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 exactly what to eat in Spain. From the most popular and traditional Spanish food to refreshing drinks, and even some unique treats you may have never heard of.
Guide to the Best Food in Spain
Our quick guide to the best food in Spain has been “researched” firsthand 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 everything.
The type of traditional Spanish food also depends on what region you’re visiting. It’s often shaped by the climate and historic influences.
What to Eat in Spain
Unique Specialties
1. Paella: This special mixture of rice, seafood, and meat is an absolute staple of Spanish food. The best can be found around 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 known among the best food in Argentina.
Tradational Spanish Food for Breakfast
6. Pan Con Tomate: One of the most popular Spanish foods for breakfast is toast with tomato. This simple, but delicious treat goes perfectly with a cafe con leche in the morning. Jamon on the top of your tostada is always a welcomed addition, too!
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 on baguette-style bread. The very best comes with jamon in our opinion, but you can get everything from tortilla to fried squid, and chorizo on yours!
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. We also enjoy a cortado, which is an espresso cut with steamed milk.
10. Fresh Orange Juice: Another common drink in the morning. It won’t be hard to find freshly squeezed orange juice out for breakfast.
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. You’ll see legs hanging inside of bars and being sliced right in front of you as a tapa.
12. Chorizo: Spicy pork sausage served as a tapa or part of a larger plato del dia.
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.
Hearty Soups & Stews
16. Gazpacho: Some of the most traditional Spanish 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 scrumptious soup from Southern Spain made with chickpeas, chorizo, and peppers.
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: Looking for what to eat in Spain during the summer? If you love gazpacho, give this white chilled almond soup a try!
21. Fabada Asturiana: A hearty soup from the Asturias region with white beans, pork, and sausage.
Best Food in Spain from the Sea
22. 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.
23. Boquerones Fritos: These Spanish-style anchovies are fried and taste delightful with a squirt of lemon.
24. Gambas Pil Pil: Not your average shrimp dish! Prawns are cooked with a chile-garlic sauce and served out of a clay pot.
25. Salpicon de Marisco: This chilled seafood salad is the perfect starter before moving on to more of the most popular Spanish foods!
26. 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.
27. 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.
28. Bacalao: Salted cod which is also popular part of the best food in Portugal.
Popular Spanish Tapas
Many of the traditional Spanish food we mentioned can also be eaten as tapas! This is especially true of jamon and all the different cheeses to enjoy around the country.
Tapas are a time of day to snack, drink, and socialize. Some of the most fun cities to experience tapa culture are Seville and Granada, but know that they can be found everywhere! Many places tapas even come free with a drink.
Be sure to check out San Sebastian and the best restaurants in Bilbao if you’re heading to Basque Country. They have their own version of tapas called pintxos that are so worth a taste! We took a San Sebastian Pintxos tour that totally blew our minds.
29. Alcachofas: One of our favorite veggie tapas is warm artichoke hearts. So good!
30. 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.
31. Patatas Bravas: Crispy potatoes with a spicy orange tomato sauce.
32. Gambas al Ajillo: Sauteed shrimp in garlic and olive oil that comes out of the kitchen sizzling. We had the best gambas of our lives on this Madrid food tour!
33. Boquerones: Fresh anchovies with vinegar. These go particularly well with an ice cold beer.
Amazing Desserts
34. 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.
35. Arroz Con Leche: A sweet rice pudding flavored with cinnamon and lemon.
36. Flan: Custard made with milk, eggs, and condensed milk. Flan is easily one of our favorite desserts in Spain.
37. Tarta de Santiago: Many of the most popular food from Spain is made with almonds, and this yummy cake is no different!
38. Turron: A candy creation consisting of honey, sugar, and toasted nuts. You can also find turron in countries such as Portugal and Italy.
39. Crema Catalana: Spain’s take on the crème brûlée with citrus and cinnamon.
Drinks with the Best Food in Spain
40. 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.
41. 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.
42. 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!
43. Sangria: Another refreshing drink that’s popular around the world. Sangria is a mixture of wine, fruit, and can even include rum.
44. 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.
45. 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 from Porto, Portugal.
Have any questions about this article or want to share more of the best food in Spain? Leave us a comment below!
Safe Travels,
Brigitte & Jake
We’re Brigitte and Jake! American travel bloggers currently based in Spain. If you can believe it, we started Nothing Familiar way back in 2015 on an Ipad in the Ecuadorian jungle. Ever since, we haven’t stopped traveling! We’ve now been to over 60 countries around the world, with our expertise being Europe and Southeast Asia. We love outdoor adventures, tasting local specialties, and island hopping through tropical destinations. Hopefully, our guides and authentic experiences will inspire you on your own travels!
