Eating Out

Key vocabulary: restaurant (restaurante), cafe (café), food (comida), drink (bebida), waiter/waitress (camarero/camarera), bill (cuenta), and tip (propina).
Key phrases: “What do you recommend?” (¿Qué me recomienda?), “Can I have the bill, please?” (¿Me puede traer la cuenta, por favour?), “This food is delicious” (Esta comida está deliciosa)
It’s important to know that in Spain, it is common for meals to be eaten later than in the UK. Lunch, “la comida,” typically occurs between 2-4pm and dinner, “la cena,” often isn’t until 9-11pm.
Spanish cuisine varies by region. Seafood and rice dishes like paella are popular in the coastal regions, while central and northern Spain feature more meat-based dishes.
Tapas are small plates of food that are often shared amongst a group. This can be a great way to taste a variety of Spanish dishes.
Tipping is not as obligatory in Spain as in some other countries, but it is appreciated. A few euros or 10% of the total bill is typically seen as a generous tip.
Table manners: It’s considered rude to leave the table during a meal, so ensure to visit the bathroom before sitting down to eat. Bread is traditionally used to push food onto your fork, not a knife.
Spanish people tend to spend a long time over meals, enjoying the food and company. It’s not uncommon for a lunch or dinner to last 2-3 hours.
When ordering, remember that in Spanish, the adjective (describing word) generally follows the noun. For example, “red wine” would be “vino tinto” and not “tinto vino”. Likewise, “a glass of water” would be “un vaso de agua”.
Review verbs related with eating and drinking (comer, beber), ordering (pedir), liking (gustar) and quantities (mucho, poco, más, menos).