Excellent food and wine. We were 11 and we were very satisfied. The attention was excellent by the…read morepersonnel. Amazing!

Delightfully fresh and flavorful Galician seafood at a higher price range…read more My friend and I were visiting A Coruña for the weekend and set on a mission in search for centolla (spider crab). We looked around for the best seafood spots and found La Sarten. Although we made the reservation the morning of, we luckily snagged a table at 2pm. We got to the restaurant early, but they sat us at a table anyway. The interior of the restaurant is compact, with probably less than 20+ table seats and a handful of bar seats. Immediately we noticed that the restaurant was frequented by locals. The bartender and waiters chatted with the guests like old friends, and treated us with similar cordiality. The décor was hip and modern. Clearly the manager emphasized presentation, but how about the food? We ordered a glass of albariño (Galician white) and a (beer with lemonade) and eager inquired about the spider crabs. "No, it was unavailable." "Why not? Isn't it September the season?" "Regretfully you are just a week or two early this year." We were devastated. We had ourselves all worked up about spider crabs, researched everything about centolla dishes, only to miss it by a week. Crestfallen, we ordered two dishes recommended by our waiter in lieu. = Food = Almeja babosa a la marinera (€20): Venus clams sautéed with sailor's sauce. Loved it. The fresh plump clams were enveloped in a sauce bursting with flavor from albariño wine, garlic, tomatoes, onions, and saffron. Large portion size justifies the price. Arroz con bogavante (€28 per person, two minimum): Rice with lobster. A Galician take on Valencian paella, this sumptuous dish is choke full of lobster meat. Perhaps the best dish we had on this trip. The rice was perfectly cooked, intensely flavored by the seafood broth and saffron. Comes served in a big saucepan that keeps the dish hot while you work through it. Warning - it is a lot of food, and you will not be able to resist finishing all of it. = Verdict = While we did not find cebolla, we had an amazing, coma-inducing gastronomic experience. I highly recommend this restaurant for those who love shellfish. I would definitely come back, and hopefully in time for cebolla season!

The only thing I don't like about this place is the location; it should be in my neighborhood!…read more Granted, this review is from the perspective of  an american tourist who lives in an area where this type of market is not an option. But I have seen my share of markets both in Latin America and Europe, and this one stands out. I like the way its organized, with separate halls for meats, seafood, cured meats, vegetables, cheeses and breads. It's clean and the produce is very fresh with friendly vendors happy to engage in conversation. But for a tourist without a kitchen, this is just a feast for the eyes, except, for the cafeteria hall,  where you can sample much of the fresh produce from the market, cooked right in front of you in an irresistible feasting atmosphere. Local wines and beer are also available; and for the more adventurous visitor, there is place that will cook what you bought at the market for a small fee. The old town of Santiago is filled with bars and restaurants where one can have good food and drinks, but for a mid day snack, the mercado is a great experience; especially for the first time visitor. After all, there is a reason why tourists brochures put this market on the list of the 5 most important in spain, and is the second most visited location in Santiago de Compostela.

Gorgeous covered market in Santiago with lots of activity and fun things to look at and eat. When…read moreyou walk in, the first rows contain a number of stalls for casual dining, including tapas and super fresh seafood. As you continue on, you'll see fresh fruit and veggies, all types of seafood, meats, cured meats and cheeses, bakeries, stalls geared more for tourists, selling liquor, tarta de Santiago (which is delicious!), spices, etc. At the far back of the market, there is an awesome shop selling all types of bacalao and tinned fish, and they also will cook seafood on the spot for you to eat. Don't miss the stalls outside, as there are some high quality craft and souvenir stalls, including jewelry, etc. It's all a feast for your senses and so much fun to browse.

A lively restaurant filled with peregrinos for lunch. The beer was refreshing, and the service was…read morefast. I was the only one in my group who wanted to try the octopus (pulpo). It was a little chewier than I was hoping for. I've had very tender pulpo and even massaged octopus at other restaurants, so I had high expectations. Melide is marketed as the place to have pulpo a feira, and I was looking forward to it prior to our hike. A Garnacha is a good lunch stop on the Camino. The menu is varied, so if you are not into pulpo, you can have other items.

Best place in town. Foos is amazing, as well service. Is fast an unforgetable experienceread more

This place is a must stop... the food is amazing... my waitress was absolutely the best! My Spanish…read moreis not the best and she was very patient with me... thanks Bayonica!!!

Octopus fresh with unique presentation; garlic shrimp outstanding and chestnut flan unique &…read morecreamy. Fabulous service & charming surroundings. Wine list reasonably priced as well. Just Go!!

Came to this place recommended by friends we just had made in the area... SOO glad we came. First…read moreof all this place is located in the "old town walking area" and it is well located. Lots of night life around... we had a table reserved and would advise doing so.... we had a grwta table near the entrance where you could see the live aquarium and people walking in the street... we ate simply delicious, my wife said her Merluza with peppers was the best she has ate in her life... tasty, well prepared, top top notch! Congrats chef.... she is still dreaming of this MIchelin star plate! for me, simple... I had time to soare so I ordered a delicious crab... I need more or less one and a half hours to eat one, yes... one and a half hours... I eat everything! This "buey de mar" was simply spectacular, fresh and tasty... the bottle of Ribeira white wine did make a great companion for the crab.... after this we decided to have the Galician style cheese cake and the Wallnut creme caramel... well, the creme caramel was simply our of this world... it did taste like the mont blanc french pattiserie and that is much to say.... all in all chef, you have my respects! Enjoy

This restaurant far exceeded my expectations. If I could rate it 6 stars, I would…read more Let's start by discussing the service. The waitress was wonderful. Although I didn't speak Spanish she was able to switch to English and explain everything to me, and even offered to translate the menu for me. The food was the selling point though. I firstly adored that the restaurant offered fresh bread. I have a soft spot for places that immediately provide appetizers before the customer has a chance to order. Likewise, my main course was incredible. Without a doubt, the octopus dish cooked in a orange garlic sauce was one of the best foods I've ever tasted. The dish is served on a huge plate and plated beautifully, but the helping is more than enough. A steal for the price! The octopus melts in the mouth and the orange sauce was soft and savory. THe cream ring was very flavorful and was surprisingly not heavy. I loved it so much that I finished the sauce before the rest of the plate. Every detail of the dish, from the potato's to the finely chopped onions complemented each other and was cooked to perfection. Fantastic place, and I wouldn't hesitate to visit again if I get the chance.

Incredible value for gourmet seafood course (12€ for 5-course lunch tasting menu)…read more  I was visiting Santiago de Compostela for the weekend and our Airbnb host recommended this gem. My friend and I decided make it our first lunch. The unassuming exterior led to a brightly-lit, cute, marine-themed restaurant. The restaurant was half-full, seemingly of locals from the friendly banter with the waiters. We were warmly greeted and offered the menu. What!? 12€ for a five-course tasting menu? Yes. The whole table must participate, but for the price, you get 5 dishes (mostly seafood, but also other meats), as well a glass of wine or beer. What a steal! And the portions were exceedingly generous. We ordered an additional octopus dish since we both loved octopus in Spain. Needless to say, we couldn't finish everything. But not for lack of trying!   = Tasting menu =   1. Ham croquette: a heavy start to the meal for my tastes, but perfectly-golden and crunchy. 2. Mussels with white wine sauce and goji berries over asparagus: the asparagus was softer than typically prepared in the US, but otherwise this dish was spot on. The mussels were fresh and flavorful. The goji berries threw in a surprising burst of sweetness and color to the plate. 3. Pollack a la Gallega: fresh, flakey white fish with a red tomato oil/sauce. Blend of sweet-savory and melt-in-your-mouth fish. 4. Turkey over potatoes and camembert sauce: moist turkey breast over aromatic matchstick potatoes, with a cheesy white sauce over. We were too stuffed to appreciate this dish unfortunately. 5. Chocolate and vanilla ice cream topped with mint jelly cube: we were full, but who could say no to two scoops of classic ice cream? Not particularly innovative, but nonetheless a fantastic end to a great meal.   = Separate order = Octopus a la Mugardesa with orange aioli (€13): fat and juicy tentacles, perfectly cooked to tenderness. Topped with finely-chopped caramelized onions. One of the best octopus dishes I've had in Spain. The citrusy aioli complemented the meaty octopus. We may have gone overboard by ordering this dish in addition to our set meals, but we have no regrets. = Verdict = If you're in town and looking for seafood lunch - stop. Mama Peixe is the best deal I've encountered in my travels around Spain. The same course in the States would be triple the price. I highly recommend this restaurant!