Tapas are small portions of food served in bars with a drink. More than a dish, they are a way of life: going de tapas, or doing the tapeo, means moving from bar to bar with friends, tasting each one's specialities, almost always standing at the counter.
Origins
The word tapa means "lid". According to the most common explanation, Andalusian taverns covered glasses of wine with a slice of bread or ham to keep out flies and dust. One legend credits King Alfonso XIII, who in a Cádiz inn was served his glass covered with a slice of ham because of the wind; others trace it to Alfonso X the Wise. Whatever the origin, the tapa was born as an accompaniment so as not to drink on an empty stomach.
Tapa, pincho and ración
- A tapa is a small bite, sometimes free with your drink.
- A pincho or pintxo is a mouthful, often skewered on a cocktail stick or served on a slice of bread; in the Basque Country and Navarre it is an art form (see eating in San Sebastián).
- A media ración and ración are larger portions to share in a group.
- Montaditos are small sandwiches.
The most famous tapas
- Tortilla de patatas, potato omelette.
- Patatas bravas, fried potatoes with spicy sauce.
- Jamón ibérico and charcuterie.
- Croquetas, béchamel croquettes with ham, salt cod or chicken.
- Gambas al ajillo, prawns sizzling in garlic and chilli oil.
- Pulpo a la gallega, octopus with paprika.
- Pimientos de Padrón, fried small peppers, "some hot, some not".
- Calamares a la romana and fried chopitos.
- Boquerones en vinagre, marinated anchovies.
- Aceitunas, dressed olives.
- Albóndigas, meatballs in sauce.
- Ensaladilla rusa, Russian salad.
- Queso manchego.
- Chorizo a la sidra or in wine.
- Pan con tomate with anchovies.
- Champiñones al ajillo, garlic mushrooms.
- Burgos morcilla.
- Salmorejo in small bowls.
- Berenjenas con miel, fried aubergine with molasses, typical of Córdoba and Málaga.
- Gildas, skewers of olive, anchovy and pickled chilli, the first Basque pintxo.
Where to go for tapas
- Granada, Jaén, Almería and León: a free tapa comes with every drink and changes each round.
- Madrid: La Latina and Cava Baja, the Letras quarter, Lavapiés.
- Seville: the centre, Triana and the Alameda.
- San Sebastián, Bilbao, Logroño with Calle Laurel, Pamplona and Vitoria: the pintxo capitals.
- Barcelona: El Born, Barceloneta and Poble Sec, with Carrer de Blai.
- Zaragoza: El Tubo, a maze of lanes full of bars.
Ordering is easy: ask at the bar, eat and pay at the end, sometimes by counting your pintxo sticks. See also eating in Spain.