Spanish food is bold, comforting, and wonderfully shareable—perfect for learners because ordering and talking about food is one of the most realistic ways to use Spanish in daily life. By the end of this guide, you’ll know the most important dishes, ingredients, and restaurant phrases, plus regional specialties, dialogues, and a practical plan to sound confident at any table.
Welcome to your edible Spanish lesson. If you get hungry while reading… that just means the article is working.
Quick Primer
Three essentials to understand before diving into Spanish cuisine:
- Spain is culinary-diverse.
Food changes dramatically by region—Galicia, Andalucía, Cataluña, País Vasco, and more all have their own iconic dishes. - The word tapa /ˈta.pa/ refers to a small dish meant for sharing.
It’s not “Spanish appetizers”—it’s its own category. - Lunch is the main meal.
Dinner tends to be lighter and eaten later than in English-speaking countries.
Now you’re ready to feast.
Core Food Vocabulary (Vocabulario Esencial)
Spanish | IPA | English
la comida | /la koˈmi.ða/ | food, meal
el plato | /el ˈpla.to/ | dish
la tapa | /ˈta.pa/ | small plate
el postre | /el ˈpos.tɾe/ | dessert
el pescado | /el pesˈka.ðo/ | fish
la carne | /la ˈkaɾ.ne/ | meat
las verduras | /las βeɾˈðu.ɾas/ | vegetables
la entrada | /la enˈtɾa.ða/ | starter
el principal | /pɾin.siˈpal/ | main dish
Example:
La comida española es variada y deliciosa.
/la koˈmi.ða es.paˈɲo.la es βaˈɾja.ða i ðe.liˈθjo.sa, ðe.liˈsjo.sa/
Spanish food is varied and delicious.
Iconic Spanish Dishes (Platos Icónicos)
Spanish | IPA | English
la paella | /paˈe.ʝa/ | paella
la tortilla española | /toɾˈti.ʝa es.paˈɲo.la/ | Spanish omelet
el gazpacho | /ɡaθˈpa.tʃo, ɡasˈpa.tʃo/ | cold tomato soup
el salmorejo | /sal.moˈɾe.xo/ | thick cold tomato purée
la fabada | /faˈβa.ða/ | bean stew from Asturias
el cocido | /koˈθi.ðo, koˈsi.ðo/ | Madrid chickpea stew
la croqueta | /kɾoˈke.ta/ | croquette
el pulpo a la gallega | /ˈpul.po a la ɣaˈʝe.ɣa/ | Galician octopus
la caldereta | /kal.deˈɾe.ta/ | fish/meat stew (various regions)
la fideuá | /fi.ðeˈwa/ | noodle-based paella
Example:
La tortilla española lleva huevo, patata y cebolla.
/la toɾˈti.ʝa es.paˈɲo.la ˈʝe.βa ˈwe.βo paˈta.ta i θeˈβo.ʝa/
Spanish omelet has egg, potato, and onion.
Tapas & Small Plates (Tapas)
Spanish | IPA | English
las patatas bravas | /paˈta.tas ˈbɾa.βas/ | fried potatoes w/ spicy sauce
las aceitunas | /a.θeiˈtu.nas, a.seiˈtu.nas/ | olives
la ensaladilla rusa | /en.sa.laˈði.ʝa ˈru.sa/ | potato–veg salad
los calamares | /kalaˈmaɾes/ | calamari
las gambas al ajillo | /ˈɡam.bas al aˈxi.ʝo/ | garlic shrimp
la chistorra | /tʃisˈto.ra/ | thin sausage
el pan con tomate | /pan kon toˈma.te/ | toasted bread w/ tomato
Example:
Quiero probar unas tapas típicas.
/ˈkje.ɾo pɾoˈβaɾ ˈu.nas ˈta.pas ˈti.pikas/
I want to try some typical tapas.
Seafood Essentials (Mariscos)
Spain loves seafood—coasts everywhere, traditions everywhere.
Spanish | IPA | English
los gambones | /ɡamˈbo.nes/ | large prawns
las almejas | /alˈme.xas/ | clams
los mejillones | /me.xiˈʝo.nes/ | mussels
la merluza | /meɾˈlu.θa, meɾˈlu.sa/ | hake
el bacalao | /ba.kaˈla.o/ | cod
el atún | /aˈtun/ | tuna
Example:
El pulpo a la gallega es muy famoso.
/el ˈpul.po a la ɣaˈʝe.ɣa es muj faˈmo.so/
Galician-style octopus is very famous.
Sweet Things (Postres Españoles)
Spanish | IPA | English
el flan | /flan/ | caramel custard
la crema catalana | /ˈkɾe.ma kataˈlana/ | Catalan crème brûlée
las torrijas | /toˈri.xas/ | Spanish-style French toast
el churro | /ˈtʃu.ro/ | churro
las natillas | /naˈti.ʝas/ | vanilla custard
la tarta de Santiago | /ˈtaɾ.ta ðe sanˈtja.ɣo/ | almond cake
Example:
¿Tienen flan casero?
/ˈtje.nen flan kaˈse.ɾo/
Do you have homemade flan?
Basic Restaurant Verbs (Very Useful)
Spanish | IPA | English
pedir | /peˈðir/ | to order
probar | /pɾoˈβaɾ/ | to try/taste
compartir | /kom.paɾˈtiɾ/ | to share
recomendar | /re.ko.menˈdaɾ/ | to recommend
llevar | /ʝeˈβaɾ/ | to contain/include
Examples:
Vamos a compartir este plato.
/ˈba.mos a kom.paɾˈtiɾ es.te ˈpla.to/
Let’s share this dish.
¿Qué me recomienda?
/ke me re.ko.menˈda/
What do you recommend?
Ingredients You’ll See Everywhere
Spanish | IPA | English
el aceite de oliva | /aˈθei.te, aˈsei.te ðe oˈli.βa/ | olive oil
el ajo | /ˈa.xo/ | garlic
la cebolla | /θeˈβo.ʝa, seˈβo.ʝa/ | onion
el pimentón | /pi.menˈton/ | paprika
el jamón | /xaˈmon/ | ham
el chorizo | /tʃoˈɾi.θo, tʃoˈɾi.so/ | chorizo
el arroz | /aˈroθ, aˈros/ | rice
las legumbres | /leˈɣum.bɾes/ | legumes
Example:
Este plato lleva mucho ajo.
/ˈes.te ˈpla.to ˈʝe.βa ˈmu.tʃo ˈa.xo/
This dish has a lot of garlic.
Region Notes
Andalucía
Known for gazpacho, salmorejo, fried fish (pescaíto frito), and sherry.
Cataluña
Famous for pa amb tomàquet, crema catalana, fresh seafood, and stews.
País Vasco
One of Europe’s great food regions: pintxos, cod dishes, and Michelin-star magic.
Galicia
Seafood paradise: octopus, mussels, clams, and hearty stews.
Madrid
Home of cocido madrileño, bocadillo de calamares, and lots of tapas bars.
Mini Dialogues
Dialogue 1: Ordering Tapas
¿Podemos pedir unas tapas?
/poˈðe.mos peˈðiɾ ˈu.nas ˈta.pas/
Can we order some tapas?
Claro. ¿Qué quieren probar?
/ˈkla.ɾo ke ˈkje.ɾen pɾoˈβaɾ/
Of course. What would you like to try?
Dialogue 2: Asking for Recommendations
¿Qué plato es típico de aquí?
/ke ˈpla.to es ˈti.pi.ko ðe aˈki/
What dish is typical here?
El salmorejo es muy popular.
/el sal.moˈɾe.xo es muj po.puˈlaɾ/
Salmorejo is very popular.
Dialogue 3: Dietary Concern
¿Este plato lleva gluten?
/ˈes.te ˈpla.to ˈʝe.βa ˈɡlu.ten/
Does this dish contain gluten?
No, es completamente libre de gluten.
/no es kom.ple.taˈmen.te ˈli.βɾe ðe ˈɡlu.ten/
No, it’s completely gluten-free.
Quick Reference (Screenshot-Friendly)
Spanish | IPA | English
la paella | /paˈe.ʝa/ | paella
la tortilla española | /toɾˈti.ʝa es.paˈɲo.la/ | Spanish omelet
el gazpacho | /ɡaθˈpa.tʃo, ɡasˈpa.tʃo/ | cold soup
las patatas bravas | /paˈta.tas ˈbɾa.βas/ | spicy potatoes
las gambas al ajillo | /ˈɡam.bas al aˈxi.ʝo/ | garlic shrimp
el jamón | /xaˈmon/ | ham
el flan | /flan/ | flan
pedir | /peˈðir/ | to order
probar | /pɾoˈβaɾ/ | to try
compartir | /kom.paɾˈtiɾ/ | to share
Five-Minute Practice Plan
- Say 10 dish names aloud with IPA to practice stress.
- Write a pretend restaurant order with 3 tapas and 1 main dish.
- Describe your favorite food using lleva + ingredients.
- Shadow Dialogue 1 twice for natural rhythm.
- Translate five foods from your daily life into Spanish.
- Record yourself recommending a dish to a friend.
Yak-Style Closing Spark
Spanish food is built around community, conversation, and comfort. Once you know these dishes and phrases, you’re not just learning vocabulary—you’re joining an entire culture at the table. Keep practicing, keep tasting, and soon you’ll be ordering with the confidence of someone who absolutely knows the difference between gazpacho and salmorejo.