Spanish Tapas: A Cultural Staple

I thought I knew what tapas were until I went to Spain.

Sure, you can go to any “tapas bar” in another country, especially the US, and you can order an overpriced bowl of olives and tiny portions of Americanized dishes like cauliflower skewers and anything bacon-wrapped, but it sure doesn’t beat the real thing. Like many countries, the US takes pride in their food and dining experiences, but we do so in a more performative way than others. We’re a melting pot of cultures, of course, but even with some of the incredible authentic Spanish food we have in the States, the dining experience is still somewhat lackluster, rushed, and tailored to the “in a hurry” American lifestyle.

There’s truly nothing quite like experiencing tapas culture (and food in general) firsthand in Spain. It’s rooted in history and tradition, and it’s the best way to dine if you’re visiting a lot of bars and restaurants in lots of different cities. I could talk forever about how much I love tapas, and about my foodie travels through Spain, but for now, I’m sharing my everlasting tapas appreciation in this blog post (until I return to Spain and can write even more).

Getting to really acclimate to a new country through food is as rewarding as it is enjoyable, so if you’re making your way through Spain, I fully suggest diving headfirst into the world of tapas–it’ll be the most delicious thing you ever do!

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Spanish Dining Culture

Coming from the US where our dining culture is so fast-paced, I’ve always been used to having early dinners (or frozen dinners), getting food to-go, taking lunch breaks in my car, or relying on super unhealthy fast-food. We sometimes go out to get just appetizers, but we eat them as our full meal, and then we go home immediately after being rushed out of restaurants by waitstaff who want to turn over their tables quicker. The US is a country of convenience, which is good in some areas, but when it comes to food culture, I’m deeply envious of countries like Spain that completely value dining over work and prioritize their meals over everything else. They do so because meal time is family time, and it’s a time to be cherished, savored, and experienced to the fullest point of leisure–they’re doing it right over there, trust me!

Spanish culture is fueled by appreciation. There’s no “hustle culture” or “grind mindset” there like there is in the States, so it’s commonplace in Spain to take time to slow down, appreciate what’s around you, and rest and enjoy life more than work. Pretty much every aspect of people’s daily routines also revolves around food in Spain (work schedules, rest schedules, family time, leisure time, etc.), so it was lovely to visit a country that prioritizes long, relaxing meals spent with family and friends rather than quick, early dinners and lunches on the go. The best part of this food culture, in my opinion, is the tapas. It’s the best example of dining solely for pleasure and treating food as something that’s fun and should be enjoyed!

What Are Tapas?

Tapas are small bites or small portions of larger dishes that are typically served with a drink. Traditionally in Spain, tapas were always served free with your drink, but now, tapas bars across the country are a mixed bag: some will serve you a free tapa with your drink, some will have tapas for reduced prices on their menu. A typical tapas selection includes foods like olives, patatas bravas, meatballs, tortilla española, and cured meat (usually Iberian ham). You’ll also see much more unique tapas like croquettes, tofu, curries, empanadas, and more. Typically, tapas will include meat since it’s such a huge part of Spanish culture, but if you look hard enough, you can find places that serve vegetarian options, too.

Another type of tapa (namely found in the Basque region up north) is pintxos. These are small bites served on slices of bread and held together with a toothpick. You typically pay only 1-2€ for pintxos, and the toothpicks are an easy way to keep track of how many you’ve eaten to make paying easier. You’ll see some pretty unique, delicious combinations of flavors on pintxos depending on where you dine, but most commonly you’ll see cured meats, cheeses, croquettes, seafood, and potatoes. These are particularly yummy if you’re looking for tapas that are a bit more filling than just cheese and meats–just pick and choose which ones you want and pay when you’re done!

Where to Find Tapas

If you want to find a truly remarkable display of tapas culture in Spain, go to Granada. They have probably the simplest and most rewarding system on the planet: buy a drink, get a free plate of food. Granada is one of the only cities in Spain that has really embraced the original tradition of serving free tapas with drinks, and it’s the most popular, well-known city in Spain for tapas by far. You can bar hop and fill up on drinks and tapas here for incredibly cheap; keep it local and order something like vermouth, and each glass will only set you back about 2-3 euros–drinks for 3€ each and free, delicious food with each one? You do the math. And they aren’t skimping on the tapas just because they’re free, either–some of the best dishes I’ve ever had have been tapas from Granada (I’m looking at you, Bar Poë)! You can really just feel the love and care that goes into the food in Spain in general, and tapas culture specifically is such a celebrated part of life there that you can actually taste it in the food.

You certainly don’t have to only go to Granada to find delicious tapas–just the majority of the free ones. I’ve had amazing tapas (both meat and veggie) all throughout Spain, from Madrid to Córdoba, to Pozoblanco to Bilbao! You can find all types of tapas bars all throughout the country, so if you’re looking for something specific, like vegetarian options, just look up some restaurants beforehand and you’re bound to find something delicious.

Tapas Culture

Tapas are typically enjoyed in between meals, and are meant to be enjoyed casually and at length–going out for tapas typically is an hours-long event filled with lots of drinks and lots of small bites before having your real meal. When I tell you meals are long in Spain, I meant they’re long. During my visit, my friend went to dinner with his coworkers and left after about 3 hours, only to find out the next day that everyone else stayed at dinner for another 4-5 hours, just because! Getting tapas doesn’t normally take up that much time, but you can easily spend a few hours just getting drinks with friends and the tapas will just keep coming. Sometimes you’ll get single servings, but most often you’ll get a plate of something like chicken or rice with multiple forks/spoons for the table to share, or a plate with multiple pintxos for everyone.

Tapas are not just what you’re eating, but how you’re eating as well. Something to note is that food and tapas culture in Spain is truly relaxed. Yes, the bars get crowded and hectic, but even through the bustle, no one is actually in a rush. Plus, once you get your food, you can just walk outside with your glasses and plates and sit across the street if there’s no space inside. You don’t have to wait to be seated at a tapas bar–you just go get what you want, enjoy it for as long as you want, and leave happy and fulfilled. I don’t know about you, but where I’m from, if I tried to take my full cocktail glass outside of a bar, I’d be accosted by the staff and probably banned. Tapas culture is very informal, and you pretty much get full freedom as to how you enjoy them–where you sit, what you get, how long you’re there, etc. Like I said, Spain–you’re doing it so right!