Dining in Spain is interesting yet sometimes confusing. From the irregular mealtimes to the extensive Spanish menus, this guide will help you understand the Spanish culture and cuisine so you can completely immerse yourself in the culinary experience and culture.
El Desayuno – Breakfast
Spaniards start the day with a very light breakfast. Before going to work or school, a typical breakfast includes a beverage of choice and pastry. Breakfast is usually eaten at home; however, you will see many people purchasing a coffee to go or eating a pastry while walking in the crowded streets to start their day.
Café con leche, an espresso with steamed milk, is the go-to coffee order for Spaniards. This coffee is similar to a latte. If you can’t eat dairy, fear no more! Every café offers alternative milk like oat, soy or almond.
Hot chocolate is also a standard breakfast beverage usually paired with churros sprinkled with regular sugar or powdered sugar. The hot chocolate in Spain is not what you’d expect. This chocolate is thick, bitter and delicious when drinking alone or when dipping with a pastry.
Fruit juices are also popular for those who don’t acquire the taste for coffee. Orange juice is the most common, here known as Zumo de Naranja, and is freshly squeezed almost everywhere you go.
A well-known spot in Plaça de Catalunya to grab a quick bite for breakfast is Farggi Café. With a wide range of coffees, juices, ice creams and pastries, this café has so much to offer with delicious bites at the right price.
A woman sitting at the outdoor tables of Farggi Café said “almost every café you see on every corner is good. It is quite impossible to get a bad croissant or bad coffee anywhere in Spain.” When asked why she was eating breakfast at Farggi that morning she said, “it is one of my favorites and the chocolate croissant is perfection.”
Even though breakfast in Spain is light, it should hold you off until noon or even later, since tapas and lunch are soon to come. Do with that as you will and maybe order two croissants instead of one!
Tapas
Tapas, also known as small plates or finger food, are usually up next, eaten before lunch, the biggest meal of the day. They are Spain’s biggest contribution to cuisine all over the world. Even though they are simple and small, they are so much more than that.
In Barcelona, pan con tomate, or bread with tomato is the most common tapa in the region. The key to a delicious pan con tomate calls for crispy, homemade bread with fresh tomatoes and a drizzle of olive oil.
Tortilla Española, or Spanish omelet, is another common dish served during this time of the day. It is also called tortilla de patata, or potato omelet because it called for three simple ingredients: eggs, potatoes and onions. This omelet can also be eaten later in the day as a main dish.
To experience the many different options of tapas, the following are a few more common tapas to order when in Spain.
- Croquetas de Jamón, or ham croquettes
- Patatas bravas, or bravas potatoes
- Jamón, queso y chorizo con pan, or ham, cheese and chorizo with bread
- Gambas al Ajillo, or garlic shrimp
La Comida – Lunch
Also known as the biggest meal of the day, la comida usually includes multiple courses and wine. With almost every meal, Spaniards believe in taking their time to eat and enjoy their meals. Therefore, lunch can last between an hour and two hours.
Spaniards usually take a 1-3 break from school and work to enjoy lunch and to also take a nap or a siesta. Therefore, when in Spain, don’t be alarmed when shops close sometime between one and four p.m. Most large markets or retail stores don’t close for lunch but most small shops and businesses still close while enjoying their lunch breaks.
If you’ve heard of one Spanish dish, it’s definitely Paella. This famous Spanish dish is rice mixed with different vegetables, fish and chicken. Many restaurants sell vegan or vegetarian paellas as well.
In the mood for something cold and refreshing? You need to try salmorejo and gazpacho. These are two of the most famous Spanish soups out there. What makes them so different? These soups are a blended variety of tomatoes, peppers, garlic and onion that are served cold. The difference between the two is that salmorejo doesn’t have peppers.
La Merienda – Snack
This is typically a snack eaten in the late afternoon right before dinner. Since there are a few hours before lunch and dinner, people will snack. This is especially important for young children who get out of school late or play sports.
These snacks include bread, chocolate, ham or chorizo. Some more snacks include pastries, fruits or yogurt. La merienda is usually eaten between four and five p.m. Since this is such a small meal, people will definitely be hungry in a few hours after eating this snack.
La Cena – Dinner
Even though dinner is a smaller meal than lunch, it is the second biggest meal of the day. Dinner in Spain is typically eaten between nine and midnight.
Some dinner dishes include fish or other types of seafood, chicken or lamb served with vegetables and rice or potatoes. The two most popular desserts are fresh fruit or flan, a Spanish vanilla custard.
Even though olive oil, ham, tomatoes and bread seem to make up Spain’s delicious cuisine, it is so much more than that. Because of its location and climate, Spain has a wide variety of meat and seafood products.
A study abroad student from the University of North Carolina was sitting outside a restaurant during lunch. He commented on the eating schedule and said, “it was strange getting used to the times Spaniards eat but it’s fun because I have all day to try different dishes.”
Spaniards tend to eat more food in a day compared to other cultures; however, because they take their time eating, these meals are spread throughout the day and are walked off since it is mostly walking in this city. And don't forget to pair a drink with your meal!
The next time you visit Spain, take a look at this guide. You will walk, talk and now eat like a Spaniard while fully immersing yourself in the culinary experience.
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