What's the plan?
Plan
Serving styles by region
| Region | Style | Per plate | Crawl habit |
|---|---|---|---|
| Madrid / central | Tapas (small, 脿 la carte) | 鈧?鈥撯偓6 | Moderate (bar hopping common) |
| Andaluc铆a | Tapas (often free with drink) | Free or 鈧? | Strong (every bar has its own) |
| Pa铆s Vasco | Pinchos / pintxos (on bread, bar) | 鈧?.50鈥撯偓5 | Very strong (pincho crawl) |
| Catalunya | Tapas + "racions" | 鈧?鈥撯偓8 | Moderate |
| Valencia | Tapas + "tapes" | 鈧?鈥撯偓6 | Moderate |
| Galicia | Raciones (large plates) | 鈧?鈥撯偓15 | Low (sit-down) |
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How to read results
- Pincho (pintxo) in Pa铆s Vasco = a small slice of bread with a topping held by a toothpick (pincho = "spike"). Eat from the bar, pay by the toothpicks left.
- Tapa in Sevilla = a free small bite that comes with each drink. Order 鈧?.50 ca帽as + get a tapa like salmorejo, montadito, or queso.
- Raci贸n = larger plate for sharing. 鈧?鈥撯偓15 of patatas bravas, tortilla, jam贸n.
- Half raci贸n (media raci贸n): half a raci贸n. 鈧?鈥撯偓8. The right size for one or two diners.
Limitations
- "Tapa gratis" has been declining since 2018 鈥?most bars now charge or require minimum spend.
- Granada still widely practices tapa-gratis 鈥?the easiest place for it.
- Pincho prices in San Sebasti谩n Parte Vieja have crept up; 鈧?鈥撯偓4 is common for a basic pincho, 鈧?+ for "de autor".
FAQ
Can I just order one big raci贸n? Yes 鈥?but you miss the social crawl. Raciones are for sit-down, pinchos for moving.
Where is tapa-gratis? Granada (universal), parts of Le贸n, C谩diz, parts of Almer铆a. Madrid: rare; depends on bar.
What is "de autor"? Creative / gourmet version of a pincho, often 鈧?鈥撯偓15. Look for the "master" pinchos in San Sebasti谩n.