A Typical Tapas Menu in Spanish 🙂
When you spend so much time in a foreign country with little children you tend to order the same thing over and over (just to be safe) or whatever the “special” is (even when you’re not quite sure what you’re ordering). Eventually you get to understand the menus and venture out to eating more exciting things.
By the time our 2-month stay-cation in Spain was over, Lou Lou and Jaf were ordering directly off the menu (in Spanish), these particular items. To say these menu items are “kid-friendly” would be an understatement, its more like “kid-favorites” because they know these food items by heart.
We hope this list of kid-favorite foods from Spain makes it easier for you and your family to navigate through a Spanish menu. These are the Spanish tapas items my children simply loved and we hope yours do too!
1) Croquetas – Made with béchamel or mashed potatoes, these finger-friendly tapas are very popular amongst Spanish children. You can find my different types of croquetas on a menu with different fillings, but ours love Croquetas de Jamon (with ham).
They were hot so we cut them up to cool off 🙂
2) Calamares Romana – Battered fried squid with lemon is how Jaf prefer’s to eat this dish. We also like Calamares Planxa too! 🙂
Squeezing every bit of that lemon onto his Calamares…
Another variation of calamares, called Calamares Planxa
3) Empanadas – These baked turnovers are a simple snack that our kids loved. The “queso” or Empanada de Queso was their favorite because the kids love cheese. But they also enjoyed the chicken as well.
These empanadas were chicken, pork and cheese
4) Gambas Al Ajillo – This would be their favorite. Sauteed prawns with garlic with lots of bread for dipping!
Most “gambas” are served without the shell so order away!
5) Albondigas – Made with a tangy tomato sauce these meatballs are hard to resist.
Served with potatoes, Albondigas remind us of a good meatloaf and potato meal 🙂
6) Paella – Spain’s most popular dish you’ll find these in almost every restaurant Spain. Lou Lou and Jaf particularly loved the Valencian original, served with seafood. But most restaurants serve different kinds of paella, including a popular version made with rabbit, chicken or shrimp (gambas). There are also vegetarian variations as well!
Typical Seafood Paella we ordered while in Valencia, Spain
7) Tortilla De Patatas – This Spanish omelet is made with eggs and potatoes. We normally order it for breakfast!
This egg and potato pancake was served with grilled chicken and a side salad. It’s wonderful!
8) Churros – The churros in Spain are very different from the Mexican version which is sprinkled with cinnamon sugar. The Spanish Churros Con Chocolate or Chocolate y Churros are much more crunchier and and served with a side of warm thick hot chocolate which is used for dipping (not to be drunk). It’s hard to just eat one!
The sign alone was tantalizing!
9) Helado – Similar to Gelato and Glace, Spain’s version of ice cream or frozen ice is something you simply cannot miss ordering on a hot day.
Helado is ice cream. Usually made from milk and cream and often combined with fruits.
10) Cola Cao – Not sure if this is considered a “food” item but my kids ordered this from every cafe we visited. Served with warm milk, it’s not only popular with kids in Spain but adults as well.
Every morning with warm milk…
Don’t forget to pack this list when planning your next trip to Spain!
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