Mongetes amb botifarra
Many Catalans consider this pairing of white beans and fat, fresh sausages their national dish. It is pure country fare that has been widely embraced in Barcelona as well. Note the order in the dish's name: It's the tender beans here that are key. Be sure to generously dollop with allioli.
Torró in Catalan is a thick tablet made of nougat and almonds. It is undoubtedly the most important holiday sweets in Barcelona and also throughout Spain. There are a handful of different varieties for every type of sweet tooth.
Flan. Spanish flan is a caramel pudding made from a simple mixture of milk, sugar and eggs. You'll see it served in almost every bar and restaurant in Madrid and beyond, making it the king of all desserts from Spain.
Typical Spanish breakfast includes coffee (cafe con leche or cafe cortado) with some pastries (churros and croissants are the most popular), cookies (Maria galletas), cakes (most typically bizocho), toasted bread (various tostadas), sandwiches (bocadillos), or potato omelet (Tortilla Espanola).
Lunch (La Comida) The midday meal or la comida, as it is called in Spain, is the largest meal of the day. It is definitely a big meal and typically includes multiple courses and wine. Since Spanish lunches are always large, and courses come one at a time, it is important to pace yourself.
Traditional Spanish dinner
A typical Spanish dinner will have a main dish, such as a seafood dish, vegetarian dish, or roasted meat. This is either stuffed in a sandwich or served with a portion of rice. Common sides include a green salad, omelette, fried potatoes, grilled vegetables, cold cuts, or cheese.
Paella. Widely acclaimed as the most popular Spanish dish, paella is a one-pot specialty that is based on saffron-flavored rice, while the additional ingredients may include meat, seafood, or vegetables.
A plate of tapas typically cost about $3. To save money, avoid seafood, which can cost up to $14. Most bars push larger portions called raciones (dinner plate-sized) rather than smaller tapas (saucer-sized).
Cava. Also known as Spanish wine, Cava is often the drink of choice for locals in Barcelona. You'll find all kinds of establishments selling Cava, and you can even get it relatively cheap. But don't worry, it's still often a very high-quality beverage.
A bomba, meaning “bomb” in English, might seem a bit like a croqueta, but there are a few differences. Bombas are always breaded, fried balls of mashed potatoes. They're stuffed with pork or beef in the center. Then, they're topped with a super-spicy sauce and an alioli (the Spanish name for aioli)!
Tips aren't expected in Barcelona, but they are always appreciated. Credit cards – tipping is possible with a card, just be sure you ask them to add it to the total as they run your card. There's no space on the credit card receipt when it comes time to sign.
Dinner. Dinner is a lighter meal than lunch and typically is eaten between 9 and 10 pm during the week, although if you go out to dinner on the weekend you might not eat until 11 or 12!
Dinner: 9–11 p.m.
Cena, or dinner, is usually much lighter than it would be in many other countries. If eaten at home, a Spanish dinner often consists of a salad; a plate of cured ham, sausages or aged cheese; or even just a yogurt and a piece of fruit. Restaurant and bar dinners are another story.
In reality, though, there's a very logical reason behind Spaniards' late-night eating habits: the country is actually in the wrong time zone, a phenomenon that dates back to World War II. Given Spain's longitude, the country should be on Greenwich Mean Time (GMT), along with Portugal, the UK, and Morocco.
With a refreshing blend of fruits and spices, sangria is known to be the signature Spanish beverage.
Following a very light El Desayuno (breakfast) and Almuerzo (mid-morning snack), La Comida (lunch) is a large meal with multiple courses eaten in the afternoon or midday (2:00–4:00 p.m.). In Spain, lunch is generally referred to as La Comida, but in some regions, it is called Almuerzo.
Spaniards have a love affair with baked goods and all things sweet, made evident by the bakeries that can be found on just about every street corner. Whether it's for breakfast, coffee hour, or anytime in between, eating pastries in Spain is a simple, daily delight.
A churro (Spanish pronunciation: [ˈtʃuro], Portuguese pronunciation: [ˈʃuʁu]) is a type of fried dough from Spanish and Portuguese cuisine, made with choux pastry dough piped into hot oil with a piping bag and large closed star tip or similar shape.