Best Spanish Restaurants in NYC: World Cup 2026 Guide

Spain enters the 2026 World Cup as the #1 ranked team in the world and reigning European champions, which means their supporters in New York -- and the much larger group of people who simply enjoy watching extraordinary football -- will be looking for the right places to watch. Spanish cuisine in New York has never been better. The tapas bar format, which requires multiple small plates and a relaxed approach to eating, is ideal for World Cup watching: arrive, order a spread, drink slowly, and don't leave your seat for 90 minutes.

The Best Spanish Restaurants in NYC

Boqueria -- Multiple Locations (Flatiron, Midtown, SoHo)

The most reliable Spanish tapas mini-chain in New York. All three locations are well-run, serve genuine Spanish food, and have comfortable setups that work well for groups. The patatas bravas are excellent -- crispy, well-seasoned, with proper aioli and a spicy tomato sauce. The jamón ibérico is sourced properly. The croquetas (ham or cod, both available) are among the best in the city. For a World Cup watch party dinner before heading to a nearby bar for the match, Boqueria is the efficient, reliable choice. The Flatiron location at 53 W 19th Street is the original and most atmospheric.

Salinas -- 136 Ninth Ave, Chelsea

One of the most acclaimed Spanish restaurants in New York, with an upscale approach to coastal Spanish cuisine -- Galician octopus, Catalonian-style fish, excellent seafood. The private dining room can be reserved for group match viewings. For a celebration dinner after a Spain win, or a pre-match meal where the food is the main event and the match is secondary, Salinas is the choice. The wine list is serious about Spanish and Catalan producers.

El Quijote -- 226 W 23rd St, Chelsea Hotel

A New York institution in the Chelsea Hotel since 1930. The decor is deliberately old Spain -- the kind of place that hasn't changed since the 1970s and is better for it. The paella is the signature dish: large, served in the traditional pan, properly rested before eating. The gambas al ajillo (garlic shrimp) are exceptional. El Quijote is the place for a long, unhurried Spanish dinner where the conversation goes as long as the food. On Spain match days, screens appear and the atmosphere becomes genuinely festive.

Huertas -- 107 First Ave, East Village

A Basque-focused restaurant in the East Village serving pintxos (Basque-style small bites on bread) at the bar and a full Basque menu in the dining room. The pintxos selection changes daily -- anchovy on bread with butter, tortilla española, piquillo peppers stuffed with salt cod. Order many, eat at the bar, drink Txakoli (the Basque sparkling white wine). The atmosphere is young and convivial -- exactly right for a World Cup evening.

Casa Mono -- 52 Irving Place, Gramercy

A Mario Batali-era Spanish restaurant that has survived changes in ownership and remains one of the most interesting Spanish dining experiences in the city. The menu focuses on Spanish regional cooking beyond the obvious tapas standards -- interesting offal dishes, excellent cheese selection, a wine list that goes deep into Spanish producers. For serious food people who also love Spain football, Casa Mono is the meal to book.

Essential Spanish Dishes

• Patatas Bravas -- Fried potatoes with aioli and spicy tomato sauce. The benchmark dish for any Spanish restaurant. Order them everywhere.
• Jamón Ibérico -- Cured Iberian pig, sliced paper-thin. The best jamón de bellota (acorn-fed) is one of the great food experiences in the world. Eat it with bread and nothing else.
• Gambas al Ajillo -- Shrimp cooked in olive oil, garlic, and dried chili. Simple, perfect, and requires good bread to soak up the oil.
• Croquetas -- Creamy béchamel-based croquettes filled with jamón, bacalao, or mushrooms, breaded and fried. The Spanish bar snack par excellence.
• Tortilla Española -- A thick potato and egg omelette, served at room temperature in wedges. Nothing like a French omelette -- denser, richer, and deeply satisfying.
• Paella -- The communal rice dish of Valencia, best with rabbit and chicken (traditional) or mixed seafood. Requires advance planning -- it's not a fast dish. Worth ordering ahead when the restaurant allows it.
• Rioja -- Spain most famous wine region, producing full-bodied reds from Tempranillo. The right match for most Spanish food. Ask for a Reserva or Gran Reserva for something memorable.

Watching Spain in NYC

Spain group stage is in Atlanta and Mexico -- no MetLife fixtures in the group phase. But the knockout rounds (quarterfinals and beyond) are all in the US, and Spain advancing to the Final at MetLife on July 19 is a plausible scenario for the #1 ranked team. Spanish cultural organizations in New York -- the Instituto Cervantes, the Spanish Consulate's cultural programming -- occasionally organize official watch events for major national team matches. For bar watching, any of the restaurants above with a screen setup will do the job, and the tapas format keeps you well-fed for 90 minutes without having to leave your seat.