fishing port area near Bouzas has old-fashioned marisquerías (seafood restaurants) serving the freshest catch in town.
Key dishes to try: percebes (goose barnacles, prised from Atlantic rocks — the most prized and expensive seafood in Galicia), pulpo á feira (octopus with paprika and olive oil), and Galician-style turbot grilled with garlic and white wine.