15 Iconic Spanish Dishes and Where to Try Them

This article was originally published in 2023 and most recently updated on September 25, 2026, with current information.

Spanish gastronomy looks simple—possibly even humble—to the outside observer. Visitors might notice superb produce quality. Or some may note the many uncomplicated recipes, executed with impeccable technique, that let natural flavors shine. There’s often a balancing act between refinement and unpretentiousness across the country.

But each of Spain’s 17 Comunidades (autonomous regions) has a distinct character and repertoire. You’ll find pintxos (the northern, high-end version of tapas) in Basque country, calçotadas (grilled sweet onions, best when dipped in tomato-and-nut sauce) in Catalonia, a hearty chickpea and meat cocido stew in Madrid, and refreshing gazpacho designed to combat the southern heat in Andalucía. Spain is a playground for food hunters looking to collect a variety of experiences.

Some dishes have become national icons that all of us Spanish people rave about at any opportunity. As a born-and-raised Basque, I highly advise you aspire to try as many as you can on your next visit. Don’t forget to ask about the local wine specialties for a perfect pairing.

Here’s the list of essentials and the best restaurant to enjoy each of them.

Paella Valenciana

Large black bowl filled with shrimp, mussels, and other seafood in bed of yellow rice — Don’t be mistaken—the good stuff is on the bottom.

Where to try it: Casa Carmela, València

Named after the word “frying pan” in the Valencian language, paella can be immediately identified by the wide, shallow cooking pan in which it’s made. This regional dish is so popular that those out of the country think of it generally as “Spanish food”—but the dish does have humble beginnings as a lunchtime meal for Valencian farmers working the rice fields.

It combines both sustenance and flavor: A bed of yellow rice (seasoned with saffron) is mixed with vegetables. Rabbit and chicken are sometimes used as proteins but, more often than not, the dish is topped with Mediterranean seafood like shrimp, mussels, or scallops. Arguably the best part of any good paella isn’t what’s on top, but the burnt rice at the bottom known as socarrat. Scrape some off to add a crunchy texture to the fragrant rice and fresh seafood.

Tortilla

Close-up of thick omelette — The main ingredients of a Spanish tortilla are eggs and potatoes.

Where to try it: Bar Nestor, Basque Country

This fluffy mixture of egg and potatoes is a far cry from what Mexico would consider a tortilla, but in both cases, the tortilla is a staple in the home. The Spanish tortilla de patatas is made by frying thinly sliced potatoes and onions in a healthy amount of olive oil before adding whipped eggs into the mixture. After it is cooked until mostly solid, the frittata-like creation is then flipped (usually with the assistance of an extra plate) to finish cooking. This simple yet satisfying Spanish dish can be eaten as a tapa, placed between bread for a sandwich, or by itself throughout the day.

Jamón

Man slicing meat behind display counter of jham — Specialty jamón shops are commonplace in Spain.

Where to try it: Restaurante Cinco Jotas, Seville

It’s hard picturing a Spanish meat shop without the hunks of cured ham strung down from the ceiling. Jamón is eaten everywhere—sandwiched between bread to make a bocadillo, on top of eggs to create a dish called huevos rotos, as a side snack to your glass of wine, or just by itself—adding a salty, umami flavor to everything it touches. Two main types of jamón are eaten in Spain: There’s the common jamón Serrano, which is made from white pigs, and the more expensive jamón Iberico, which is made from black pigs.

Pulpo á feira

Hand serving wooden plate of boiled octopus pieces in red sauce — Chefs have to have a deep understanding of octopus to cook it just right.

Where to try it: La Pulpeira de Melide, A Coruña

Galicia, the Celtic Spanish region in the north, is renowned for high-quality seafood: crab, crayfish, percebes (goose barnacles), mussels, and tuna empanada are regular staples along the rough Galician coastline. But the most emblematic regional dish is pulpo á feira or pulpo a la gallega: slow-cooked octopus slices covered with sweet and smoked paprika and high-quality olive oil.

Traditionally prepared in copper pots and sold at country fairs and town festivities, its long cooking time is the secret to intensifying the flavor and making the flesh as tender as possible while still holding its shape. A well-done octopus should be chewy but not rubbery.

As a side dish, forget about fries. Pulpo á feira is best served with cachelos, boiled potatoes equally sprinkled with paprika and olive oil and accompanied by chilled local albariño white wine. Galician portions tend to be generous, so don’t order too many items at once.

Pimientos de Padrón

White dish filled with small, fried, slated green peppers with stems — With every pepper you eat, you run the risk of a surprisingly spicy bite.

Where to try it: Pulpería Rial, Galicia

Pimientos de Padrón is a common choice on the tapas menu, consisting of green peppers fried in olive oil and salt. These peppers are grown in Galicia, and there’s even an annual festival in the small town of Herbon dedicated to the vegetable. For the most part, they’re mild tasting with a hint of sweetness. But the occasional pepper will pack some surprising heat, so partaking in the dish is a bit of a roulette game—it makes eating them that much more fun.

Patatas bravas

Square white dish filled with fried potato cubes covered in red sauce — Patatas bravas are available in bars and restaurants throughout Spain.

Where to try it: Docamar, Madrid

Partake in the famed eating and drinking tradition of tapas and chances are you’ll come across this dish. It’s unfussy yet filling—only a small plate of fried potatoes covered in a red sauce made of smoked Spanish paprika, olive oil, garlic, and sometimes tomato. Despite the English translation of the name being “brave potato,” a high spice tolerance isn’t necessary to chow down.

Basque cheesecake

Where to try it: Restaurante La Viña, Donostia / San Sebastián

Crustless, not overly sweet, slightly burnt on the outside, but with a distinct gooey center—that’s the DNA of a Basque cheesecake. It is also known in Spanish as tarta de queso de La Viña, after the San Sebastián restaurant that created it, a traditional spot where locals gather around pintxo time (11 a.m.) and the crowds flock in search of a very disputed velvety cheesecake slice. The original recipe favors using lots of eggs, soft cream cheese, and barely a hint of flour. This way, the cake stays light, moist, and airy.

Modern variations add some edge using more pungent cheeses: idiazabal (smoked sheep’s milk cheese), cabrales blue, or cured manchego. Alternatively, head to a pastry shop to taste a Pastel Vasco or Gateau Basque (remember, part of Basque Country is in France): a sablé crust pie filled with pastry cream or cherry compote.

Gazpacho

Where to try it: Restaurante El Churrasco, Andalucía

Gazpacho is a refreshing cold soup enjoyed throughout the country in the summertime, with roots in the southern Spanish region of Andalucía. The dish blends tomatoes, cucumbers, Italian frying peppers, and olive oil into a reddish-pink concoction that’s chilled before serving. The soup can be eaten by itself or with garnishes like hard-boiled eggs, chopped ham, or cumin.

Bacalao

Two pieces of white fish in an orange sauce on plate, with glass of red wine at right — Bacalao a la Vizcaína comes from the Basque region of Spain.

Where to try it: Nido Bilbao, Basque Country

Bacalao is arguably Portugal’s most famous dish, but its Spanish-speaking neighbor has also enjoyed its fair share of salted cod since New World trade brought it from the northern waters of Norway and Newfoundland. The fish is common in dishes, particularly during the Christmas season, and is prepared in a plethora of ways. Some of Spain’s famous bacalao dishes come from the Basque region: There’s bacalao a la Vizcaina, salted cod in a red pepper stew–like sauce, as well as bacalao al pil-pil, which is cod covered in a thickened olive oil and garlic sauce.

Croquetas

Fried ball on top of small slice of bread next to glass of vermouth — Croquetas are sometimes served with bread.

Where to try it: Santerra, Madrid

There’s a lot to love about the croqueta: It’s a deep-fried ball filled with a creamy béchamel sauce and ingredients ranging from salted cod to mushrooms (although the most common fillings are jamón and cheese). With origins in France, the croqueta made its way to neighboring Spain and is now a mainstay in tapas bars and is also served as an appetizer at restaurants throughout the country. Look for a crispy breadcrumb exterior at whatever establishment you choose. That’s the sign of a good croqueta.

Morcilla

Slices of blood sausage on wooden tray with knife — Many regions in Spain have their own interpretation of morcilla.

Where to try it: Casa Ojeda, Castilla y León

Blood sausage is found all over the world, from the United Kingdom to Puerto Rico. Spain is no exception and has varying renditions of the dish depending on the region. Andalucía, for example, uses cinnamon, cloves, and spice in its blood sausage, while the northern region of Asturias makes smoke-dried sausage. The morcilla from the Castile and León region, specifically from its capital Burgos, is the most well known—this interpretation notably doesn’t actually have any meat. Instead, it mixes pork blood and lard with onion, rice, and spices.

Pan con tomate

Slices of bread with tomato spread on top — Pan con tomate is a simple and filling dish commonly eaten throughout the country.

Where to try it: Any local bar/café

I know—bread and tomato hardly seem like a must-try dish when visiting Spain. But similar to the tomato sandwich beloved by the U.S. South, pan con tomate is a simple (and very underrated) dish that showcases the power of a ripe tomato. This combination uses toast as a base to freshly grated tomatoes, olive oil, and salt. Thanks to its low-effort preparation, pan con tomate is a common breakfast dish that’s usually enjoyed with a morning espresso.

Fabada

Large black bowl of white beans and pork stew — You won’t be hungry after eating fabada.

Where to try it: Casa Chema, El Caleyo

Fabada, the most famous dish of the mountainous Asturian region, is not for the faint of heart—or, more specifically, those with a small appetite. This is a very hearty casserole that makes creamy white beans (fabes) the star of the show, but then brings on a whole symphony of aromatic flavors, such as garlic, onion, sweet paprika, and saffron. There’s also typically an addition of cured and smoked pork meats like morcilla, chorizo, lacón (pork shoulder), and cured bacon. This load of food will provide you with enough energy to climb the stunning Picos de Europa mountain range nearby. But be warned: It takes some time to digest.

The best wine pairing is a tangy Asturian cider. Watching the cider being served is a show in itself: The server holds the bottle high up in the air with one hand and places the glass below the waist in the other. This makes the golden stream of cider splash against the rim, so it gets maximum oxygenation.

Gambas al ajillo

Overhead view of bowl of traditional Spanish shrimp with garlic and olive oil — Gambas al ajillo is usually served as a tapa.

Where to try it: La Casa del Abuelo, Madrid

This Spanish dish mixes together shrimp and garlic with an ajillo sauce that’s made from olive oil, paprika, lemon juice, and parsley. All the ingredients are then cooked in a skillet, creating a mouthwateringly fragrant plate to eat as a tapa (or ordered in a larger portion). Fortunately, bread usually accompanies the shrimp, so you can mop up all of the garlicky goodness.

Churros

Where to try it: Churrería Laietana, Catalonia

The exact history of the churro is a bit fuzzy. Some say the dessert came from the Middle East, while others claim Spanish shepherds created the dish as a substitute for baked goods. Nonetheless, churros are now served throughout the world, from Latin American dessert shops to county fairs in the United States. Spanish churros are usually in the shape of a stick or loop and can come coated in sugar or eaten plain. Hot dipping chocolate is a frequent pairing with this dessert, the result of 16th-century colonization that brought Aztec chocolate to the Iberian Peninsula.

Amaia Porteiro