It's a gastropub brimming with everyone's favorite lager or bock (or clarita if you prefer to mix…read moreit down with lemon soda, as my friend does) and some of the more uncommon Estrella Galicia brews (they have a pilsen, an amber ale, and around Christmastime - Estrella de Navidad - a more malty, buttery beer) [1].
But unlike the American connotation of a gastropub, which usually has heavy-on-the-stomach, yet thoughtful dishes, meant to combine well with beers with an ABV of 8%+ (it's always pork belly or bacon-something, isn't it?), Estrella Galicia offers the "comida rapida" - fast food - version of Spanish pub fare. On the menu, you'll find patatas bravas with sub-par aioli and pulpo (octopus) on toast that seemed to be slapped on with some sort of mysterious sauce as an afterthought. It's not all doom-and-gloom though: the melted tetilla cheese is always a clear winner when enjoying an icy cold caña [2]. Fortunately, you'll find plenty of hole-in-the-wall type venues nearby open for dinner, owned by an endearing Galician avó (grandfather), so you'll never go hungry AND you can get a beer at Estrella de Galicia before dancing the night away.
What the food lacks, the scene more than makes up for. Located on Plaza de Compostela, a lively din fills the pub at all hours, especially for young people who grab a bite to eat and a beer before heading to the nightclubs down the street. For such a busy (and by Vigo standards, large) place, the staff does a great job of keeping an upbeat, positive attitude and making sure that there's always a cold beer in front of you.
All of the beer is brewed in A Coruña, which made this outpost feel a little "corporate" to me, but to drink affordable beer at a Galician "institution" in a fun and hospitable environment is a task that I'm always up for!
[1] At least it was in 2011, when I was in Vigo for Christmas. I've noticed a significant difference each year in the type of beer brewed, so I'm wondering if it's a year-by-year recipe?
[2] Especially when everyone you know in Spain calls you "ratoncita" - little mouse.
