After ten years living on the Costa Blanca, I can tell you one thing with absolute certainty: the best tapas bars in Calpe are not the ones with English menus in the window and photos of paella on a laminated board. The real gems are tucked away on side streets, packed with locals at 2pm on a Tuesday, and they're serving food that would make a Valencian grandmother nod with approval.
September is arguably the perfect month to explore Calpe's food scene. The tourist hordes have thinned, the terraces are pleasantly warm without being oppressive, and — crucially — the bar owners are relaxed enough to actually chat with you. This guide is everything I wish someone had handed me when I first arrived.
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Find rentals →What to Order: The Calpe Classics
Before we get into specific bars, let's talk food. Calpe sits at the intersection of Valencian and Alicantine cuisine, which means you get the best of both worlds.
Gambas de la Lonja — The red prawns from Calpe's own fish auction (the Lonja) are legendary on the Costa Blanca. Simply grilled with sea salt. Do not skip these.
Pulpo a la Brasa — Grilled octopus, often served with alioli and paprika. When it's good, it's extraordinary. When it's bad, it's rubbery and sad. The places in this guide get it right.
Clóchinas — These are the small, intensely flavoured local mussels, distinct from the larger farmed variety. In September they're at their absolute peak.
Esgarraet — A traditional Valencian cold salad of salt cod, roasted red peppers, garlic and olive oil. Sounds simple, tastes complex. Perfect with a cold Estrella Damm.
Migas — Fried breadcrumbs with chorizo, eggs and peppers. A farmhouse dish that somehow ended up on coastal menus. Hearty, unfashionable and completely delicious.
The Bar-by-Bar Guide
Bar Levante (Calle Denia, old town area)
Casa Nostra (Near Plaza de la Vila)
Bar El Pòsit (Port area, near the fish market)
La Tasca del Puerto
Bar Restaurante Los Zapatos (Calle La Mar area)
The Calpe Tapas Crawl: A Suggested Route
Start at Bar Levante around 1:30pm for anchovies and a glass of cold Estrella. Walk through the old town to Casa Nostra for prawns and mussels. Cool off with a vermouth at La Tasca del Puerto watching the boats come in. If you're still hungry (you will be), finish at El Pòsit with the fried fish.
Total cost for two people doing this properly: around €60–80 including drinks. That's a serious afternoon of eating.
Practical Tips
When to go: Lunch service runs roughly 1:30–4pm. Many tapas bars close between 4pm and 8pm. Evening tapas start around 8:30pm — earlier feels tourist-paced.
What to drink: Vermouth (vermut) before lunch is a Valencian tradition that's underrated by visitors. Ask for it with an olive and a slice of orange. House wine by the glass or jug is almost always the right call.
The bill: In proper local bars, tapas often come free with your drink (a free small bite per round). Don't expect this everywhere — it's more common inland — but in some old-town spots in Calpe it still happens.
Language: A few words of Spanish go a very long way. "¿Qué tiene hoy de tapas?" (What tapas do you have today?) will get you better service and often better food than pointing at a laminated menu.
Stay in Calpe & Eat Better for Less
One of the huge advantages of staying in a self-catering apartment in Calpe is having a kitchen. That means you can buy fresh fish directly from the Lonja market on weekday afternoons, cook it yourself, and spend what you've saved on a longer tapas crawl. It's a genuinely excellent strategy.
View our Calpe holiday apartments — many come with fully equipped kitchens, terraces and sea views. And booking direct with us saves you up to 18% compared to Airbnb or Booking.com, because there are no platform fees eating into your holiday budget.
September in Calpe, a plate of gambas de la lonja, a cold glass of vermouth, and nobody else on the terrace speaking English. That's the dream, and it's completely achievable.
Find your perfect Calpe rental here and start planning the food crawl.
