Fodor's Travel Talk Forums - Good food deals in Spain

Desayuno popular

This is usually served between specific hours, perhaps til 10 or 11 a.m and usually offers coffee, and a bread or bun or croissant and optional orange juice for 1.80-3E. Ask to have the croissant " abierto y a la plancha" for a delicious grilled treat. Marmalade and butter may be extra at some places or others cannot or will not grill the croissant. You may be offered "tostadas", ( toast) and they may want to know if with oil ( and tomato at times) or butter.

Another nice morning snack bread is an ensaimada. a curled light pastry covered in powdered sugar. These are tasty. Churros are more apt to be offered in madrid as also the larger PORRA.

A madalena is a simple yellow muffin. Tipping at breakfast.. small change.. 20-30 cents or nothing.. no problem.

Then we have "Almuerzo popular". A caña ( draft beer) or drink with bocadillo ( baguette sandwich) and sometimes coffee for 3-4E. This is a very filling snack and some can use it in lieu of lunch as this is usually served until 12:30 or 1 pm. Same tipping..nothing, or small change

Now comes the Menu del Día everyone knows about. Menus and prices will be posted. Drinks and coffee are the two items that vary if they are included or not. Do not back away from a menu that doesn´t include drinks as most likely this restaurant's food could be of a higher level to begin with. In some instances it will say "postre O café" ( dessert OR coffee included). You can always just pay extra for the coffee or take a stroll and have one somewhere else if the weather is enticing. Tipping here.. max 1E

Then you have the "merienda popular" which is the afternoon snack. each place will offer something similar to the breakfast arrangement, perhaps though offering a slice of cake or small sandwich along with a drink and coffee for 3-4 Euros.

Enjoy! Some restaurants will have a fixed price dinner menu with several choices also now and the same criteria follows with drinks and coffee and will be stated on the menu.

In all cases of menus, IVA ( tax) will also be stated if included or not.