Signature dishes
Paella is saffron rice cooked with seafood, chicken, or rabbit in a wide pan. Tapas are small shared plates like patatas bravas, jamon iberico, and croquettes. Gazpacho is a cold tomato and pepper soup served in summer. Tortilla espanola is a thick potato and onion omelet. Churros are fried dough sticks dusted with sugar and dipped in thick chocolate. Regional hams, cheeses, and olives round out the table.
Where to eat it
Tapas bars crowd city streets with standing counters and shared small plates. Mercados, or covered markets, sell fresh seafood, jamon, and cooked meals at stalls. Sidrerias pour cider and serve hearty Asturian dishes. Beach chiringuitos grill fish over coals. Neighborhood tascas offer daily menus with soup, meat, and dessert. Bakeries sell empanadas and sweet ensaimadas, while churrerias fry churros fresh each morning.
Drinks & pairings
Rioja and Ribera del Duero produce oak-aged red wines for roasted meats. Cava is Spanish sparkling wine from Catalonia, good with tapas. Sherry from Jerez ranges from dry fino to sweet Pedro Ximenez. Northern cider is poured from height in Asturias. Vermouth on ice is a pre-lunch ritual. Sangria mixes wine with fruit, while horchata is a cold Valencian tiger-nut drink.
Etiquette & tips
Tipping is small; round up the bill modestly. Meals run very late, with dinner after nine. Say buenos dias on entering. Tapas are shared, so order several plates for the group. Bread is common but not always free. Keep both wrists on the table edge. Locals eat lunch around two and dine socially late into the night.
