What are tapas?
Tapas are small plates of food served in Spain, usually with drinks in bars. They can be anything from olives and cheese to fried squid, potatoes and meatballs.
The word tapa means lid or cover. A popular story says bartenders in Andalusia once covered drinks with a slice of bread or ham to keep flies out, and these covers became the first tapas. Whatever the origin, tapas are now central to Spanish social life, especially in the evening before dinner.
Popular tapas include patatas bravas, fried potatoes with spicy sauce, tortilla española, gambas al ajillo, shrimp in garlic, croquetas and slices of jamón ibérico. Going from bar to bar to eat tapas is called ir de tapas or tapeo. In northern Spain, small bites on bread are called pintxos.
Free tapas
In some Spanish cities, especially Granada, León and Almería, bars still serve a free tapa with each drink. Tapas-style dining, with several small dishes shared at the table, has become popular in restaurants around the world.
Did You Know?
In the Basque city of San Sebastián, pintxos are often held together with a toothpick, and customers may be charged by counting their toothpicks.