The best rabas in Santander are served in taverns across the Barrio Pesquero and the city centre: La Radio and La Prensa for their no-frills fresh squid, Cañadío and El Machi for the perfect fry, La Tucho as the historic stop dating back to 1956, and Vermutería Solórzano for pairing them with vermouth — all less than 40 minutes from Bareyo.
If you're looking for the best rabas in Santander, the first step is knowing exactly what you're after: rings of squid, usually peludín, coated in a fine batter and fried until crisp on the outside and juicy inside, with nothing more than a squeeze of lemon. The city council lists it among the must-try dishes in its official food guide, and that's no coincidence: much of the squid that reaches the city's kitchens is unloaded daily at the fish market of the Port of Santander, just a few metres from several of the taverns on this list.
For this selection we prioritised places with their own product and a proven track record, leaving out chains and passing-trade bars. The route starts at the most classic taverns in the Barrio Pesquero, moves on to two more elaborate takes on the same dish in the city centre, and finishes with two spots worth seeking out even though they sit a little further away: one for its history, the other for the perfect company of a good vermouth.
Taberna La Radio
Taberna La Radio, on Paseo General Dávila, is one of the best-known taverns in Santander's Barrio Pesquero, with a bar that's always lively and an inner terrace that fills up at aperitif time in summer. Its rabas stand out for the thin, even cut of the squid, which gives a light, very crisp batter without masking the flavour of the product. It's the most classic stop on this list — the one almost any santanderino would name first if you asked where to eat rabas.
Taberna La Prensa
A few minutes from La Radio, in the Monte neighbourhood, Taberna La Prensa opened in 2014 and has already earned its place among the go-to addresses for rabas in Santander, with generous portions at a price that stays fair for what you get. The squid is hand-cut on site, a detail that sets it apart from places that buy it pre-sliced, and it's served straight out of the fryer, with barely any time between pan and table. If you want quantity without giving up quality, this is the safest bet in the neighbourhood.
Cañadío
Cañadío, right in the city centre on Calle Gómez Oreña, is a different kind of stop from the previous two: here rabas share the menu with traditional cooking given a modern touch, in a place with more than thirty years of history and regular mentions in guides like Michelin and Repsol. The fry is as carefully judged as the rest of the menu, with a finer batter than you'd find in a neighbourhood tavern, aimed at diners who want to sit down at a table rather than stand at the bar. It's the choice for pairing rabas with a full meal without leaving Santander's city centre.
El Machi
El Machi, on Calle Calderón de la Barca, has specialised in rabas to the point of preparing them three different ways on the same menu, all starting from stone-ground flour and fried in olive oil. It's the option that gives you the most room to choose within the dish itself: anyone wanting to compare textures in a single visit can do so here without ordering around town. This seafaring tavern keeps the feel of an old-school bar, with high tables and quick service built for the constant coming and going of the city centre.
La Tucho
La Tucho has been serving Cantabrian cooking in San Román de la Llanilla, on the outskirts of Santander, since 1956, making it the only place on this list that requires a small detour from the centre. In exchange, it's the one with the most history behind it: three generations of the same family, and customers who've been coming back for decades for rabas whose recipe has barely changed since it opened. It's worth booking ahead, especially at weekends, as the dining room fills with people who already know exactly what they're going to order.
Vermutería Solórzano
Vermutería Solórzano, on Calle Peña Herbosa near Puertochico, closes out the list with a different kind of stop: here rabas aren't the main dish on the menu, but the perfect companion to a house vermouth on tap, in a setting built for a classic aperitif rather than a sit-down meal. It's the stop we recommend for something lighter in the late afternoon, with no need to sit down for a full meal. The place tends to fill up at weekend aperitif time, so it's worth arriving with some time to spare.
What You Need to Know
- Traditional rabas are made with peludín (Loligo vulgaris), the squid most commonly found at Cantabrian Sea fish markets, cut into thick rings and coated in a fine batter.
- Almost every tavern on this list closes on some day during the week; check opening hours before you go, especially on Mondays and Tuesdays.
- A portion of rabas in Santander costs around €9-14, depending on the place and the size of the serving.
- In the neighbourhood taverns (La Radio, La Prensa, El Machi) it's common to eat standing at the bar; at Cañadío and La Tucho it's more usual to sit at a table.
- Book ahead at weekends, especially at La Tucho and Cañadío, where the dining room fills up fast.
Rabas need no sauces or fancy presentation: a good batter, fresh squid and the right fry are all it takes to explain why this is the dish Santander calls its own.
If you feel like continuing the food trail on your way to Bareyo, our guide to the best Spanish tortillas in Cantabria offers another bar-by-bar route just as honest as this one. And if you'd rather end the day without leaving the village, Villa Camino and Villa Monte, opening in September 2027, both have well-equipped kitchens for frying your own rabas with the squid you bring back from Santander.
