Spanish Bars and Tapas

One thing to keep clear for the typical foreigner is that in Spain most bars double as restaurants and vice versa. They serve as meeting points, social establishments, places to play games, watch football games, chat, have coffee, drink, eat, party or pretty much any other excuse is a good one, which explains why there are so many. A typical bar will boast an interesting array of “pinchos” or “tapas” (small snack size portions of food) that vary by region and are often discounted or even sometimes included in your drink price. Doubling as restaurants, most bars will also offer daily menus (3 course meal for a fixed price), “platos combinados” (one plate with various items) and rations (large appetizers) which are often shared between the whole group for lunch or dinner. Of course another frequent option is to “ir de pinchos” which consists of going from one bar to the next and enjoying a different “tapa” in each until you have essentially had your meal.