If you've ever wandered down the Rincón de Loix strip at 8pm, been handed a laminated menu with a photo of every dish, and thought there must be better than this — you're right. The best restaurants in Benidorm are hiding in plain sight, and after ten years living on the Costa Blanca, I'm going to save you from a mediocre paella.
Benidorm gets a bad rap for food. Yes, there are English breakfasts on every corner and sangria jugs the size of buckets. But scratch beneath the surface and you'll find some genuinely brilliant places to eat — from old-town tapas bars that haven't changed since the 1980s to creative rice restaurants that would hold their own in Valencia. Here's where to go.
The Old Town (Casco Antiguo): Where to Start
If you only eat in one area of Benidorm, make it the old town. Clustered around the hilltop square and the blue-tiled church of San Jaime y Santa Ana, the streets here are narrow, shaded, and lined with restaurants that actually cook.
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Find rentals →La Palmera on Calle Santo Domingo has been serving traditional Valencian rice dishes since the 1970s. The arroz a banda — rice cooked in fish stock, served with alioli — is properly done here. Expect to pay around €14–18 per person for a full rice dish with wine. Book ahead on weekends, even in May.
El Cantó is my personal favourite for tapas. It's tucked just off Plaza de la Constitución, looks like nothing from the outside, and consistently delivers the kind of food that makes you rethink everything you thought you knew about Benidorm. The grilled octopus with paprika oil and the croquetas de jamón are worth the trip alone. Order the house white — it's always cold and always cheap.
For breakfast done the Spanish way, Cafetería Mavi opens early and serves proper tostadas with tomate rallado, freshly squeezed orange juice, and a café con leche that's actually hot. None of this costs more than €3.50.
Avenida Martínez Alejos: Rice, Fish & the Real Deal
This street, which runs parallel to the old town on the eastern side, is where serious food lovers end up. Several of Benidorm's best rice and fish restaurants are here, away from the tourist strip.
Restaurante La Cava does an outstanding fideuà — the noodle-based alternative to paella, cooked in a proper socarrat crust at the bottom. They also do a mixed seafood platter (mariscos mixtos) that's ideal for sharing. Two people eating well with wine will spend around €45–55.
Casa Toni nearby is smaller and more local in feel. The lunch menú del día — three courses with bread and wine — runs at €13 during the week and is genuinely good value. This is where you'll see construction workers, teachers, and retirees all eating together. Always a good sign.
Rincón de Loix: Look Past the Strip
The Rincón de Loix — the newer, northern part of Benidorm — is mainly known for its British pubs and neon-lit clubs. But hidden among the chaos are a few gems.
La Olla on Avenida Europa is a proper Valencian restaurant that locals drive across town to visit. The house speciality is arròs melós — a creamy, stew-like rice with prawns and clams. It's rich, slightly soupy, and utterly addictive. They also do good grilled meats if rice isn't your thing.
For something lighter, Sushi Benidorm on Avenida Mediterráneo has built a surprisingly loyal following among long-stay residents. It's not cheap by local standards, but the quality is genuine and the fish is fresh. Good option for a midweek dinner when you've had enough rice.
Practical Tips for Eating in Benidorm
Eat lunch late. Spanish lunch service starts at 2pm and runs until 4pm. Show up at 2:30pm rather than noon and you'll eat with locals instead of tourists.
The menú del día is your friend. Most proper Spanish restaurants offer a fixed weekday lunch menu — starter, main, dessert, bread, and a drink — for €12–16. It's always the best value in the house.
Avoid restaurants with photos on the menu. I know I said this at the top but it bears repeating. If the menu has photographs and is printed in five languages on the same page, keep walking.
Book ahead in summer. By June and July the good restaurants fill up fast. In May you can usually walk in, but La Palmera and El Cantó both get busy on Friday and Saturday nights.
Tip culture. Tipping isn't obligatory in Spain but rounding up or leaving a euro or two per person is appreciated. Don't feel pressured to leave 15–20%.
Where to Stay While You Eat Your Way Around Benidorm
The best restaurant experiences happen when you're not in a rush — when you can take your time over a three-hour lunch, walk back to your accommodation for a siesta, and head out again for tapas at 9pm. That's the rhythm Benidorm was built for, and it works best when you're staying in a self-catering apartment rather than a hotel.
With your own kitchen you can pick up breakfast ingredients from Mercadona or the local market, saving yourself for the meals that matter. And when you book a holiday rental in Benidorm directly through JV Properties, you save up to 18% compared to booking the same property on Airbnb — money that's much better spent on a proper arroz a banda and a bottle of Valencian white.
Browse available apartments and villas in Benidorm and find the right base for your food-focused trip.
The Bottom Line
Benidorm's food scene is genuinely better than its reputation suggests — you just need to know where to look. Stick to the old town for atmosphere, try the rice restaurants on Martínez Alejos for the real Valencian experience, and always, always eat your main meal at lunchtime. Your stomach and your wallet will both thank you.
