Passionate about food – Travel to Spain!

It is said that the best way to explore a new place is always through its food. If you’re looking to travel to Spain, lucky for you, you’ve stumbled upon just the right place to answer all your queries about Spain and its food culture. When it comes to Spain, the food culture there is vast and can be a little daunting if it is your first time. Let us walk you through it so we can turn your experience into a delightful one!

If You’re A Passionate Foodie, Check Out The Food Culture In Spain!

There is no bigger heaven for a foodie than Spain. It is a world beyond just paellas and tapas.

A typical Spaniard starts their food journey of the day considerably late. Breakfast is not given much importance in Spanish culture as they mostly try to save an appetite for the big lunch that waits ahead. Thus, something light like a croissant with a beverage like coffee or juice would generally suffice for breakfast. It’s then lunch that follows, which holds the most importance. Typically served as a multiple-course meal, lunch is an integral part of the food culture in Spain.

A la Comida (Spanish for a midday meal) quintessentially starts with a basic soup or a salad followed by meat, in any form, seafood, lamb or chicken, or even stew. Since Spaniards love their daily dose of dairy, a nice dessert at the end is a must. It could be flan, ice cream, or even a light pastry. Lunch is summed up with a glass of Spanish wine or an espresso.

What Are The Best Destinations In Spain For Foodies?

The first time for anyone in a new country can be overwhelming. To be thrown at with huge barriers like language, food, new people, and different rules can easily cause a traveler to go into a state of cultural shock. Understanding food in a new country as a traveler can either be a hit or a miss. Therefore, it is always smart to research before your visit.

As far as Spain is concerned, luckily the food there is a hit. Be it that of the major cities like Madrid or small lesser-known ones like Santiago de Compostela. Let’s take a closer look at what some of the major destinations in Spain are better known for in terms of food.

Madrid

Being one of the major cities of Spain, Madrid oozes history and heritage. It’s filled with age-old restaurants that run in families, hence having the most authentic take on the local dishes. In Madrid, you must start by ticking the incredible experience of eating churros off your bucket list. Eating meat there can be an experience. So try out the roast lamb, chicken, and incredible seafood. The traditional stew, typically including meat, vegetables, chickpeas, and chorizo sausage, is a unique take on the dish that shouldn’t be missed.

Barcelona

Barcelona is known to have world-class cuisine. The one dish you wouldn’t want to miss there would have to be Escalivada. It’s a roasted eggplant and bell pepper dish paired with olive oil and often combined with tomato, minced garlic, onion, and salt flavors. Believe us when we say it tastes just as scrumptious as it sounds!

Bilbao

Bilbao is known to have some of the best restaurants in the world. It’s famous for the great pintxos (small plates), traditional Basque cuisine, and excellent seafood, including Bacalao (salted cod), Txangurro (stuffed crab), and even Angulas (baby eels), to name a few.

Valencia

The birthplace of Paellas, Valencia has a great variety to offer when it comes to this quintessential Spanish food.

Granada

Being a city where tapas come free with your drink, Granada can be heaven for a foodie. If you’re ever in this part of Spain, you wouldn’t want to miss Plato Alpujarreño. It mixes fried eggs, morcilla blood sausages, chorizo, pork loin, sweet peppers, Serrano ham, potatoes, and Migas.

What Is the Most Famous Food Market in Spain?

Mercado San Miguel is one of the most famous markets in Spain. Located at the heart of Madrid, it’s a big touristy spot, and rightfully so, considering the wide variety of Spanish food it offers. If you’re looking to get the most out of this market, the best time to visit it is at midday on a weekend when it’s buzzing with energetic foodies like yourself. It’s a great way to get a peek at how versatile the county’s cuisine can be, all under one roof.

What Are The Most Famous Restaurants In Spain?

Spain is home to quite a few critically acclaimed and Michelin-star restaurants that are an experience on their own.

Arzak

A gorgeous Michelin 3-star restaurant in San Sebastian, Arzak is one of the best restaurants that offer a fine dining experience featuring New Basque Cuisine. It includes a restaurant along with a test kitchen. The test kitchen is where all the experimental magic happens, and they come up with new dishes every year.

Mugaritz

Mugaritz is another restaurant in San Sebastian that has been awarded 2 Michelin stars. It’s an innovative space and is regarded as one of the best restaurants for being creative in gastronomy.

Lasarte

Lasarte is a more contemporary restaurant in Barcelona with 3 Michelin stars. This restaurant is the epitome of elegance and luxury, drawing an upscale crowd of die-hard food lovers from Barcelona and across the globe.

Find Your Passion for Food in Spain!

With being so rich in culture, etiquette, and unspoken rules, eating in Spain is like a fast-flowing river. When you jump in, you feel like you’re going to drown, but once you know the rules, you just flow with it. It can be exhilarating if you give it a shot.

Discover and learn more about international food destinations in our blog!