Europe · Spain
Where to eat in Spain, region by region
Spain eats late, by region and by the bar. Start with the dishes and drinks of each region, then the places that do them best, from three-star dining rooms to the cider house, the pintxo bar and the market at the end of the street. We are deepest in the north, where we also have full city guides.
518places
11regions
124starred tables
87towns
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Plan my Spain food tripCatalonia
42 places in 2 towns
What to eat
- Pa amb tomàquet Toasted bread rubbed with fresh tomato and olive oil, often eaten as a tapa.
- Escalivada Grilled vegetable salad of roasted aubergine and red peppers with olive oil.
- Botifarra negra Black blood sausage made with pig's blood, bread and seasonings.
- Mar i muntanya (pollastre amb llagosta) Chicken paired with prawns or langoustine, the 'sea and mountain' combination.
- Bacallà a la catalana Salt cod in an onion and tomato sauce topped with raisins and pine nuts.
- Fideuà Paella relative made with short noodles instead of rice, usually with seafood.
- Canelons Pasta tubes filled with meat, fish or vegetables under béchamel and cheese; traditionally a Boxing Day dish.
- Crema catalana Custard flavoured with lemon or orange zest and cinnamon; traditionally made on 19 March (St Joseph's Day).
What to drink
- Cava Spanish sparkling wine, mostly from the Barcelona area; Penedès is its home region.
- Penedès Noted for innovation and organic winemaking; chardonnay is highly rated, alongside tempranillo, garnacha and cabernet.
- Priorat Spain's second DOCa, known for carignena and garnacha reds grown on volcanic soil; also whites, rosés and dessert wines.
- Vermut Fortified white wine blended with sugar, herbs and botanicals, enjoyed before a meal.
Where to start
- ABaC 3 starsBarcelona · starredAvinguda del Tibidabo, 1, 08022 Barcelona · +34 933 19 66 00Add to my trip
- Cocina Hermanos Torres 3 starsBarcelona · starredCarrer del Taquígraf Serra, 20, 08029 Barcelona · +34 934 10 00 20Add to my trip
- Disfrutar 3 starsBarcelona · starredCarrer de Villarroel, 163, 08036 Barcelona · +34 933 48 68 96Add to my trip
- El Celler de Can Roca 3 starsGirona · Michelin 3 starsCan Sunyer 48, Girona 17007 · +34 972 22 21 57Add to my trip
- Lasarte 3 starsBarcelona · starredCarrer de Mallorca, 259, 08008 Barcelona · +34 934 45 32 42Add to my trip
- Cinc Sentits 2 starsBarcelona · starredCarrer d'Entença, 60, 08015 BarcelonaAdd to my trip
- Enoteca Paco Pérez 2 starsBarcelona · starredCarrer de la Marina, 19-21, 08005 Barcelona (Hotel Arts)Add to my trip
- Moments 2 starsBarcelona · starredPasseig de Gràcia, 38-40, 08007 Barcelona (Mandarin Oriental)Add to my trip
Towns
Madrid
33 places in 1 towns
What to eat
- Cocido madrileño Hearty stew of chickpeas, vegetables and meats, traditionally served in three courses.
- Callos a la madrileña Tripe stewed with black pudding, chorizo, tomato and paprika; described as the city's most distinctive dish.
- Bocadillo de calamares Fried squid sandwich, a classic Madrid street food.
- Huevos estrellados Fried eggs broken over potatoes, sometimes with ham; said to have originated at Casa Lucio.
- Croquetas de bacalao Cod croquettes, a specialty of Casa Labra.
- Patatas bravas Fried potatoes with a spicy sauce, found in most tapas bars.
- Gallinejas Fried lamb's offal, associated with the San Isidro festival; not for everyone.
- Chocolate con churros Fried dough sticks with thick hot chocolate for breakfast or a snack; San Ginés is the best-known place.
What to drink
- Vermut (vermut de grifo) The pre-lunch ritual, roughly noon to 2pm, served over ice with an orange slice; many bars pour house vermouth on tap.
- Vinos de Madrid DO Three subzones (Arganda, San Martín de Valdeiglesias, Navalcarnero); mostly young whites, rosés and reds, with malvar, garnacha and tempranillo.
- Caña A 25 cl draught beer; smaller sizes include corto and zurito.
Where to start
- DiverXO 3 starsMadrid · Avant-garde (Dabiz Muñoz)Calle Padre Damián, 23, Madrid · +34 915 70 07 66Add to my trip
- Coque 2 starsMadrid · Avant-garde on traditional recipesCalle Marqués de Riscal, 11, MadridAdd to my trip
- DSTAgE 2 starsMadrid · Haute cuisine, new format (Diego Guerrero)Calle Regueros, 8, MadridAdd to my trip
- Deessa 2 starsMadrid · Tasting menus (Quique Dacosta), Ritz MadridPlaza de la Lealtad, 5, 28014 MadridAdd to my trip
- Paco Roncero Restaurante 2 starsMadrid · Avant-gardeCalle Alcalá, 15, MadridAdd to my trip
- Ramón Freixa Madrid 2 starsMadrid · Traditional and modern, Mediterranean baseCalle Claudio Coello, 67, MadridAdd to my trip
- Smoked Room 2 starsMadrid · Smoke-focused cuisinePaseo de la Castellana, 57, 28046 MadridAdd to my trip
- Corral de la Morería 1 starMadrid · Fish-focused tasting menus inside a flamenco tablaoCalle Morería, 17, MadridAdd to my trip
Towns
Basque Country
122 places in 21 towns
What to eat
- Txuleta (txuleton) Aged bone-in rib steak from old dairy cows, grilled rare over oak and shared in big slabs.
- Bacalao al pil-pil Salt cod cooked in olive oil with garlic and chile, the pan shaken to emulsify a sauce.
- Bacalao a la vizcaína Salt cod in a red pepper and onion sauce, the signature of Bizkaia.
- Kokotxas Soft, gelatinous throat flesh of hake or cod, usually cooked al pil-pil or fried.
- Marmitako One-pot tuna and potato stew with peppers and tomato, born as a fishermen's dish.
- Gilda Skewer of anchovy, pickled guindilla pepper and olive, considered the original pintxo.
- Txangurro a la donostiarra Spider crab baked in its shell with brandy, tomato, onion and breadcrumbs.
- Basque cheesecake (tarta de queso) Crustless, burnt-top cheesecake, caramelized outside and molten inside.
What to drink
- Txakoli Low-alcohol, lightly sparkling white wine, poured from height to aerate, made for pintxos.
- Sidra natural Still apple cider served at cider houses, poured in a long stream from above.
- Zurito and chiquito Small beer and small wine, the usual sizes for bar-hopping.
Where to start
- Akelaŕe 3 starsSan Sebastián · Michelin 3 starsPaseo del Padre Orcolaga 56, San Sebastián 20008 · +34 943 31 12 09Add to my trip
- Arzak 3 starsSan Sebastián · Basque creativeAvenida Alcalde José Elosegi 273, San Sebastián 20015 · +34 943 27 84 65Add to my trip
- Azurmendi 3 starsLarrabetzu · Michelin 3 starsLegina Auzoa, Larrabetzu 48195 · +34 944 55 83 59Add to my trip
- Martín Berasategui 3 starsLasarte Oria · Michelin 3 starsLoidi 4, Lasarte-Oria 20160 · +34 943 36 64 71Add to my trip
- Martín Berasategui 3 starsLasarte · Haute Basque cuisineLoidi 4, 20160 LasarteAdd to my trip
- Akelarre 3 starsSan Sebastián · Basque creativeAdd to my trip
- Azurmendi 3 starsBilbao · Basque creativeAdd to my trip
- Martín Berasategui 3 starsSan Sebastián · Basque creativeAdd to my trip
Towns
San Sebastián 48Bilbao 29Vitoria-Gasteiz 12Astigarraga 6Hondarribia 5Getaria 4Larrabetzu 2Amorebieta 2Laguardia 2Lasarte Oria 1Lasarte 1Errenteria 1
La Rioja
36 places in 9 towns
What to eat
- Patatas a la riojana Potatoes simmered with tomato, paprika, peppers and chorizo; the region's unofficial signature dish.
- Caparrones Red kidney bean stew slow-cooked with pork ribs, bacon and chorizo; a winter dish.
- Pochas con codornices White pochas beans cooked with quail in a pepper-based sauce.
- Chuletillas de cordero al sarmiento Lamb chops grilled over vine shoots left after winter pruning.
- Bacalao a la riojana Salt cod fried, then finished in a tomato and red pepper sauce.
- Pimientos rellenos Piquillo peppers stuffed with cod or minced meat, battered and fried.
- Carrilleras Beef cheeks braised slowly in red wine sauce.
- Torrijas a la riojana Milk-soaked bread dipped in egg, fried and sugared; a dessert dating to the 15th century.
What to drink
- Rioja red Spain's flagship wine region, mainly tempranillo; crianza has less oak ageing and bright red fruit.
- Reserva and Gran Reserva Aged Rioja suits grilled lamb chops, whose salt and fat soften the tannins.
- White Rioja Less known abroad but well regarded; a modern, less oxidative barrel-fermented style pairs with pochas and quail.
Where to start
- El Portal de Echaurren 2 starsEzcaray · Two-star Rioja fine dining, hotelCalle Padre José García 19, EzcarayAdd to my trip
- Venta Moncalvillo 2 stars + Green StarDaroca De Rioja · Garden vegetables, wild game, huge wine listCtra. de Medrano 6, 26373 Daroca de RiojaAdd to my trip
- Nublo 1 starHaro · Wood-fire tasting menu in 16th-century palacePlaza San Martín 5, HaroAdd to my trip
- Íkaro 1 starLogroño · Avant-garde tasting menu3 Avenida Portugal, 26001 Logroño (2019 source)Add to my trip
- Ajonegro 1 starLogroño · Michelin-starred Logroño restaurantAdd to my trip
- Kiro Sushi 1 starLogroño · Michelin-starred sushiAdd to my trip
- Los Caños ListedHaro · Regional traditional, family restaurant since 1930 · €€Plaza de San Martín 5, 26200 Haro · +34 606 99 12 06Add to my trip
- Bar El PerchasLogroño · Pig ear pintxoTravesía de Laurel 3, 26001 LogroñoAdd to my trip
Towns
Logroño 23Haro 6Daroca De Rioja 1Ezcaray 1Fuenmayor 1Santo Domingo De La Calzada 1Briones 1Arnedo 1Calahorra 1
Cantabria
30 places in 10 towns
What to eat
- Rabas Deep-fried squid sticks, the most popular coastal snack.
- Cocido montañés 'Mountain stew' of pork, beans and cabbage.
- Marmita (sorropotún) Stew of bonito del norte (albacore), one of the region's most typical dishes.
- Anchovies of Santoña Processed anchovies from Santoña, valued worldwide.
- Merluza en salsa verde Hake in green sauce.
- Cachón en su tinta Cuttlefish cooked in its own ink.
- Sobaos and quesada pasiega Traditional Cantabrian pastries; quesada is a cheesecake-style sweet.
- Cantabrian cheeses Include Picón Bejes-Tresviso, smoked cheeses such as Áliva and Pido, and Quesucos de Liébana.
What to drink
- Costa de Cantabria and Liébana wines Two regional wines with protected status, named for their production areas.
- Orujo The Cantabrian pomace brandy.
- Txakoli and cider Both were historic specialties that declined sharply and are now recovering.
Where to start
- Cenador de Amós 3 starsVillaverde De Pontones · Michelin 3 starsPlaza del Sol, Villaverde de Pontones 39793 · +34 942 50 82 43Add to my trip
- Solana 1 starAmpuero · Modern · €€€La Bien Aparecida 11, 39849 Ampuero · +34 942 67 67 18Add to my trip
- Casona del Judío 1 starSantander · Modern · €€€€Add to my trip
- El Serbal 1 starSantander · Modern · €€€Add to my trip
- La Bicicleta 1 starHoznayo · Contemporary · €€€€Add to my trip
- Pico Velasco 1 starCarasa · Modern · €€€Add to my trip
- Agua Salada Bib GourmandSantander · Contemporary · €€San Simón 2, esquina Santa Lucía, SantanderAdd to my trip
- Cañadío SelectedSantander · Traditional; anchovies, fishCalle Gómez Oreña 15, SantanderAdd to my trip
Towns
Santander 17Santillana Del Mar 4San Vicente De La Barquera 2Villaverde De Pontones 1Ampuero 1Hoznayo 1Carasa 1Suesa 1Cartes 1Cosgaya 1
Asturias
49 places in 15 towns
What to eat
- Fabada White bean stew with bacon, blood sausage and chorizo (the compango); best at midday and in winter.
- Cachopo Two breaded veal fillets stuffed with cheese and ham; popular since the mid-20th century.
- Pote asturiano Cabbage stew with beans, potatoes and compango; a winter dish linked to the slaughter season.
- Fritos de pixín Battered monkfish in small portions, especially popular in Lent and Holy Week.
- Chorizo a la sidra Chorizo cooked in cider, served as a tapa.
- Cabrales Strong-smelling blue cheese with a protected designation of origin.
- Pitu de caleya Free-range chicken fed on seeds, corn and herbs, used in stews.
- Carbayones and arroz con leche Oviedo almond-egg pastries in cinnamon-lemon syrup, and rice pudding with browned rice.
What to drink
- Sidra asturiana Apple cider with protected status, made from up to 500 apple varieties.
- Escanciar The traditional technique of pouring cider from a height to create foam.
Where to start
- Casa Marcial 3 starsArriondas · Michelin 3 starsLa Salgar, Arriondas 33549 · +34 985 84 09 91Add to my trip
- Casa Gerardo 1 starPrendes · Modern · €€€Carretera AS 19 Km 9, 33438 Prendes · +34 985 88 77 97Add to my trip
- El Retiro 1 starLlanes · Modern · €€€€Carretera Pancar, 33500 Llanes · +34 985 40 02 40Add to my trip
- Real Balneario 1 starSalinas · Farm to table · €€€€Avenida Juan Sitges 3, 33405 Salinas · +34 985 51 86 13Add to my trip
- Auga 1 starGijón · Traditional, seafood · €€€Add to my trip
- Ayalga 1 starRibadesellaAdd to my trip
- El Corral del Indianu 1 starArriondasAdd to my trip
- Ferpel 1 starOrtigueraAdd to my trip
Towns
Oviedo 19Gijón 12Avilés 3Arriondas 2Llanes 2Ribadesella 2Prendes 1Salinas 1San Feliz 1Ortiguera 1Tox 1Cangas de Onís 1
Galicia
93 places in 16 towns
What to eat
- Pulpo á feira Octopus boiled in copper cauldrons, dressed with olive oil, coarse salt and pimentón; a fair and festival staple.
- Percebes Goose barnacles hand-harvested from wave-battered rocks on the Costa da Morte, boiled briefly and eaten with the fingers.
- Mariscada Shellfish feast served in tiers: spider crab, velvet crabs, oysters, scallops, razor clams and clams.
- Vieira (scallops) Baked in the shell with onion, a little ham and breadcrumbs; also an empanada filling.
- Mussels Farmed on bateas in the Ría de Arousa, often steamed close to where they grew.
- Empanada gallega Savoury pie; scallop is one traditional filling.
- Canned seafood (conservas) Mussels in escabeche, cockles and small sardines, treated as delicacies and served in wine bars.
What to drink
- Albariño (Rías Baixas) Nearly all Rías Baixas wine is white; fresh acidity and saline character make it a classic seafood partner.
- Young local wine in a cunca Served with pulpo at fairs.
- Sidra Cider is also found in Galicia.
Where to start
- Culler de Pau 2 starsO Grove · Creative · €€€€Reboredo 73, 36980 O Grove · +34 986 73 22 75Add to my trip
- Pepe Vieira 2 starsRaxo · Creative · €€€€Camiño da Serpe, 36992 Raxó · +34 986 74 13 78Add to my trip
- Retiro da Costiña 2 starsSanta CombaAdd to my trip
- A Tafona 1 starSantiago de Compostela · Contemporary · €€€€Virxe da Cerca 7, 15703 Santiago de Compostela · +34 981 56 23 14Add to my trip
- Casa Marcelo 1 starSantiago de Compostela · Fusion · €€€€Hortas 1, 15705 Santiago de Compostela · +34 981 55 85 80Add to my trip
- Ceibe 1 starOurense · Galician, creative · €€€€San Miguel 8, 32005 Ourense · +34 988 54 25 80Add to my trip
- Maruja Limón 1 starVigo · Contemporary · €€€Montero Ríos 4, 36201 Vigo · +34 986 47 34 06Add to my trip
- Miguel González 1 starOurense · Contemporary · €€€Avenida de Pontevedra 17, 32005 Ourense · +34 988 23 90 72Add to my trip
Towns
Santiago de Compostela 26Vigo 15A Coruña 11Ourense 10Lugo 8O Grove 7Cambados 5Pontevedra 3Padron 1Santa Comba 1Fisterra 1Barizo 1
Valencia
27 places in 3 towns
What to eat
- Paella valenciana Saffron- and rosemary-scented rice from the Albufera area, with meats, garrofó (lima beans) and green beans.
- Arroz a banda Rice cooked in fish stock, a humble Alicante coastal dish served with alioli and separate seafood.
- Fideuà Toasted noodles in seafood broth with cuttlefish and prawns, originally from Gandía.
- Esgarraet Cold salad of shredded salt cod and roasted red peppers with olive oil and black olives.
- All i pebre Eel in a garlic and paprika broth, often with potatoes.
- Arròs amb fesols i naps Winter rice dish with beans and turnips.
- Coca de llanda Rectangular sponge cake flavoured with cinnamon and lemon.
- Turrón de Xixona and Alicante Nougat in a soft Jijona style and a hard, crunchy Alicante style.
What to drink
- Horchata de chufa Cold, milky tiger nut drink with a designation of origin; best from Alboraia, often with fartons.
- Agua de Valencia Cocktail of orange juice, cava and spirits.
- D.O. València and Utiel-Requena wines Reds, whites and rosés; València whites are generally merseguera or muscatel, reds mainly garnacha and monastrell.
Where to start
- Quique Dacosta 3 starsDenia · Michelin 3 starsRascassa 1, Dénia 03700 · +34 965 78 41 79Add to my trip
- Steki Bib GourmandAlicante · Bib Gourmand (Dec 2021 announcement)Add to my trip
- Tabula Rasa Bib GourmandAlicante · Bib Gourmand (Dec 2021 announcement)Add to my trip
- Casa CarmelaValencia · Paella over orange wood, since 1922 · €€€Calle Isabel de Villena 155, 46011, ValenciaAdd to my trip
- Casa MontañaValencia · Bodega tapas, since 1836 · €€Calle José Benlliure 69, 46011, ValenciaAdd to my trip
- Central Bar by Ricard CamarenaValencia · Market counter tapas · €€Mercat Central, Plaça del Mercat s/n, 46001, ValenciaAdd to my trip
- La PepicaValencia · Paella, since 1898 · €€€Paseo de Neptuno 6, ValenciaAdd to my trip
- Flores Raras (ex El Poblet)Valencia · Fine dining, 2 Michelin stars (per source)Add to my trip
Towns
Andalusia
72 places in 7 towns
What to eat
- Salmorejo Thick cold soup of tomato, garlic, stale bread and olive oil.
- Gazpacho andaluz Cold soup with tomato, cucumber, green pepper and vinegar.
- Pescaíto frito Small fish and seafood quickly fried in hot olive oil, especially famous in Cádiz and Huelva.
- Rabo de toro Rich braised oxtail.
- Jamón ibérico de bellota Acorn-fed Iberian ham from the Pedroches Valley or the Huelva mountains.
- Puchero Winter stew of chickpeas, veal, pork, chicken and vegetables.
- Pipirrana Summer salad of tomato, cucumber, peppers and spring onion dressed with oil, vinegar and cumin.
- Migas Winter dish of stale bread cooked with lard or bacon, chorizo and garlic.
What to drink
- Sherry (Jerez) Fortified wine made only in the Cádiz area; styles are fino, manzanilla, manzanilla pasada, amontillado, palo cortado, oloroso and dulce.
- Pedro Ximénez A sweet sherry style.
- Montilla-Moriles Córdoba province region using Pedro Ximénez; dry whites for meals and sweet amber wines for dessert.
- Tinto de verano Red wine with lemon-lime soda, popular in hot summer months.
Where to start
- Aponiente 3 starsEl Puerto De Santa Maria · Michelin 3 starsFrancisco Cossi Ochoa, El Puerto de Santa María 11500 · +34 606 22 58 59Add to my trip
- Noor 3 starsCórdoba · Andalusí-inspired, 3 Michelin stars (per sources)Calle Pablo Ruiz Picasso 8, Córdoba · +34 957 96 40 55Add to my trip
- Cañabota Bib GourmandSeville · Seafood, open grillCalle Orfila 1, 41003, SevillaAdd to my trip
- Az-Zait Bib GourmandSeville · Modern AndalusianPlaza de San Lorenzo 1, 41002, SevillaAdd to my trip
- La Cuchara de San Lorenzo Bib GourmandCórdoba · Traditional-contemporary, Bib GourmandCalle Arroyo de San Lorenzo 2, CórdobaAdd to my trip
- Restaurante Regadera Bib GourmandCórdoba · Spanish fusionRonda de Isasa 10, CórdobaAdd to my trip
- Sobretablas Bib GourmandSeville · Modern SpanishCalle Colombia 7, 41013, SevillaAdd to my trip
- Terra Olea Bib GourmandCórdoba · Regional, Bib GourmandCalle Rigoberta Menchú 2, CórdobaAdd to my trip
Towns
Seville 23Cádiz 15Córdoba 14Granada 13Málaga 5Jerez 1El Puerto De Santa Maria 1
The three-star tables
- Casa Marcial Arriondas
- ABaC Barcelona
- Cocina Hermanos Torres Barcelona
- Disfrutar Barcelona
- Lasarte Barcelona
- Atrio Cáceres
- Noor Córdoba
- Quique Dacosta Dénia
- Akelaŕe Donostia / San Sebastián
- Arzak Donostia / San Sebastián
- Aponiente El Puerto de Santa María
- El Celler de Can Roca Girona
- Azurmendi Larrabetzu
- Martín Berasategui Lasarte-Oria
- DiverXO Madrid
- Cenador de Amós Villaverde de Pontones
How to book and eat well in Spain
- Lunch (comida) is the main meal, roughly 2:00 to 4:00 pm; dinner kitchens generally start around 8:30 pm at the earliest and Spaniards often eat between 9:00 and 11:00 pm.
- Most restaurant kitchens close between lunch and dinner (about 4:30 to 8:00 pm); bars may still serve drinks and cold tapas but not hot meals.
- Eating a little earlier avoids the rush: in Madrid, restaurants that open at 1:00 or 1:30 pm are quiet before the 2 pm crowd, and dinner at 8 to 9 pm is calmer. Tourist-oriented places serving lunch at noon are often overpriced.
- The afternoon shop shutdown (about 2 to 5 pm) is strictly observed in mid-sized cities, coastal towns and villages; Madrid and Barcelona are moving toward continuous hours. Sunday trading rules vary by region, and the source does not say whether they apply to restaurants.
- Closing days are not standardised. One Bilbao guide says Monday is the day most kitchens go dark and lists several Bilbao restaurants closed Sunday or Sunday night. That is a single local source, so check each restaurant's days before planning.
- Michelin-starred restaurants book far ahead. Disfrutar (Barcelona) is reported to take reservations up to 12 months ahead, with a waitlist on its own website, a card guarantee and a late-cancellation fee. This comes from a booking-service blog, so confirm with the restaurant.
- Smaller high-end rooms fill fast: one Bilbao guide advises booking about three weeks ahead for Atelier Etxanobe and booking weekend tables at its sister restaurant. At asadores, txuleta is the default order, ordered rare and shared. No source was found for general asador booking rules.
- Basque cider houses (sagardotegi) run a fixed menu with cider drunk straight from the barrel (txotx): cod omelette, charcoal-grilled steak, walnuts and Idiazabal cheese with quince jelly. The main season is January to late April; they reopen in summer and autumn for txotx and bottled cider. Contact each house for reservations.
- Menú del día is a fixed-price weekday lunch, often a good bargain, typically three courses, with water or wine commonly included.
- At pintxo bars, take pintxos from the counter, order drinks from the bartender, and pay at the end by telling the bartender what you had. Basque bars tend to close around 11 pm.
Etiquette
- Tipping is small and not mandatory: round up or leave small change; for pricier meals a euro or two, up to about 10% at fancy restaurants or for excellent service. No tip is needed for drinks only, coffee or a menú del día. Sources differ slightly; one says tips are not expected at all.
- A service charge is not added to the bill, and sales tax (IVA) is normally included in menu prices.
- Waiters will not bring the bill unprompted; bringing it unasked is considered rude. Ask for 'la cuenta, por favor'.
- Sobremesa is lingering at the table after the meal over coffee or drinks; asking for the bill during it can feel like rushing diners out.
- Tapas are small plates with a drink; free tapas with a drink are common in places like Granada but rare in Barcelona and Valencia. A common custom is one tapa and one small drink per bar, then moving on. Basque and Navarrese bar snacks are called pintxos.
- Pintxos are eaten standing at the bar, taken from the counter without ordering, and settled on the honor system at the end. Ask for hot pintxos to be heated if they have been sitting out.
- Dropping napkins on the floor is an old-school custom in some traditional bars, especially in the Basque Country, taken as a sign of a popular place. Do not assume it applies in new or trendy venues; some towns discourage it.
- Tourist-trap signals reported: restaurants aimed at foreigners pushing sangria and generic paella, tea in expensive tourist spots, and bread or appetizers that appear uninvited and are charged. Water is usually charged unless included in the menú del día.
Eating by season
- Spring. Calçots run November to April with a January peak, and calçotadas are mainly January to March; broad beans March to May, peas April to May, Costa Brava cherries in May (Catalan seasonal guide). Habas con jamón in Andalusia in spring. Navarre's white asparagus is a regional specialty (no month given in sources).
- Summer. Gazpacho and salmorejo suit hot weather, pipirrana is a summer salad, and tinto de verano is popular. In Catalonia, tomatoes run June to September, Penedès peaches and apricots June to August, and L'Escala anchovies peak in July. Bollos preñaos are eaten at Asturian outdoor festivities.
- Autumn. In Catalonia, wild mushrooms (setas) run September to November, game such as partridge, hare and wild boar October to December, and chestnuts in October (Catalan seasonal guide only).
- Winter. Stews dominate: fabada and pote asturiano, caparrones and lamb chops over vine shoots in La Rioja, puchero and migas in Andalusia, arròs amb fesols i naps in Valencia. Percebes are most prized in winter, with demand peaking around Christmas. Basque cider houses open January to late April. Turrón is a Christmas tradition, and in Catalonia escudella is eaten at Christmas and New Year.
- Lent and Holy Week. Fritos de pixín in Asturias, torrijas in Andalusia and La Rioja, and potaje de vigilia (spinach and cod stew) in Andalusia.
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Every place comes from a published source (Michelin Guide Spain, Repsol, regional guides and food writers). Many of the older tapas and bakery entries come from guides dating back to 2011, so check that a place is still open. Where a source gave no address, phone or booking method we leave it blank rather than guess, and we have not confirmed every place is still open. Hours and prices change, so confirm before you go. All city guides