How to read a Spanish menu.

In Spain the same dish can come in three sizes, and the best deal of the day is often not on the printed menu at all. Here is how Spanish menus work and the dishes worth knowing.

Portion sizes

Tapa: a small plate or bite, sometimes served free with a drink, famously in Granada and other parts of Andalusia.
Media ración: a half portion, good for trying more dishes.
Ración: a full sharing plate. Two or three raciones feed two people.

The menú del día

On weekdays at lunch, many restaurants offer a menú del día: a fixed price for a primero (first course), a segundo (main), postre (dessert) or coffee, plus bread and a drink. It is often chalked on a board outside rather than printed, which makes it a good candidate for a photo. Lunch in Spain runs late, from about 1:30 to 4 pm, and dinner rarely starts before 9.

Dishes you will meet

Patatas bravas pah-TAH-tahs BRAH-vahsFried potato chunks with a spicy tomato or paprika sauce, often with alioli.
Tortilla española tor-TEE-yah es-pahn-YOH-lahThick potato and egg omelette, served by the slice. Not a wrap.
Pulpo a la gallega POOL-poh ah lah gah-YEH-gahGalician-style octopus: boiled, sliced and dressed with olive oil, salt and paprika.
Jamón ibérico hah-MOHN ee-BEH-ree-kohCured ham from Iberian pigs, sliced thin. De bellota means acorn-fed, the top grade.
Croquetas kroh-KEH-tahsFried croquettes with a creamy béchamel filling, often ham or salt cod.
Pimientos de Padrón pee-MYEN-tohs deh pah-DROHNSmall fried green peppers with sea salt. Most are mild, the occasional one is hot.
Gazpacho gath-PAH-chohCold tomato, pepper and cucumber soup from Andalusia.
Paella pah-EH-yahValencian rice dish cooked in a wide pan. Often a lunch dish, and frequently for a minimum of two people.
Churros con chocolate CHOO-rohs kohn choh-koh-LAH-tehFried dough sticks dipped in thick hot chocolate.

Spain is not Latin America

The same word can mean different things on either side of the Atlantic. A tortilla is an omelette in Spain and a flatbread in Mexico; tapa barely exists outside Spain. MenuSnapp translates by meaning, so a Spanish tortilla comes back as a potato omelette, not a flatbread.

Useful phrases

La cuenta, por favor (lah KWEN-tah por fah-BOR): the bill, please.
Soy alérgico / alérgica a…: I'm allergic to…