Guide To Eating Out in Alicante Region

• By: Editor
• On: 23/Jul/2009
• In: Spain Travel Tips

Where to Eat in Alicante
One thing that Alicante offers you is plenty of choice – whether you are on a budget, or prefer classy restaurants, there is a great mix of restaurants in the region to suit all tastes. Keeping in line with the majority of Spain’s tourism regions, Alicante has a wide selection of restaurants that offer both local and international cuisine, from Thai and Indian to Turkish and Moroccan food!

If you are holidaying on a budget, there are plenty of good value restaurants in the area around Calle San Francisco – here you are guaranteed some great Spanish cooking at great prices! As with all tourist locations sometimes its good to go off the beaten track, and this is one area to go to enjoy fish, seafood and typical Spanish cuisine. One very popular place to visit is the Restaurante Alebrije, which has a nice garden setting. However it is not a budget option, rather a place for that special occasion! The Dársena is another restaurant that is highly regarded. The food is magnificent and it is located at the Port area with remarkable sea views.

We are all familiar with Tapas bars, but did you know that the origins of the bars started out in Alicante! Tapas bars are another way of dining out that doesn’t have to break the bank! Fantastic local produce can be enjoyed at competitive prices.

Many eateries still serve Montaditos – which are fabulous local delicacies that adorn crusted bread and are handed out free to customers of some esthablishements – for example check out the Meson de Labradores bar on Calle Labradores. Bigger portions of Tapas are called Raciones and you could make a main meal out of these larger portions at a low cost!

Tapas are served throughout the city given their Alicante origins. A great place to start a tour of the Tapas bars of Alicante is the area around the Town Hall Square and the Plaza de Montaceta area. Check out Senzone Tapas Bar at Rafael Altimira – there is a wide selection of Tapas (featuring local culinary delights) to be enjoyed here, and the presentation of the food is magnificent! 

Another place to check out in Alicante that serve excellent Tapas food is La Rambla Bar. Not only do they offer Tapas food but also three course meals at competitive prices. This premises is located on la Potal de Elche square. Further on down from here, take a trip to the Lizarran Taberna and first of all order a drink and then sample the Montaditos, and then check out the menu! Many of the Tapas dishes have a toothpick attached to it, which denotes the local delicacy (meat or fish) and make sure you keep the toothpicks, as this is how you pay for your meal! Take your toothpicks to the waiter who will then calculate the bill – usually they would cost about 50cents to 1euro each, so this is an economical way to eat out!

Other popular Tapas restaurants to consider visiting are Entre Tapas y Vinos, Barra Igeldo Restaurant, Casa Ibarra Restaurant, Los Mejillones, and Plaza del Puerto Café Bar at the Marina.

Find out more about Tapas Restaurants in Alicante.

For some further treats, check out the Alicante Central Market where you can sample some of the local delicacies. There are plenty of stalls here that sell snacks and it’s a great way to spend the day exploring the markets!

Main dishes of Alicante
After Tapas dishes, without a doubt, the main dish in the region is Paella, a rice dish served with meat vegetables and seafood (which is fabulous in Alicante). For more taste of the real Alicante, check out local delicacies such as oil-grilled red mullet, anchovies, tuna, whiting, smoked sausage with fish stew and garlic and parsley. In fact, seafood is a staple diet for the locals, and its worth checking out barbeque grilled sardine and other seafood when you are in Alicante! Another local dish is called Arroz Negro. This is a dish made from black rice with cuttlefish, which is synonymous with Alicante.  If you see any dishes on the menu with the term Arroz in it, you know that it is features rice.

It’s fair to say that the Moorish influence of the past in the region has had a major influence on Alicante cuisine. Dried fruit and nuts are common in dessert dishes. One of the most prominent dessert dishes is called Turrón which is a nougat dish made especially in Alicante. The region is one of the main areas of wine production in Spain. An exciting traditional local wine is called El Fondillón and is well worth sampling!

Check out a selection of Alicante Restaurants.

So there you have it – a guide eating out in Alicante. If you plan on checking out what’s to do and see in the area, your best bet is to avail of a top quality car rental so check out our Car Hire Alicante Airport page.

Have you been to Alicante? Would you agree that it has plenty of choice for people wanting to eat out throughout their holiday?  If you have any travel advice as to what to enjoy in Alicante please let us know – as always we appreciate your comments.