The word ‘montadito’ literally means ‘mounted’ — something piled on top of a base of bread. In Seville, the base is usually a thin slice of pan de campo or a slim round of tostada; the topping is anywhere from jamón to slow-cooked pork cheek to salt cod in tomato sauce. They’re cheap (€1.80–€4 each), they’re everywhere, and the difference between a great one and a mediocre one is enormous.

Pringá at Bodega Santa Cruz (Las Columnas)

Pringá is the shredded leftover meat from a cocido stew — pork, beef, chorizo, morcilla — pressed onto hot bread. At Las Columnas it’s the house specialty. €2.20, messy, perfect with a caña. A rite of passage.

Solomillo al whisky at Casa Ricardo

Pork tenderloin, seared fast, deglazed with whisky, garlic, and a hit of lemon juice. At Casa Ricardo on Plaza Alfaro, they serve it on a thick slice of crusty bread so all the sauce soaks in. Eat it hot.

Cañaíllas at Bar Eslava

Not technically a montadito, but Eslava does a version of cañaíllas (sea snails) served on bread that qualifies in spirit. The famous one here is the ‘huevo sobre bizcocho de boletus’ — soft egg on mushroom sponge — which won a tapas award years ago and is still worth the detour.

Montadito de pringá at Casa Morales

One of the oldest bodegas in Seville, in operation since 1850. The pringá here is a more refined version — less greasy, more layered. Pair with a Valdepeñas wine from the barrel.

Bacalao con tomate at El Rinconcillo

El Rinconcillo is Seville’s oldest bar (1670). The bacalao con tomate — salt cod in a deeply reduced tomato sauce — on a small round of bread is their signature for good reason. Slightly sweet, deeply savoury, works with almost any wine.

Carrillada ibérica at Cervecería La Grande

Slow-cooked Iberian pork cheek, braised in its own fat and red wine until it melts. Served on a thick tostada with a dot of mustard. €3.50 of transcendence.

How to eat them

Standing up. In two or three bites. With a caña or a small glass of fino. Never all at once — one montadito per bar, then move to the next bar. The crawl is the entire point.