Eat Spain Drink Spain

Overview

Spain's food and wine scene is closer than you think, with a month-long celebration bringing Spanish food and wine to tables, bars and shops around the country. From September 4 to October 4, more than 45 venues across Sydney, Melbourne, Perth and the Gold Coast will come together for the first Australian edition of Eat Spain Drink Spain.

Eat Spain Drink Spain has already made its way to 13 markets around the world — including the UK, US, Ireland, Japan, Mexico, Hong Kong, Singapore and Qatar — before making its Australian debut. More than 60 experiences will be getting involved across the country, with everything from special menus and wine pairings to tastings, workshops and selected offers in stores. Expect plenty of Spanish favourites along the way, including jamón, extra virgin olive oil, preserved seafood and vegetables, pantry staples, wines and spirits.

It's also a pretty good excuse to explore a little further afield. At venues taking part in the passport experience, you can pick up an Eat Spain Drink Spain passport, collect physical stamps as you make your way around and go into the draw to win return flights to Spain once you've completed it.

Sydney

From Surry Hills to the Sydney CBD, there's plenty of Spanish food to get stuck into this September. Paripé is bringing the feel of a Spanish tapas bar to Crown Street, with a menu built around traditional recipes, Spanish-sourced delicacies, pintxos, ibérico ham, txistorra, artisanal cheeses and conservas. Encasa, meanwhile, has been serving traditional tapas and Spanish flavours from its Pitt Street restaurant, making it an easy CBD stop for everything from a quick lunch to a long, leisurely meal.

For something a little more polished, Balcón by Tapavino serves contemporary Spanish food in the heart of the CBD, drawing on the refined yet rustic flavours of northern Spain and Galicia. There's also an extensive Spanish wine list and an outdoor dining space that makes it well suited to lingering over a few plates.

Over in Pyrmont, Percy takes its cues from the pintxos and tapas bars of Barcelona, pairing shareable dishes with Spanish and local wines in a lively setting. It will also close out Eat Spain, Drink Spain with a ticketed event on October 4, serving traditional tapas, paella and Spanish cocktails. Tickets include unlimited paella, a charcuterie platter and a drink on arrival.

They're joined by Born by Tapavino, La Charcutería at Hay St, Letra House, Besa, Bar Hernandez, Annata, Caness, Bacari, Glass Brasserie, Gildas, Deux Frères and Rodriguez Bros, giving Sydneysiders plenty more places to discover Spanish flavours. If you'd rather take your Spanish food haul home, Simon Johnson's Woollahra, Northbridge and Alexandria stores and The Artisan Cheese Room are also getting involved, alongside Wine inTuition, which offers wine courses and masterclasses. What you'll find at each venue will differ, so check out what's on offer before heading along.

With this many spots around the city, you could easily turn Eat Spain Drink Spain into your own Spanish food and wine trail. And if your chosen venue is part of the passport experience, don't forget to get your stamp while you're there.

Bar Hernandez, Sydney

Melbourne

Melbourne's Spanish lineup includes five Restaurants from Spain-certified venues, with MoVida Original, MoVida Next Door, MoVida Aquí, Tinto and El Rincón all joining the festivities. MoVida Original has been a Hosier Lane fixture since 2003, serving Spanish tapas and shared plates with a focus on seasonal Australian produce, while MoVida Next Door keeps things a little more casual with fresh local seafood, tapas classics and Spanish wines such as fino and albariño.

For a little more room to settle in, MoVida Aquí brings the same Spanish food culture to a larger space on Bourke Street, with tapas, paellas and dishes cooked over a Spanish charcoal grill. El Rincón, inside Queen Victoria Market, serves traditional Spanish tapas and seasonally inspired sharing plates alongside a selection of Spanish and Australian wines.

You'll also find Manolo Bar, Club Tapa, Meigas, Simply Spanish, Sebastian and Asado on the list, while La Central Spanish Deli & Bodega and Simon Johnson in Toorak are bringing Spanish flavours into the specialty food and retail scene. Botanik Bottleshop is also joining in, giving Spanish wine fans another place to stop by.

Whether you're sitting down to a Spanish feast, popping in for a drink or picking up something to recreate the experience at home, there are plenty of ways to get involved. And with passport stamps available at participating venues, there's a good reason to make more than one stop.

Perth and the Gold Coast

Perth is getting a taste of the action, too, with Meninas Grill among the venues certified by Restaurants from Spain taking part. Simon Johnson in Subiaco is also joining the month-long celebration, with its own Spanish offering.

Over on the Gold Coast, El Portón is the city's Restaurants from Spain-certified venue taking part. So whether you're on the east coast or making your way west, there are plenty of opportunities to work a little Spanish food and wine into your plans this September.

A Taste of Spain at Home

Don't fancy heading out? A handful of online businesses are also taking part, including Direct from Spain, United Cellars, Hispanic Pantry, Platinum Fine Wine, Vermut Australia and Something Fishy. You'll find everything from wines and vermouth to pantry staples and preserved seafood, so you can get your hands on Spanish favourites at home. The Canned Company is also offering 10% off its Spanish brands when you use the code 'EATSPAINDRINKSPAIN' at checkout.

Get Stamping

Ready to start exploring? Find your nearest participating Eat Spain Drink Spain venue and start collecting your stamps before October 4. Complete your passport and you'll go into the draw to win return flights to Spain — which feels like a pretty good reason to order that extra glass of wine.

Gildas, Sydney

Eat Spain Drink Spain runs from September 4 to October 4, 2026, across Sydney, Melbourne, Perth and the Gold Coast.

Images: Supplied