What’s to Eat in Spanish | Say It Like You Mean It

Use “¿Qué hay para comer?” for “What’s to eat?”, then try “¿Qué se come aquí?” or “¿Qué me recomiendas?” when ordering.

You’re hungry, you’re looking around, and you want the Spanish that people actually say. “What’s to eat?” sounds simple in English, yet Spanish gives you a few solid choices depending on where you are and who you’re talking to.

This article gives you go-to phrases, the tone each one carries, and the food words you’ll see once you get an answer. You’ll leave with lines you can use at home, at a bar, or in a restaurant—without sounding stiff.

Why This Phrase Trips People Up

English uses “what’s to eat?” for a lot of moments: checking what’s in the fridge, asking what’s being cooked, or scanning a menu when you can’t decide. Spanish splits those moments into slightly different questions.

The trick is choosing a phrase that matches the situation. Do that, and your Spanish sounds more natural right away. Miss it, and you can still be understood, but it may sound like a word-by-word translation.

What’s to Eat in Spanish? Phrases That Sound Natural

These are the core options. Pick one, get comfortable saying it out loud, then add small tweaks that fit your moment.

Use “¿Qué hay para comer?” For “What’s To Eat?”

¿Qué hay para comer? is the closest everyday match to “what’s to eat?” It’s friendly, casual, and works at home or anywhere food is about to happen.

It’s also easy to extend:

• ¿Qué hay para comer hoy? (What’s to eat today?)
• ¿Qué hay para cenar? (What’s for dinner?)
• ¿Qué hay para almorzar? (What’s for lunch?)

Use “¿Qué vamos a comer?” When You’re Choosing Together

¿Qué vamos a comer? means “What are we going to eat?” It fits when you’re deciding as a group: friends in a flat, a couple on a walk, coworkers on a lunch break.

If you want it even more direct, add a time cue:

• ¿Qué vamos a comer ahora? (What are we eating now?)
• ¿Qué vamos a comer esta noche? (What are we eating tonight?)

Use “¿Qué se come aquí?” When You Want The House Specialty

¿Qué se come aquí? is a smart line in restaurants and bars. It nudges the other person to suggest the place’s usual dishes, not just list the menu.

If you’re talking to a server, you can soften it with a polite add-on:

Perdona, ¿qué se come aquí? (Excuse me, what’s good here?)

Use “¿Qué me recomiendas?” When You Want A Personal Pick

¿Qué me recomiendas? means “What do you recommend for me?” It’s a clean way to ask for a suggestion without guessing dishes you can’t pronounce yet.

Pair it with a preference and you’ll get better answers:

• ¿Qué me recomiendas que no pique? (What do you recommend that isn’t spicy?)
• ¿Qué me recomiendas sin marisco? (What do you recommend without shellfish?)

Use “¿Qué hay de comer?” As A Short, Casual Nudge

¿Qué hay de comer? is short and chatty. It’s common in home settings. It can sound a bit blunt in a formal restaurant, so keep it for family, friends, or a relaxed setting.

Spanish dictionaries define comer as eating or ingesting food, and comida as what you eat and drink for nourishment, along with other senses depending on context. You can see those definitions in the RAE entry for “comer” and the RAE entry for “comida”.

Pronunciation Shortcuts That Stop Awkward Stumbles

You don’t need a perfect accent to be understood. You do need a clean rhythm. These tiny tweaks help a lot.

• Qué sounds like “keh.” Keep it quick.
• Hay sounds like “eye.” No “h” sound.
• Para often becomes pa’ in fast speech. You can stick with para; it stays clear.
• Comer ends with a soft “r.” Don’t force it. Let it fade.

If you want a quick listen-and-check, the Cambridge Dictionary entry for “comer” includes audio options.

When “Comida” Means Lunch, Dinner, Or Just Food

This is where many learners get tripped up. In some places, comida can mean “food” in a broad sense. In other places, it points to the midday meal. You’ll also hear cena for the evening meal.

If you want to ask “What’s for lunch?” you can say ¿Qué hay para comer? at midday, or ¿Qué hay para el almuerzo? if you want to be explicit. For dinner, ¿Qué hay para cenar? keeps things clear.

Polite Vs. Casual: Small Shifts That Change The Feel

Spanish lets you sound relaxed or polite with a couple of small moves. You don’t need fancy grammar. You just need the right opening and a softer verb choice.

• Perdona… (Excuse me…) works in Spain in casual settings.
• Disculpe… (Excuse me…) feels more formal and fits many places.
• Quisiera… (I’d like…) sounds polite and steady.
• Ponme… (Give me…) is casual. Use it with friends, not a formal venue.

If you’re unsure, use ¿Qué me recomiendas? and Quisiera…. They’re safe in most situations and keep the tone friendly.

Table Of Phrases For Real-Life Moments

Use this as a cheat sheet. Read each line once, then pick two favorites and make them yours.

Spanish Phrase	Best Moment To Use	What It Signals
¿Qué hay para comer?	Home, casual plans	Open-ended, friendly
¿Qué vamos a comer?	Choosing together	Decision time, shared plan
¿Qué hay de comer?	Family, close friends	Short, informal tone
¿Qué se come aquí?	Bar or restaurant	Asks for the house style
¿Qué me recomiendas?	Ordering with help	Invites a personal suggestion
¿Qué hay para cenar?	Evening meal	Clear timing
¿Qué hay para almorzar?	Midday meal	Clear timing, common in many regions
¿Qué hay en el menú?	When you want a quick menu overview	Direct, practical

Food Words That Answer The Question Fast

Once you ask what there is to eat, you’ll hear a mix of dish names and category words. Learn the categories first. They travel well from country to country.

Everyday Categories

• El desayuno: breakfast
• El almuerzo: lunch (varies by region)
• La comida: food, meal, often midday meal in Spain
• La merienda: afternoon snack
• La cena: dinner
• El plato: dish, plate
• El entrante: starter
• El plato principal: main dish
• El postre: dessert

Handy Cooking Verbs

These show up in home talk and on menus:

• Freír: to fry
• Hornear: to bake
• Asar: to roast or grill
• Hervir: to boil
• Preparar: to prepare
• Servir: to serve

If you want a structured set of food vocabulary from a public Spanish institution, the Centro Virtual Cervantes materials on “Los alimentos” group common food words used in Spanish teaching.

Ordering Lines That Save You When The Menu Is Long

When you’re staring at a menu full of new words, use short lines that keep the conversation moving. Say one, pause, and let the other person do the heavy lifting.

• Para mí, … (For me, …)
• Quisiera … (I’d like …)
• Voy a pedir … (I’m going to order …)
• ¿Me trae …? (Can you bring me …?)
• ¿Qué lleva? (What’s in it?)
• Sin …, por favor. (Without …, please.)

Allergy And Preference Words

If food restrictions matter, learn these early so you can speak plainly:

• Soy alérgico/a a … (I’m allergic to …)
• No como … (I don’t eat …)
• Sin gluten (gluten-free)
• Sin lácteos (dairy-free)
• Sin frutos secos (without nuts)
• ¿Está hecho con …? (Is it made with …?)

Spanish Dishes You’ll Hear A Lot, And What They Are

When someone answers your “what’s to eat?” question, they may list dishes by name. Here are common ones you’ll run into, with plain-English descriptions so you can picture what’s coming.

Small Plates And Shared Bites

In many parts of Spain, you’ll hear talk about tapas, small dishes often shared with drinks or used to build a full meal. Spain’s tourism office has an overview of tapas and how people order them across the day in “The art of tapas in Spain”.

• Patatas bravas: fried potatoes with a spicy sauce
• Tortilla (often tortilla española): potato omelet, served in wedges
• Jamón (often jamón ibérico): cured ham, sliced thin
• Aceitunas: olives
• Calamares: squid, often fried in rings

If you want a quick list of tapas names you may see printed, Spain’s tourism office also lists popular choices in “Recommended popular Spanish tapas”.

Comfort Dishes And Everyday Plates

• Paella: rice dish, often with seafood or meat
• Gazpacho: chilled tomato-based soup
• Cocido: slow-cooked stew, often with chickpeas
• Empanada: baked pastry filled with meat, fish, or veg
• Churros: fried dough sticks, often with hot chocolate

Menu Words That Act Like Street Signs

Menus can feel like a wall of text until you spot the headings. Learn these, and you’ll stop guessing where the mains are hiding.

Menu Heading	What You’ll Get	Fast Tip
Entrantes	Starters	Often shareable
Raciones	Larger shared plates	Great for groups
Platos principales	Main dishes	Look here for hearty plates
Especialidades	House dishes	Good place to try the venue’s style
Menú del día	Set lunch menu	Often best value at midday
Postres	Desserts	Ask “¿Qué postres tienen?”
Bebidas	Drinks	“Con gas” means sparkling

Grocery Store Lines That Get You Fed

Sometimes “what’s to eat?” turns into “what can I grab right now?” In a shop, your Spanish can stay simple and still work well.

• ¿Qué me llevo para comer? (What should I pick up to eat?)
• ¿Dónde están las verduras? (Where are the vegetables?)
• ¿Tiene pan fresco? (Do you have fresh bread?)
• ¿Cuánto cuesta? (How much is it?)
• ¿Me puede decir si tiene …? (Can you tell me if you have …?)

If you’re choosing between two items, this one is gold:

¿Cuál me recomienda? (Which one do you recommend?)

Mini Scripts You Can Reuse Without Thinking

These are short, repeatable exchanges. Read them aloud once or twice. Then they’ll pop up when you need them.

At Home

—¿Qué hay para comer?
—Hay pasta y ensalada. ¿Quieres?

—¿Qué vamos a comer?
—Lo que quieras. ¿Pedimos algo?

In A Casual Bar

—Perdona, ¿qué se come aquí?
—La tortilla y las bravas salen mucho.

In A Restaurant

—¿Qué me recomiendas?
—El cocido, si te apetece algo caliente.

—Vale. ¿Qué lleva?
—Garbanzos, carne, verduras.

Common Mistakes And Easy Fixes

Most slip-ups come from translating English structure too tightly. Here’s what to swap in so your Spanish stays smooth.

• “¿Qué es para comer?” sounds odd. Use ¿Qué hay para comer?.
• “¿Qué hay para comer en el menú?” feels clunky. Use ¿Qué hay en el menú? or ask for a recommendation.
• Mixing up comida and cena can confuse timing. Add hoy, ahora, or the meal word you mean.

A Simple Practice Plan That Sticks

Don’t try to memorize a giant list. Grab a small set and use it on purpose for a week.

1. Pick two questions: ¿Qué hay para comer? and ¿Qué me recomiendas?.
2. Pick five menu headings: Entrantes, Raciones, Menú del día, Postres, Bebidas.
3. Say each line once out loud each day. Keep your pace steady.
4. Next time you’re ordering in Spanish, use one question and one follow-up: ¿Qué lleva?.

After a few repeats, you’ll stop translating in your head. You’ll just ask, listen, and pick.