As I am nearing almost one full month of living in Barcelona, I have learned the importance that food plays in Spain’s culture. Food is central to a Spaniard’s identity, and is a way to live. The food that I find myself consuming almost every day here in Barcelona is “tapas.” Tapas are everywhere you go in Spain, and a big part of social gatherings; they describe more of a way of eating rather than a type of food. Tapas bars are the liveliest restaurants you will find in Barcelona – loud, filled with conversations and laughter, music, and open until the early hours of the morning. For those of you who are not familiar with “tapas”, they are an appetizer or small portion of any kind of Spanish cuisine. In other words, they are not meant to be a full meal. They can vary from cold dishes such as mixed olives or cheese, to hot such as ‘croquetas’ (I will explain what that is later). From my experiences so far, the best tapas are usually served standing in crowded, hot, smoky bars. These are often where you will find the cheapest tapas. My rule of thumb is that if you are paying more than 5 euros for a tapa, then you are not at an authentic tapas place and are paying the tourist price, so go somewhere else! Almost all the tapas I’ve had have been phenomenal, but some more than others – so, I decided to make a list of some of the best must-try tapas while in Spain.
- Croquetas
Croquetas are definitely one of my favorite tapas dishes. A croquette is a small breadcrumbed fried food roll usually containing, ground meat, fish, ham, cheese, mashed potatoes, or vegetables. My personal favorites that I’ve tried here in Barcelona have been the ham and cheese, and the mashed potato croquetas. The closest equivalent to croquetas that I’ve had in the United States would be boardwalk crab cakes (but sshhhh- the Spaniards do it way better!).
- Patatas Bravas
Tied with Croquetas, my other favorite tapa dish are patatas bravas. These are essentially the French fries of Spain. The tapa consists of white potatoes that have been cut into small irregular cubes and deep fried. My favorite part is the sauce that they are served with, which is typically a warm aioli (usually of a garlic flavor) or a spicy tomato sauce. I have yet to go to a tapas bar and NOT order patatas bravas as one of my tapas; just like French fries in the U.S., each restaurant prepares patatas bravas in a slightly different way than the other, and the same can be said for the topping sauce. My goal is that by the end of my semester abroad, I will have tried plentiful different patatas bravas to be able to confidently conclude which restaurant prepares them best.
- Pan con Tomate (Pa amb tomàquet)
This tapa is exactly what the name translates to: “Bread with tomato.” Pan con tomate is considered a staple of Catalan cuisine and identity (Catalonia is the region in northern Spain which Barcelona is the capitol of). Pan con Tomate consists of white bread, which may or may not be toasted, with tomato rubbed over and oil and salt drizzled on top. While it sounds very simple, it is the perfect accompaniment to the rest of your tapas, or really any Spanish meal -- therefore definitely a must-try tapa.
- Tortilla de Patatas (or Tortilla Española)
If you Google “Tortilla de Patatas” what comes up is essentially what is commonly known as an “omelette.” However, this Spanish tapa is nothing like the omelettes that are commonly served in the U.S. In tortilla de patatas, pre-fried potatoes are the main ingredients after eggs. Chopped onion is also sometimes added to the recipe.
By now you are probably sensing that Spaniards really enjoy their potatoes, and you are not wrong!
- Chipirones
“Chipirones” are baby squid or very small cuttlefish. They are usually battered and deep fried, and served with lots of lemon. They are a tiny snack but you receive a plate heaped with them when you order this as your tapa. I am not typically a big seafood person, however living in Barcelona is slowly changing that as the seafood in Spain is incredibly fresh and full of flavor. 10/10 would recommend!
