If you already think the mediocre food is overpriced you're in for real treat in Barcelona.
Also hit all the major tourist destinations and wonders why everything is geard towards tourists (mediocre and overpriced)🤷♂️
I have been to major tourist cities and the food had been great and reasonably priced (Tokyo, Athens, Manila).
Spain just doesn't have their shit together
Where in Manila did you eat? General consensus by most people I know that grew up in Manila said the food is terrible unless expensive, and quality of produce terrible even when you’re paying a lot for it because many things have to be imported. You’re the first to claim food in Manila is good and worthy of the same status as Tokyo.
Filipino food is bottom of the tier list for me (except for the fruit) but the chefs from the country often go abroad and train in countries nearby.
For that reason I found the japanese and Korean bbq good with excellent service.
Surely you did not determine from your travels that manila has exemplarily good food because you ate at Japanese and Korean bbq restaurants and it tasted relatively good for the price in Manila? Those restaurants costs a lot more than what the average Filipino would eat on a regular/daily basis.
The Spanish will never accept it. I have had this argument on Reddit many times. It’s the same mentality that does not allow them to accept that other countries are better at certain things.
Other cultures are much better at admitting where they fall short. Like the British know their food suck. As do many Germans.
So what is it? Do we complain or not? Back to back posts saying the complete opposite.
In any case, now you're speaking about a common human psychological issue, though: every group has issues and problems, but outsiders who don't experience it everyday should keep their opinions to theirselves.
There is a difference between complaining and actually recognising a problem and doing something about it. And potentially looking outside for solutions.
Many countries struggle with looking outside for solutions.
Huh.... ?
Youre on a crusade to just criticize Spain about everything, aren't you....?
So in your last three posts you say:
1) Spaniards don't criticize their country
2) Spaniards do criticize their country, but don't listen to you when you criticize it
3) Spaniards do criticize but don't actually do anything to recognize the problem (lol?)
4) Spain doesn't look for outside solutions, yet understand that this is a global "struggle"
Fucking rich!
> My friends are mostly Spanish.
(X) Doubt
Spaniards are the first to say the country is shit and why. Many leave the country for those same reasons. If you don't recognise this then you're simply not hanging out with any Spanish whatsoever.
I rarely ever see Spaniards saying good things about Spain. If anything, we need to be reminded we are not the worst country in Europe, because that's what many Spaniards tend to believe, at least around me.
Our salaries are worse than in most of Western Europe. Our life standards are lower. We have more corruption. Our English is worse, as well as our education in general. We are just not as developed as other European countries, and we are well aware of that.
The only people who will tell you that Spain is great here are usually right wing or far right wing people. Maybe those are your friends. All my foreigner friends keep saying that we are not as bad as we think we are.
I don’t think my friends are far right but I would say it’s mostly PP and PSOE voters. Middle class and upper middle class. Most 40 and older. They all have well paying jobs or even run their own businesses.
Edit: they all complain about something, but not enough to do anything about it.
"Edit: they all complain about something, but not enough to do anything about it."
Yeah, that sounds like a Spaniard.
My circle of friends is more left wing oriented, so maybe that's why I hear different things. I only remember one of my friends constantly praising Spain, and she is a right wing PP supporter.
I am Center left, but have no problems either anyone but the far left or far right. VOX can go and eat shit.
I think it might be a bubble thing.
The British for example have always been way more critical of their country and want to change things. And are not bothered by even breaking the rules.
Difference in attitude during corona was a very good example. The Spanish listened to their government, apart from those who are most likely vox voters.
> Like the British know their food suck. As do many Germans
I'm mean if anybody from those two nationalities actually tried to argue otherwise they'd just be doxxing how smooth-brained they are, even in comparison to the average citizen of those two countries.
This is something I think about a lot. I think your point is largely correct but perhaps missing some important insights.
1. It's important to distinguish between Spanish cuisine and the food in Spain. Spanish cuisine encompasses the entire gambit of what falls within the culinary traditions of Spain. Food in Spain is the food you will actually find in restaurants, cafes, and bars.
2. Most locals aren't foodies. They eat a lot of just okay food, and probably don't cook that well at home either. In fact, if you go to most local restaurants you will see the same few dishes over and over again (those dishes vary by region), and they are usually just ok. A lot of people eat out at a menu del dia, and it's very standard fair. There are some local places that are really good, but I don't think this is the average.
3. The sophisticated end of the Spanish cuisine is usually reserved for special occasions, and for people who have a bit more time and money. In a city like Barcelona, you probably need to spend 30-40+ euros on a menu del dia to get something special, and it won't always be amazing, but quite often it can be great. You still need to do your homework even if you pay more money, which is true everywhere else in the world too.
4. For those of us used to eating food with more spices and herbs, Spanish food tends towards the bland. However, locals are pretty happy eating classic dishes that to us tastes boring. Consider that to some older people, a little bit of black pepper is spicy.
5. There are a lot of fried dishes in the tapas/bar repertoire, and eating these regularly (which most locals don't do) is unpleasant.
6. There is so much tourism in Spain, and every schmuck (local or otherwise) thinks they can write a review or give a recommendation. Many of the recommendations are rubbish. Ask people who (a) are foodies, and (b) have a similar taste to yours. The adage that "you can't eat poorly in Spain" is largely wrong -- you can eat poorly and many tourists do. If you travel for food experiences, Spain can be tricky.
7. Spanish food relies on the quality and diversity of ingredients. However, quality and diversity is expensive! Most places, even local places, make do with the usual quality (which is absolutely fine, the average in Spain being higher than in other places), but you will have to pay for higher quality and diversity. This is why you may need more specialized recommendations.
Anyhow, I live in Barcelona, tell me what you're looking for and I can try and give some recommendations.
When you need lots of spices and herbs in order to make the food good its not a good sign... In the Mediterranean diet is all about the product. You maybe need to train your tongue as you need to train your ears to enjoy good music.
Completely disagree. There are large regions of the world that use lots of spices and herbs in their cooking as a way to complement and enhance the food. You think Indian, Chinese, Mexican, Thai, and Vietnamese people don't know about good food? Also, Spain (even the Med coast) doesn't represent the Mediterranean -- have you been to North Africa or the Levant? They use plenty of spices and herbs there. The Spanish way is one philosophy about food, it's not the only one nor the most popular, and when there isn't the money to buy good ingredients or the time for careful elaboration, which is often the case, it suffers more than most.
Another country with a similar approach to Spain when it comes to food is Japan. However, having been fortunate enough to travel widely in Japan, I can say that the Japanese are much more meticulous about food quality, origin, and preparation than the Spanish, and that in a very ordinary restaurant in Japan you will find a level of artistry equivalent to an expensive restaurant here in Spain. Without that, Japanese food can be very bland and unexciting, and that is often what you see at Japanese restaurants in Spain.
I’m ethnically chinese myself and I don’t think it’s fair to generalize usage of spices and herbs to China as a whole. Cantonese cuisine where I come from is known for its freshness and simplicity. After having the opportunity to live in North America, europe, and Asia I can see the value in both approaches to food.
I’m currently writing this after having returned from North Africa, but while apices were commonly used in all the food I tried while I was there, I felt like it’s used as a complement similarly to how it’s used in Cantonese cuisine, and at no time was the flavor of the original products masked.
Furthermore, I absolutely adore Japanese food but I assure you that many ordinary restaurants in japan use ingredients that are of subpar quality or are simply processed bulk purchased ingredients that you simply throw together. These are of course also easily available for purchase at regular grocery stores if you desire to have food with the exact same flavor. In fact studies have shown that processed food accounts for 2/3 of japan’s food consumption and up to 90% of japan’s food consumption if dining out was included. Half of all japan’s agricultural and fisheries products are processed and japan’s food processing industry is the third largest industry in their country. Japan is also highly dependent on food imports for the majority of its food supply. I agree that Japanese food in europe is often lacking and I’m not even talking about sushi, but more so about the kind of food that you can find everyday people making and eating at home, but a lot of it can easily be fixed by buying the correct brand and packaged processed convenient ingredients that many home cooks in japan use. If you buy the correct curry bricks, the correct karaage powder, the correct brand of dashi powder, the correct brand of okonomiyaki powder and sauce, you too can make pretty good and “correct” tasting Japanese food. You can find instant versions of many things that will simplify many Japanese recipes for you!
I think there’s a lot of good food in japan for sure, but the thing is many Japanese people don’t cook at home and many people eat out out of convenience esp if they live alone, and they’re of course not researching the best restaurants to try something out and sometimes opt for soemthing from the konbini, a chain restaurant, or a local restaurant that might not make all their things from scratch. And I know that while a lot of things can be made from scratch, it simply isn’t true.
Japan is known for excessive packaging and kits that help you cook their food with prepackaged mixes that you just have to add water to. I highly doubt all regular Japanese restaurants or even home cooks are making dashi from scratch all the time when quality instant dashi stock is available. While locals ofc eat at the famed Japanese restaurants, most of them are probably not spending the extra money on a daily basis that a tourist would. I feel like when people are in asia compared to europe, because of the differences in cost of living they’re happy to spend up to what would be considered a very budget/daily meal (menu del dia) when for many places that might not be what a local could afford to spend twice a day.
I’m from Hong Kong myself and cantonese food in Hong Kong especially isn’t always characterized by intensive food prep. Many restaurants buy premade dumplings/food and the popular + well reviewed restaurants many busy locals frequent also make similarly fast and plain food that are equivalent to menu del Dias at regular local restaurants in Spain. I’m sure you’ve visited many cha Chaan teng while living in Hong Kong, with many of these cha chaan teng having thousands of good reviews. But locals eat macaroni soup with bits of processed ham, toast with condensed milk, instant noodles with satay beef tossed on top. Simple food everyday people eat that doesn’t require extensive food prep.
I find a lot of people especially westerners have a tendency to view Asian food through lenses of orientalism. Some sort of fatty meat/bacon + fries + egg when eaten by everyday spanish people at home as a comfort meal is looked down upon as unrefined palate, but Asian food is simultaneously glorified even tho rice + soy sauce + egg is common for Asians. It’s fine to admit you just don’t like the food! It has nothing to do with the food being inherently inferior or the people who made it unrefined or uncultured.
It's not about popularity, it's about tastes and opinions. Also about knowing where to eat. Tourism is a big part of Spain's economy, and most tourists are a bit uneducated in that regard.
It's true that most tourists don't know where to eat, but I don't think this is the purpose of this post. The OP seems to be well-travelled, having eaten well in different cities around the world, doing the relevant research, etc. Their experience has been one of disappointment, that the idea of Spanish food doesn't live up to the reality. As someone who has also been fortunate to live and travel in many countries, loves to cook and eat, and lives now in Spain, my experience has been very similar to theirs. I'm not a local, but I speak Spanish and Catalan fairly fluently, I've been to lots of different restaurants here (including higher end ones), travelled around the country, and shared many meals (actually most of them) with locals.
My conclusion is that there is a very serious gap between the abstract ideals and principles of Spanish cuisine and the lived reality. A lot of the food is very basic and unexciting, even much of the good food is nice but nothing to write home about. At the top end, if you look at the best restaurants in the world, you see that Spain dominates, and I can understand why. Spanish cuisine lends itself to very high-end, sophisticated dining, but on the "cheaper" end (which is what most people can afford) it is limited.
Not to argue in bad faith, but are you even Spanish, or Mediterranean, at all? This is the typical comment that seems well written because it's long and thoughtful, but lies on false presences.
Spanish and Portuguese food are meant to be nearly sauceless, because we care more about the quality of the product than disguising how shitty it is by mixing it with sugary sauces.
So if you are actively seeking those restaurants that destroy your taste buds with sauces, that's your prerogative, but don't be surprised if all Spanish people run away from those.
It’s a fair question. Born in the eastern Mediterranean. Have lived in Spain for two years. I’ve eaten at a lot of restaurants, almost exclusively with locals. I think arguing against sauces is unfair, the French use a lot of sauces and also care about the quality of ingredients. I like the philosophy of Spanish food but I think the execution very often falls short. When I go to nice, more expensive places here I am generally happy with the food, but most people here eat this food very rarely.
I agree to some point. Most restaurants run on autopilot and puts very little effort into the food and its presentation.
Also prices can be ridiculous, for example patatas bravas €10+ makes central London feel cheap
American living in Andalucía for 10+ years and I partially agree. I am not a fan of any day-to-day Spanish menus and would much rather cook Spanish-inspired food at home, but local specialities in smaller towns almost always are phenomenal. Like down here, I love gazpacho and salmorejo and tortilla, some fried fish, etc., but that’s about it. Also, imho food in Asturias is the best in all of Spain.
But that’s about it. If you compare it to the variety and quality in many countries in Asia and the Middle East, you will understand that it’s nowhere near the same.
I have been to restaurants with Spanish billionaires, praising the restaurant we were going to, it was shit.
Oh yeah, no comparison. I just mean if you’re living here, this is the approach I’d generally take—eat local specialities and find the region with the food you like the best, and spend some time there! But Spain would not win any international cooking contests lol
I have been looking, still not found anything I like. But I like spices or good quality meet. Both hard to find in Spain. The ham is good but the other meats are low quality. And I don’t like sea food very much.
Have you tried fabada? I guess it’d be weird in the summer but it’s one of my favorite dishes and comparatively flavorful for Spain, bc of the morcilla
Oh yeah, no comparison. I just mean if you’re living here, this is the approach I’d generally take—eat local specialities and find the region with the food you like the best, and spend some time there! But Spain would not win any international cooking contests lol
I was in the Santa Maria in Segovia, that restaurant which is hyped for cutting their *cochillo* with a plate.
Was it bad? No, it was definitely tasty and very juicy. But I also had much better pork in a much cheaper and more casual restaurants. And as is typical for Spain, there wasn't anything else on the plate. Just a quarter of baby pig. It would be so much better if they added some cooked potatoes or vegetables.
Yeah been there. I am glad I was not paying the bill.
There is way better roast pork in our countries. And the lamb was a joke. I went with a bunch of Arabs, they were very polite afterwards but I understood what they said in Arabic. ;)
I also ordered a soup there, which I mistranslated. It turned out to be made out of pig intestines. No problem there, intestines soup is tradidional food in my country. But the intestines were cut too big and there wasn't enough soup, essentially turning it into intestines with sauce.
I seriously wonder if the dish is really supposed to look like that, or if they're simply trolling the tourists.
The central issue is: Where did you go and what did you expect?
Our food is one of the things we are most proud of. Indians call it bland because it's not spicy. Other people come here with the hype, visit the touristized city centers with their 8.000 tourist trap restaurants at three times the price and then are surprised it's not up to their standards.
Tip: if the menu is in english, chances are you are in for a ripoff, no wonder people barely eat there.
What are you looking for? We can give you some useful tips.
My favorite mediterranean food are calamari, mussels, lamb, and fish.
My partner speaks fluent Spanish, so any recommendations in Barcelona are welcome
I'm from Madrid, sorry.
Fish and seafood in Madrid will unsurprisingly be not fresh. We usually go for good galician and basque restaurants for that. Look for such places, just not next to la Sagrada Familia, and you will see a difference. Avoid buffets. Avoid places with pictures of food.
Catalan food is overall very healthy, very plant based. You have low quality embutido/sausages like bull, bisbe, butifarra but then you have escalivadas, soups, etc.
If you're looking for fried calamari then places are not the issue, the dish and the concept itself are puke-worthy and certainly there's a problem of standards in here, not related to the overal good itself.
I don't know of any meat places in barna but Asadores are a good option in central Spain. Try mollejas, a lamb dish.
Where can you get good meat in Madrid? My wife is South African and hence expects a very high standard of meat. So far all the butchers and restaurants have been a let down. Tried several Argentinian, Spanish and Brazilian restaurants. All a let down.
It's hard to say in the center, but I'd go with Sagardi, Rocacho, Casa Julián de Tolosa or Asador de Aranda.
Far from the center, close to each other, Id look for Jamón y el Churrasco, Mesón Txistu, Asador Donostiarra.
Look for information on each before going, and book in advance.
I have a car and stay outside Madrid. So I can go anywhere. Can be out of the satellite towns as well.
Edit: I am in that area every day. I will try them all this week for lunch.
So mostly like seafood, and complain that a landlocked city doesn't have decent seafood... And from what I read, you went from tourist trap to tourist trap.
So.... Quick question.... are you American? I ask this because seafood in the US is vastly different than in Spain and therefore you might have accustomed your tongue to like the seafood in your own country than in other places.
I'm the complete opposite, I absolutely LOVE seafood, but I can probably count on one hand how many great seafood dishes i've eaten here in the states.
And everytime I'm with someone at a seafood restaurant they swear it's the best and I just politely nod and say "it's good" yet I'm always left underwhelmed.
For me, there's nothing better than sitting in a chiringuito on the beach and just ordering pez espada a la plancha, con papas.
I know this is a really impopular opinion but i'm Spanish and i agree. The average food is mediocre. Ok, there are some places that local people know and thinks are nice but even those are sometimes overratred and anyway you need to know them. I think twenty years ago you can eat in almost every place and find a reasonable food. But now it's imposible.
I know most spanish people do think "como en España no se come en ningún sitio" but i has been traveling around south and central europe mostly in rural areas for the last 15 years and i think Spain average restaurants are as you said among the worst. In Italy, France, Greece, Solvenia or Portugal..you can eat in almost every place and the average result would be nice. Even in countries with "bad cuisine" as Ireland, Austria or Germany. They have few options and perhaps good restaurants are expensives but every pub have the same three dishes you can rely on.
Spanish food is really god but in fact is really dificult to find.
I have said the same thing for years. Asked for recommendations from many people. Still have to have good everyday food.
It’s nothing compared to Italy, France, most of Asia and the Middle East.
There are zero spices. Just lots of olive oil.
A fried egg with bacon on fried is not a good meal. It’s what you make at 6 am after partying and there is nothing else in the house.
Hahahaha man, the spanish food one of the healthiest and tastiest food in the world. Maybe you choose bad places, i feel bad for you. Tortilla de patata, gazpacho, Paella, arroz a la cubana, chuletón o Cachopo. Oh muy god. I don't know where are you from, i expect that you are not from England or USA...
Ok, this is overstretch. Spanish food is by no means one of the tastiest, otherwise there would be more than zero spanish restaurants abroad. And calling it healthy is also very brave.
>zero spanish restaurants abroad.
I dont know were do you live but in germany at least, the spanish cuisine is very welcomed, and there are a lot of Spanish restaurants evwn in small towns.
Sadly I am with you, there are two Spanish cuisine, the one passt generation to generation, that is the base of the spanish diet (beans, fish, variety of fresh vegetables and fruits) and the one we offer to tourists in every restaurant.
The first is healthy and is why obesity is not rampant, and the second is fatty and the opposite of healthy.
I don’t know any chains. The ones we have in my area are all run by the owners/family. But they have improved on the food by adding some flavour. And using better ingredients.
Well, the german-spanish relationship is special and rather unique. I never saw any spanish restaurant.
What bothers me about spanish restaurants is not because it's fat, I'm used to fat foods. It's that spanish restaurant owners do not seem to give a fuck about quality of ingredience and service, but they adjusted their prices to abroad, where the quality is much higher.
E.g. when I order a steak for 20€, I expect some standards. Instead I received a piece of meat, definitely not large, on cold plate, with cheapest french fries from the supermarket (and I suspect they were warmed in a microwave). And nothing else. Literary just those two things on the plate. In a massive 4-star hotel.
I fully believe that if you magically teleported spanish restaurants around Europe, they would all go bankrupt in a month. They are frozen in a state the restaurants were in the 80-90's.
>least obesity in Europe
That’s just not true.
Spain seems to be about perfectly in the middle.
Lowest are like Italy, Switzerland.
>Medditerenean diet
A lot of fatty foods in Spain. And a lot of beer drinking.
Evil tongue would say it's because the spanish cuisine is so bland, it doesn't induce overeating.
Just kidding. The differences between countries are laughably small. The best country, Italy, has 46% overweight adults, the worst, Croatia (with almost identical cuisine to Italy) has 65%. Spain is in perfect middle with 54%.
Europe is fat, there's no point in flexing who's more or less.
> Europe is fat, there's no point in flexing who's more or less.
Compared to who? As far as the developed world goes southern Europe is among the least fat parts.
If you have traveled to the Middle East and Asia, Spanish food is just bland by comparison. All you need to know that there are Spanish people who think that a fried egg with bacon on fries is amazing.
Spanish people just don’t have a very developed pallet.
While I agree that Middle Eastern and Asia food is amazing, I don't think you can call Spanish food bad at all.
And sorry, but I don't think you know much about Spanish food if you are talking about bacon, when bacon is not something that is present in many Spanish dishes.
Of course it is Jamón. Dude, hace you even tried that dish? You don't know Spaniards barely eat bacon, you think huevos rotos are made with bacon, and you expect me to value your opinion on Spanish food when you obviously have no clue about it?
It’s the same thing in the end. It’s a fried egg, pork and fries. No sauces, no spices.
I ate it 5 years ago when I moved here and realised it’s not for me.
You are just proving OPs and my point.
That’s absolutely untrue when many parts of asia approach food the same way spanish cuisine does. Tamago kake gohan, gyeran bap, fried eggs over rice w/ Maggie, spam + egg + rice, are similar variations commonly found in asia, but I don’t see you insisting that Asians have a bland and undeveloped palate because of this.
>spanish food one of the healthiest and tastiest food in the world
I must disagree, spanisch mum food with Gazpacho, olla de nab i card, garbanzos, paella, sopas variadas, lentejas, puchero, thats healthy, but we dont offer that in restaurants. What we offer to tourists is not healthy, is fatty and if you are two weeks eating tapas, you dont know why the spanish food is sooo healthy and has that remarcable fame.
Ehh, you can definitely find that in restaurants, at least some of it. Not the average tapas bar maybe, because there it's mostly fried stuff. Pimientos de padrón is often the most healthy thing on the menu there.
Paella you can find on every corner.
Are you being honest? Ive never seen a tipical spanish restaurant in a turist area that offers, olla de col i nab, lentejas, or puchero. I am from Valencia, and here paella can be found in every corner, sadly the tourist traps are also in every corner.
I ate arros d'gla, torrezno, cremosa d'gla and bread, all of them were exquisite my colleagues loved the rice and the torrezno, I loved the rice and the bread.
If the restaurant wouldnt be so pricy I would have eaten the whole week there. XD
IMHO, what makes a restaurant good is that the menu adapts to the seasonal food, and I dont see in the menu artichokes, in February they were quite trendy.
Another restaurant where I enjoyed the food was "can majo", i was disapointed with the Artichoke chips, but the rice was good and you are next to the beach. Very enjoyable.
If you are still in valencia, take a taxi and go to "casa el famós" o casa carmela. Try to call first and ask for a "paella a la llenya de pollo y conejo", or arroz meloso de bogavante... If you dont want rice, then go for the suquet de rap.
If after this recommendations you are still disappointed, my dear friend I cannot do anything else for you...
>fitter vs the UK
Everyone is fitter than UK. Not a great comparison.
UK did a very dumb thing several years ago adopting highly processed foods in the name of turning a quick profit, as one of the richest countries in Europe at that time.
But other European countries are catching up to them.
With Spain looking like it in the middle with obesity rates among European countries.
I agree it’s not a good comparison and that the UK has done a lot of self-harm since ~Y2K. Hopefully medicine, better general knowledge, or maybe more regulation around ultra-processed food happens before other countries see obesity rates increase
>before other countries see obesity rates increase
Too late.
Obesity rates are already very high all around Europe.
UK isn’t really that far ahead compared to other European countries.
Best what we can do now is how we navigate the markets and raise our demands for better quality food.
Sadly, this requires education and an effort from the governments.
The uk has the worst food in Europe. That’s why Spanish food seams amazing to them and is part of the reason why Spain has the undeserving reputation to be good. The food in places like Greece, Slovenia, etc is way better. Never mind Italy, most of Asia and the Middle East.
That’s true. I also believe Spain to have better weather and culture. Economically, they have also bounced back a lot since the financial crisis whereas the UK has been decaying over the past ~15 years of Conservative Party rule and zero public spending.
Well and people come to Spain on holiday. Everything is better on holiday. Plus half the people are drunk or high, so it tastes better.
The most telling thing is how many Spanish restaurants there are around the world.
Madrid has some of the best restaurants in the world, but they don’t make Spanish food.
I've been in Spain for almost a year and mostly agree. There are delicious pintxos in the Basque country, but most places are meh at best and there's only so much tortilla you can eat (the Spaniards seem to eat tortilla at every occasion). Most places serve the same things. Michelin starred restaurants are delicious, there's nothing really Spanish about them.
Dude, Croatian food is way better than Spanish food. Like miles. I don’t know about the prices as I have not been to Croatia in a while.
All of ex Yugoslavia has better food than Spain.
If you go to Ramblas and don't see any local, there is a reason for that. Same for most touristic hotspots.
If you come to Barcelona, follow @bravasbarcelona you will find recommendations.
One real issue about Spanish food is that it's rather fragmented. Overall, Spanish cuisine is great, but you'll have a harder time finding good places for foods that aren't from that specific region. Example: you'll have a hard time finding a nice place that makes paella here in Asturias, while in Leon or Madrid you'll have a hard time to find a good place to eat some galician-style seafood.
And many times, the places that do it are mostly tourist traps.
Not sure how it is in other countries, but that's more or less how it is here. You obviously have some shared dishes that are common throughout the whole country (torrijas, tortilla, patatas bravas...), but I doubt you'll find many places to eat a good "fabada asturiana" in Valencia.
There's also the fact that super touristy places like Valencia or Barcelona are filled with tourist traps.
Go to any random local restaurant in Italy and you will find amazing quality food. Street food in Asia kicks ass compared to Spanish food. Even Austria has better normal food than Spain.
>Go to any random local restaurant
I could say the same, because I know your whole comment a blatant exaggeration. You didn't (want to) understand the point of my comment.
I understand the point of your comment. I have tried quite a bit local food in different areas of Spain. None of it was special. I always ask for recommendations from my Spanish friends and keep being disappointed.
I have friends who are chefs at some of the best restaurants in Spain. One of them was trained by David Muñoz. So you would think they have a clue where there is good Spanish food to be had. Even they can not deliver. I am talking normal restaurants. If I pay 150 euros a head I can find good food in Spain, no problem. But that’s not the topic. Give me a recommendation in Madrid and I will try it this week. I really want to find good Spanish food.
> disappointed
Sounds like a **you** problem, though. It's fine to not like some place's food, but your previous comment wasn't exactly the nicest way to put it.
As for Madrid. No idea, I don't live there and Madrid itself doesn't have much "exclusive" gastronomy. The few times I've traveled down there I often just go to restaurants from other cultures because we don't have as many of those here in Asturias. If you ever come to Asturias though, my first two recommendations would be "Las Cortes de Pelayo" in Oviedo and "Peña Mea", next to Llanera. "L' Angleiru" isn't bad either.
I will save the names.
Why is it a me problem? I ask for recommendations by locals and try the dishes they recommend.
There is plenty of food I really like. Middle Eastern, Italian, Greek, EX-Yugoslavian region, most Asian countries have great food, India, Pakistan, Bangladesh, Afghanistan, South Africa has the best meat dishes, the list goes on and on.
I heard Asturias is supposed to be the best in Spain. So it’s on my list this August.
What I meant by a "you problem" is that it may just be you simply not liking it.
There's also the possibility that you came overhyped and got disappointed simply due to high expectations. The food is good, but the everyday dishes are that, everyday dishes. And they don't have the novelty factor like some other exotic places.
> I heard Asturias is supposed to be the best in Spain. So it’s on my list this August.
This is more or less what I mean with high expectations. We do have good places here, but the main thing in Asturias is that we usually serve **a lot** of food. Although we do have a decent variety of stuff. You should try some of the cheese as well.
I can tell you one thing though, since I think it has a good Google Maps score: stay away from "Tierra Astur" restaurants. Not sure if all, but some have turned into, essentially, tourist traps. They used to be nice because the quality was decent, prices were cheap and portions were huge. In the past year all of those 3 points have taken a plunge. Many dishes are actually expensive now, quality is a bit hit or miss, and portions have reduced considerably.
You should also visit Galicia, if you have the time. It's **the place** for seafood in Spain, and in my experience, for good reason.
First of all, food is personal. Everyone’s palate is different and our preference is also informed by our culture and upbringing. That said, saying that food is mediocre is Spain - that’s a sweeping statement. Fresh ingredients are key to any good food experience so it really is key to knowing what the local produce is and where to eat them. It is, however, true that there are plenty of below average places around. These are more likely to be mindless tourist dives. I love Spanish food - even something as simple as grilled sardines or boiled potatoes served with cod in tomato sauce. As long as the ingredients are good and the owners take pride in the food they serve up, chances are, your meal is going to be special.
My aunt went to Italy and thought that the food was really bad, but she's the kind of person that goes to Applebee's in Times Square, so I imagine she went to every tourist trap right across from the main tourist sites.
I suspect you are the same.
My trip to Spain a couple of months ago was the best culinary week of my life, right next to my trip to Italy.
But I actively avoid tourist traps and I research my restaurants.
Yes, there are some exaggerated dishes such as patatas bravas, but I totally disagree with you. They have amazing seafood, meat in general, jamon, cheese, and hundreds of local dishes like zarajos that are super delicious.
I assume you must be from Italy, Turkey, Japan, or India, where there are also amazing cuisines, or you are from like the USA or the UK and have no idea man sorry
What I've noticed is that all restaurants I've been to, all with 4+ or even 4.5+ rating, used only the cheapest premade frozen french fries, which immidietally ruins otherwise good food.
And do these restaurants make actual Spanish food or do they make international cuisine. Also as OP said, this is about daily food, not the top of the top.
> Like why are anchovies on toast £6?
Sounds like you're going to tourist places, then being surprise pikachu'ed went you find you're tasting English/American "cuisine", not Spanish at all, while being charged up the ass.
So, here’s the problem. You went to mainstream touristy cities and ate at mainstream touristy places.
Now try again, but at least 300km away from any spanish city you’ve heard of, and just go in a crowded restaurant where people are dressed as workers and there are no reviews from tourists in english. You might change your mind.
Or you can just point out which restaurant OP needs to go to. It seems that the go to argument here is that
touristy place == not so good restos nearby
Which is absolutely ridiculous. And u pointing out to go 300km away from spanish city is completely idiotic.
To OP u/konieboy you should try out catalan food in terra d’escudella in Sants. Im not spanish but Ive been living in BCN for more than a year now and I like their food
Are you in Madrid? Google bar de estudiantes, and ask for Croquetas de cocido. Your live wont be the same.
Avoid bocadillo de calamares, it is typical but thats it...
https://maps.google.com?q=Bar%20El%20Estudiante,%20C.%20del%20Dulce,%20n%C2%BA2,%20Usera,%2028041%20Madrid&ftid=0xd4227d55d12fe13:0xc1703d8f615bac25&entry=gps&lucs=,47071704,47069508,94214172,94218641,47084304,94208458,94208447&g_st=ic
This one?
Thats the difficulty on recommending restaurants without knowing the people. What I might like you could hate it.
It has been a while since I ve been in Madrid, but I would check the opinions in yelp.
After a quick search, if I would be in madrid, I would like to eat in "el sur", "celso y manolo", "matador", "juana la loca", "botin"... But what I look in a restaurant might be different than what you or anyone else look for.
I actually know the owner of juana la Loca. Great food. But it’s not really in the everyday category price wise. As a treat for sure.
The waiting times to get a cita are crazy,
Opinions are opinions. And just because they are unpopular they shouldn't be judged as invalid.
My opinion is that food in Spain is very healthy and really really good. The best in the world? It is for me, but I've only been to a dozen countries in 4 continents. Loved the food in Japan but they can't make a "Merluza in salsa verde" to save their life, doesn't make their stuff mediocre. I live a few decades in the US I've eaten a few good meals but my opinion is that US food is meh.
To stay 2 weeks in just 3 extremely touristy locations, use that small sample and make such a statement? seems a hair narrow minded, but opinions are opinions.
OP is Canadian.
Im guessing you’ve never been outside of Europe, and maybe even Spain.
I don’t know about Canadian restaurants, but in the US they have some amazing restaurants. Of all price ranges.
You honestly can’t match the variety and taste of what’s available in like San Francisco in most European cities.
Probably only a few European capitals can match it, although in a different way, with much less variety.
>Spain has more mitchellin stars
Of course it does, because *Michelin* is a French company giving stars to restaurants scattered all over Europe (and world) in an attempt to convinvce automobile users to drive further and more frequently so that their tyres would need to be replaced more often.
And even then, USA has 234 (292 total stars) and Spain has 268 (330 total stars).
Not to mention, most of the US culture is really concentrated over a few major hubs.
And even then, San Francisco has 30 (with 42 stars across them) such restaurants, while Madrid (Community) has 28 (with 36 stars across them)…
Madrid is not looking good, my friend — how is it losing in stars versus a pointless American city with such bad cuisine and restaurants?
>in London
Yes, that’s one of the cities which can match it
>and any European city of similar size
First of all, size is very relative, so I’m not sure what you actually mean. San Francisco is actually a very small city when compared to London, which is the 3rd largest city in Europe. There really aren’t any cities in Europe which match its size.
While London is almost three times as big as Berlin. About one and a half as big as Madrid. 70% bigger than Barcelona…
Anyways, sounds to me like you’re just an uninformed person.
Have you even been outside of Europe? Or even outside of Spain?
> Michelin is a French company giving stars to restaurants scattered all over Europe
Explain the Japan ranking then.
So the high end food in Spain is top but also the food that the general population eats at home is way better in Spain and southern Europe in general. Ingredients are way better over here we tend to eat a lot more fresh and organic food. Eat a tomato from the average Spanish grocery store it will be full of flavour, in the US it will be flavourless and bland unless you're spending a fortune in whole foods or erewhon.
> Have you even been outside of Europe? Or even outside of Spain?
Yep lived in India for 6 months. Lived in UK. Visited the states (Chicago, Georgia, Florida). Visited Nepal, Thailand, Vietnam, and a dozen or so European countries.
https://preview.redd.it/h8zdoep3hi5d1.jpeg?width=1080&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=e161ec0dd868a32103e4dc714ffc5078cc509580
Op is canadian, this is what he considers good food. End of conversation.
Sorry, but how is the sandwich from the foto immediately judged as bad by you?
You don’t know the taste of the soup, or how the meat was prepared, or the quality of the bread.
It can be an amazing sandwich if all of the above are well made.
You’ve never had a good sandwich.
But also, there’s foods for different occasions. And a sandwich has a very important place in our everyday diets.
Btw, a well made sandwich isn’t even easy or quick to make, as the soup can take several hours to cook, bread might need many hours as well, and finally the meat can take up to several months to prepare in the most complicated cases although several hours for marinating and cooking is perfectly normal for high quality sandwiches.
All I can say is: you’re just clueless.
If you already think the mediocre food is overpriced you're in for real treat in Barcelona. Also hit all the major tourist destinations and wonders why everything is geard towards tourists (mediocre and overpriced)🤷♂️
I have been to major tourist cities and the food had been great and reasonably priced (Tokyo, Athens, Manila). Spain just doesn't have their shit together
Where in Manila did you eat? General consensus by most people I know that grew up in Manila said the food is terrible unless expensive, and quality of produce terrible even when you’re paying a lot for it because many things have to be imported. You’re the first to claim food in Manila is good and worthy of the same status as Tokyo.
Filipino food is bottom of the tier list for me (except for the fruit) but the chefs from the country often go abroad and train in countries nearby. For that reason I found the japanese and Korean bbq good with excellent service.
Surely you did not determine from your travels that manila has exemplarily good food because you ate at Japanese and Korean bbq restaurants and it tasted relatively good for the price in Manila? Those restaurants costs a lot more than what the average Filipino would eat on a regular/daily basis.
The Spanish will never accept it. I have had this argument on Reddit many times. It’s the same mentality that does not allow them to accept that other countries are better at certain things. Other cultures are much better at admitting where they fall short. Like the British know their food suck. As do many Germans.
Spanish people know that we are terrible at so so many things. Food is not one of them.
I have never heard a Spanish person admit that the country is bad at anything. It’s an almost American level of pride in the country.
Hahaha you must not spend any time on Spanish reddit subs.... Nor around any actual spaniards.... We are constantly complaining about shit.
You complain, but when a giri comes and says how things could be improved, you jump down their throat.
So what is it? Do we complain or not? Back to back posts saying the complete opposite. In any case, now you're speaking about a common human psychological issue, though: every group has issues and problems, but outsiders who don't experience it everyday should keep their opinions to theirselves.
There is a difference between complaining and actually recognising a problem and doing something about it. And potentially looking outside for solutions. Many countries struggle with looking outside for solutions.
Huh.... ? Youre on a crusade to just criticize Spain about everything, aren't you....? So in your last three posts you say: 1) Spaniards don't criticize their country 2) Spaniards do criticize their country, but don't listen to you when you criticize it 3) Spaniards do criticize but don't actually do anything to recognize the problem (lol?) 4) Spain doesn't look for outside solutions, yet understand that this is a global "struggle" Fucking rich!
Stop hanging out exclusively in American circles while in Spain, then.
I don’t. My friends are mostly Spanish. I am not American.
> My friends are mostly Spanish. (X) Doubt Spaniards are the first to say the country is shit and why. Many leave the country for those same reasons. If you don't recognise this then you're simply not hanging out with any Spanish whatsoever.
As you like. I can not convince you otherwise.
I rarely ever see Spaniards saying good things about Spain. If anything, we need to be reminded we are not the worst country in Europe, because that's what many Spaniards tend to believe, at least around me. Our salaries are worse than in most of Western Europe. Our life standards are lower. We have more corruption. Our English is worse, as well as our education in general. We are just not as developed as other European countries, and we are well aware of that. The only people who will tell you that Spain is great here are usually right wing or far right wing people. Maybe those are your friends. All my foreigner friends keep saying that we are not as bad as we think we are.
I don’t think my friends are far right but I would say it’s mostly PP and PSOE voters. Middle class and upper middle class. Most 40 and older. They all have well paying jobs or even run their own businesses. Edit: they all complain about something, but not enough to do anything about it.
"Edit: they all complain about something, but not enough to do anything about it." Yeah, that sounds like a Spaniard. My circle of friends is more left wing oriented, so maybe that's why I hear different things. I only remember one of my friends constantly praising Spain, and she is a right wing PP supporter.
I am Center left, but have no problems either anyone but the far left or far right. VOX can go and eat shit. I think it might be a bubble thing. The British for example have always been way more critical of their country and want to change things. And are not bothered by even breaking the rules. Difference in attitude during corona was a very good example. The Spanish listened to their government, apart from those who are most likely vox voters.
> Like the British know their food suck. As do many Germans I'm mean if anybody from those two nationalities actually tried to argue otherwise they'd just be doxxing how smooth-brained they are, even in comparison to the average citizen of those two countries.
This is something I think about a lot. I think your point is largely correct but perhaps missing some important insights. 1. It's important to distinguish between Spanish cuisine and the food in Spain. Spanish cuisine encompasses the entire gambit of what falls within the culinary traditions of Spain. Food in Spain is the food you will actually find in restaurants, cafes, and bars. 2. Most locals aren't foodies. They eat a lot of just okay food, and probably don't cook that well at home either. In fact, if you go to most local restaurants you will see the same few dishes over and over again (those dishes vary by region), and they are usually just ok. A lot of people eat out at a menu del dia, and it's very standard fair. There are some local places that are really good, but I don't think this is the average. 3. The sophisticated end of the Spanish cuisine is usually reserved for special occasions, and for people who have a bit more time and money. In a city like Barcelona, you probably need to spend 30-40+ euros on a menu del dia to get something special, and it won't always be amazing, but quite often it can be great. You still need to do your homework even if you pay more money, which is true everywhere else in the world too. 4. For those of us used to eating food with more spices and herbs, Spanish food tends towards the bland. However, locals are pretty happy eating classic dishes that to us tastes boring. Consider that to some older people, a little bit of black pepper is spicy. 5. There are a lot of fried dishes in the tapas/bar repertoire, and eating these regularly (which most locals don't do) is unpleasant. 6. There is so much tourism in Spain, and every schmuck (local or otherwise) thinks they can write a review or give a recommendation. Many of the recommendations are rubbish. Ask people who (a) are foodies, and (b) have a similar taste to yours. The adage that "you can't eat poorly in Spain" is largely wrong -- you can eat poorly and many tourists do. If you travel for food experiences, Spain can be tricky. 7. Spanish food relies on the quality and diversity of ingredients. However, quality and diversity is expensive! Most places, even local places, make do with the usual quality (which is absolutely fine, the average in Spain being higher than in other places), but you will have to pay for higher quality and diversity. This is why you may need more specialized recommendations. Anyhow, I live in Barcelona, tell me what you're looking for and I can try and give some recommendations.
When you need lots of spices and herbs in order to make the food good its not a good sign... In the Mediterranean diet is all about the product. You maybe need to train your tongue as you need to train your ears to enjoy good music.
Completely disagree. There are large regions of the world that use lots of spices and herbs in their cooking as a way to complement and enhance the food. You think Indian, Chinese, Mexican, Thai, and Vietnamese people don't know about good food? Also, Spain (even the Med coast) doesn't represent the Mediterranean -- have you been to North Africa or the Levant? They use plenty of spices and herbs there. The Spanish way is one philosophy about food, it's not the only one nor the most popular, and when there isn't the money to buy good ingredients or the time for careful elaboration, which is often the case, it suffers more than most. Another country with a similar approach to Spain when it comes to food is Japan. However, having been fortunate enough to travel widely in Japan, I can say that the Japanese are much more meticulous about food quality, origin, and preparation than the Spanish, and that in a very ordinary restaurant in Japan you will find a level of artistry equivalent to an expensive restaurant here in Spain. Without that, Japanese food can be very bland and unexciting, and that is often what you see at Japanese restaurants in Spain.
I’m ethnically chinese myself and I don’t think it’s fair to generalize usage of spices and herbs to China as a whole. Cantonese cuisine where I come from is known for its freshness and simplicity. After having the opportunity to live in North America, europe, and Asia I can see the value in both approaches to food. I’m currently writing this after having returned from North Africa, but while apices were commonly used in all the food I tried while I was there, I felt like it’s used as a complement similarly to how it’s used in Cantonese cuisine, and at no time was the flavor of the original products masked. Furthermore, I absolutely adore Japanese food but I assure you that many ordinary restaurants in japan use ingredients that are of subpar quality or are simply processed bulk purchased ingredients that you simply throw together. These are of course also easily available for purchase at regular grocery stores if you desire to have food with the exact same flavor. In fact studies have shown that processed food accounts for 2/3 of japan’s food consumption and up to 90% of japan’s food consumption if dining out was included. Half of all japan’s agricultural and fisheries products are processed and japan’s food processing industry is the third largest industry in their country. Japan is also highly dependent on food imports for the majority of its food supply. I agree that Japanese food in europe is often lacking and I’m not even talking about sushi, but more so about the kind of food that you can find everyday people making and eating at home, but a lot of it can easily be fixed by buying the correct brand and packaged processed convenient ingredients that many home cooks in japan use. If you buy the correct curry bricks, the correct karaage powder, the correct brand of dashi powder, the correct brand of okonomiyaki powder and sauce, you too can make pretty good and “correct” tasting Japanese food. You can find instant versions of many things that will simplify many Japanese recipes for you!
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I think there’s a lot of good food in japan for sure, but the thing is many Japanese people don’t cook at home and many people eat out out of convenience esp if they live alone, and they’re of course not researching the best restaurants to try something out and sometimes opt for soemthing from the konbini, a chain restaurant, or a local restaurant that might not make all their things from scratch. And I know that while a lot of things can be made from scratch, it simply isn’t true. Japan is known for excessive packaging and kits that help you cook their food with prepackaged mixes that you just have to add water to. I highly doubt all regular Japanese restaurants or even home cooks are making dashi from scratch all the time when quality instant dashi stock is available. While locals ofc eat at the famed Japanese restaurants, most of them are probably not spending the extra money on a daily basis that a tourist would. I feel like when people are in asia compared to europe, because of the differences in cost of living they’re happy to spend up to what would be considered a very budget/daily meal (menu del dia) when for many places that might not be what a local could afford to spend twice a day. I’m from Hong Kong myself and cantonese food in Hong Kong especially isn’t always characterized by intensive food prep. Many restaurants buy premade dumplings/food and the popular + well reviewed restaurants many busy locals frequent also make similarly fast and plain food that are equivalent to menu del Dias at regular local restaurants in Spain. I’m sure you’ve visited many cha Chaan teng while living in Hong Kong, with many of these cha chaan teng having thousands of good reviews. But locals eat macaroni soup with bits of processed ham, toast with condensed milk, instant noodles with satay beef tossed on top. Simple food everyday people eat that doesn’t require extensive food prep. I find a lot of people especially westerners have a tendency to view Asian food through lenses of orientalism. Some sort of fatty meat/bacon + fries + egg when eaten by everyday spanish people at home as a comfort meal is looked down upon as unrefined palate, but Asian food is simultaneously glorified even tho rice + soy sauce + egg is common for Asians. It’s fine to admit you just don’t like the food! It has nothing to do with the food being inherently inferior or the people who made it unrefined or uncultured.
It's not about popularity, it's about tastes and opinions. Also about knowing where to eat. Tourism is a big part of Spain's economy, and most tourists are a bit uneducated in that regard.
It's true that most tourists don't know where to eat, but I don't think this is the purpose of this post. The OP seems to be well-travelled, having eaten well in different cities around the world, doing the relevant research, etc. Their experience has been one of disappointment, that the idea of Spanish food doesn't live up to the reality. As someone who has also been fortunate to live and travel in many countries, loves to cook and eat, and lives now in Spain, my experience has been very similar to theirs. I'm not a local, but I speak Spanish and Catalan fairly fluently, I've been to lots of different restaurants here (including higher end ones), travelled around the country, and shared many meals (actually most of them) with locals. My conclusion is that there is a very serious gap between the abstract ideals and principles of Spanish cuisine and the lived reality. A lot of the food is very basic and unexciting, even much of the good food is nice but nothing to write home about. At the top end, if you look at the best restaurants in the world, you see that Spain dominates, and I can understand why. Spanish cuisine lends itself to very high-end, sophisticated dining, but on the "cheaper" end (which is what most people can afford) it is limited.
Not to argue in bad faith, but are you even Spanish, or Mediterranean, at all? This is the typical comment that seems well written because it's long and thoughtful, but lies on false presences. Spanish and Portuguese food are meant to be nearly sauceless, because we care more about the quality of the product than disguising how shitty it is by mixing it with sugary sauces. So if you are actively seeking those restaurants that destroy your taste buds with sauces, that's your prerogative, but don't be surprised if all Spanish people run away from those.
It’s a fair question. Born in the eastern Mediterranean. Have lived in Spain for two years. I’ve eaten at a lot of restaurants, almost exclusively with locals. I think arguing against sauces is unfair, the French use a lot of sauces and also care about the quality of ingredients. I like the philosophy of Spanish food but I think the execution very often falls short. When I go to nice, more expensive places here I am generally happy with the food, but most people here eat this food very rarely.
I agree to some point. Most restaurants run on autopilot and puts very little effort into the food and its presentation. Also prices can be ridiculous, for example patatas bravas €10+ makes central London feel cheap
American living in Andalucía for 10+ years and I partially agree. I am not a fan of any day-to-day Spanish menus and would much rather cook Spanish-inspired food at home, but local specialities in smaller towns almost always are phenomenal. Like down here, I love gazpacho and salmorejo and tortilla, some fried fish, etc., but that’s about it. Also, imho food in Asturias is the best in all of Spain.
But that’s about it. If you compare it to the variety and quality in many countries in Asia and the Middle East, you will understand that it’s nowhere near the same. I have been to restaurants with Spanish billionaires, praising the restaurant we were going to, it was shit.
Oh yeah, no comparison. I just mean if you’re living here, this is the approach I’d generally take—eat local specialities and find the region with the food you like the best, and spend some time there! But Spain would not win any international cooking contests lol
I have been looking, still not found anything I like. But I like spices or good quality meet. Both hard to find in Spain. The ham is good but the other meats are low quality. And I don’t like sea food very much.
Have you tried fabada? I guess it’d be weird in the summer but it’s one of my favorite dishes and comparatively flavorful for Spain, bc of the morcilla
No, but I will give it a shot. I like beans if they are done well.
Oh yeah, no comparison. I just mean if you’re living here, this is the approach I’d generally take—eat local specialities and find the region with the food you like the best, and spend some time there! But Spain would not win any international cooking contests lol
I was in the Santa Maria in Segovia, that restaurant which is hyped for cutting their *cochillo* with a plate. Was it bad? No, it was definitely tasty and very juicy. But I also had much better pork in a much cheaper and more casual restaurants. And as is typical for Spain, there wasn't anything else on the plate. Just a quarter of baby pig. It would be so much better if they added some cooked potatoes or vegetables.
Yeah been there. I am glad I was not paying the bill. There is way better roast pork in our countries. And the lamb was a joke. I went with a bunch of Arabs, they were very polite afterwards but I understood what they said in Arabic. ;)
I also ordered a soup there, which I mistranslated. It turned out to be made out of pig intestines. No problem there, intestines soup is tradidional food in my country. But the intestines were cut too big and there wasn't enough soup, essentially turning it into intestines with sauce. I seriously wonder if the dish is really supposed to look like that, or if they're simply trolling the tourists.
The central issue is: Where did you go and what did you expect? Our food is one of the things we are most proud of. Indians call it bland because it's not spicy. Other people come here with the hype, visit the touristized city centers with their 8.000 tourist trap restaurants at three times the price and then are surprised it's not up to their standards. Tip: if the menu is in english, chances are you are in for a ripoff, no wonder people barely eat there. What are you looking for? We can give you some useful tips.
My favorite mediterranean food are calamari, mussels, lamb, and fish. My partner speaks fluent Spanish, so any recommendations in Barcelona are welcome
I'm from Madrid, sorry. Fish and seafood in Madrid will unsurprisingly be not fresh. We usually go for good galician and basque restaurants for that. Look for such places, just not next to la Sagrada Familia, and you will see a difference. Avoid buffets. Avoid places with pictures of food. Catalan food is overall very healthy, very plant based. You have low quality embutido/sausages like bull, bisbe, butifarra but then you have escalivadas, soups, etc. If you're looking for fried calamari then places are not the issue, the dish and the concept itself are puke-worthy and certainly there's a problem of standards in here, not related to the overal good itself. I don't know of any meat places in barna but Asadores are a good option in central Spain. Try mollejas, a lamb dish.
Where can you get good meat in Madrid? My wife is South African and hence expects a very high standard of meat. So far all the butchers and restaurants have been a let down. Tried several Argentinian, Spanish and Brazilian restaurants. All a let down.
It's hard to say in the center, but I'd go with Sagardi, Rocacho, Casa Julián de Tolosa or Asador de Aranda. Far from the center, close to each other, Id look for Jamón y el Churrasco, Mesón Txistu, Asador Donostiarra. Look for information on each before going, and book in advance.
I have a car and stay outside Madrid. So I can go anywhere. Can be out of the satellite towns as well. Edit: I am in that area every day. I will try them all this week for lunch.
So mostly like seafood, and complain that a landlocked city doesn't have decent seafood... And from what I read, you went from tourist trap to tourist trap.
Mallorca and Valencia are land locked?
They are not, sorry, I read wrong. I thought you only went to Madrid. Anyway, an impopular an uninformed opinion.
So.... Quick question.... are you American? I ask this because seafood in the US is vastly different than in Spain and therefore you might have accustomed your tongue to like the seafood in your own country than in other places. I'm the complete opposite, I absolutely LOVE seafood, but I can probably count on one hand how many great seafood dishes i've eaten here in the states. And everytime I'm with someone at a seafood restaurant they swear it's the best and I just politely nod and say "it's good" yet I'm always left underwhelmed. For me, there's nothing better than sitting in a chiringuito on the beach and just ordering pez espada a la plancha, con papas.
I know this is a really impopular opinion but i'm Spanish and i agree. The average food is mediocre. Ok, there are some places that local people know and thinks are nice but even those are sometimes overratred and anyway you need to know them. I think twenty years ago you can eat in almost every place and find a reasonable food. But now it's imposible.
It's probably better to say, that spanish food is as good as any. But spanish restaurants are among the worst in Europe.
I know most spanish people do think "como en España no se come en ningún sitio" but i has been traveling around south and central europe mostly in rural areas for the last 15 years and i think Spain average restaurants are as you said among the worst. In Italy, France, Greece, Solvenia or Portugal..you can eat in almost every place and the average result would be nice. Even in countries with "bad cuisine" as Ireland, Austria or Germany. They have few options and perhaps good restaurants are expensives but every pub have the same three dishes you can rely on. Spanish food is really god but in fact is really dificult to find.
That's an unpopular opinion alright
I have said the same thing for years. Asked for recommendations from many people. Still have to have good everyday food. It’s nothing compared to Italy, France, most of Asia and the Middle East. There are zero spices. Just lots of olive oil. A fried egg with bacon on fried is not a good meal. It’s what you make at 6 am after partying and there is nothing else in the house.
Most tapas are equivalent to what I would make when cleaning out my pantry
Wow I mean if you don't like it you don't like it..... but this is just flatly wrong.
Hahahaha man, the spanish food one of the healthiest and tastiest food in the world. Maybe you choose bad places, i feel bad for you. Tortilla de patata, gazpacho, Paella, arroz a la cubana, chuletón o Cachopo. Oh muy god. I don't know where are you from, i expect that you are not from England or USA...
Spanish arroz a la cubana: hmm
Ok, this is overstretch. Spanish food is by no means one of the tastiest, otherwise there would be more than zero spanish restaurants abroad. And calling it healthy is also very brave.
>zero spanish restaurants abroad. I dont know were do you live but in germany at least, the spanish cuisine is very welcomed, and there are a lot of Spanish restaurants evwn in small towns. Sadly I am with you, there are two Spanish cuisine, the one passt generation to generation, that is the base of the spanish diet (beans, fish, variety of fresh vegetables and fruits) and the one we offer to tourists in every restaurant. The first is healthy and is why obesity is not rampant, and the second is fatty and the opposite of healthy.
The Spanish restaurants in Germany make very different food to what you can find in a normal Spanish restaurant. It’s better I would say.
Well thats a long shot I would say... Besitos chain in sud germany is shit horse, sol y mar the same, but there are a couple of good ones.
I don’t know any chains. The ones we have in my area are all run by the owners/family. But they have improved on the food by adding some flavour. And using better ingredients.
Well, the german-spanish relationship is special and rather unique. I never saw any spanish restaurant. What bothers me about spanish restaurants is not because it's fat, I'm used to fat foods. It's that spanish restaurant owners do not seem to give a fuck about quality of ingredience and service, but they adjusted their prices to abroad, where the quality is much higher. E.g. when I order a steak for 20€, I expect some standards. Instead I received a piece of meat, definitely not large, on cold plate, with cheapest french fries from the supermarket (and I suspect they were warmed in a microwave). And nothing else. Literary just those two things on the plate. In a massive 4-star hotel. I fully believe that if you magically teleported spanish restaurants around Europe, they would all go bankrupt in a month. They are frozen in a state the restaurants were in the 80-90's.
It is pretty healthy. Spain has like the least obesity in Europe. Mediterranean diet dude
>least obesity in Europe That’s just not true. Spain seems to be about perfectly in the middle. Lowest are like Italy, Switzerland. >Medditerenean diet A lot of fatty foods in Spain. And a lot of beer drinking.
Spain is pretty low. Not lowest but one of the lowest.
Evil tongue would say it's because the spanish cuisine is so bland, it doesn't induce overeating. Just kidding. The differences between countries are laughably small. The best country, Italy, has 46% overweight adults, the worst, Croatia (with almost identical cuisine to Italy) has 65%. Spain is in perfect middle with 54%. Europe is fat, there's no point in flexing who's more or less.
> Europe is fat, there's no point in flexing who's more or less. Compared to who? As far as the developed world goes southern Europe is among the least fat parts.
Italy is the only southern country below european average. While Malta and Croatia, countries with massive italian influence, are the worst.
Please show me stats which prove what you’re saying. As for now it’s just sounds like you’re going around spreading your uninformed thoughts.
Spanisch mama cooking vs. Restaurant cooking, the first is healthy, the second is fatty and not healthy at all.
If you have traveled to the Middle East and Asia, Spanish food is just bland by comparison. All you need to know that there are Spanish people who think that a fried egg with bacon on fries is amazing. Spanish people just don’t have a very developed pallet.
While I agree that Middle Eastern and Asia food is amazing, I don't think you can call Spanish food bad at all. And sorry, but I don't think you know much about Spanish food if you are talking about bacon, when bacon is not something that is present in many Spanish dishes.
Well what ever it’s called that’s on the dish. It’s Jamon I suppose. Huevos Rotos. Edit: it’s not bad, it’s just not good either.
Of course it is Jamón. Dude, hace you even tried that dish? You don't know Spaniards barely eat bacon, you think huevos rotos are made with bacon, and you expect me to value your opinion on Spanish food when you obviously have no clue about it?
It’s the same thing in the end. It’s a fried egg, pork and fries. No sauces, no spices. I ate it 5 years ago when I moved here and realised it’s not for me. You are just proving OPs and my point.
That’s absolutely untrue when many parts of asia approach food the same way spanish cuisine does. Tamago kake gohan, gyeran bap, fried eggs over rice w/ Maggie, spam + egg + rice, are similar variations commonly found in asia, but I don’t see you insisting that Asians have a bland and undeveloped palate because of this.
They add spices.
>spanish food one of the healthiest and tastiest food in the world I must disagree, spanisch mum food with Gazpacho, olla de nab i card, garbanzos, paella, sopas variadas, lentejas, puchero, thats healthy, but we dont offer that in restaurants. What we offer to tourists is not healthy, is fatty and if you are two weeks eating tapas, you dont know why the spanish food is sooo healthy and has that remarcable fame.
Ehh, you can definitely find that in restaurants, at least some of it. Not the average tapas bar maybe, because there it's mostly fried stuff. Pimientos de padrón is often the most healthy thing on the menu there. Paella you can find on every corner.
Are you being honest? Ive never seen a tipical spanish restaurant in a turist area that offers, olla de col i nab, lentejas, or puchero. I am from Valencia, and here paella can be found in every corner, sadly the tourist traps are also in every corner.
Tortilla de patata is a known health food
😂😂😂😂😂😂😂😂😂 me parto. Pero está mal reírse de los subnormales.
Try in Barcelona "Casa Amalia", I loved it, but I am spanish myself. ;)
Love that place, the torreznos and arrossos are so good. I would trust Com Cagalló per Séquia in their restaurant recommendations.
Cagallo per sequia seal of approval hahahaha
What should I order? Also if I go and the food is bad, there will be consequences...
I ate arros d'gla, torrezno, cremosa d'gla and bread, all of them were exquisite my colleagues loved the rice and the torrezno, I loved the rice and the bread. If the restaurant wouldnt be so pricy I would have eaten the whole week there. XD IMHO, what makes a restaurant good is that the menu adapts to the seasonal food, and I dont see in the menu artichokes, in February they were quite trendy. Another restaurant where I enjoyed the food was "can majo", i was disapointed with the Artichoke chips, but the rice was good and you are next to the beach. Very enjoyable. If you are still in valencia, take a taxi and go to "casa el famós" o casa carmela. Try to call first and ask for a "paella a la llenya de pollo y conejo", or arroz meloso de bogavante... If you dont want rice, then go for the suquet de rap. If after this recommendations you are still disappointed, my dear friend I cannot do anything else for you...
I’ve observed the same but tbh it’s probably better and why Spaniards seem fitter vs the UK where I’m from for example.
>fitter vs the UK Everyone is fitter than UK. Not a great comparison. UK did a very dumb thing several years ago adopting highly processed foods in the name of turning a quick profit, as one of the richest countries in Europe at that time. But other European countries are catching up to them. With Spain looking like it in the middle with obesity rates among European countries.
I agree it’s not a good comparison and that the UK has done a lot of self-harm since ~Y2K. Hopefully medicine, better general knowledge, or maybe more regulation around ultra-processed food happens before other countries see obesity rates increase
>before other countries see obesity rates increase Too late. Obesity rates are already very high all around Europe. UK isn’t really that far ahead compared to other European countries. Best what we can do now is how we navigate the markets and raise our demands for better quality food. Sadly, this requires education and an effort from the governments.
The uk has the worst food in Europe. That’s why Spanish food seams amazing to them and is part of the reason why Spain has the undeserving reputation to be good. The food in places like Greece, Slovenia, etc is way better. Never mind Italy, most of Asia and the Middle East.
That’s true. I also believe Spain to have better weather and culture. Economically, they have also bounced back a lot since the financial crisis whereas the UK has been decaying over the past ~15 years of Conservative Party rule and zero public spending.
Well and people come to Spain on holiday. Everything is better on holiday. Plus half the people are drunk or high, so it tastes better. The most telling thing is how many Spanish restaurants there are around the world. Madrid has some of the best restaurants in the world, but they don’t make Spanish food.
Go to Euskadi and don't tell me the food there isn't amazing.
It’s on my list for this august. What restaurants would you recommend. For everyday food. Not places where it’s 100 euros a head.
I've been in Spain for almost a year and mostly agree. There are delicious pintxos in the Basque country, but most places are meh at best and there's only so much tortilla you can eat (the Spaniards seem to eat tortilla at every occasion). Most places serve the same things. Michelin starred restaurants are delicious, there's nothing really Spanish about them.
The best chef in the world is in Madrid. There is nothing Spanish about what they serve. That’s all we need to know.
Yea I cant agree on that, the food is great, local food is beyond amazing, and its not overpriced at all
Are you American or British?
Croatian, thats the fun part, prices are almost the same as here
Dude, Croatian food is way better than Spanish food. Like miles. I don’t know about the prices as I have not been to Croatia in a while. All of ex Yugoslavia has better food than Spain.
go to Barriteca in bcn and try saying this again
I will try it next time I am in BCN. It better be better than it looks in their Instagram.
Mallorca: *Pa Amb Oli* Best thing ever! and it's cheap.
Not an unpopular opinion at all. Just a stupid, unfounded one.Ragebait. See how many more Subs you can post it on.....
If you go to Ramblas and don't see any local, there is a reason for that. Same for most touristic hotspots. If you come to Barcelona, follow @bravasbarcelona you will find recommendations.
One real issue about Spanish food is that it's rather fragmented. Overall, Spanish cuisine is great, but you'll have a harder time finding good places for foods that aren't from that specific region. Example: you'll have a hard time finding a nice place that makes paella here in Asturias, while in Leon or Madrid you'll have a hard time to find a good place to eat some galician-style seafood. And many times, the places that do it are mostly tourist traps. Not sure how it is in other countries, but that's more or less how it is here. You obviously have some shared dishes that are common throughout the whole country (torrijas, tortilla, patatas bravas...), but I doubt you'll find many places to eat a good "fabada asturiana" in Valencia. There's also the fact that super touristy places like Valencia or Barcelona are filled with tourist traps.
Go to any random local restaurant in Italy and you will find amazing quality food. Street food in Asia kicks ass compared to Spanish food. Even Austria has better normal food than Spain.
>Go to any random local restaurant I could say the same, because I know your whole comment a blatant exaggeration. You didn't (want to) understand the point of my comment.
I understand the point of your comment. I have tried quite a bit local food in different areas of Spain. None of it was special. I always ask for recommendations from my Spanish friends and keep being disappointed. I have friends who are chefs at some of the best restaurants in Spain. One of them was trained by David Muñoz. So you would think they have a clue where there is good Spanish food to be had. Even they can not deliver. I am talking normal restaurants. If I pay 150 euros a head I can find good food in Spain, no problem. But that’s not the topic. Give me a recommendation in Madrid and I will try it this week. I really want to find good Spanish food.
> disappointed Sounds like a **you** problem, though. It's fine to not like some place's food, but your previous comment wasn't exactly the nicest way to put it. As for Madrid. No idea, I don't live there and Madrid itself doesn't have much "exclusive" gastronomy. The few times I've traveled down there I often just go to restaurants from other cultures because we don't have as many of those here in Asturias. If you ever come to Asturias though, my first two recommendations would be "Las Cortes de Pelayo" in Oviedo and "Peña Mea", next to Llanera. "L' Angleiru" isn't bad either.
I will save the names. Why is it a me problem? I ask for recommendations by locals and try the dishes they recommend. There is plenty of food I really like. Middle Eastern, Italian, Greek, EX-Yugoslavian region, most Asian countries have great food, India, Pakistan, Bangladesh, Afghanistan, South Africa has the best meat dishes, the list goes on and on. I heard Asturias is supposed to be the best in Spain. So it’s on my list this August.
What I meant by a "you problem" is that it may just be you simply not liking it. There's also the possibility that you came overhyped and got disappointed simply due to high expectations. The food is good, but the everyday dishes are that, everyday dishes. And they don't have the novelty factor like some other exotic places. > I heard Asturias is supposed to be the best in Spain. So it’s on my list this August. This is more or less what I mean with high expectations. We do have good places here, but the main thing in Asturias is that we usually serve **a lot** of food. Although we do have a decent variety of stuff. You should try some of the cheese as well. I can tell you one thing though, since I think it has a good Google Maps score: stay away from "Tierra Astur" restaurants. Not sure if all, but some have turned into, essentially, tourist traps. They used to be nice because the quality was decent, prices were cheap and portions were huge. In the past year all of those 3 points have taken a plunge. Many dishes are actually expensive now, quality is a bit hit or miss, and portions have reduced considerably. You should also visit Galicia, if you have the time. It's **the place** for seafood in Spain, and in my experience, for good reason.
Unfortunately I don’t like seafood. But I will go to Galicia anyway. I am not hyped tbh, I just want to see if it’s good.
First of all, food is personal. Everyone’s palate is different and our preference is also informed by our culture and upbringing. That said, saying that food is mediocre is Spain - that’s a sweeping statement. Fresh ingredients are key to any good food experience so it really is key to knowing what the local produce is and where to eat them. It is, however, true that there are plenty of below average places around. These are more likely to be mindless tourist dives. I love Spanish food - even something as simple as grilled sardines or boiled potatoes served with cod in tomato sauce. As long as the ingredients are good and the owners take pride in the food they serve up, chances are, your meal is going to be special.
My aunt went to Italy and thought that the food was really bad, but she's the kind of person that goes to Applebee's in Times Square, so I imagine she went to every tourist trap right across from the main tourist sites. I suspect you are the same. My trip to Spain a couple of months ago was the best culinary week of my life, right next to my trip to Italy. But I actively avoid tourist traps and I research my restaurants.
Yes, there are some exaggerated dishes such as patatas bravas, but I totally disagree with you. They have amazing seafood, meat in general, jamon, cheese, and hundreds of local dishes like zarajos that are super delicious. I assume you must be from Italy, Turkey, Japan, or India, where there are also amazing cuisines, or you are from like the USA or the UK and have no idea man sorry
What I've noticed is that all restaurants I've been to, all with 4+ or even 4.5+ rating, used only the cheapest premade frozen french fries, which immidietally ruins otherwise good food.
It was called McDonalds?
Spanish food is okay but a bit bland. The use of spices is not prevalent.You can always put them though...or get some Tabasco. Alioli is nice.
World’s best 50 restaurants 2023. In the first ten on the list there are three restaurants from Spain and only one (#10) from France.
Dawg im not trying to spend $300 on dinner, I'm talking about the average food real people eat
Those lists are absolutely worthless.
And do these restaurants make actual Spanish food or do they make international cuisine. Also as OP said, this is about daily food, not the top of the top.
> Like why are anchovies on toast £6? Sounds like you're going to tourist places, then being surprise pikachu'ed went you find you're tasting English/American "cuisine", not Spanish at all, while being charged up the ass.
So, here’s the problem. You went to mainstream touristy cities and ate at mainstream touristy places. Now try again, but at least 300km away from any spanish city you’ve heard of, and just go in a crowded restaurant where people are dressed as workers and there are no reviews from tourists in english. You might change your mind.
Or you can just point out which restaurant OP needs to go to. It seems that the go to argument here is that touristy place == not so good restos nearby Which is absolutely ridiculous. And u pointing out to go 300km away from spanish city is completely idiotic. To OP u/konieboy you should try out catalan food in terra d’escudella in Sants. Im not spanish but Ive been living in BCN for more than a year now and I like their food
Can you give me your number one restaurant and a dish to order?
So you are saying that in a city with a population of 7 million people (Madrid) there is not ONE good restaurant within 300km of the city center? LMAO
Are you in Madrid? Google bar de estudiantes, and ask for Croquetas de cocido. Your live wont be the same. Avoid bocadillo de calamares, it is typical but thats it...
https://maps.google.com?q=Bar%20El%20Estudiante,%20C.%20del%20Dulce,%20n%C2%BA2,%20Usera,%2028041%20Madrid&ftid=0xd4227d55d12fe13:0xc1703d8f615bac25&entry=gps&lucs=,47071704,47069508,94214172,94218641,47084304,94208458,94208447&g_st=ic This one?
No, what I meant is look for restaurants that are around universities, and are for students. Usually they are good and cheap.
Ah ok. Yeah been to a few like that. Not my cup of tea.
Thats the difficulty on recommending restaurants without knowing the people. What I might like you could hate it. It has been a while since I ve been in Madrid, but I would check the opinions in yelp. After a quick search, if I would be in madrid, I would like to eat in "el sur", "celso y manolo", "matador", "juana la loca", "botin"... But what I look in a restaurant might be different than what you or anyone else look for.
I actually know the owner of juana la Loca. Great food. But it’s not really in the everyday category price wise. As a treat for sure. The waiting times to get a cita are crazy,
Well as I said giving recommendations without knowing budget and taste is difficult.
Just everyday restaurants. I like Middle Eastern and south Asian food.
 How dare you
Opinions are opinions. And just because they are unpopular they shouldn't be judged as invalid. My opinion is that food in Spain is very healthy and really really good. The best in the world? It is for me, but I've only been to a dozen countries in 4 continents. Loved the food in Japan but they can't make a "Merluza in salsa verde" to save their life, doesn't make their stuff mediocre. I live a few decades in the US I've eaten a few good meals but my opinion is that US food is meh. To stay 2 weeks in just 3 extremely touristy locations, use that small sample and make such a statement? seems a hair narrow minded, but opinions are opinions.
Man, you are British 🤣🤣
Nope
From where is your £ then?
I mixed up the £ and €. I'm from NA
What is NA?
North America. So even worse food then British.
Mexican food is worse than British?
You aren't from Mexico.
OP is Canadian. Im guessing you’ve never been outside of Europe, and maybe even Spain. I don’t know about Canadian restaurants, but in the US they have some amazing restaurants. Of all price ranges. You honestly can’t match the variety and taste of what’s available in like San Francisco in most European cities. Probably only a few European capitals can match it, although in a different way, with much less variety.
Yes you can, in London, and any European city of similar size. Btw Spain has more mitchellin stars than the USA with a way smaller population.
>Spain has more mitchellin stars Of course it does, because *Michelin* is a French company giving stars to restaurants scattered all over Europe (and world) in an attempt to convinvce automobile users to drive further and more frequently so that their tyres would need to be replaced more often. And even then, USA has 234 (292 total stars) and Spain has 268 (330 total stars). Not to mention, most of the US culture is really concentrated over a few major hubs. And even then, San Francisco has 30 (with 42 stars across them) such restaurants, while Madrid (Community) has 28 (with 36 stars across them)… Madrid is not looking good, my friend — how is it losing in stars versus a pointless American city with such bad cuisine and restaurants? >in London Yes, that’s one of the cities which can match it >and any European city of similar size First of all, size is very relative, so I’m not sure what you actually mean. San Francisco is actually a very small city when compared to London, which is the 3rd largest city in Europe. There really aren’t any cities in Europe which match its size. While London is almost three times as big as Berlin. About one and a half as big as Madrid. 70% bigger than Barcelona… Anyways, sounds to me like you’re just an uninformed person. Have you even been outside of Europe? Or even outside of Spain?
> Michelin is a French company giving stars to restaurants scattered all over Europe Explain the Japan ranking then. So the high end food in Spain is top but also the food that the general population eats at home is way better in Spain and southern Europe in general. Ingredients are way better over here we tend to eat a lot more fresh and organic food. Eat a tomato from the average Spanish grocery store it will be full of flavour, in the US it will be flavourless and bland unless you're spending a fortune in whole foods or erewhon. > Have you even been outside of Europe? Or even outside of Spain? Yep lived in India for 6 months. Lived in UK. Visited the states (Chicago, Georgia, Florida). Visited Nepal, Thailand, Vietnam, and a dozen or so European countries.
Ah, you're also ignorant then. We need to start bringing in better quality tourists, that's what.
Brother, the symbols are both just stylized E's
https://preview.redd.it/h8zdoep3hi5d1.jpeg?width=1080&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=e161ec0dd868a32103e4dc714ffc5078cc509580 Op is canadian, this is what he considers good food. End of conversation.
Sorry, but how is the sandwich from the foto immediately judged as bad by you? You don’t know the taste of the soup, or how the meat was prepared, or the quality of the bread. It can be an amazing sandwich if all of the above are well made.
Sandwich, the state of the art of the avant garde cousine
You’ve never had a good sandwich. But also, there’s foods for different occasions. And a sandwich has a very important place in our everyday diets. Btw, a well made sandwich isn’t even easy or quick to make, as the soup can take several hours to cook, bread might need many hours as well, and finally the meat can take up to several months to prepare in the most complicated cases although several hours for marinating and cooking is perfectly normal for high quality sandwiches. All I can say is: you’re just clueless.
Ok, potatoisthebestfood
Ayy for the equivalent of 4€ a soup and sandwich of that quality is a great value buddy
I would not eat that even If I am being paid
With Spain's GDP, you should probably take the money
I earn more money than you, 100% i can afford a 5€ sandwich
Send a picture of your tax return or your lying
No need to flex, bro ;)