Benidorm has a reputation. You've heard it — chips with everything, all-inclusive buffets, fish and chips on the Levante strip. And look, some of that exists. But after ten years living on the Costa Blanca, I can tell you that where to eat in Benidorm is genuinely one of the most underrated questions a traveller can ask — because the answer surprises almost everyone.
Beneath the tourist noise, there's a proper Spanish food scene. Local tapas bars where the jamón is sliced to order. A fish market that supplies restaurants from Altea to Alicante. Rooftop terraces with paella cooked over wood fire. June is actually a brilliant time to explore it all — the tourist hordes of August haven't arrived, restaurants are fully staffed, and you can usually walk in without a booking most nights.
Here's my honest guide to the best restaurants in Benidorm, sorted by budget and mood.
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Best Tapas & Spanish Food in Benidorm
Bar La Cava in the Old Town is the first place I send any friend visiting for the first time. It's tucked into one of the narrow streets behind the Balcón del Mediterráneo, has about twelve tables, and serves the kind of patatas bravas that ruin you for the supermarket version forever. Get the croquetas de jamón, order a cold Mahou, and relax. Mains hover around €10–14. Cash only — remember that.
Restaurante El Marino down near the Poniente end of the waterfront does the best arroz a banda I've found in Benidorm. It's not flashy. The tablecloths are paper. But the rice is cooked in proper fish stock, and the local gambas they serve alongside it are embarrassingly fresh. Budget around €18–22 per person with wine.
For something a bit more lively, Casa Toni on Avenida del Mediterráneo does a great value menú del día — three courses, bread, and a drink for around €13. It's aimed squarely at locals and has been there since the 1980s. The daily specials change with what's good at the market, which is always a good sign.
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Best Seafood Restaurants in Benidorm
Benidorm sits between two bays, and the fishing boats still go out. Fresh seafood here is genuinely excellent if you know where to look.
Restaurante La Olla is widely considered the best seafood restaurant in Benidorm, and I'd agree. It's on the Levante side, right on the promenade. The caldero — a kind of rice and fish stew — is the signature dish, and it's worth every cent of the €24 price tag. Book ahead in June; locals fill it on weekends.
Marisquería Levante is more casual, almost a chiringuito in style, but the grilled fish platters are excellent and priced far more gently. A whole dorada (sea bream) with chips and salad runs about €16. Sit outside and watch the Levante beach crowd go by.
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Best Restaurants for Couples & Special Occasions
If you're staying in one of our holiday rentals in Benidorm and want a proper night out — anniversary, birthday, just because — there are genuinely impressive options.
Restaurante Neptuno has a rooftop terrace above the Old Town with views across both bays. It's the kind of place that makes you feel like you've discovered something. The tasting menu (€55 per person) changes seasonally and uses local produce well. The wine list leans heavily Spanish, which I appreciate. Dress code is smart casual — they won't turn you away in shorts, but you'll feel underdressed.
Rosmarino is a brilliant Italian that opened about three years ago on Calle Tomás Ortuño and has quietly become one of the most talked-about restaurants in town. The pasta is made fresh daily, the burrata is flown in from Puglia, and the owner — genuinely Italian, genuinely passionate — will recommend you the right wine without upselling. Around €35–45 per person.
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Budget Eating: Where Locals Go
Menú del día is Spain's greatest gift to the budget traveller — a proper three-course lunch with bread and a drink, usually between €10 and €14, and almost every Spanish-run restaurant offers it Monday to Friday.
Head up away from the beachfront and prices drop noticeably. Bar Restaurante Alicante near the bus station is one of the few places where a full breakfast — coffee, toast with tomato, fresh orange juice — costs under €4. The lunch menu is €11 and genuinely good.
For evening snacks, the Old Town's tapas bars do a raciones culture — shared plates at the bar — that's extremely wallet-friendly. Two people can eat well on €20 if they stick to olives, cheese, jamón, and a couple of pinchos.
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International Food Worth Seeking Out
Benidorm is international by nature, and some of the non-Spanish food is legitimately excellent.
Gemelli does the best pizza in town — wood-fired, proper Neapolitan bases, not the doughy tourist stuff. It's on Avenida de Europa and always busy.
For Indian food, Monsoon on the Levante strip has been serving proper curry since the early 2000s. The chicken tikka masala is not authentic Indian — it's British-Indian, which is exactly what you want on a Tuesday night after a day on the beach.
For something completely different, Restaurante Yoko does a solid pan-Asian menu — sushi, Thai curries, Korean BBQ — that punches above its price point. Around €20–25 per person.
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Practical Tips for Eating in Benidorm
- Eat lunch like a local. The menú del día is always better value than the dinner menu — same kitchen, half the price.
- Avoid anywhere with photos on the menu and a tout outside. It's a universal rule that works in Benidorm too.
- Book ahead for popular spots in June. La Olla, Neptuno, and Rosmarino all fill up by 9pm on weekends.
- Walk one street back from the beach. Rent drops, prices follow. The best tapas bars are rarely on the seafront.
- Dinner is late here. Spaniards eat at 9–10pm. If you want a quiet table, 8pm works. If you go at 6pm, you'll be alone — and that's fine too.
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Stay Near the Action Without the Markup
A self-catering holiday rental in Benidorm gives you the best of both worlds — a kitchen for lazy breakfasts and light suppers, and the freedom to eat out when the mood strikes without that hotel half-board pressure.
Browse our available apartments and villas in Benidorm and book direct with JV Properties — you'll save up to 18% compared to Airbnb or Booking.com, with no hidden fees and a local team available throughout your stay.
The food scene in Benidorm is one of its genuine secrets. Go find it.
