Why Spaniards eat dinner at 10 pm

If you visit Spain and walk into a restaurant at 7 pm feeling hungry, you might find empty tables, chairs still stacked, and a waiter politely telling you the kitchen isn't open yet. Welcome to Spanish meal times! They're one of the first things that surprise visitors to Spain.

In this post I'll take you through a typical Spanish day of eating, the reasons people usually give for that famously late dinner, and the words and phrases you'll need at the table. Good news for us Indians: our own eating habits make this much easier to get used to than you'd think.

Spanish meal times: a typical day

Spaniards don't just eat later. They spread their eating across the day differently. Here's a typical pattern, though of course every family and every region has its own rhythm.

Let's look at each one.

El desayunobreakfastThe first meal of the day.: a light start

El desayunobreakfastThe first meal of the day, usually small in Spain. is often simple: a café con lechecoffee with milkThe classic Spanish milky coffee, a breakfast favourite. and some toast. A favourite is pan con tomatebread with tomatoToasted bread rubbed or spread with tomato, olive oil and salt., which is exactly what it sounds like and much tastier than it sounds. Many people grab breakfast at a café on the way to work rather than at home.

Compared with a plate of hot parathas or poha, it's tiny. That's fine, because the next snack isn't far away.

El almuerzomid-morning snackA late-morning bite in much of Spain.: the mid-morning break

Around 11 am, lots of Spaniards stop for el almuerzothe mid-morning snackIn much of Spain, a late-morning bite. In some regions it can also mean lunch.: another coffee, a pastry, or a bocadillosandwichA filled baguette-style roll, Spain's favourite sandwich.. Careful here: in some parts of Spain and in much of Latin America, almuerzolunch or mid-morning snackIts meaning changes by region, so listen to how locals use it. means lunch. If you're unsure, just ask what time people mean!

La comidalunchThe main meal of the day in Spain.: the main meal

This is the big one. La comidalunch, the main mealAlso means "food" in general. In Spain it's the main meal of the day. usually happens somewhere between 2 and 3:30 pm, and it's the most important meal of the day. Traditionally it has several courses: a starter, a main dish and dessert, followed by coffee.

Many restaurants offer a menú del díamenu of the dayA fixed lunch menu with a starter, main course and dessert to choose from. at lunchtime, which is a great way to eat well and try local dishes. You'll usually pick a primer platofirst courseThe starter, often a salad, soup or rice dish., a segundo platosecond courseThe main dish, often meat or fish. and a postredessertThe sweet end of the meal..

La meriendaafternoon snackA small snack between lunch and dinner.: the chai-time snack

In the late afternoon comes la meriendaafternoon snackA small snack between lunch and dinner, loved by children and adults alike.. Children often get a sandwich or a piece of fruit after school, and adults might have a coffee with something sweet. On a cold day, churros con chocolatechurros with hot chocolateFried dough sticks dipped in thick hot chocolate. are a classic treat.

If this sounds familiar, it's because it is! La merienda is basically our evening chai with biscuits, namkeen or samosas. Same idea, same purpose: keeping you going until a late dinner.

La cenadinnerThe evening meal, eaten late in Spain.: dinner, late and lighter

Finally, la cenadinnerThe evening meal, eaten late in Spain.. At home, many Spaniards eat dinner around 9 or 9:30 pm, and at weekends or in restaurants it's often 10 pm or later. Many restaurants don't even start serving dinner until around 8:30 or 9.

Because lunch was the main meal, dinner is often lighter: a salad, an omelette, some soup, or a few small plates to share.

Why do Spaniards eat dinner so late?

There isn't one single answer, and Spaniards themselves love to debate it. But a few reasons come up again and again.

Spain's time zone

This is the explanation you'll hear most often. Spain has used the same time zone as much of central Europe since the 1940s. Look at a map, though, and you'll see most of Spain lies far to the west, roughly in line with the UK and Portugal, which use an earlier time.

What does that mean in daily life? The sun rises and sets later by the clock than you might expect. On summer evenings it can still be light well after 9 pm. So when a Spaniard eats dinner at 10 pm by the clock, it may not feel that late compared with the sun. Many people believe this "out of step" clock is a big part of the story.

The long lunch and the working day

The second common explanation is the working day. Traditionally, many people in Spain worked a split day, with a long break in the middle for la comida, and then went back to work until 7 or 8 pm. If you finish work at 8, have a walk and a chat, dinner at 10 makes perfect sense.

Working hours are changing, and lots of people now have a shorter lunch break. But the habit of a big lunch and a late dinner has stayed strong.

The climate

The third reason people give is the heat. Summers in much of Spain, especially in the south, are very hot. In the afternoon, many people prefer to stay indoors, and life moves outside again in the cooler evening. Terraces fill up, families go for a stroll, and dinner naturally moves later.

This is also where the famous siestaafternoon napA short rest after lunch, a famous custom that fewer people have time for today. comes from. Don't imagine the whole country sleeping every afternoon, though! Most working Spaniards don't have time for a daily nap these days.

La sobremesaafter-meal chatThe long, relaxed conversation at the table once the meal is over.: the best part of the meal

Here's a word with no real English translation: la sobremesaafter-meal chatThe long, relaxed conversation at the table once the meal is over.. It's the time you spend sitting at the table after you've finished eating, chatting, laughing, having coffee and maybe a little dessert.

In Spain, nobody rushes you away from the table. A Sunday lunch with family can easily turn into a sobremesaafter-meal chatTime spent talking at the table after eating. that lasts for hours. It's one of the reasons meals feel so relaxed, and honestly, it's not so different from the long chats that follow a big family lunch at home in India.

One small tip: in Spain, the waiter usually won't bring the bill until you ask for it. That's not slow service. It's politeness! They don't want to hurry your sobremesaafter-meal chatTime spent talking at the table after eating..

Tapassmall platesSmall portions of food shared with drinks.: eating between meals (and instead of them)

You can't talk about Spanish eating without tapassmall platesSmall portions of food shared with drinks, a Spanish favourite.. These are small plates of food, usually shared, eaten with a drink. Think of tortilla de patatasSpanish potato omeletteA thick omelette made with potatoes, eggs and often onion., patatas bravasspicy potatoesFried potato chunks with a spicy sauce. or aceitunasolivesA simple, classic tapa..

Going out for tapas is called ir de tapasto go for tapasMoving from bar to bar, having a small bite and a drink at each.. Friends often hop from one bar to another, having one small thing at each. In some cities, a small tapasmall plateOne small portion of food served with a drink. even comes free with your drink. In the north, especially the Basque Country, you'll hear about pintxossmall snacks on breadThe northern Spanish version of tapas, often held together with a stick. instead.

Tapas are also how many people eat dinner. A few plates shared between friends at 10 pm? That's dinner sorted.

Useful Spanish phrases for eating out

Here are the phrases I'd want every student to know before their first meal in Spain. They're polite and natural, perfect for A2 level.

• Una mesa para dos, por favorA table for two, pleaseHow to ask for a table when you arrive.
• ¿Me trae la carta, por favor?Could you bring me the menu, please?Carta is the menu. Menú is usually the fixed menu.
• ¿Qué me recomienda?What do you recommend?A polite way to ask the waiter for suggestions.
• Para mí, la tortillaFor me, the omeletteA simple way to order. Change the dish as you like.
• Soy vegetarianoI'm vegetarianWomen say soy vegetariana.
• ¿Tiene platos sin carne?Do you have dishes without meat?Useful if you don't eat meat.
• ¡Está buenísimo!It's delicious!Say this and the waiter will smile.
• La cuenta, por favorThe bill, pleaseRemember, you usually need to ask for it.

And when you see people eating, you'll often hear ¡Que aproveche!Enjoy your meal!Said to people who are eating, a bit like "bon appétit".. You can say it too, even to strangers at the next table as you walk past. It's a lovely little custom.

Tips for visitors: eating on Spanish time

Adjusting to Spanish meal times is easier than you think. Here's what I'd suggest:

1. Make lunch your big meal. Eat properly around 2 pm, maybe with a menú del díamenu of the dayA fixed lunch menu with several courses.. You'll be happy with a lighter dinner later.
2. Don't skip la merienda. A snack around 6 pm keeps you going until dinner, just like chai time at home.
3. Plan dinner for 9 pm or later. If you arrive at 7:30, many kitchens will still be closed. Earlier options are often tourist-focused places.
4. Try tapas for dinner. It's sociable, flexible, and you get to taste lots of dishes.
5. Relax at the table. Enjoy the sobremesaafter-meal chatTime spent talking at the table after eating. and ask for the bill when you're ready.
6. Carry a snack. Especially in the first few days, while your body adjusts.

After a few days, you'll find yourself hungry at the "right" times. And once you're back home, you might even miss it.

Ready to order in Spanish?

Knowing when Spaniards eat is the first step. Being able to chat with the waiter, order confidently and join the sobremesaafter-meal chatTime spent talking at the table after eating. is the fun part. If you'd like to learn real, everyday Spanish like this, join one of my live batches of up to five people. We'll practise the conversations you'll actually have, poco a pocoLittle by littleProgress comes step by step.. ¡Que aproveche!Enjoy your meal!Said to people who are eating, like "bon appétit".