Ordering Food and Drink

Eating out is one of the great pleasures of travelling in the Spanish-speaking world. From tapas bars in Spain to street food stalls in Mexico, knowing how to order food and drink in Spanish will enrich your experience enormously. This lesson covers menus, ordering phrases, and everything you need to dine with confidence.

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Menu Vocabulary

Spanish	English
la carta / el menú	the menu
el menú del día	the set menu of the day
el entrante / la entrada	the starter / appetiser
el primer plato	the first course
el segundo plato	the second course
el plato principal	the main course
el postre	the dessert
la bebida	the drink
la guarnición	the side dish
la especialidad de la casa	the house speciality
el plato del día	the dish of the day

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Common Drinks

Spanish	English
el agua (mineral)	(mineral) water
el agua con gas / sin gas	sparkling / still water
el zumo / el jugo	the juice
la cerveza	the beer
el vino tinto / blanco / rosado	red / white / rosé wine
el café solo	black coffee (espresso)
el café con leche	coffee with milk
el cortado	espresso with a dash of milk
el té	the tea
el refresco	the soft drink
la sangría	the sangria

Cultural note: In Spain, zumo is used for juice, while in Latin America jugo is more common. Similarly, caña means a small draft beer in Spain.

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Key Ordering Phrases

Spanish	English
¿Puedo ver la carta, por favor?	Can I see the menu, please?
¿Qué me recomienda?	What do you recommend?
¿Cuál es el plato del día?	What is the dish of the day?
Para mí, el pollo a la plancha.	For me, the grilled chicken.
Quisiera la ensalada César.	I would like the Caesar salad.
¿Tienen menú del día?	Do you have a set menu?
¿Qué llevan las croquetas?	What is in the croquettes?
Voy a tomar la sopa de tomate.	I will have the tomato soup.
De beber, una cerveza, por favor.	To drink, a beer, please.
¿Me pone otra copa de vino?	Can you get me another glass of wine?
La cuenta, por favor.	The bill, please.
¿Aceptan tarjeta?	Do you accept cards?

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Dialogue: Ordering at a Restaurant