Spanish people take their eating very seriously! Every meal you eat beyond breakfast can last up to three or more hours. The time urgency that we are used to in the United States is rare here.
Breakfast is often a classic pan con tomate (bread with tomato) at whatever time one chooses to wake up. Lunch is the largest meal of the day which is usually from 1-4 pm. Since lunch is the largest and most important meal of the day, the options are largely varied. You could have seafood, meat, potatoes, soups, stews and much more. The meal often consists of three courses; an appetizer, an entree and a desert. Dinner comes much later in the day around 9 pm and is usually a mix of different tapas and drinks. Tapas are small plates of food that can be shared. The general rule of tapas is that you continue to order these small plates until you are full. Dinner time is an important social time, so many Spaniards will also enjoy wine and other drinks with their dinner. By the end of dinner, most people are ready to relax at home or go out for the night.
Of course, throughout the entire day, people eat snacks and drink coffee. Coffee is the fuel that runs this country. Most people tend to get very little sleep, fewer than six hours a day here so coffee is an essential component of their day. Food culture in Madrid and throughout the rest of Spain can be incredible!
