A tapa is an appetizer or snack in Spanish cuisine. Tapas may be cold or hot. In some bars and restaurants in Spain and across the globe, tapas have evolved into a more sophisticated cuisine. Tapas can be combined to make a full meal. In some Central American countries, such snacks are known as bocas.

Why do they call it tapas?

The word "tapas" is derived from the Spanish verb tapar, "to cover", a cognate of the English top. In pre-19th-century Spain tapas were served by posadas, albergues or bodegas, offering meals and rooms for travellers.

What is a tapas menu?

Tapas are a wide variety of appetizers, or snacks, in Spanish cuisine. They may be cold (such as mixed olives and cheese) or warm (such as chopitos, which are battered, fried baby squid). In select bars in Spain, tapas have evolved into an entire, and sometimes sophisticated, cuisine.