Spanish Restaurants: A Guide To Spain’s Dining Establishments

_{Travel and Chatter contains affiliate links and is a member of the Amazon Services LLC Associates Program. If you make a purchase using one of these Amazon links, I may receive compensation at no extra cost to you. Read my disclaimer for more information.}

Exploring Spanish restaurants is like embarking on a thrilling journey through the heart of Spain’s culinary soul. For me, dining in Spain goes beyond just enjoying mouth-watering dishes. It’s a cherished part of the culture that celebrates connections, life’s joys, and the simple pleasure of eating together.

The essence of Spanish cuisine lies in its commitment to fresh, quality ingredients, creating a symphony of flavors across various dishes. This leads to comforting stews and succulent meats to fresh seafood and vibrant salads. The landscape of Spanish eateries is wonderfully diverse. I’ve found joy in the communal spirit of tapas bars, sharing small, flavorful plates with friends. Tascas, or taverns, offer a glimpse into local culinary traditions, while upscale restaurants present regional favorites with a modern flair. For a casual bite, cafeterías are perfect, and when in the mood for something specific, asadores (grilled meat restaurants) with their roasted meats and marisquerías focusing on seafood capture the essence of Spain’s rich coastal offerings. Each restaurant type opens up a new chapter of Spain’s gastronomic story, inviting both locals and visitors like me to savor and appreciate the depth of Spanish culinary artistry.

Join us on our trips through Spain, including winter in Madrid and enjoy all the eating establishments with us.

Our discovery revealed the rich diversity of Spanish restaurants, defined by their cuisine, operating hours, and the pervasive influence of tapas culture. Join us in exploring these unique dining experiences.

Types of Eating Establishments in Spain

Spain boasts a variety of eating establishments each offering a unique dining experience that caters to the varied culinary traditions and preferences found across the country. Here’s an overview of the types of establishments you can encounterbars, tapas bars, cafeterias, mesones, tabernas, restaurants, and bodegas, each distinct in its offerings. I might have missed a few, but below a list of the main ones.

Restaurant in Spain

A “restaurante” is where guests sit or stand to enjoy meals cooked and served on the premises, but not all eateries classify as restaurants. Full-service restaurants offer a wide range of Spanish and international cuisines. The style and menu can vary greatly from region to region, showcasing local ingredients and traditional dishes.

Michelin Star Restaurants

Michelin Star Restaurants showcase some of Spain’s finest cuisine, often revolutionizing trusted traditional dishes. These establishments excel in transforming ingredients, presenting them in new, modern ways. This that will astonish and challenge your perceptions of familiar dishes. Take, for example, a revamped dish made with beetroot from Gaberrals in Zaragoza, a Michelin-mentioned restaurant where we experienced our most memorable meal ever.

Marisquerías

Seafood restaurants that highlight Spain’s extensive coastline and seafood diversity. Galicia, for example, is famous for its marisquerías, offering fresh seafood dishes like octopus (pulpo a la gallega) and scallops (vieiras).

Paellaria

Spain celebrates paella as its national dish, enjoyed nationwide. A paellaria specializes in serving various types of paellas. Traditionally, people eat paella for lunch; restaurants serving it for dinner often target tourists. Chefs use the famous bomba rice for paella, which absorbs the flavorful broth during cooking.

The origin of paella dates back to the rice fields just outside of Valencia. Workers would prepare the dish in the field since it was impossible to go home for lunch. Tools used were only a flat-bottomed pan and a spoon. Ingredients included bomba rice and snails from the field, beans, and either rabbit or chicken that they could slaughter in the field. This is how Valencia gave birth to Paella Valenciana, still a beloved dish in the region. However, other towns adapt the ingredients to match their local produce. For instance, seafood paellas are famous in cities with a lot of seafood. If you are in Valencia, take a day trip to the birthplace of paella and Albufera Natural Park where the rice is grown.

Bars in Spain

Bars in Spain welcome all ages, often buzzing with activities like dominos or cards. These institutions, where people convene for dinner or relaxation, serve food, creating an authentic dining experience. The “old-man bars” are particularly intriguing, hidden gems in backstreets, offering an authentic slice of local life. You can find elderly men playing dominos or cards while children run around. Bars are an institution where people meet from breakfast to dinner and to unwind.

Bars serve food, so if you want to eat like the locals, find one of these bars. Some bars only have high tables where people stand and eat, similar to an English pub.

The bars that I prefer are the ones called “old-man bars.” As the name suggests, these are the places where local men gather to talk, eat, and drink. For a truly authentic Spanish experience, I highly recommend visiting these bars. They are mainly located in the backstreets, away from the main tourist attractions.

Tapas Bars / Bares de Tapas: an Alternative to Restaurants in Spain

Locals usually avoid tapas bars named as such, viewing them as tourist traps. Keep this in mind while selecting the place you want to enjoy tapas. These are perhaps the most iconic options for early evening snacks in Spain. They offer small dishes or snacks called “tapas.” They range from simple olives or chips to elaborate preparations of seafood, meats, and vegetables. Tapas culture is especially prominent in Andalusia, where it’s common to hop from bar to bar, enjoying different tapas at each. Zaragoza is filled with back streets filled with these little bars selling wine, beer and tapas. In most tapas bars you stand up next to the bar, order your drink and small bite. Actually in some cases the bite is not small at all.

Cafeterias

These casual spots serve coffee, pastries, sandwiches, and sometimes more substantial daily meals. They’re a staple across Spain, providing a relaxed meal or quick break environment. Cafeterias remain open all day and offer various meals, including breakfast, tapas, lunch, and dinner. Some cafeterias are particularly busy during unconventional hours. They stay open from midnight to 5 am. These restaurants provide eating opportunities to people who drop in while heading home after a night out.

Mesones

Mesones offer a cozy, rustic dining experience, often featuring a chalkboard menu of Spanish specialties.

Tascas and Tabernas

Similar to taverns, tabernas in Spain lean towards a rustic tapas bar ambiance. In Spain, the word tavernas is sometimes pronounced taverna. The interchange of the b and the v is common with some Spanish words. Traditional taverns often serve local wines and regional dishes. They are more informal and can be found in most regions, offering a glimpse into local culinary traditions.

Restaurants with seating areas and limited servers offer a more traditional dining experience. Patience and kindness go a long way here, as the service style may differ from what’s common in the USA.

TIP: 👀 Servers in Spain earn a fair wage and benefits, so tipping, though not obligatory, is a gesture for exceptional service.

Bodegas

Bodegas, or wine shops, are ideal for wine enthusiasts, offering a selection of local wines and tapas. We loved La Fisna Wine Bar in Madrid, and highly recommend visiting it. This is the perfect place to visit if you enjoy wine and great tapas to go along with it. Bodegas usually offer the best local wines of the region. Travel allows you to expand your wine pallette, so avoid seeking out your favorite Californian wine and instead try something local like Airen, Macabeo, Parellada or a Muscat.

Bodegas can range from wine bars to more rustic winery taverns, offering a selection of local wines and often small plates or tapas. They are prevalent in wine-producing regions like La Rioja and Catalonia.

Asadores

Specializing in roasted meats, such as lamb or suckling pig. These establishments are particularly popular in regions like Castile and León, where roasting meat is a traditional cooking method.

Sidrerías

Found in the northern regions like Asturias, these establishments specialize in cider (sidra) and often serve it alongside traditional dishes like fabada asturiana, a hearty bean stew.

Vermuteria

A vermuteria specializes in serving vermouts. In Spain and specifically Madrid vermouth is available on tap. Most vermuteria’s also serve small meals with the vermouth.

Spanish Restaurants’ Unique Features

Diverse Cuisine and Regional Tapas

Spanish restaurants present a spectrum of traditional and international cuisines. Each region’s culinary traditions shine through in their menu offerings.

Tapas are small shared dishes that vary across Spain, reflecting each region’s culinary landscape and local ingredients. From Andalusian “gazpacho” to Basque “pintxos” and Catalan “pan con tomate,” these tapas offer a glimpse into Spain’s diverse gastronomy.

Meal Times

Spanish mealtimes, typically later than in other countries, reflect a unique culinary culture. With five distinct mealtimes, including a light desayuno (breakfast), almuerzo (mid-morning snack) and a social comida (lunch), merienda (afternoon snack) and finally cena (dinner). Spain invites diners to embrace its culinary rhythms. Learn more about the Spanish Meal times on this blog.

Siesta Influence

Aligning with the siesta tradition, Spanish restaurants often close in the afternoon, reopening for evening service.

Language and Service

Embracing Spanish phrases enhances the dining experience, offering a chance to engage with Spain’s rich culinary culture actively.

Cuisine Variety

In Spain each region boasts its own unique culinary traditions that are often reflected in the menu offerings. 

Tapas, the iconic small dishes of Spain, vary significantly across different regions of the country, reflecting the diverse culinary landscapes and local ingredients. These small dishes or snacks that are often shared among friends in a casual setting. Many restaurants and bars offer a variety of tapas, making them a popular choice for a social eating experience. Here’s a look at how tapas vary in some key Spanish regions:

Regional Differences in Tapas in Spain

Tapas in Andalusia

This region in the south of Spain is often regarded as the origin of tapas. It is said that people used to place a small sandwich on top of their drinks to prevent flies from getting in, and this is believed to be the beginning of tapas. Today, I can tell you that tapas are not a dry piece of bread but a delectibale small bite. Classic Andalusian tapas include “gazpacho” (a cold tomato soup), “jamón ibérico” (Iberian ham), and “pescaíto frito” (fried fish). Seville, a major city in Andalusia, is famous for its vibrant tapas scene.

Tapas in the Basque Country (Pais Vasco)

Here, tapas are known as “pintxos” and are often more elaborate. They usually consist of small slices of bread topped with a variety of ingredients like seafood, peppers, or cured meats, often held together with a toothpick. San Sebastián is renowned for its innovative and gourmet pintxos.

Tapas in Catalonia

In this northeastern region, tapas often feature seafood and Catalan specialties. Examples include “pan con tomate” (bread rubbed with tomato and olive oil), assorted “embutidos” (cured meats), and “escalivada” (roasted vegetables). We have had the pan con tomate so many times, and it is amazing that those 3 simple ingredients can make such a difference.

Tapas in Madrid

The capital city is well known for its wide range of tapas, reflecting its status as a melting pot of regional cuisines. Popular choices include “patatas bravas” (spicy potatoes), “calamares a la romana” (fried squid rings), and “tortilla española” (Spanish omelette). We had Spanish omelettes so many time, that it also became one of the popular dishes that we make at home.

Tapas in Galicia

Is a region that is in the Northwest of Spain, and one of our favorite places to visit as the Camino de Santiago ends here. Known for its seafood, Galician tapas might include “pulpo a la gallega” (Galician-style octopus), “empanadas” (savory pies), and “pimientos de padrón” (small green peppers, some of which are spicy). While walking the Camino we stopped in Redondella, and ordered a glass of wine. They served with the glass of wine a full plate of pork ribs at Casa Chano https://www.facebook.com/casachanoderedondela/. It was delicious and a great way to end a 25km walk. 

Tapas in Valencia

Here, tapas often feature rice and local produce. You might find “esgarraet” (a dish made with red peppers and cod) and various preparations of local vegetables and seafood. We stayed in a small fisherman village called El Cabanyal and had the most wonderful and affordable tapas here. We are returning for another 4 weeks in Valencia early ’24, and this will be top of the list of things to eat.

Each region in Spain has its own unique tapas traditions, influenced by local ingredients, historical influences, and cultural practices. This variety makes exploring the tapas culture in Spain a rich and diverse culinary experience.

Wrapping Up Restaurants in Spain

As I reflect on my culinary journey through Spain, navigating from the lively tapas bars to the elegant marisquerías, I’m reminded of the depth and warmth of Spanish dining culture. Each meal, whether it was in a cozy tasca, a sophisticated restaurante, or a casual cafetería, felt like an embrace from Spain itself, offering a taste of its rich traditions and diverse flavors. So, to those who wander into Spain with a hunger for more than just food, let your curiosity lead you. There’s a world of culinary treasures waiting to be discovered, where every dish tells a story of community, heritage, and the simple joys of life. As you embark on this flavorful adventure, remember: in Spain, dining is not just about what’s on the plate; it’s about the moments and memories created around the table. Buen provecho, and may your journey be as enriching as it is delicious.