How to Order Coffee in Spanish (Without Embarrassing Yourself)

A busy bar in Madrid, 10 a.m. Someone catches the bartender's eye: "Ponme un cortado." Eight seconds. Done. No menu, no name on a cup, no agony over milk options.

The Spanish Coffee Menu

In Spain, "un café" means espresso. No drip coffee exists. Everything else is a modification.

Spanish	What you get	The vibe
Un café solo	Straight espresso	The purist move
Un cortado	Espresso + splash of milk	Spain's default order
Un café con leche	Half espresso, half steamed milk	The breakfast staple
Un café americano	Espresso + hot water	Closest to drip coffee
Un carajillo	Espresso + brandy	The post-lunch power move
Un café con hielo	Espresso + separate glass of ice	You pour it yourself. Summer essential.

Pro tip: When in doubt, order a cortado. It's never wrong.

Ordering Phrases

Spanish	English	When
Ponme un café con leche	Give me a café con leche	Casual, at the bar counter
¿Me pone un cortado?	Could you get me a cortado?	Slightly more polite
Para tomar aquí / Para llevar	For here / To go	When they ask
La cuenta, por favor	The check, please	When you're done
¿Qué tienen de comer?	What do you have to eat?	When there's no menu in sight

A Quick Dialogue

You: Buenos días. ¿Me pone un café con leche?

Bartender: ¿Grande o normal?

You: Normal. ¿Y tiene algo de comer?

Bartender: Tortilla, pincho de jamón, tostadas con tomate.

You: Una de tortilla, por favor.

Bartender: Marchando. Son tres euros cincuenta.

No small talk. No upselling. Both parties prefer it that way.

Where You Sit Changes the Price

Standing at la barra (counter) = cheapest. Table inside = more. La terraza (outdoor seating) = premium. This isn't a tourist trap — it's the standard system, and locals know it.

Tapas Essentials

Spanish	What it is
Tortilla española	Potato omelette. The national bar snack.
Jamón ibérico	Cured ham. Worth every euro.
Patatas bravas	Fried potatoes + spicy sauce
Croquetas	Creamy fried croquettes (ham or cod)
Una caña	Small draft beer (~200ml)
Un tinto de verano	Red wine + lemon soda. Spain's summer drink.

Insider move: In Granada, León, and several other cities, you get a free tapa with every drink. Just order a caña and the food comes to you.

Tipping

Country	What to do
Spain	Not expected. Leave small change if you want.
Mexico	10–15% in restaurants
Argentina	10% in restaurants

In Spain, staff earn a proper wage. Tipping is a friendly gesture, not an obligation.

From Phrases to Fluency

These phrases will get you through any Spanish bar. But real fluency comes from seeing words like cortado, cuenta, and ración in natural contexts — over and over. Belugaro translates key vocabulary directly on the web pages you already browse, turning those study-list items into words you simply know.