How to order a coffee in Spain (8 drinks you can order in Spain, mistakes to avoid when ordering coffee in Spanish)

If you are visiting or moving to Spain, learning to order coffee to wake you up in the morning is essential. If you can’t do without coffee, this is how to order a coffee in Spain.

To order coffee in Spain, you need to; learn some Spanish phrases like un café, por favor to order coffee, the type of drinks to ask for like Café solo, Café americano, Café cortado, or Café con hielo, and the kind of milk you want in your coffee whether you want La leche Caliente (hot or steamed milk), La leche Fría (cold milk) or La leche Templada (warm milk).

Last month, I decided to visit Spain and indulge in their famous bitter coffee. I like mine bitter, so I was very intrigued and excited . Navigating through the orders was difficult because I spoke zero Spanish. However, after my stay for a week, I knew how to order a coffee in Spanish and enjoyed the coffee culture in Spain. This article will help anyone new to Spain. Read until the end to learn easy and quick ways to order coffee in Spanish and the types of coffee you can order in Spain.

How to order coffee in Spain like a local- Ordering coffee in Spanish

To order coffee in Spain, you must learn common phrases like un café, por favor, the type of coffee drinks you can ask for, and polite phrases like hola.

• Some of the types of drinks to know to order in Spain are; Café solo, Café americano, Café cortado, Café con hielo, Carajillo, Café con leche, Leche manchada, Café bombón
• The common method of brewing coffee in Spain is espresso, where pressurized hot water is forced through finely grounded coffee beans to make a strong espresso coffee.
• To order, the barista puts the espresso in your cup and asks what kind of milk you want. These types of milk are;

• La leche Caliente- hot or steamed milk
• La leche Fría- cold milk
• La leche Templada- warm milk

• Moreover, the barrister will give you your coffee without any sugar. You will instead get sugar packets (El sobre de azúcar) to add to your coffee.
• Spanish coffee is very different from Starbucks coffee because it is very bitter.

Via Imgur

So, keep that in mind so your brain does not go into overdrive.

1. The bitterness is in how the roasted coffee beans are preserved; they use torrefacto. Torrefacto involves adding a considerable amount of sugar in the last roasting process so that sugar burns, making the beans shiny and black.
2. To begin ordering, greet the barrister by saying hola (hello). Then make your order by saying Un café, por favor (a coffee, please). Replace the un café with the type of coffee you want. Ensure to tell the barista the type of milk you want. To ask for the bill, say, Cuánto es?
3. In traditional Spain bars or restaurants, or coffee shops, coffee comes without a handle on the glass (Vaso), but if you’re scared of burning those lovely hands, request a cup with a handle (Taza).

Mistakes to avoid when ordering coffee in Spain?

Do not order a to-go coffee if you want to do as the Romans do. Order a coffee, enjoy it on the terrace, and get to know your family and friends. However, if you don’t have the time, do not stress; you can still get to-go coffee.

Do not freak out on the waiter if your coffee is bitter . You get the unsweetened coffee, but the barista provides sugar packets so you can sweeten it yourself.

Always tell the barista the type of milk you want in your coffee. Coffee bars provide the option of hot, warm, and cold milk. Tell the barista your preference so you are not disappointed.

Traditional coffee shops and bars give coffee in glasses without a handle. If you are not used to it, do not suffer in silence. Ask them for a cup with a handle.

8 Coffee drinks you can order in Spain.

There are two variations of coffee, one with no milk and the other with milk.

With no milk

Café solo. It is one small cup of strong and black espresso. You can order a café doble for a double shot espresso.

Café americano. It is a café solo with a milder flavor because water is added to it but in my opinion, the less water, the better.

Café con hielo. I recommend getting this drink when it is a hot day, and you want to cool down. You get a glass of black espresso and another glass of ice cubes. If you like sugar, add it to the black espresso and pour it into the glass of ice cubes for that cool summer feel.

Carajillo. It is the type of coffee meant for the adventurous only. The coffee is basically a cup of espresso with alcohol as if the coffee wasn’t bitter and strong enough. The strength of the coffee is doubled with alcohol. You can choose brandy, rum, or whiskey.

With milk

Café cortado. You get a cup of black espresso with just a dot of milk. The coffee is cortado(cut) with milk.

Café con leche. It is a drink with equal parts of milk and espresso. You can have the milk cold or hot.

Café bombón. It is a coffee meant for the sweet tooth nation because the espresso has sweetened condensed milk.

Via Quickmeme

Leche manchada. It means stained milk. The drink is basically warm milk that has been stained with little coffee. Drink this if you need milk to sleep at night like babies, but need that hint of coffee.

FAQ Section

What is the most common coffee drink you can get in Spanish?

The most common drink in Spain is café solo, a very strong and black espresso. Espresso is the most common way coffee is brewed in Spain and is commonly drunk. The other standard coffee drink is café con leche because it is used for breakfast with equal parts of milk and espresso.

How much is coffee in Spanish?

Coffee in Spain is relatively affordable. You can get coffee for as little as €0.6; the most expensive coffee can cost €2.50. On average, a coffee will cost around €1.30. The price, of course, depends on the type of coffee you order and the location.

If you order your coffee in a tourist area or a city, the price will be higher than if you order it in a small town or village. Likewise, if the type of coffee you order has milk, it is bound to be more expensive than the type of coffee without milk.

How to order black coffee in Spanish

To order a black coffee in Spanish, ask for café solo, which is black coffee with a shot of espresso. If you want a double shot of espresso, ask for a café doble.

How do you order coffee with milk in Spanish?

To order a coffee with milk, ask for coffee drinks like café con leche, leche manchada, and café bombón, which have milk in them. If you want your milk hot, ask for la leche caliente. If you want the milk cold, ask for la leche fría. If you want your milk warm, ask for la leche templada.