Eating out on a budget
The Menú del Día, the Menu of the Day set lunch, is a great option for lunch if you’re on a budget for your Spanish holiday.
It’s a three course meal with starter, main course and pudding which includes an alcoholic beverage in the price. The starters on offer can often be quite a heavy dish (such as a stew), so you may want to take up the option of foregoing the pudding and have a coffee or infusion instead at the end of your meal.
The main course is usually meat or fish with chips and/or salad.
There is usually a variety of dishes to choose from for each of the courses and it can cost less than 8 € for the meal.
Some restaurants may also offer a more expensive version of their Menú del Día.
It’s generally only on offer at lunchtime during the week. The menu can change daily in some places, while others will leave their choice of dishes unchanged.
You probably won’t feel the need for a heavy meal in the evening after your Menú del Día, so going out for some tapas would be ideal. Many bars still offer a tapa free with your drink (although you may have to scout around for a while in some towns). They do not tend to be free with a soft drink and may only be free if you eat them standing at the bar, rather than on the terrace.
Tapas can be anything from a variety of seafood and meats, to a slice of tortilla or a slice or two of the delicious jamón serrano.
