I should have written this AGES ago. Although intended for the groups I guide in Spain for Rick Steves, this basic advice should provide anyone with a good start. With over 25 years of experience navigating the ever-changing tapas scene, I hope there are enough beginner tips & tricks here to make the most of meals on your own. Remember: practice makes perfect. No one gets everything right the first time!
Origin
According to the Royal Spanish Language Academy, a tapa is:
a small portion of food which is served to accompany a beverage.
Meh. That rather dry description fails to cover the spirit of going out for tapas. More than a portion size, I like to think of tapas as a lifestyle… filling not only your belly but also your soul. So how did this fun-loving tradition begin?
The tapa origin story probably has as many versions as there are actual tapas in Spain! While no one agrees to the exact time or under which king’s reign that tapas began, we’ll stick to the simplest explanation.
Consider the bar scene during the time of Cervantes when he wrote Don Quixote: taverns of the early 1600s could be cramped & crowded, filled with travellers (and their animals) & without the best sanitary conditions. In order to keep flies out of patrons’ beverages, owners would cover —tapar— glasses with a small piece of cured ham or cheese. That practical solution was also savory & would keep customers ordering more… an ingenious idea that still works today!
Terms & types
Tapa • Think of the tapa as a basic unit, the start point of a dining adventure. As a small portion of food, it is either served free with a drink in some bars while it is ordered & paid for in others. A tapa is considered a single serving for one person.
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Pintxo • The Basque version of the tapa is often more elaborate, served on a slice of bread with a toothpick holding all ingredients together. Bars may have many pintxos on display at once, & customers take what they wish. Typically at a fixed price, toothpicks are counted to calculate the bill. This practice is also popular in Barcelona.
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Ración / Media • A larger portion of a tapa, meant to be shared among several people from a single plate. The media or “half” option isn’t always available but makes good eating for two people… especially if you don’t want to commit to so much food.
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Tosta / Canapé • Served on a toasted slice of bread or puff pastry, these fancy bites showcase special products such as spreads, patés, cured fish or cream cheeses.
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Montadito • Deriving from the word montar which means “to get on” or “to ride”, all kinds of goodies from meat to veggies ride inside these miniature sandwiches. These may be a bit larger than the standard tapa & can be for a single person or to share. Whatever floats your boat. Montaditos are staples of the Sevilla tapas scene.
General rules
Standing vs. seating • Seating is not always an option, especially in popular spots. If you are lucky enough to get a table, wait staff will come over to take your order. But consider bellying up to the bar during a tapa crawl. It’s amazing how comfortable the bar lean can be, conservations with neighbors are struck up easily & standing often makes for a quicker exit; drink, chat, eat & move on to the next place.
Whether seated or standing, that’s your spot; don’t move around. Your bar bill is anchored to your location, so switching places can confuse wait staff. Only do so at their suggestion or by requesting politely.
Bar stools are sacred since there are so few… if you leave one unattended, someone will snatch it up quickly! Pro tip: Need to use the WC? Have a friend place their foot in the footrest. That’s an understood sign that the seat is taken.
Outside seating or terrazas often come with a surcharge; that view doesn’t come for free. Spaniards love to play musical chairs and tables, rearranging seating as loudly as possible. Also as of 2025, smoking is still allowed outside establishments so you may be downwind of cigarette smoke. Scout out the crowd before choosing a spot if smoking bothers you.
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Bar real estate • Crowded bars can be tricky to navigate. A good method to obtain precious space to rest your drink is to hover near someone or a group of people that have just asked for the bill. Stick close & as soon as they depart, swoop in to claim the countertop. Don’t be shy because competing clientele won’t be.
Curious to learn more? Eight more tips as well as descriptions & photos of over 60 tapas can be found in the Spain · Tapas Tips PDF guide. While there aren’t many rules to follow, the system can be unfamiliar & confusing at first. This guide helps take much of the guesswork out of the tapas scene:
How did your first time ordering tapas go? Any other tips to share? Let me know in the comments section below.