Good food and good vibes! Got a table for 8 and service was fast. Came recommended by locals.read more

Aloha, after leaving San Sebastian, driving to Bordeaux, we stopped in Vigo for lunch. Stumbled…read moreonto Cocedero La Piedra on a back lane, where we saw a one-man-stand of oyster in front. Wow, what a find. We bought the oysters separately, but the restaurant served them to us (which BTW were amazing too). We proceeded to order a bunch of shared dishes from the restaurant too, wow, wow, wow, oh so ono! Everything from the razor clams, squid, sardines and cockles (my fav) was amazingly ono. Love this place, would definitely make it a pit-stop again when in the area. Enjoy!

This wine bar - taparia is pretty good with a cozy feeling. Hard to find here in Vigo as most…read morebars/cafeterias/taparias are very well lit. Wine selection is decent with most labels from the region, not a bad thing... They offer a daily lunch plate that has a first plate, entree, drink and desert. price was on the low end and pretty good.

I can come up with a multitude of excuses to justify the consumption of food and beverage. At this…read morepoint in my trip, what's another 2 kilograms on my hips, right? A professional contact of mine recommended a visit to A Gula, in order to observe the ambiance and wine selection of a typical Galician vinoteca. (My long-term career goal is to open a Galician vinoteca in New York.) The ambiance, indeed, is very rustic and what you would expect from a Spanish vinoteca - barrels of wine line the entrance, bottles of wine fill the shelves, the tables and bar are made of rustic, dark wood. I ordered a glass of the house albariño and for approximately 2 euro, I enjoyed a slightly acidic, slightly flinty, fruity wine. It paired perfectly with my sardinillas prepared in the Galician style - with olive oil, tomatoes, onion, and a few slices of barra gallega bread [1]. The portion was generous (I received 15-20 sardines for about 7 euro); the fish were extremely fresh and had the rich flavors of the ocean that make sardines one of my favorite dishes from Galicia. Although I could not kiss anyone for the following 2 days, this meal in the sake of "research" proved very helpful in that I examined elements of the vinoteca that make it a successful and popular go-to spot in Vigo. Be sure to visit A Gula on Friday evenings - the special of the day is pulpo! [1] The sardinillas served here (and in many parts of Galicia) are much tinier than those we are accustomed to in the United States. You can eat the entire fish - bones, head, and tail! Oh, and that fishy smell is non-existent - that goes for all seafood here in Galicia.

Ezaro has an OK selection of wines as well as 4 - 5 beers on tap. There is also a full bar (semi…read morefull, limited to the traditional brands) and other refrescos. Lite tapas are served with drinks as usual and are good. Small plates are available (see photo) are also quite good. Outdoor seating is near a small park and is good for groups and kids. Be sure to sit in the white chairs as the space is shared with Planeta or just ask to make sure.

Taste-testing Albariño and Mencia in every vinoteca, bar, and furancho [1] in Vigo (AND Nigrán, AND…read moreGondomar) is a hard job, but someone has to do it. After a very positive experience at the A Gula located on Hispanidad, I assumed that the quality of service, ambiance, and food would be consistent at this A Gula location on Rúa Coruña. Firstly, the ambiance. Perhaps this is a bit "purist" in mentality, but I did not expect to see flat screen televisions blaring game shows and sports in a vinoteca. The TV is fine at a cafeteria or a bar where I go with the intent of cheering on Real Madrid, but at a vinoteca? The space itself does not have much character or personality; it resembles an every day bar with a few extra bottles of wine in the window for show. Secondly, the menu. Although this particular A Gula has a menu that is very similar to the menu of the vinoteca on Hispanidad, it leaned much more heavily in the "bar fare" direction, rather than seafood and simple Galician classics [2]. Also, many items on the menu were crossed out and prices were altered using a black Sharpie marker. And onto the food and wine. I did enjoy my glass of Albariño, as well as the salchichon I was presented with before deciding that I should also order a slice of tortilla española. The tortilla had such great flavors, but it was a shame that it was not very fluffy (and therefore, a bit too flat). The bread to accompany my dinner was an extremely fresh slice of pan gallego (i.e., it was fluffier than the tortilla). I would not have minded another glass of wine, but for the prices A Gula charges, I was not receiving a "vinoteca" experience. I'll take my beloved furancho in Gondomar any day. Back home we went... [1] http://gl.wikipedia.org/wiki/Furancho [2] This A Gula outpost also has pulpo on Friday evenings.