Spanish food: what to eat in Spain, region by region
Spanish food is regional and built on small plates. Paella is from Valencia, pintxos are Basque and fried fish is a southern habit. The best approach is to eat late like the locals, share plates in bars, and order what the region does best.
The short answer
- Order this first
- Tortilla de patatas, jamón and a plate of whatever is local. Share several small dishes rather than one main each.
- When people eat
- Lunch from about 2 pm and dinner from about 9 pm. Many kitchens are shut between the two.
- Tipping
- Not expected. A euro or two, or rounding up the bill, is plenty.
- Where to eat well
- Busy neighborhood bars where the napkins are on the floor, and the city food guides here for named places.
What to eat in Spain
- Paella valencianaRice cooked in a wide pan with chicken, rabbit and green beans. It is a lunch dish and is made to order, so allow time.Valencia
- Tortilla de patatasA thick potato omelette, with onion or without. It is served as a tapa, in a bocadillo or at room temperature.All over Spain
- Jamón ibéricoCured ham, sliced thin and eaten on its own or with bread. Ask for the acorn-fed kind if you want the best.Extremadura and Andalusia
- GazpachoA cold soup of raw tomato, pepper and olive oil. It is a summer starter in Seville and Córdoba.Andalusia
- PintxosSmall bites on bread, often held with a stick, set out on the bar. Take a plate, point and pay at the end.San Sebastián and the Basque Country
- Pulpo a la gallegaBoiled octopus with olive oil, paprika and coarse salt on a wooden plate. It is best in Galicia, but good bars serve it elsewhere.Galicia
- Cocido madrileñoA chickpea stew with meat and vegetables, served in courses. It is a winter lunch and a heavy one.Madrid
- Patatas bravasFried potato with a spicy tomato sauce, or with garlic mayonnaise. It is a standard tapa in any bar.Madrid and Barcelona
- FideuàLike paella but made with short noodles, and usually with seafood. It is the choice if someone at the table does not want rice.Valencia and Catalonia
- Pescaíto fritoA plate of small fish lightly floured and fried. It is the thing to order in Málaga and Cádiz.Andalusia
- Churros con chocolateFried dough sticks dipped in thick drinking chocolate. They are a breakfast or an after-midnight snack.Madrid
How the food changes across Spain
The Basque Country and the north
Seafood, cider, grilled fish and steak, and pintxo bars. Bilbao and San Sebastián are the heart of it, and Galicia has the best shellfish.
Catalonia
Sea and mountain dishes together, bread rubbed with tomato, and rice and noodle dishes. Barcelona is the entry point.
Castile and Madrid
Roast meat, stews, cured ham and cheese. This is hearty inland food, designed for cold winters.
Valencia and the east
Rice in every form, plus oranges, seafood and horchata, a cold drink made from tiger nuts.
Andalusia
Fried fish, cold soups, cured ham and sherry. Tapas started here, and in Granada many bars bring a free one with each drink.
What to drink in Spain
- WineRioja and Ribera del Duero are the best-known reds, and Albariño from Galicia is the white to try with seafood. The house wine in a bar is usually fine.
- VermouthA sweet, spiced fortified wine drunk before lunch with olives, usually on a Sunday. Many bars pour their own.
- SherryFrom Jerez in Andalusia, ranging from dry and pale (fino) to dark and sweet. A cold fino goes with fried fish and ham.
- CiderDry and sour, from Asturias and the Basque Country, and poured from a height into the glass. Ask for a bottle in a cider house.
- CoffeeCafé con leche is the standard order, and a cortado is an espresso with a little milk. Coffee comes with breakfast and after lunch.
Where to eat in Spain, city by city
Madrid
The capital, with big art museums, a late and lively street life and fast trains to most of the country. It suits first-timers and anyone who likes to eat out at night.
Order Churros con chocolate
Barcelona
A coastal city of Gaudí buildings, old lanes and beaches, with more to see than a short trip allows. It suits first-timers, architecture fans and anyone who wants sea and city together.
Order Pa amb tomàquet
Palma de Mallorca
The capital of Mallorca, with a Gothic cathedral, a walkable old town and beaches and mountains on the island. It suits a city-and-sea break, best outside July and August.
Order Ensaïmada
Seville
The Andalusian capital, with a cathedral, a royal palace and orange-lined streets. It suits people who want flamenco, tapas and old Spain, and it is very hot in summer.
Order Salmorejo
Valencia
A flat, walkable city with a long beach, a big park and the home of paella. It suits a relaxed trip and costs less than Madrid or Barcelona.
Order Paella valenciana
Málaga
A port city with a hilltop fortress, good museums and a beach within reach of the center. It suits a sunny base for the Costa del Sol and the white villages.
Order Pescaíto frito
Granada
A compact city under the Sierra Nevada, known for the Alhambra palace and free tapas in many bars. It suits anyone who wants history and a small-town pace.
Order Pionono
San Sebastián
A small, elegant seaside city in the Basque Country, with a curved beach and a reputation for food. It suits eating trips and quiet beach days.
Order Gilda
Bilbao
A former industrial city that has reinvented itself around the Guggenheim museum and a riverside walk. It suits art lovers and pairs well with San Sebastián.
Order Bacalao al pil pil
How Spain eats
- Meal timesBreakfast is a coffee and a pastry or toast. Lunch, the main meal, is at 2 pm or later, and dinner is at 9 pm or later.
- Menú del díaMany restaurants serve a fixed weekday lunch of two courses, bread, a drink and dessert for one price. It is often the best value of the day.
- TapasSmall plates are ordered a few at a time to share. Tapas are free with a drink in some cities and paid for in others.
- ReservationsBook dinner in the cities, especially Friday and Saturday. Small bars rarely take bookings.
- TippingNot expected. Service is included, and leaving small change is enough.
Signs of a place to walk past
A menu with photographs and the same dishes in five languages.
Paella on display at the door, or on a menu all day and all evening.
A staff member outside calling people in from the pavement.
A restaurant beside a major monument with no Spanish customers at the tables.
Food in Spain: questions people ask
What food is Spain known for?
Paella, tapas, jamón, tortilla, seafood and olive oil, along with sherry, wine and cava. Each region has its own dishes, so the food in Bilbao is not the food in Seville.
What is the most traditional Spanish food?
There is no single dish. Tortilla de patatas, jamón, stews with chickpeas or beans, and rice dishes are the basics. Paella is the best known, but it belongs to Valencia.
What should I eat in Spain besides paella?
Tapas and pintxos, tortilla, fried fish, croquetas, grilled meats and seafood, and stews. In summer, order gazpacho.
What do Spaniards eat for breakfast?
A coffee with toast and olive oil, or a pastry. Tostada con tomate, bread with grated tomato and oil, is a standard order.
Is it hard to eat vegetarian in Spain?
It takes a little care. Tortilla, patatas bravas, grilled vegetables, salads and cheese are easy, but many dishes use ham or stock. Ask if a dish contains meat, since bean and vegetable stews often do.
Do you tip in Spanish restaurants?
No tip is expected, because service is included. Rounding up the bill, or leaving a euro or two for good service, is welcome.
What time do Spaniards eat dinner?
Usually after 9 pm, and later at weekends and in summer. Restaurants that open at 7 pm are mostly serving tourists.