How To Eat Like You’re Spanish

If you are considering a trip to Spain, you will want to be aware that the Spanish eat differently and at different times than many around the world. If you are used to North American meal times and customs, Spanish meal customs will come as a little shock. I encourage you to learn about and experience this culture for yourself.

One of the best things about travel is the opportunity to experience and develop an appreciation of other cultures and customs around the world. Some of these experiences, in my opinion, are made better with some understanding and preparation beforehand. Some education of the Spanish culture around meals ahead of time will elevate your experience while in-country.

Whether you are following our Spanish itinerary (First Time in Granada – 2 Day Itinerary to See it All), going it on your own, or just curious, this guide will walk you through mealtime and meal etiquette in Spain so that you know what to expect when you go.

Breakfast / Desayuno

What

The typical Spain breakfast (referred to as Desayuno in Spanish) is the smallest meal of the day. Many Spaniards may skip this meal and instead only have a cup of coffee. For those who do have breakfast, the traditional breakfast falls into one of two camps:

1. The first camp will eat some type of toast or cereal. Toast with olive oil, tomato, and ham is the most common type of this style of breakfast.
2. The second camp prefers a sweeter breakfast. These options include sweet rolls, toast with jam, or even cookies.

I would recommend trying both camps while you are in Spain to understand what you prefer. The meal is most traditionally served accompanied by coffee with milk (café con leche); however, orange juice can also be found.

When

Breakfast (or desayuno) is most often eaten at home before leaving for work or school. The other popular time from breakfast is stopping into a café on the way to work/school. Spainairds prefer to not eat and travel at the same time. The culture stresses the importance or relaxing while eating. For this reason, even those in a hurry will stand at a café counter to eat their pastry and drink their coffee while headed to work.

With Spainish businesses opening later than is typical in America (many open around 9AM), breakfast can be served anywhere from 8 AM – 10AM. It will be near impossible to find anything at 7 AM or earlier for the early risers.

Mid-Morning Snack / Almuerzo

What

The next eating time in much of Spain is Almuerzo. Despite what you may have learned in high school Spanish, this is not lunch. In Spain, this is the name given to the mid-morning snack. There isn’t a good analogy to this meal in the American culture. Almuerzo consists of various bread, spreads, and fruit. Again the food is generally accompanied by a coffee (café con leche) or an espresso (café solo).

This will be a hard meal to work with for those unfamiliar with traditional Spanish meals. Many travelers will eat a standard American-sized breakfast and not want Almuerzo. If you are able to embrace the traditional breakfast time and size, Almuerzo will be helpful in tiding you over to lunch (Comida).

When

Almuerzo is traditionally eaten between 10:30 AM – 11:30 AM. It is often used as a work break to grab a bite with co-workers or enjoy a smoke break.

Lunch / Comida

What

Next is the Spanish lunch (la Comida), the largest meal of the day. While this is the mid-day meal of Spain, it is most similar to the American dinner. Spanish lunches are large and come in courses. La Comida can include up to four courses (which is traditional):

• Starter – Vegetables, Soups, or Salads similar to an appetizer in America
• Main Course – Fish or Meat with vegetables
• Dessert – Flan, pastry, fruit, or ice cream
• Drinks – Yes, drinks. After lunch drinks are their own course. These options consist of spiked coffee, brandy, or espresso.

Many restaurants will have a menu of the day (menu del dia) with set courses at a reduced price. This can be a great value and allow you to get some local food that is fresh and prepared specifically for the season.

It is also traditional for the Spanish to eat lunch over a long period of time. It would be uncommon for lunch to last less than an hour. Between an hour and an hour and a half is the most common length for lunch. Spanish wait staff are also very specific that you get the food and drink in the right order and at the right times. Ask for any food or coffee out of order and they are likely to bring it out in the “correct” order (not your requested order).

When

The traditional lunchtime is 2 PM – 4 PM. While some kitchens may start to open at 1 PM (especially in touristy areas), many local restaurants will stick to this schedule pretty closely.

Afternoon Snack / Merienda

What

The next “meal” or snack of the day is Merienda or the afternoon snack. This would be most similar to the 3 o’clock snack that kids get when coming from school or the snack that you get at work when you a hitting the lull at the back end of the day. Another analogy would be traditional tea time for those familiar with that English custom. The foods can be very similar to those served at breakfast in some regions of Spain. In other areas, this can take the form of more traditional snack foods: a baguette, chocolate, or bread and meats (ham, sausage, or salami). The traditional beverages that accompany Merienda are various fruit juices or milk.

When

This food is intended to tide you over until dinner later in the evening. Therefore this meal or snack is traditionally eaten between 5 PM – 6 PM. Again because dinner is served so late in this will be a crucial meal for those familiar with America mealtime traditions. If you are to make it to regular dinner time, Merienda is a must.

Dinner / Cena

What

Dinner (or Cena in Spanish) is the last meal of the day as it is in most cultures. Unlike most cultures, Cena is a smaller meal and is eaten much later. Cena take two primary forms:

• Social/Tasting Dinner (aka Tapas) – Spain is very famous for the tapas culture so you have to try this several times during your visit to Spain. While tapas are not exclusive to dinnertime they are perhaps the most popular at this time. Tapas as small plates meant for socializing and sharing. This fits hand in hand with the Spanish culture of taking time to eat meals as a social event with friends and family. In many places, it will be common to get free tapas if you order a drink. Tapas are traditionally eaten standing at a bar in front of the restaurant. For a comprehensive review of tapas in Spain, see Rick Steve’s Spanish Tapas Overview.
• Seated Dinner – The other option that you will see is a seated dinner more similar to what would be seen in many other parts of the world. The menu for this meal will be lighter than lunch and could consist of omelets, fish/seafood, green salads, or ham dishes.

When

Cena is typically served at 9 PM or later. It’s not unusual to just be starting an appetizer between 10 PM and 11 PM in many parts of the country. This is likely the hardest adjustment of all for tourists traveling to Spain. However, if you want the full Spain experience it is imperative to experience this several times. While many restaurants will not be open at 7 PM for a traditional American mealtime, the ones that are cater to tourists. This means that the restaurants will have a tourist menu (not local and authentic) and the prices will be tourist prices (higher than you should pay).

Spanish Dining Norms & Etiquette

You must ask for the bill

Bringing the bill to the table before you ask for the bill and are done with your meal is seen as disrespectful. In line with the Spanish culture, meals are meant to take time and be enjoyed. Bringing the bill to your table may be seen as an attempt to hurry your meal or get you to leave.

Your server didn’t leave you

It is customary for wait staff to leave tables alone for the most part. This is foreign to those from cultures where a good wait staff constantly checks in on their tables. The Spanish culture values the opportunity to socialize with friends and family without the interruption of a waiter. If you need to flag down a waiter you will often need to wait to make eye contact and gesture.

Tipping

While tipping is not required, it is customary to tip a small amount. It is not typically a percentage of the bill, but rather a round-up to the nearest denomination of Euro to make the bill and giving change easy. It is as much a convenience as it is a gift for good service.

Trash Disposal at the Bar

When eating or drinking at the bar or counter, Spanish culture dictates that you throw your trash on the floor. This originated because it was reasoned as more sanitary to throw trash on the floor than to leave it on the countertop where food would be eaten from.

A handy trip for spotting a good bar is to observe the number of used napkins on the floor near the bar. A bar that attracts a lot of people (and is therefore supposedly good) will have many used napkins on the floor.

This rule doesn’t apply when seated at a table (only when at a bar or counter).