Menu Del Dia in Alicante Spain

If you are a budget conscious traveller heading to Spain; lunch is your meal to indulge in.

Many restaurants offer a Menu del Dia – an affordable fixed price menu. Pricing seems to average out to around $10 – $15 USD per person (as of February 2025).

You’ll see lots of options while walking through old town and beyond- make sure to check out the signboards in front of restaurants.

The menu del dia usually consists of 3 courses, bread & a drink option (soda, beer, wine). It’s generally a limited menu, but you’ll have a few options to select from for each course. If you ask what kind of beer is on offer, you’ll generally be told “Spanish beer” and that will be that. 🙂

Premier Plato (First plate) – these are starters – generally soups, pastas, or salads. (Gazpacho, croquettes, tomate con pan, etc)

Segundo Plato (Second plate) – usually meat or seafood – (try the seafood paella!)

Postre (dessert) – usually you’ll have a set dessert option or you can opt for a cafe con leche as well.

When are meals served in Spain

This was confusing for us initially. We arrived jet lagged & had a bit of a struggle getting on a new schedule.

In Spain, lunch is generally the biggest meal of the day and is served around 2 – 4pm.

Dinner is generally lighter and more drawn out – think rounds of tapas & camping out at a table drinking glasses of wine over the course of a few hours. Starts after 9pm & lasts all night.

Breakfast (desayuno) is another lighter meal – think coffee & croissant.

Lots of restaurants will close for a few hours after lunch (4pm) & reopen for dinner service around 8pm or after. However, there are absolutely restaurants that cater tourist schedules & will be open the whole day. Bocadillos (small sandwiches) are a good light meal choice and are available for a during the day at lots of cafes as well.

Restaurant Culture in Spain

Restaurant culture is much different in Spain than the United States. Turning over tables doesn’t appear to be the main goal here – it’s fine to stay awhile and enjoy your meal & the company you are keeping. It’s a more laidback attitude and it’s quite a nice change.

Tipping is not mandatory here and waitstaff do not stop in to check on your table like clockwork. Some folks might find this to be confusing or off putting, but flagging down waitstaff is just the norm here. A little bit of eye contact & a quick wave is all it takes.