From your first moments in Spain, you’ll notice that there is a food culture here like none other. With tapas, epic three-course meals, and all the seafood you can handle, the best food in Spain will always keep you coming back for more! Join us as we take you through the most popular Spanish foods, drinks, and some unique treats you may have never heard of.
Spain Inspiration
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- 13 Drinks in Spain to Enjoy on Your Next Vacation
- 22 Fun & Interesting Facts About Spain That Might Surprise You
- 9 Reasons to Fall in Love with Spain’s Costa del Sol
- Gran Canaria’s Route of the Tapas: Thursday Night in Las Palmas
Guide to the Best Food in Spain
This quick guide to the best food in Spain has been “researched” first hand by us over several years visiting the country. Without a doubt, Spain is one of our favorite places in the world to eat out!
It’s not just the food itself, but the drinks and atmosphere that make it a fun experience. Even though we have been here many times, there is no way we have tried all of the most popular Spanish foods.
Some of the very best food is known to come from Northern Spain in towns like San Sebastian and large city of Bilbao in Basque Country. You can check out the best restaurants in Bilbao here.
If you notice something amazing we missed feel free to comment and let us know for next time!
→ The Plato del Dia: How to Order Spain’s Delicious 3 Course Budget Lunch
40 Most Popular Spanish Foods
Unique Specialties
1. Paella: This special mixture of rice, seafood, and meat is an absolute staple of Spanish food. The best can be found near the coast, or in Valencia where it originated.
2. Tortilla: Spain’s version of the omelet is made with eggs and potatoes, and sometimes includes onions.
3. Pimientos de Padron: Where are our pepper fans? These delicious green peppers come from Northwest Spain, are served pan-fried, smothered with thick salt.
4. Croquetas: Another great appetizer to enjoy in Spain is the fried treats croquetas. Buttermilk, oil, flour, and usually a type of meat is use to create this Spanish food.
5. Empanadas: Folded dough with meat, cheese, or vegetables inside. This food in Spain is also common to see in Latin American countries like Argentina.
Popular Spanish Foods for Breakfast
6. Pan Con Tomate: One of the most popular Spanish foods for breakfast is toast with a tomato puree. This simple but delicious treat goes perfectly with a cafe con leche in the morning.
7. Huevos Rotos con Chorizo: Huevos Rotos or “broken eggs” is an incredible combination of eggs, potatoes, and chorizo. There are many variations of this hearty dish, but they always come out tasty.
8. Bocadillo: A bocadillo is the name for a Spanish sandwich! The very best comes with jamon in our opinion!
9. Cafe Con Leche: So what do you have with some of the best food in Spain for breakfast? Coffee of course! The cafe con leche is a flavorful mix of espresso and milk.
10. Fresh Orange Juice: Another common drink to have with popular Spanish foods is orange juice. It won’t be hard to find freshly squeezed orange juice out for breakfast.
Popular Spain Foods: Meat & Cheese
11. Jamon: Spain is known for its range of great meats, and the most famous by far is jamon! The salt-cured meat takes many months to age before it’s ready to eat.
12. Chorizo: The next most popular food from Spain in the meat category is chorizo. You will see this spicy pork sausage served as a tapa or with every meal of the day.
13. Sobrassada: Sobrassada looks similar to chorizo, yet it is common to see it more spread onto bread and crackers as opposed to being sliced.
14. Morcilla: Ever tried the Spanish version of black pudding? When it’s cooked right, this sausage makes for some of the best food in Spain!
15. Manchego Cheese: The cheese you’ll see paired with these mouthwatering meats is often manchego. The sheep milk gives it its patented sharp taste.
Popular Spain Foods: Soups & Stews
16. Gazpacho: Some of the most popular Spanish foods and meals start with soup, and gazpacho leads the way! We have never been a fan of cold soup, but this vegetable medley is fantastic on a hot summer day.
17. Olla de Trigo: A traditional soup from Southern Spain made with chickpeas, chorizo, peppers, and more.
18. Caldo de Papas: Believe it or not, some of the best food in Spain we’ve had was in the Canary Islands. Caldo de Papas is potato-based with eggs, onions, and other goodies mixed in.
19. Sopa de Almendras: Almonds, garlic, bread, and an assortment of spices make up this delicious soup. Many people eat this soup in Spain on Christmas Eve.
20 Ajoblanco: If you love gazpacho, give this white chilled almond soup a try!
Spanish Seafood Dishes
21. Pulpo: Octopus is one of the most popular Spanish foods to eat for seafood lovers! Pulpo is particularly famous in the Northern region of Galicia where it’s boiled and seasoned to perfection.
22. Boquerones Fritos: These Spanish-style anchovies are fried and taste delightful with a squirt of lemon.
23. Gambas Pil Pil: Not your average shrimp dish! Prawns are cooked with a chile-garlic sauce and served out of a clay pot.
24. Salpicon de Marisco: This chilled seafood salad is the perfect starter before moving on to more of the most popular Spanish foods!
25. Hake: Spain has an assortment of fish big and small to feast on. However, one of the tastiest is this member of the cod family served in a green sauce.
26. Calamari: Squid is such a great appetizer! While many prefer it served fried, there is nothing better to us than fresh calamari grilled with lemon.
More Popular Spanish Tapas
27. Alcachofas: One of our favorite veggie tapas is warm artichoke hearts. So good!
28. Albondigas: Something you will see on almost every tapa menu is meatballs in red sauce. This classic treat goes well with a red wine or beer before dinner.
29. Curry Chicken: Spain is an extremely diverse country with many cultures represented in its food. Spicy curry chicken is a tasty tapa and a reminder to try all different flavors on your visit!
Desserts
30. Churros: Some of the best food in Spain can be had after your meal! This amazing dessert is fried dough coated with sugar and served with warm dipping chocolate.
31. Arroz Con Leche: A sweet rice pudding flavored with cinnamon and lemon.
32. Flan: Custard made with milk, eggs, and condensed milk. Flan is easily one of our favorite desserts in Spain.
33. Tarta de Santiago: Many of the most popular food from Spain is made with almonds, and this yummy cake is no different!
34. Turron: A candy creation consisting of honey, sugar, and toasted nuts. You can also find turron in countries such as Portugal and Italy.
Drinks with the Best Food in Spain
35. Cerveza: Thirsty yet? Spain has some of the most delicious beers in Europe! Some of our favorite cervezas are Estrella, San Miguel, Mahou, and Cruzcampo.
36. Vino: In addition to beer, Spain has a variety of great red and white wines. The best red wine comes from the Rioja region of Northern Spain.
37. Tinto De Verano: Translating to “wine of the summer,” a Tinto de Verona is the ultimate drink for a hot day. This mixture of red wine on ice with lemon soda is so refreshing!
38. Sangria: Another delicious drink is something most of you have probably had at some point or another. Sangria is a mixture of wine, fruit, and can even include rum.
39. Cava: After tasting the drinks above don’t miss out on the sparkling wine of Spain. The best cava is near Barcelona in the Penedes wine region.
40. Sherry: Last but not least, Spain’s national drink is a must-try when visiting this amazing country! Hailing from the Southern city of Cadiz, sherry is fortified similar to Port wine in Portugal.
Have any questions on these popular Spanish foods or want to share more of the best food in Spain? Leave us a comment below!
Safe Travels,
Brigitte & Jake
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Explore Spain
Best of Spain: Visiting in Winter – 11 Cities in Southern Spain – Vueling Airlines Tips
Granada: Best Tapas – 15 Fun Things to Do – Alhambra de Granada
Nerja: 15 Things to do – Best Tapas – 7 Beautiful Beaches – Playa Burriana – Nerja Caves
Small Towns: Mijas – Frigiliana – Rupit – Cadiz – Ronda
Gran Canaria: Agaete Natural Pools – Volcano Hike
Fuerteventura: Travel Guide – 12 Best Beaches – Renting a Car – Aguas Verdes Natural Pool – Krabbenfelsen Natural Pool – Popcorn Beach
Tenerife: 7 Best Beaches – Playa Amarilla – Mount Teide Volcano Drive – Boat Tour
Spain Travel Planning
Flights: We always find the best flights using Skyscanner. Sometimes it’s cheaper to fly between cities in Spain than driving or taking the train!
Accommodation: Compare multiple sites to get to the best deal such as Booking.com and Agoda! Also, Hostelworld should be your go-to source if you’re traveling on a budget.
Rental Car: We use Discover Cars to explore when traveling. Consider renting a car in one city and dropping it off in another for an epic Spain road trip!
Tours: Check out Get Your Guide for thousands of activities around Spain. You can book a tour of the Madrid Royal Palace, skip the line and explore the Alhambra de Granada, or even jump on a Tenerife Dolphin cruise!
Travel Insurance: Never travel abroad without protection! We’ve been using SafetyWing for the last few years on the road and they are there when we need them.
Packing Lists: Find all the inspiration you need with our Amazon packing lists. Including our electronics and camera gear, must-have medical items, and long flight essentials!
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