Bar Carrera Food plays a significantly bigger role here than it does next door at Frederick Twomey’s wine bar, Bar Veloce. The Basque menu lists tasty bites such as serrano ham sandwiches on mini brioches and slices of pork belly with juniper-accented chickpea puree, priced at $7 apiece.

Bar Jamon This tiny wine bar from Mario Batali and chef Andrew Nusser sits adjacent to Casa Mono, their Spanish eatery. Find a space along one of the communal tables before selecting from the impressive Spanish wine list and tapas menu.

Boqueria Given that Boqueria is named for Barcelona’s centuries-old food market, you might expect the menu to lean toward the classics. Not quite. Chef Seamus Mullen’s bacalao (salt cod), a standard tapas ingredient, is served here as an airy and crisp beignet.

Casa Mono Offal-loving partner Mario Batali and protégé Andy Nusser (Babbo, Po) broke new ground by serving dishes that less adventurous tapas restaurants seem to shy away from: cocks’ combs with cèpe, and excellent fried sweetbreads in an almond-flour batter.

Degustation The talented Wesley Genovart churns out impeccable contemporary Spanish dishes that can work diners into a state of euphoria. Add the professionalism of the staff and thoughtful wine list, and the result is a truly special night out.

El Quinto Pino New York’s first true Madrileño tapas bar offers its Spanish nibbles in cramped quarters; the idea is to graze, drink and chat before heading elsewhere for dinner. Don’t miss the beautifully plump garlic shrimp and the fine selection of Spanish wines by the glass.

La Nacional It may look unremarkable from the street, but this completely unpretentious and absolutely authentic Spanish tapas restaurant is one of the best in the city. When a table frees up in the cozy, rough-hewn dining room, order the sangria and sample as many small plates as you can.

Las Ramblas Soft incandescent lighting, exposed-brick walls, tall wood-slab two-tops and a flat, wall-mounted fountain would make Las Ramblas sexy and intimate in any neighborhood, but as luck would have it, this tapas bar alighted in the West Village.

Mercat The chef behind this lively Catalonian spot logged cooking time in Spain, and it shows. Exemplary tapas include blistered Padrón peppers and fantastic patatas bravas—fried potatoes with a searing garlic-and-smoked-paprika aioli.

Txikito Chef Alexandra Raij celebrates the cuisine of Spain’s Basque region at this spartan tapas spot. Adventurous eats include breaded-and-fried tongue cutlets; squid cut into wispy strands with sweet onions; and fries with cod-roe mayonnaise.