Alicante may be one of the best holiday locations in Spain, with wonderful beaches that stretch for miles and delicious sunny weather, it receives thousands of visitors a year, who flock to this Valencian city looking for a well deserved rest. Alicante is filled with activities to do, there's plenty of nightlife and wonderful restaurants. Below our own selection and recommendations of the best restaurants in Alicante, including top rated (more pricey) restaurants and homely traditional eating places with delicious food for lower budgets.
Nou Manolin
Where: Calle Villegas 3, 03001
Prices: 40€ to 60€ per person
Reservations: +34 965 200 368
Visit Nou Manolin's website (currently only available in Spanish)
Nou Manolin is located at the heart of the centre of Alicante. It's been more than 30 years since this Alicante restaurant first opened it's door and it has become a culinary reference for natives. Besides the bar that it's worth the visit in itself, it has three large spaces where it hosts diners, including a wine cellar that can be booked beforehand. It's cuisine is famed because of the quality of its raw materials, its delicious rices and local dishes. It also as a very ample wine list and the staff can recommend what wine to pair with your meal. We recommend the marinated duck foie, the hake loin and for dessert molten chocolate lava cake.
María
Where: Calle Ciudad de Bari 5, 03010
Prices: 15€ to 25€ per person, lunch menu 15€ per person
Reservations: +34 966 357 720
This Alicante restaurant has a homely feel and cozy atmosphere. Its cuisine specializes in the elaboration of traditional dishes from the region, including several types of meat, prices, fish and season vegetables. The idea is to prepare grandma's recipes. The wine list is quite varied and among them you can find several wines with D.O. (designation or origin). Ideal for groups or families.
Maestral
Where: Calle de Andalucía 18, 03016
Prices: 35€ to 50€, tasting manu from 50€ to 75€ per person
Reservations: +34 965 262 585, +34 965 150 376
Visit Maestral's website (currently only available in Spanish)
Located a few meters from the beach, this Alicante restaurant has comfortable's lounges and spacious rooms with a view to its exuberant garden. The setting and the cozy and warm ambience are ideal for any kind of situation, including romantic dinners. The chefs of Maestral take classic mediterranean recipes and renovate them creatively creating a mix of old and new tastes that become an entirely new experience, with great emphasis in the quality of raw materials. In summer a grill is set in the garden to barbecue Galician style meat and fish. Recommendations: razor clams salad with vinaigrette gizzards, grilled tuna belly with rosellat rice and chocolate cake with apricot cream for dessert.
Casa Felipe
Where: Avenida Ansaldo, 31, local 1, 03540
Prices: 15€ to 25€ menu and a la carte per person
Reservations: +34 965 156 207
This already classic restaurant in Alicante offers a specialized and traditional elaboration of tapas and raciones. With a cozy ambience and friendly and relaxed atmosphere you can fell at home while tasting some of its specialties such as iberian ham croquetas, ox tail and stone grilled meat. We also recommend the marinated anchovies and the crunchy breaded squid.
El Capricho de Raquel
Where: Paseo de Tomás Durá, 2ª line to the beach, Urbanova.
Prices: 15€ to 30€ per person, though there is a pairing menu for 85€ for sybarites
Reservations: +34 965 188 653
Visit El Capricho de Raquel's website (only in Spanish)
This classy Alicante restaurant has modern touches and decor, but best get a table on the terrace to enjoy the marine breeze (you will be protected from the sun by a canopy). El Capricho de Raquel's cuisine is traditionally what is called a market gastronomy, typical dishes from the region that you would find in a market, but with elegant twists. The restaurant sommelier can advice you how to pair your dish, as the wine choice is very ample. We recommend the horse smoked meat with grated parmesan cheese and extra virgin olive oil, homemade meat balls (which includes many ingredients) and the homemade custard for dessert.
