Food-Ball World Cup Final: Spain vs Argentina

After over 100 matches at the World Cup in Mexico, USA, and Canada, the final has arrived.

Spain will take on Argentina for the right to lift football's most coveted trophy following two very different semi-final clashes.

The highly efficient Spanish eased into the final on Tuesday after beating a very underwhelming France, while Argentina left it late to see off England on Wednesday night. Sadly for the English, it's not coming home.

Come Sunday night, will it be Lionel Messi's Argentine battlers once again or will the Spanish flair of Lamine Yamal and his pass-master buddies repeat their 2010 triumph?

To keep the fun and games going before the big match, Time Out Cape Town and Virgin Bet South Africa are diving headfirst into the action off the pitch with the Food-Ball World Cup - a content series dedicated to the tastes of the Mother City.

If you missed any of the previous instalments, you can check them out here:

• Food-Ball World Cup: Where the star footballers would eat in Cape Town
• Food-Ball World Cup: Mexican vs South African cuisine
• Food-Ball World Cup: How to eat like you're in LA, Miami and New York in Cape Town

This article is sponsored by Virgin Bet | 18+ | T&Cs Apply | Play Responsibly

To get the excitement rolling ahead of the big kick off, we have compiled a list of some of the best places to enjoy Spanish and Argentine food in Cape Town. Only question now is... paella or chimichurri and steak? You decide!

Cape Town's Best Spanish Food

When it comes to Spanish food, think tapas (small sharing plates), paella (rice dish), cured meats, and gazpacho (tomato soup). It's all about fresh produce, garlic, and seafood as the foundation.

Bouchon Bistro on Hout Street know how to do paella right, with their saffron paella small plate a winner. Their octopus carpaccio is also well worth a try. Another great spot for paella is La Boheme in Sea Point, with their famous saffron scented paella with line fish, squid, mussels, king prawn, and a dash of smoked paprika the perfect dish to transport yourself from the Mother City to Valencia.

If you're looking for a tapas evening experience, there are a lot of places in Cape Town that pay tribute to Spain very well. On the more mainstream side, La Parada - which has branches dotted around the city, has a menu grounded in sharing plates, while Si Cantina Sociale in the Waterfront's Silo District brings Spanish flair to the fore. They even do salsa evenings!

Cape Town's Best Argentine Food

Argentine cuisine is not unlike our own in South Africa - think meat, meat, and more meat. While we braai, they asado (flame cooking with South American flair). They love their beef, pies (empanadas), and sauces, with chimichurri the star of the show - an uncooked sauce using fresh herbs, garlic, olive oil, and vinegar.

Don Armando in De Waterkant has become something of an institution when it comes to Argentine cuisine in Cape Town. The Argentinian-style steakhouse does meat exceptionally well using the asado technique. It's so good, in fact, that you can hear the rhythm of Buenos Aires with every bite (okay, not really, but you get the vibe).

While Iron Steak and Bar may not be an Argentine restaurant, they serve possible the best chimichurri in the city - freshly made on site. Just don't tell Messi that they cook their incredible steaks on a Spanish Vulcano Grez grill. If you're looking for chimichurri to enjoy at home, N° Juan does the sauce really, really well, while their empanadas are very tasty, too.

A Good Bet with Virgin Bet South Africa

Fancy yourself when it comes to predicting football matches? Place your World Cup bets here. If you are a new sign-up, you can access a 100% Deposit Match Welcome Bonus of up to R3,000. Odds are subject to change. Please remember to always bet responsibly. Follow Virgin Bet South Africa on Facebook, Instagram, and X.

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