One thing is for sure when you plan a trip to Spain: your most memorable moments will likely revolve around food! If you’re coming from the UK, the US, Canada, or many other parts of the world, prepare to adjust your eating clock. The typical Spaniard operates on a different culinary schedule, one that might seem surprising at first. Forget your rushed lunches and early dinners; in Spain, the rhythm of eating is different, and embracing it is key to experiencing the culture fully. So, if you’re wondering what time is it in Spain when it comes to meal times, get ready to dive into a delicious journey through the Spanish daily food schedule.
In Spain, it’s common to have five distinct meal times throughout the day. Five! It might sound like a lot, especially if you’re used to the standard breakfast, lunch, and dinner routine. When I first encountered the idea of three-hour lunches that started well after 1 PM, my mind was blown! My usual eating habits consisted of a substantial breakfast, a quick lunch squeezed in during work or school, and a regular dinner. But eating in Spain is a whole different ball game, a delightful immersion into a culture that truly savors every meal.
The 5 Meal Times of Spain: A Daily Culinary Clock
To truly understand what time is it in Spain in a culinary sense, you need to know the five pillars of the Spanish eating schedule:
- – Desayuno (Breakfast): Typically enjoyed between 7 am and 9 am, depending on the start of the day’s activities.
- – Almuerzo (Mid-Morning Snack): Around 10 am to 11 am. This is a common break, especially in Spanish schools where students have a patio time for their almuerzo.
- – Comida (Lunch): Anywhere from 1 pm to 3 pm, adapting to work and daily schedules.
- – Merienda (Mid-Afternoon Snack): Usually taken between 5 pm and 7 pm.
- – Cena (Dinner): Happens quite late, from 8:30 pm to 11 pm.
Food, Family, and Friends: The Heart of Spanish Meal Times
As you can see, dining late is ingrained in Spanish culture. Having dinner as late as 9:45 pm is perfectly normal, even expected in many social settings. Remember that lunch, comida, is also a late affair. By the time the “conventional” dinner hour rolls around (think 7:30 pm), Spaniards are far from hungry – they likely finished their leisurely lunch just a few hours prior!
Food, family, and friends are the cornerstones of Spanish culture. These meal times are not just about sustenance; they are social occasions, opportunities to connect, chat, and enjoy the company of loved ones. The grab-and-go lunch is virtually nonexistent in Spain. In fact, rushing through a meal and leaving the table prematurely can be seen as impolite.
Even dinner in Spain unfolds in stages, a far cry from a quick soup and salad. Dining out at a traditional Spanish restaurant can easily become a three or four-hour experience. But let’s not get ahead of ourselves. Let’s begin our culinary clock with el desayuno (or esmorzar in Catalonia).
Desayuno: Starting the Spanish Day
A typical Spanish breakfast, or desayuno, is often light and simple. It might feature slices of jamón (Spanish cured ham) and tostadas (toast) drizzled with olive oil and topped with grated tomatoes. This pan con tomate (bread with tomato) is arguably the most popular breakfast choice across Spain, and in my experience, it’s a daily staple!
Alongside pan con tomate, you might find croissants, coffee, or juice. Spaniards generally don’t rely on a heavy breakfast to kickstart their day, as lunch, comida, is undoubtedly the most substantial and important meal in their daily rhythm.
Comida: The Long and Leisurely Spanish Lunch
Lunch, or comida, typically begins around 1 pm, depending on work schedules. However, in my experience, it’s more common to see lunch starting closer to 1:45 pm–2 pm. During the work week, lunch might be a more concise affair, lasting an hour or an hour and a half. But when weekends or holidays arrive, and the constraints of the school or work day are lifted, Spanish lunches can stretch into delightful four, even five-hour affairs.
A Journey Through a Typical Spanish Lunch
A traditional Spanish lunch is a multi-course experience, unfolding in distinct stages. The primer plato (first course) could range from savory ham croquettes to a refreshing soup or salad, perhaps the chilled gazpacho if you’re in the Andalusian region of Spain. The segundo plato (second course) is usually heartier, featuring meat or seafood. The specific dishes often vary depending on the region of Spain you are in. Here in Catalonia, butifarra, a thick and flavorful local sausage, is a beloved and prominent second course.
These courses are typically served with a relaxed pause between each, allowing for conversation and digestion. And of course, no discussion of Spanish lunch is complete without mentioning paella, Spain’s iconic rice dish, a fixture on restaurant menus throughout the country.
After the first and second courses, dessert arrives, often a flan, ice cream, or crema catalana if you are in Catalonia – a highly recommended treat!
Just when you think lunch is concluding with dessert, there’s one more tradition: the end-of-meal shot! This is usually a digestif, a small glass of liquor like limoncello to aid digestion – certainly needed after a generous serving of paella.
Surely, now lunch must be over, right? Not quite. There’s still espresso to cap off the meal. While Spaniards often enjoy coffee with milk throughout the day, after a large lunch like this, it’s customary to finish with an espresso or a cortado (espresso with a splash of milk).
And finally, after perhaps four glorious hours, lunch truly comes to an end. Time to unbutton those pants!
Cena: Lighter Fare to End the Day
Dinner, or cena, is a much lighter meal than lunch, as Spaniards are often still satisfied from their long midday comida. Therefore, it’s typical to have embutidos (cured meats), tapas, or pinchos for dinner.
Pinchos are essentially small tapas served atop a slice of bread, held together with a toothpick. You collect the toothpicks as you eat, and at the end of your meal, the waiter calculates the bill based on the number of toothpicks you’ve accumulated.
Pinchos can be both sweet and savory. In the photo, you can see ham croquette and spring roll pinchos, as well as goat cheese with fruit jam – a personal favorite!
The bottom line is this: the food in Spain is incredible, but even more importantly, the experiences surrounding food are truly life-changing. My advice? Embrace the unfamiliar eating schedule, savor every meal, and eat as much paella as possible! Understanding what time is it in Spain for meals is not just about knowing when to eat; it’s about unlocking a richer, more authentic Spanish experience.
