Andalusia

Cañabota, Seville: The Sea over Fire, Nothing Else

December suits Seville: streets lit with Christmas lights, nativity scenes in courtyards, chestnut smoke on the air, orange trees heavy with fruit. In that glow, Cañabota’s Michelin-starred seafood counter offers a focused, fire-led meal and the city’s most convincing reservation.

William Herbert

08 Dec 2025 — 4 min read

 The Cañabota seafood counter

FDJ Score: 6.0/10 (One-Star Level)

Review

December is a wonderful time to visit Seville. At night the city glows with Christmas lights; belenes, elaborate nativity scenes, appear in windows and church courtyards, and chestnut vendors scent the streets with smoke. Days are sunny and mild, and the orange trees along the avenues hang heavy with fruit.

Seville is my favourite city in Spain. The historical weight is visible and tangible: the wealth that flowed through colonial trade, the traces of Al-Andalus, and the long arc of the Reconquista. It remains a city of light, ritual, and public life. What it has not become, at least not yet, is a city dense with Michelin-level restaurants. For years Abantal stood alone. My last visit there was some time ago and, while consistent, it never quite thrilled. The everyday food culture still rules: tapas, jamón, croquetas, rabo de toro, and the occasional creative gastro bar that appears and disappears.

This makes Cañabota stand out all the more. It is, in my view, among the best fish and seafood restaurants in Spain, and it holds a Michelin star.

Why Seville has so few stars

The explanation seems practical rather than dramatic. Seville’s heartbeat is informal: bars, counters, short menus, quick turnover. That model is not naturally aligned with tasting-menu formats, deep wine programs, or the investment in teams and space that Michelin-oriented restaurants require. Meanwhile, Andalusia as a region has climbed decisively over the last ten years, with houses now at the very top and several strong two-star kitchens. Seville will likely follow, but the culture that makes the city so appealing also slows the shift toward formal dining rooms.

Location & Atmosphere

Cañabota is minimalistic, modern, and spare. You sit at the bar facing the kitchen or at one of the high tables. A glass case at the entrance shows the day’s fish and shellfish. The room is bright, the pace measured. The grill sets the rhythm. The fire is the center.

Culinary Style or Distinctive Character

The concept is absolute: only fish and seafood. No meat. Almost no vegetables or side dishes. Three ways to eat: a larger surprise menu described as an “omakase” at 150 euros, shaped after a short conversation at the table; a smaller menu at 120 euros with an amuse-bouche, three starters from the carte, a grilled fish as main course, and dessert; or you choose fish and shellfish from the counter for the grill.

The kitchen works over open fire and charcoal, which is unusual for Andalusia where most seafood is cooked on the plancha. Cañabota is closer in spirit to the great Basque fish restaurants, where clarity, fire and product meet on equal terms.

Occasionally rarities appear, including angulas, or baby eels. The European eel is critically endangered; catching baby eels worsens the problem. Best to abstain.

We chose the smaller menu, which proved right for the evening.

Amuse-bouche: a trio of a Gilda reworked with swordfish, a sardine on a cracker, and a small cup of mushroom consommé. Clean, tight, and to the point.

Three-part amuse on a wooden tray—sardine-topped cracker, skewer with swordfish Gilda, and a small glass of dark mushroom broth. — Amuse-bouche trio: sardine on cracker, swordfish Gilda, and mushroom consommé

Starters

A poached oyster à la meunière with good temperature control;

Two poached oysters under a light beurre meunière foam in a shallow yellow sauce. — Poached oyster à la meunière

an excellent cod liver “salad” built on an ice cream of the liver itself, essentially foie gras from the sea, rich but finishing clean;

Three pink quenelles of cod liver ice cream garnished with crumbs, herbs, and crisp bits in a shallow creamy sauce. — Cod liver “salad” as ice cream

and blue lobster presented with restraint to let the sweetness read.

Close-up of a lobster course topped with beige sabayon and green powder, set in brown shellfish sauce inside a textured white bowl. — Blue lobster with shellfish sabayon, seaweed powder, and a quenelle in rich crustacean jus

Main course: bocinegro (sea bream), grilled on the bone. The skin crisped properly, the flesh moist and elastic. Confit red peppers on the side added sweetness and smoke. Nothing more was needed.

Rectangular fillet of grilled sea bream with crisp skin, parsley-speckled sauce, and roasted red peppers on a white plate. — Grilled bocinegro sea bream with stewed red peppers and parsley jus

Dessert: pumpkin flan with milk ice cream made from Payoyo goat’s milk. Simple and correctly set.

The wine list is concise but well chosen, with good options by the glass. The red from Priorat paired surprisingly well with the grilled fish.

Verdict

Cañabota is a focused restaurant with clear intent. The starters were all strong, the cod liver course stood out, and the grilled sea bream was the high point. If you want variety beyond the sea, this is not your place. If you value product, heat, and judgment, it is the best reservation in Seville. And it is my favorite.

Location: Seville, Spain
Chef: Marcos Damián Nieto
Michelin rating: ★
Visited: December 2025

For a truly world-class and completely different interpretation of fish and seafood close to Seville, see my review of Aponiente.