The Best Restaurants in Altea: Where Locals Actually Eat (2026 Guide)

Altea has a quiet reputation among food lovers on the Costa Blanca — and honestly, it deserves far more credit than it gets. After ten years of living here, I've eaten my way through dozens of restaurants, from the terraces clinging to the old town walls to the seafront chiringuitos down at the port. This guide cuts through the tourist traps and tells you exactly where to eat in Altea, whether you're after a €12 menu del día with a sea view or a proper blow-out dinner with local wine.

If you're planning a stay, browse our holiday rentals in Altea — booking direct with JV Properties saves you up to 18% compared to Airbnb, and most of our properties come with a kitchen if you want to self-cater on the quieter nights.

The Old Town Terraces: Romantic Dining With a View

Let's start at the top — literally. The cobbled streets of the Casco Antiguo are packed with small restaurants, and the competition keeps quality high. La Costera on Carrer de la Costera is the one I'd take a first-time visitor to without hesitation. The rice dishes are outstanding — their arroz a banda comes out in a proper iron pan, golden and fragrant, and the terrace looks straight out over the bay towards Benidorm's skyline glittering in the distance. Expect to pay around €20–25 per person for a full meal with house wine. Reservations are absolutely essential in June and July.

Restaurant La Buena Vida is another old town gem that's flown under the radar. It's run by a couple who source most of their vegetables from local farms inland, and the menu changes almost weekly. I had a roasted red pepper salad with salt-cod there last September that I'm still thinking about. It's small — maybe ten tables — so book ahead.

For something lighter, Café de la Lonja near the top of the hill is perfect for a long, lazy lunch. The tomato bread with local olive oil and a cold Estrella is all you need on a warm June afternoon.

Down at the Port: Fresh Fish and Honest Prices

Altea's fishing port, Puerto Pesquero, is where you go when you want fish so fresh it was in the sea this morning. The cluster of restaurants along the Paseo del Mediterráneo aren't the most glamorous settings in the world, but that's not why you're there.

Restaurante El Pescador is the one that's been here longest and for good reason. The grilled dorada (sea bream) is simply done — a drizzle of olive oil, some lemon, and that's it. Don't try to improve on it. A meal for two with a bottle of local Alicante white will come in around €45–55. They don't take reservations, so arrive before 2pm for lunch or you'll be waiting.

La Taberna del Port is slightly newer and has a broader menu including some excellent seafood tapas — the gambas al ajillo and the croquetas de bacalao are both worth ordering. Good for groups who can't agree on what they want.

Best Value: The Menu del Día Scene

Spain's menu del día is one of the great civilised institutions of Mediterranean life, and Altea does it well. For €12–15 you get three courses, bread, and often a drink included. This is how locals eat lunch on weekdays.

Bar Restaurante L'Obrer on the main road through Altea la Vella (the lower town) is a proper working-men's restaurant. The menu changes daily — always a soup or salad to start, a choice of meat or fish, and a dessert. No frills, massive portions, cold beer. It's not Instagram-worthy. It's perfect.

Mesón El Cantó near the market area does a solid menu del día and is popular with locals from the surrounding villages. The paella valenciana on Thursdays is worth timing your visit around.

International Options Worth Knowing About

Altea has an unusually cosmopolitan dining scene for a town its size, partly because of the large expat community and the art school that attracts people from across Europe.

La Tavola on Calle Gabriel Miró serves proper Italian food made by people who know what they're doing. The pasta is made fresh daily and the wood-fired pizzas are thin, charred at the edges, and genuinely good. This is where I go when I've had rice four days in a row.

For something more casual, The Fisherman's Daughter near the port area has built a loyal following among British and Dutch visitors for its fish and chips (yes, really) and its relaxed waterfront vibe. Not traditional, but they do it well and the sunset views from the terrace are genuinely special.

Where to Eat in Altea in June: Practical Tips

June is a brilliant month to eat out in Altea. It's warm enough for evening terrace dining without the suffocating heat of August. A few things to know:

• Book ahead for old town restaurants — even midweek in June, the popular spots fill up by 9pm
• Lunch is king — the best-value eating is always at lunchtime. Dinner menus are typically 30–40% more expensive
• Local wines — ask for Alicante DO wines, particularly the Monastrell reds and Moscatel whites from the Marina Alta region. They're excellent and cheaper than imported bottles
• Parking — if you're driving down from a villa outside town, use the car park near the port and walk up from there. Trying to park in the old town for dinner is an exercise in frustration
• Reservations — WhatsApp is widely accepted for bookings at smaller restaurants. Don't be shy about messaging in English

Planning Your Stay Around Good Food

Honestly, one of the underrated joys of renting a private holiday apartment in Altea rather than staying in a hotel is the ability to mix eating out with cooking in. The local market (Tuesday and Friday mornings in the town centre) sells incredible produce — strawberries from the huertas, fresh fish, local cheeses, and vegetables you won't find in a supermarket.

Browse our available properties in Altea — many have full kitchens, outdoor BBQs, and dining terraces. When you book direct with JV Properties you save up to 18% versus booking through Airbnb or Booking.com, and you get direct contact with the owner from day one.

Altea's food scene rewards the curious traveller. Go beyond the menus written in four languages near the church steps, dig into the side streets, and eat where you see Spanish families actually sitting. That's where the real Altea is.

Browse holiday rentals in Altea and start planning your foodie break on the Costa Blanca.