Continuing with “my favourite places to eat in Salamanca” series, I brought you a post about Rufo’s. We got to know this tapas (but more like pinchos) bar by accident, more or less a year ago, and we keep going back ever since. The biggest advantage of Rufo’s is that they have the greatest offers! But for me, it has another significance as well: this was the place where the parents of my boyfriend and mines met for the very first time.
Where can you find it in Salamanca?
Rufo’s is located outside of the old area, but still quite in the centre, only a couple of steps from the cinema Van Dyck. The address: Paseo del Dr Torres Villaroel, 42, 37005, Salamanca.
About the place
It seems that I am repeating myself, but this restaurant is also always packed with people. It is true that eating out is a crucial part of the Spanish culture, from which we can conclude that there must be many crowded places, but I still believe that we were lucky enough to find the actual best ones in Salamanca. However, I also need to say that normally I would prefer places where I can sit down properly, have enough space around me and be able to hear what my company wants to say, but here, in Spain, you just have to go with the flow and leave your comfort zone.
In Rufo’s you can choose to sit on the terrace during the summer season or inside, in the bar area, but there is also a separated room for a bigger group of people. The latter looks like a normal restaurant. But be careful, the prices vary based on the place where you sit at!
The menu
Rufo’s is famous for its huge selection of pinchos. (There is no big difference between tapas and pinchos and to explain it would require a separate post). Some of the pinchos are: potatoes with different types of sauce, 4 cheese ravioli, pimienton padrón, Kentucky fried chickens ect. But besides, they have the typical huevos rotos with many different toppings (bacon, chorizo, jamón ibérico, tuna, prawns), ham and cheese plate and the so-called rufada, which is a huge piece of bread filled with potatoes and eggs, while the third ingredient is the customer’s choice (cheese, chorizo, pepper, prawns). For drink, they have the usual things, but I would recommend their sangria. There is always a big bawl of sangria on their counter. It is delicious!
The prices
One of the best reason to choose Rufo’s is that there is a very good price-quality-size ratio. You can order pinchos individually, but you can save more with the various special offers:
- 6 pinchos for 6, 50€ eating on the bar, 8, 50€ in the restaurant and 8, 50€ on the terrace
- 6 huevos rotos for 8€ on the bar, 9€ in the restaurant and 9, 50€ on the terrace
- 7 rufadas for 10€ on the bar, 11, 50€ in the restaurant and 11, 50€ on the terrace
- 4 toast for 9€ on the bar, 10€ in the restaurant and 10€ on the terrace
- 2 pinchos + 2 rufadas + 2 huevos rotos for 8€ on the bar, 9€ in the restaurant and 9, 50€ on the terrace
We always go for the last offer and we leave the place absolutely full every single time! Although they have desserts as well, I could never even think about ordering something else.
The service
Usually I don’t write about the service and the employees, because I don’t have much to say, there is nothing out of the ordinary. Well, this time, I find it important to tell that the service is quite quick considering how full the place is and how much food you get, but I have also had some bad experience. One time, I didn’t go with my SPANISH-SPEAKING boyfriend but with my Brazilian friend, and I was the one who went to order. What happened was that with my limited Spanish knowledge I tried to explain what I wanted, I might have had some questions as well, and at one point the girl behind the bar just burst out laughing. In my opinion, no matter how badly a foreign costumer can speak Spanish (which is not even my case! ), you have to respect the fact that at least the person is making an effort to speak your language instead of using English to communicate with you. So of course, I didn’t took it very well and it affected a little bit my evaluation of the place, but still not enough to decide to stop visiting it. Which clearly means that Rufo’s has something really good to offer.
And finally, I will add that Rufo’s has a Café as well, just on the other side of the restaurant, where among other things you can get churros con chocolate. I haven’t tried it yet, but it is definitely on my list.
If you happen to be close to the area, or just in the mood to grab something before watching a movie in Van Dyck, go to Rufo's!
