Spanish Eating Customs

El desayuno - Breakfast

- Before 10am.
- Forget the huge bacon and eggs breakfast! Breakfast in Spain, if eaten at all, is often a single cup of coffee by itself or perhaps accompanied by a little something to nibble on as well. Toast, croissants, or "pan tomaca," a piece of toast with an oil and tomato spread, are popular picks for this Spanish "meal."cup of coffee

Café - Coffee
-Between 10:30am and noon.
-Spain is, without a doubt, a coffee culture. Combine this with the contagiously social nature of Spaniards and you've got a country where coffee breaks are an integrated part of the workday. After a couple hours of work, it's quite common for coworkers to hit up the nearest café for a few minutes of caffeinated downtime. Don't know what to order? Here's a quick run down...
-Café solo- A simple shot of expresso.
-Café cortado- A shot of expresso with just a splash of milk.
-Café con leche- A shot of expresso and an equal amount of milk.
-Café americano- A shot of expresso and lots of water. Nice and watered down for Americans who find Spanish coffee to be too strong!

La comida - Lunch
paella -Between 2pm and 4pm.
-Undoubtedly the main Spanish meal of the day.
-Yes, the infamous siesta time does exist! Stores close down and many people go home to eat the mid-day meal with their families.
-Many restaurants offer their "menús" during the comida. From a set menu, you can choose one appetizer and one main course. These menú deals, which will normally cost between €7.00 and €15.00, almost always also include bread, a drink and dessert.

La merienda - Late afternoon snack
-With dinner being served so late in the day, there's a pretty substantial time gap that stretches between meals. Many people have a light snack, also known as a "tentempié," during the afternoon to hold them over until dinner.
-A small sandwich, a piece of fruit, a pastry, or simply a hot drink are common merienda choices.

La cena - Dinner
-Typically between 9:00 and 10:30 in the evening, although earlier and definitely later are fair game too.
-Most restaurants don't even think of opening up before 8pm. During the summer months and on weekends, dinner time is pushed even later- it's not uncommon to see people dining at midnight!
-Dinner is typically a much lighter fare than lunch, often consisting of something as light as a salad or sandwich.
-The evening hours are the ideal time to check out the tapas scene in Sevilla.

Churros con chocolate

churros

As the partying dies down and the sun comes up, nothing completes a typical Sevillian night de marcha like a fresh serving of churros con chocolate. Churros, slightly crunchy deep-fried pastries, are typically dunked in cupful of thick hot chocolate – the consistency is essentially that of melted chocolate bar. It's a popular breakfast combination, especially after a long night of dancing and drinking copas, and is a must during Sevilla's famous April Fair, the Fería de Abril.