The simplest way to order food in Spanish at a restaurante (restaurant) or puesto (food stand) is to say: ¿Me trae…por favor? (Will you bring me…please?). It’s to the point, polite, and all you need to do is try your best at pronouncing the menu item.
With this guide, you’ll also learn vocabulary and polite phrases to navigate a dining experience from start to finish. You’ll cover handling a reservation, understanding parts of the menu, inquiring about ingredients, discussing dietary restrictions, ordering food and drinks, and asking for la cuenta (the check).
Table of Contents
How to order food in Spanish
When ordering food in Spanish, you can use similar expressions in the same way as me trae…? Don’t forget to add a nice “hello” in Spanish such as buenas tardes (good afternoon) and por favor (please). This will work at a café (coffeeshop), puesto de helados (ice cream stand) or a restaurante.
Whatever you do, don’t translate literally from English, as saying puedo tener (can I have) will be a giveaway that you’re not comfortable ordering food in Spanish. There are lots of ways to say “can I have” in Spanish, and these ones are most common in restaurants.
| Spanish | English |
| Me gustaría… | I would like… |
| Me gustaría pedir/ordenar… | I would like to order… |
| ¿Me pone…? | Will you bring me…? |
| ¿Me puede traer…? | Can you bring me…? |
| Para mí.. | For me… |
| Quiero… | I want (informal)… |
| Quisiera… | I would like (formal)… |
| Va a ser… | It’s going to be… |
- Me trae las enchiladas suizas, ¿por favor? = Will you bring me the enchiladas suizas, please?
- Me pone un taco al pastor, ¿por favor? = I’ll have one taco al pastor, please.
- Quisiera dos bolas para llevar, por favor. = I would like two scoops to go, please.
There are a few common phrases that will help you navigate your interactions with the staff in a casual restaurant in Oaxaca, for example.
This conversation demonstrates how to order in Spanish, using a lot of authentic phrases like the ones you’d find in Rosetta Stone’s Phrasebook, which you can take along with you in the Rosetta Stone app.
- ¡Bienvenido! ¿Cómo puedo ayudarte? = Welcome! How can I help you?
- Una mesa para uno, por favor. = A table for one, please.
- ¿Quieres sentarte adentro o afuera? = Do you want to sit inside or outside?
- Afuera, por favor. = Outside, please.
- Acompáñame. = Come with me.
- Aquí. = Here.
- ¿Qué te gustaría tomar? = What would you like to drink?
- Me gustaría una cerveza, por favor. = I would like a beer, please.
- ¡Aquí tienes! = Here you go!
- Gracias. = Thank you.
- ¿Y qué te gustaría comer? = And what would you like to eat?
- No lo sé. ¿Tienes algo vegetariano? = I don’t know. Do you have anything vegetarian?
- Sí, tenemos unos deliciosos chilaquiles. = Yes, we have delicious chilaquiles.
- Suena perfecto. = Sounds perfect.
- ¿Es picante? = Is it spicy?
- Sí, es un poco picante. = Yes, it’s a little spicy.
- Perfecto. Me gustaría unos chilaquiles, por favor. = Perfect. I would like the chilaquiles, please.
- ¿Algo más? = Anything else?
- ¡La cuenta, por favor! = Check, please!
Getting a table in Spanish
If you’re headed to a restaurant for a sit-down meal, you’ll be greeted by a host. Whether a reservation is necessary may be a question of the time of day and popularity of the restaurant.
As a walk-in customer at an informal restaurant, a host may ask you how many people are in your party.
- ¿Es para comer aquí o para llevar? = For here or to go?
- Para comer aquí, por favor. = For here, please.
- ¿Cuántas personas son? = How many in your party?
- Dos, por favor. = Two, please.
- Síganme. = Follow me.
In busier destinations, or at more formal restaurants, you may need to make a reservation.
- Quisiera hacer una reserva. = I would like to make a reservation.
- ¿A qué hora llega usted? = What time will you arrive?
- Llegaremos a las siete. = We will arrive at seven.
- ¿Cuántas personas son? = How many people?
- Somos cuatro personas. = Four.
In the above conversation, note how the speakers use the conjugation of ser (to be) to say son (you all are) and somos (we are) when discussing the number of people in the party. Spanish is often not translated word-by-word, but instead by complete ideas.
| Spanish | English |
| a nombre de | in the name of |
| adentro/dentro | indoors |
| afuera | outside |
| disponible | available |
| el tiempo de espera | the wait time |
| la terraza | outdoor seating |
| para las # | for # o’clock |
| para # personas | for # people |
| ¿Podemos sentarnos…? | Can we sit…? |
| una mesa para # | a table for # |
How to order drinks in Spanish
If you’re in a bar or a restaurant, drink orders are usually first or alongside the menu. Many tourists learn simple drink orders such as un agua con gas, por favor (one sparkling water, please), but there are different ways your server might pose the question.
In an informal setting, you might hear short phrases that are more casual and to the point. Pay attention to the overall situation. A busy server may not think you’re rude, but would appreciate your brevity.
- ¿Algo para tomar? = Something to drink?
- Sí, una cerveza, por favor. = Yes, a beer, please.
There are plenty of native speakers who use even more direct sounding phrases, even using the imperative or command form, but accompanied with a polite tone, a smile, and a “please” in Spanish.
- Dame un café, por favor. = Give me a coffee, please.
- Quiero un té con limón. = I want a tea with lemon.
- Me pones una cerveza, por favor. = Bring me a beer, please.
- Para mí, un agua con gas. = For me, a sparkling water.
The language used could reflect a more formal setting. Pay attention to whether your server is addressing you with more formal speech, and choose accordingly.
If you’re concerned about usted vs. tú forms, opt for the more formal verb form and a little extra politeness.
- ¿Qué les puedo ofrecer para tomar? = What can I offer you to drink?
- Para empezar, quisiera una botella de agua, pero me gustaría ver la carta de vinos, por favor. = To start, I would like a bottle of water, but I would like to see the wine list, please.
| Spanish | English |
| ¿Para beber?/¿Para tomar? | To drink? |
| ¿Qué les pongo para beber? | What can I get you to drink? |
| ¿Qué van a tomar? | What are you going to have to drink? |
| Me gustaría un agua sin gas, por favor. | I would like still (non-sparkling) water, please. |
| ¿Me trae un vino tinto, por favor? | Can I have a glass of red wine, please? |
Vocabulary for drinks in Spanish
Knowing how to order food in Spanish is just the first step. Knowing what to order is just as important.
If your morning espresso is important to you, you’ll want to study the difference between un café con leche (coffee with milk) and un cortado (coffee with a little less milk). Otherwise, just have fun experimenting with the wide variety of drinks available on menus in Spanish-speaking cultures.
| Spanish | English |
| un agua | water |
| …con gas/sin gas | sparkling/still |
| un café | coffee (or espresso) |
| un café solo | black coffee |
| una cerveza | beer |
| un cóctel | cocktail |
| un jugo/un zumo | juice |
| una leche | milk |
| una limonada (con limones frescos) | lemonade |
| un refresco | soft drink/soda |
| un vino blanco | white wine |
| un vino tinto | red wine |
How to order a meal in Spanish
Once you’ve looked over the menu, your conversation will shift to the food. Be ready by looking over el menú/la carta (the menu), which may have several parts. Terms vary depending on the region and type of restaurant.
- entradas/primeros platos = appetizers/starters
- tapas/para picar = small snacks often served with drinks
- segundos platos/platos principales = main dishes
- ensaladas = salads
- sopas = soups
- acompañamientos = side dishes
- postres = desserts
- bebidas = beverages
When the server is ready to take your order, you may be ready or you may want to ask more questions in Spanish.
- ¿Está lista para ordenar? = Are you ready to order?
- ¿Tiene alguna pregunta? = Do you have any questions?
| Spanish | English |
| ¿Desean ordenar? | Do you want to order? |
| ¿Están listos (para ordenar)? | Are you ready (to order)? |
| Estoy dudando entre… y…. | I’m torn between…and…. |
| No sé qué pedir. | I don’t know what to ask for. |
| ¿Qué nos recomienda? | What do you recommend? |
| ¿Qué quieren para comer? | What do you want to eat? |
| ¿Qué van a comer? | What are you going to eat? |
| Sí, pero tengo una pregunta. | Yes, but I have a question. |
| Tienes algo con… | Do you have something with… |
| Un minuto más, por favor. | One more minute, please. |
| ¿Y para usted? | And for you? |
How to ask about dietary needs and preferences
If you’re fortunate enough to be able to eat adventurously, you won’t be disappointed with the wide variety of culinary delights in Spanish-speaking regions.
Many travelers need to be aware of ordering food that suits their health requirements as well as individual tastes and preferences.
| Spanish | English |
| Busco algo bajo en… | I’m looking for something low in… |
| …grasa/sodio/carbohidratos/calorías | …fat/sodium/carbs/calories |
| ¿Es picante? | Is it spicy? |
| ¿Lleva…/contiene…? | Does this have… in it? |
| No puedo comer… | I can’t eat… |
| ¿Podría pedir esto sin…? | Could I order this without…? |
| ¿Se puede hacer sin…? | Can it be made without…? |
| Soy alérgico/alérgica a… | I’m allergic to… |
| Soy celíaco/celíaca. | I’m celiac. |
| Soy vegano/vegana. | I’m vegan. |
| Soy vegetariano/vegetariano. | I’m vegetarian. |
| Tengo alergias a… | I’m allergic to |
| Tengo que evitar… | I have to avoid… |
Discussing food allergies and intolerances in Spanish
If you have serious food allergies, you should also research all the possible regional names for the ingredients you must avoid. For example, nueces may refer to tree nuts in general in some dictionaries, but your server may understand it only to mean “walnut” or “pecan” depending on the country.
Research tips for international travel with food allergies ahead of time, and be prepared to use the vocabulary for the specific ingredients you can’t eat, even if you have to provide a list of the foods you avoid.
| Spanish | English |
| cacahuetes | peanuts |
| crustáceos | crustaceans |
| frutos secos | tree nuts |
| gluten | gluten |
| huevos | eggs |
| lácteos | dairy products |
| leche | milk |
| mariscos | seafood |
| moluscos | mollusks |
| pescado | fish |
| sésamo/ajonjolí | sesame |
| soja/soya | soy |
| trigo | wheat |
Vocabulary for common food ingredients in Spanish
It would be impossible to list all of the delicious and traditional meals that you must try in each region and from every food culture in the Spanish-speaking world, but if you can understand these main words for food in Spanish, you’ll be able to read the descriptions and ordering food in Spanish will be a tasty adventure.
Proteínas (proteins)
Use this list just as a starting point to discover the specific regional specialities that you most enjoy. Ordering your dinner in Spanish is a great way to practice the language.
| Spanish | English |
| el atún | tuna |
| los calamares | calamari |
| los camarones | shrimp |
| la carne | meat |
| la carne de cerdo/el cerdo | pork |
| la carne de res | beef |
| los frijoles/las judías | beans |
| los garbanzos | chick peas |
| las lentejas | lentils |
| el pavo | turkey |
| el pollo | chicken |
| el salmón | salmon |
| el tofu | tofu |
Frutas y verduras (fruits and vegetables)
If you’re looking for something a bit more familiar, elevate your hamburguesa (hamburger), ensalada (salad), pizza, or pasta with your favorite toppings, or leave them out.
- con = with
- sin = without
| Spanish | English |
| el aguacate/la palta | avocado |
| el brócoli | broccoli |
| la cebolla | onion |
| el champiñón/el hongo/la seta | mushroom |
| la lechuga | lettuce |
| la lima | lime |
| el limón | lemon |
| el maíz | corn |
| la papa/la patata | potato |
| el pepino | cucumber |
| el pimiento | bell pepper |
| la piña | pineapple |
| el tomate | tomato |
| la zanahoria | carrot |
Otros ingredientes (other ingredients)
You’ll be sure to choose a dish that suits your tastebuds if you can order using specific vocabulary for your favorite sabores (flavors).
| Spanish | English |
| el aceite | oil |
| el ajo | garlic |
| el arroz | rice |
| el azúcar | sugar |
| el cilantro | cilantro |
| el coco | coconut |
| la crema | cream |
| la mantequilla | butter |
| la miel | honey |
| la pimienta | black pepper |
| el queso | cheese |
| la sal | salt |
| la salsa | sauce |
| el vinagre | vinegar |
| el yogur | yogurt |
Questions and answers during the meal in Spanish
Your server may drop off your meals and wish you ¡Buen provecho! or ¡Qué aproveche! which is an equivalent of “Bon appetit” in French.
While you’re enjoying your meal, your server might check in on you, or you may find that you’re missing something at your table and need to ask for it. They may also simply want to know how your meal is going. When discussing how your food tastes, use estar (to be) instead of ser (to be).
- ¿Cómo está la pasta? = How does the pasta taste?
- Está buena, gracias. = It’s good, thanks!
| Spanish | English |
| ¿Algo más? | Something more? |
| Disculpe, necesitamos… | Excuse me, we need… |
| Disculpe, pero no recibí… | Excuse me, but I didn’t receive… |
| ¿Necesitan algo? | Do you need anything? |
| ¿Sería todo? | Would that be all? |
| ¿Todo en orden? | Everything okay? |
| Todo bien, gracias. | Everything is good, thanks! |
| Todo está delicioso. | Everything is delicious. |
El postre: ordering dessert
Hopefully you’ve saved some room for dessert, and you can still say that you’re “hungry” in Spanish when it’s time for el postre (dessert).
Now that you’ve practiced ordering drinks, appetizers, and main dishes, you’re ready to order in Spanish one more time. You may not find galletas (cookies) or helado (ice cream) on the menu, so be open to the variety of traditional regional desserts.
- alfajores – filled sandwich cookies
- arroz con leche – rice pudding with cinnamon
- churros – fried tubes of dough, sometimes coated in cinnamon and sugar
- dulce de leche – a caramel-like sticky sweet topping made with condensed milk and sugar
- espumilla – meringue dessert with a variety of flavors
- flan – a vanilla and caramel flavored gelatin pudding
- natilla – custard
- pastel tres leches – three milks cake
- pastelitos de guayaba – pastries with guava
- sopaipilla – fried dough – crunchy on the outside and soft inside
Asking for the check in Spanish
Now’s the time to handle questions of money in Spanish. When the time comes to get the check, you can handle the transaction using some basic phrases.
- ¿Quieren la cuenta? = Do you want the check?
- Sí, queremos la cuenta. = Yes, we want the check.
Of course, you can also ask for the check if your server is allowing you to linger over your table.
- La cuenta, por favor. = Check please.
Most places now bring a portable credit card machine to the table for you, but there are some options for discussing payment methods.
| Spanish | English |
| el cambio | the change |
| con tarjeta (de crédito) | with a (credit) card |
| en efectivo | in cash |
| la firma | signature |
| pagar | to pay |
| la propina | the tip |
Showing your appreciation for the meal in Spanish
As you leave, don’t forget to say a big “thank you” in Spanish to show your appreciation for a wonderful meal.
- ¡Muchas gracias por todo! = Thank you so much for everything!
- ¡Gracias por la comida! = Thank you for the food!
Dining out is a great way to show appreciation for another culture, whether you’re traveling overseas or visiting a local restaurant owned by Spanish-speakers.
Learning how to order food in Spanish, even if you’re making mistakes along the way, is another way to say “thank you” for the experience. Spanish-speakers will often appreciate your effort and will be helpful to you as you continue to learn Spanish.
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