If you’re a food-motivated traveler, you’ll be delighted to get your tastebuds acquainted with traditional breakfast in Spain. Spanish food culture reflects the diversity in the country’s regions and cities, with breakfast dishes in Spain being just as varied as you might hope. Classic breakfast staples cater to all appetites and palates with a mix of sweet and savory options. This post breaks down what to eat for breakfast in Spain.
What Time to Eat Traditional Breakfast in Spain?
As with other countries in Southern Europe and the Mediterranean, Spain has a relaxed approach to meal times. In general, breakfast in Spain could be eaten any time between the hours of 7:00 am and 11:00 am. It really depends on a case-by-case basis and where work hours fit into the agenda. But, this is the four-hour window when you can expect to find hotels, restaurants, and cafés serving breakfast dishes in Spain.
What do People Eat for Breakfast in Spain?
A traditional breakfast in Spain revolves around the following food items. However, the heavier options are more likely to be eaten at the weekend while the lighter bites are more likely to be eaten on a day-to-day basis. In addition to the traditional breakfast dishes, hotels and cafés in the larger cities of Spain will usually offer international breakfast options too. French, American, English, Portuguese, Middle Eastern, and beyond! Therefore, you can expect to find a spread of pancakes, cereals, European pastries, and freshly chopped fruit on menus.
What to Drink with a Traditional Breakfast in Spain
But first, coffee. As with other European countries, a lot of Spanish people will forego breakfast in Spain – preferring to save themselves for a big lunch. However, coffee is never skipped. The most typical coffee in Spain is café con leche (coffee with milk). This is half espresso, half steamed milk. Depending on where you’re eating, you’ll have the option to drink regular cow’s milk or a plant-based alternative. However, you can also order an energizing café solo (espresso), super-sweet café bonbon (coffee with condensed milk), and the classic latte, café leche manchada. If you want to turn your café solo into an Americano, you can ask for water on the side. On a hot day in Spain, you can ask for café con hielo (iced coffee). If you’re having a late breakfast in Spain, maybe try a café carajillo which comes with a splash of rum, brandy, or whisky. Decaf coffee in Spain is café descaféinado. Of course, you can always find a range of teas available if you prefer. In fact, hot chocolate is a fairly standard breakfast drink in Spain. Your choice of hot drink can be joined by freshly squeezed orange juice made from Spain’s famous citruses. Now, onwards and upwards with traditional breakfast in Spain to look forward to. You’ll find all kinds of great restaurants in Spain to have both traditional Spanish breakfast as well as more modern or healthier breakfast options.
Classic Breakfast Dishes in Spain
- Pan Con Tomate (Bread with Tomato)
- Tostada (Spanish Toast)
- Huevos Rotos (Broken Eggs)
- Huevos Revueltos (Scrambled Eggs)
- Tortilla Española (Spanish Omelet)
- Bocadillos (Spanish Breakfast Sandwiches)
- Empanadas (Stuffed Pastries)
- Embutidos de Carne (Cold Cut Meats)
Sweet Breakfast Foods in Spain
- Churros Con Chocolate Caliente (Fried Dough with Hot Chocolate)
- Ensaïmadas (Mallorcan Pastries)
- Torrijas (Spanish-style French Toast)
- Españoletas Aragonesas (Spanish Biscuits)
- Magdalenas (Spanish Muffins)
- Bizcocho (Spanish Sponge Cake)