I don’t know when it happened, but suddenly every bar worth its salt began offering avocado with its tostada (toast).
I feel like I know when it happened. One day at Café Hercules a man sat scooping out the insides of his perfectly ripened avocado as all around salivated with breakfast envy. He’d bought his avocado from the local market on Calle Feria, but at some point Hercules also began offering them to its clientele.
There’s something wholly pleasing about these strange little fruits. Unappealing on the outside, their dark green, pitted skin reveal a deliciously buttery interior. Not only that, they’re a bonafide super food being rich potassium, healthy fats, vitamins and minerals.
Before moving to Spain though I don’t think I’d ever tasted a naturally ripened avocado. Somehow in the UK, we hadn’t cottoned on to the fact that putting slices of hard, unripe avocado in a sandwich or salad is just down right unpleasant.
But thankfully, here I am in Andalucia where, depending on the time of year, they are in total abundance. And frankly, there’s no better breakfast than tostada, olive oil, ripe tomato, a pinch of salt and a creamy covering of - you guessed it - avocado.
So in celebration of the arrival of avocado to the breakfast bars of Seville, here are some of my favourites places to eat them.
1. Café Hercules
Even before avocados made it onto the scene, there’s always been something enchanting about Café Hercules. In fact, it is where I’m sitting right now as I write this blog post. Breakfast wise, what I love is that once the toast is served, it’s completely up to you what you do with it. None of this turning it into a sandwich with a scant smearing of tomato and a hint of olive oil. The same goes for your avocado. It’s simply presented to you cut in half, then it’s left to your own personal choice what you do with it. Slice it, mush it, scoop it - it’s all good.
Café Hercules - Calle Perris Mencheta 15
2. Piola
In a similar vein, Piola - a breakfast classic in the Alameda - doesn’t get involved with dictating what you do with your tostada or your avocado. Why choose Piola instead of Hercules? For me it’s the simple matter of which one has a free table outside.
Piola - Alameda de Hercules 57
3. La Sin Miedo
A stone’s throw out of the historic centre in the Macarena district, you’ll find the cultural enclave ‘La Sin Miedo’ - meaning the fearless. Lovingly cared for by sisters Icia and Noelia, they offer super healthy breakfasts with rye bread, tapenades and homemade hummus. Avocados often feature in some form, either as a kind of guacamole or just as they come. Inside there’s a pretty courtyard, perfect to take your time for a leisurely breakfast, which is available from 10am onwards.
La Sin Miedo - Avenida de la Cruz Roja 62
4. Maravilla Social Club
Already pleasing the crowds at lunchtime and evenings, Maravilla Social Club also offers breakfast from Monday to Friday. They’ve got a good selection of bread and obviously, because they feature here, avocados are available. From my experience, they’re more of a ‘blend it up beforehand and spread it on the bread for you’ philosophy, which is not my first choice. But if you’re craving avocados, they’re certainly an option.
5. Otto
Five minutes walk from Maravilla is Otto, an artisan bakery with fancy breads, a selection of quality olive oils, decent coffee, crepes, eggs and a selection of home made cakes. It’s no surprise then they also offer avocados. I must admit, I’ve yet to experience first hand how the avocado is served, but maybe you can give it a go and get back to me.
Otto - Plaza Monte Sion 8
6. Un Gato en Bicicleta
Since moving from its old home on Calle Regina to the other side of the setas, Un Gato en Bicicleta has extended its concept beyond artsy bookstore, to artsy café and bookstore. Needless to say anything artsy would include avocado on the menu when it comes to breakfast. And ‘Un Gato en Bicicleta’ is the perfect place to chill, read a paper and while away a morning, with or without an avocado.
Un Gato en Bicicleta - Calle Perris Galgos 22
7. Sala El Cachorro
It would have been very remiss of me not to include any avocado themed breakfasts in Triana, but I don’t think I’ve ever been in Triana at breakfast time, so I’ve had to rely on the recommendations of a reader who suggested Sala El Cachorro for their delicious breakfasts that thankfully include avocados. Glad to see it’s not just an Alameda thing.
Sala El Cachorro - Calle Procurador 19
So there you have it. Perhaps you hadn’t yet noticed that avocados had become ‘a thing’ in Seville. Or maybe you’ve yet to try them on your tostada. Either way, I invite you to broaden your breakfast horizon and join me in the avocado revolution.
- Johnny Scarlata: bicycle repair in Seville with singing extras - 21st December 2021
- Bottega Italia I Will Miss You - 17th June 2019
- My Favourite Osteopath in Seville - 3rd June 2019
Great places. Some I know and others will have to check out. Thanks for sharing!
My pleasure Alexis, thanks for commenting!
Thanks so much for the great article! We went to Seville this last week and tried Corral de Esquivel and Piola, both great! We carried on to Portugal and after trying a Portuguese breakfast of toastada with jam and butter, no less, my girlfriend had me toasting rolls and making tomato triturado with avocado for the rest of the holiday.
Ha, talk about getting the tostada bug Jaimie… your comment made me chuckle!