Tapas Origins

The small dishes of food, served in bars all over Spain, to accompany your beer or glass of wine, are commonly known as Tapas. Tapas is the plural for 'Tapa' - Tapa translates as lid or cover. It is thought that in the early days of tapas, a slice of cheese or ham was given with a drink & served over it.

Tapas is not a particular type of food. Anything can be tapas - paella, meatballs, vegetables, even beans on toast - Anything at all.

Tapas is not traditionally a starter. If you start eating tapas, you finish eating tapas, and you don't stop until you're full !

One popular theory goes back to the reign of King Alfonso xiii. He was visiting a sea side bar between Cadiz and San Fernando where he asked for a glass of Manzanilla (dry sherry). It was a windy day and the enterprising barman, obviously wanting to make a good impression, put a slice of Jamón Iberico on the top of the glass to prevent any sand getting in. The King, suitably impressed, ordered another sherry as long as it came with it's tapa. As it became part of tradition so the number of appetisers increased ...