Coffee is a loved and celebrated drink in every corner of the world. From coffee in Spain, to coffee in Italy to coffee in France, and everywhere in between, you’ll find bustling coffee scenes.
Coffee comes in various forms—black, milky, iced, or steaming hot—and the way it’s enjoyed varies across cultures.
Read along to discover all things coffee in Spain, including its history, classic drinks, and local ordering tips. ¡Vamos!
Contents hide
1Coffee in Spain 101
2Specialty coffee in Spain
3Decaffeinated coffee in Spain
4How to order coffee in Spain
4.1Coffee with little or no milk
4.2Coffee with a lot of milk
4.3Essential Spanish coffee vocab
5An overview: Coffee in Spain FAQs
5.1What kind of coffee is popular in Spain?
5.2How do you order iced coffee in Spanish?
5.3Where do Spaniards typically drink coffee?
5.4What do Spanish people eat with coffee?
5.5Why is Spanish coffee so bitter?
5.6Is café con leche the same as a latte?
Coffee in Spain 101
In Spain, the espresso brewing method is the most popular way to prepare coffee in Spain. This method forces extremely hot, pressurized water through finely ground coffee beans, resulting in a stronger flavor in a smaller amount of coffee. As a result, coffee brewed in this manner is often referred to as espresso.
Most Spanish coffee might taste more bitter than you’re used to, which can be attributed to the torrefacto method of preserving roasted coffee beans. The story of torrefacto is especially interesting, and linked to the Spanish Civil War. If you’re looking for non-torrefacto coffee in Madrid, head to a specialty coffee shop. But if you just want a regular cup of joe, you can get one in most every bar and restaurant.
A quintessential coffee order in Spain is the café con leche or cortado. These classics feature espresso and milk, with the main distinction being the size and milk-to-espresso ratio. Here, sugar isn’t typically added to these drinks during preparation. Instead, you’ll receive packets of sugar to sweeten your coffee to your liking.
Specialty coffee in Spain
Coffee in Spain no longer just means bitter, torrefacto-esque coffee. Over the last decade, the country has seen their specialty coffee scene grow significantly. Artisanal coffee shops and roasters have emerged all over the place, working with high-quality beans from around the world and crafting delicious (and beautiful) cups of joe.
Spain’s specialty coffee movement reflects a growing appreciation for the complexity of coffee flavors and a commitment to elevating the coffee-drinking experience to a new level of sophistication.
If you’re heading to the Spanish capital and you’re a coffee lover, then don’t miss our guide to specialty coffee in Madrid.
Decaffeinated coffee in Spain
Fresh decaffeinated coffee isn’t very popular in Spain, and manycafes may only have it in instant form. If you order a café descafeinado de sobre, you’ll receive a cup of hot milk and a packet of instant decaf coffee.
However, some cafes offer descafeinado de máquina(machine-brewed decaf coffee). If it’s available, decide how you would like your coffee served, and be sure to clarify that you want it prepared with decaf coffee.
How to order coffee in Spain
To become a coffee-ordering pro in Spain, it’s essential to grasp a few key details. This includes understanding the names and meanings of different coffee drinks, the various serving styles, and those subtle details that can significantly enhance your coffee experience.
Coffee with little or no milk
- Café solo: A small cup of strong, black espresso.
- Café americano: If the intensity of a café solo is especially strong, try a café americano. This Spanish coffee drink contains the same amount of caffeine as a café solo but with more water, resulting in a milder flavor.
- Café cortado: A small cup of espresso with just a splash of milk. The Spanish word cortado means “cut,” so think of it as coffee “cut” with a small amount of milk.
- Café con hielo: This summertime favorite is simply coffee with ice. It comes with two glasses: one containing black espresso and another containing ice cubes. To enjoy, add sugar to your liking, stir to dissolve the sugar in the hot coffee, and pour your coffee over the ice—it’s harder than it sounds, but perfectly refreshing on a sweltering summer day!
- Carajillo: Interestingly, this coffee order doesn’t have a drop of milk—instead, it has alcohol! A carajillo is espresso served with rum, whisky or brandy.
Coffee with a lot of milk
- Café con leche: A coffee drink prepared with equal parts espresso and milk. Sometimes when you order this, the waiter may ask if you want hot or cold milk. If you’re in a bit of a hurry and can’t wait for the steamed milk to cool, you can ask for leche fría o leche templada (cold or lukewarm milk). More on that below!
- Manchado or leche manchada: Literally translating to “stained” (or “stained milk”), this drink consists of mainly warm milk “stained” with a splash of coffee. It’s a great option for the afternoon if you’re craving coffee but don’t want to be up all night.
- Café bombón: Espresso with sweetened condensed milk. An especially great choice for those with a sweet tooth!
Essential Spanish coffee vocab
Aside from knowing the names of the drinks that you want to order, there are also some other key phrases you’ll want to have in your back pocket.How you’d like your milk:
- Caliente: Hot, steamed milk
- Fría: Cold milk
- Templada: A mix of hot and cold milk
What type of glass you’d like to drink out of:
- Taza: A mug with a handle
- Vaso: A small clear glass with no handle. Most traditional bars in Spain will serve coffee this way.
Where you’d like to have your drink:
- Para (tomar) aquí: To drink it here
- Para llevar: To take it to go
An overview: Coffee in Spain FAQs
What kind of coffee is popular in Spain?
The most popular Spanish coffee drink is the café con leche, made with half espresso and half milk. Other common options are café solo (black coffee; a straight shot of espresso with no milk) as well as café cortado (espresso with just a splash of milk).
How do you order iced coffee in Spanish?
If you’re craving iced coffee, ask for café con hielo. Your server will bring you a glass of coffee and a separate glass of ice cubes. You’ll need to pour the coffee (after adding your desired amount of sugar) over the ice yourself—a bit of a DIY approach!
Where do Spaniards typically drink coffee?
In Spain, many people will start the day with a quick cup of coffee at home before heading out for the day. Around 10–11 a.m., Spaniards head out to their nearest café or bar for a bite to eat and another cup of coffee. Some people will also enjoy coffee at a restaurant after lunch, or again at a café in the afternoon for merienda around 5–6 p.m.
What do Spanish people eat with coffee?
In the morning, many Spaniards will have coffee with breakfast. This can be anything from a slice of toasted bread topped with olive oil, fresh crushed tomato, and ham; a slice of potato omelet; or a sweet pastry. Coffee is also commonly enjoyed with or in place of dessert in Spain—never as part of the main meal!
Why is Spanish coffee so bitter?
Many traditional cafés in Spain still serve coffee made with the torrefacto method. Popularized during the Spanish Civil War as a way to stretch the already thin coffee supply, torrefacto involves adding sugar to the beans during the final step of the roasting process. The high temperatures burn the sugar onto the beans, giving them a distinctly bitter taste.
Is café con leche the same as a latte?
Both drinks are similar in that they’re made with coffee and quite a bit of milk. However, lattes have slightly more milk than cafés con leche, and are also topped with a bit of foam.
Update notice: This post was updated on September 21, 2023.
Want to drink coffee like a local in one of Madrid’s most fascinating historic pastry shops? On our Ultimate Spanish Cuisine Tour, your guide will break down some of Spain’s most popular coffee drinks so you can choose the perfect option to pair with a traditional sweet treat.
