Spanish Food

If you are into your gastronomy then clearly you have come to the right place. However, you may not be an expert in the best that Spanish gastronomy has to offer. Do you know which Spanish dishes come from where? What influences and recipes has the chef used when creating your food at this Spanish restaurant?

If the answer is no then you should definitely consider a trip around Spain visiting all the different cities and their Spanish restaurants. This is the best way to pick up the different tastes, ingredients and styles of cooking from the different regions of Spain. Or you could simply read our quick guide to the Spanish food served at these Spanish restaurants and the trends in Spanish gastronomy right now and where they came from - and pretty soon you will be a Spanish cuisine expert!

Fish and Seafood

Spanish cuisine contains a lot of fish and seafood thanks to the ample amount of coastline the country is blessed with. This means that there are a number of traditional Spanish dishes which contain a variety of seafood such as seafood paellas, lots of fried fish and 'bacalao' (cod). Furthermore, the Spanish don't like to limit themselves to just the boring old types of fish, they like to appreciate all that Mother Nature has provided. Squid and octopus are commonly eaten in Spain and normally make an appearance on the menu at a Spanish restaurant in Spain. It would definitely be a good idea to take Spanish classes in Spain just to be able to order from a Spanish fish restaurant.

The best Spanish restaurants for seafood are often found near the coastline as the fish is freshly caught in the morning and transported to the restaurants as quickly as possible in order to maintain that freshness and quality. El Lirio restaurant in Málaga and La Pesquera in Marbella are some of the best Spanish restaurants to visit for Spanish fish dishes.

Cured Meats and Sausages

Spain is also famous for its vast array of cured meats and sausages which make great additions to any order at a Spanish restaurant, especially in the form of a Spanish tapa or a ración to share amongst friends and family, or even classmates from your Spanish language school. Some of the most famous examples of Spanish cured meats and sausages are the spicy, paprika flavoured chorizo and the salty cured Jamón Serrano - both of which are common ingredients in Spanish cooking and frequently appear on the menu at Spanish restaurants.

These are classic ingredients and dishes and are therefore more easily found at traditional Spanish restaurants, especially those with a good tapas bar. The Restaurante Santiago in Marbella and the Arteserrano restaurant in Cádiz are the best places to go for some good Spanish tapas of cured meats and sausages.

Rice Dishes

Anyone who studies Spanish abroad will have heard of paella, but the truth is that there are many variations of this dish. Some have just meat, others just seafood but the best is the paella that combines the two. At a Spanish restaurant it is common to order paella to share between friends as they are so large and filling that you would never be able to finish it yourself.

Rice dishes are common across Spain but are particularly common in Valencia and Barcelona. Some of the best restaurants for paella and other rice dishes are the Casa Salvador restaurant in Valencia and El Dento in the city of Barcelona.

This is just a brief guide to the food of Spain and which restaurants offer the best of the traditional Spanish dishes. However if you really want to experience Spanish food then the best way to do it is to visit Spain and tour its restaurants. If you are really into your food you could take cooking lessons combined with Spanish classes so you can learn how to cook as well as how to describe what you've cooked!