In Alicante, people don’t eat paella — they eat rice. And not just any rice. Alicante’s rice is rich, intense, creamy or dry, made with salmorreta, socarrat, and tradition. If you want to know where locals really eat rice (and avoid tourist traps), here’s our selection from the guides at Local Tours Alicante.
🥄 Paella or rice? Learn the difference
Many visitors order “paella” without knowing that here it sounds unusual. What’s typical in Alicante is:
🍅 Rice with salmorreta, a sauce made from ñora pepper, garlic, tomato, and olive oil.
🔥 The essential socarrat, the toasted crispy layer at the bottom — if it’s missing, the rice isn’t properly cooked.
🍽️ Served in a paellera to share, never on individual plates.
⏰ Only eaten at lunchtime, never at night.
If you want to experience this firsthand, join our Alicante Food Tour, where we explain and taste local products that end up in these paelleras.
🍴 5 restaurants to eat rice like a local
1. La Taverna del Racó del Plá – Neighborhood Tradition
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📍 C/ Navas, 40
A favorite among locals, serving classic rice dishes like rice with veal leg and tuna, baked rice, or seasonal vegetable rice. Simple dining room, excellent food.
🔥 Recommended by food media like Directo al Paladar and locals alike.
2. Casa Riquelme – Alicante
Located at Carrer de Vázquez de Mella 17, Casa Riquelme is a family-run restaurant famous for authentic Alicante paellas. Must-try dishes include Tuna & prawn soupy rice, Monkfish with artichokes and galeras, and the Riquelme special rice.
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3. Casa Filo – Authentic Fishermen’s Spot
📍 Albufereta
Specialists in arroz a banda with squid or cuttlefish, served creamy or dry. Family atmosphere, no frills. One of the area’s best-kept secrets.
🌊 Perfect after a beach walk.
4. Dársena – Rice with a Port View
📍 Muelle de Levante
A classic seaside restaurant with over 20 types of rice: arroz del senyoret, rice with anchovies and spinach, and more. A tourist spot but high quality.
🍽️ Ideal if you want to try different rice dishes.
5. La Mar de Arroz – Real Taste of the Sea
📍 Poniente Fishing Port
Off the tourist track, specializing in seafood rice dishes like monkfish and prawn rice or octopus rice. Highly recommended for fresh seafood lovers.
🚤 Near the port, a great option after a private tour.
🧭 What to do after rice?
After eating, Alicante continues to offer flavors… and surprises.
🏰 Join our Free Tour Alicante to discover the city’s history and iconic spots.
🧄 Book our Gastronomic Tour to visit shops, markets, and taverns with a local guide.
🥘 Customize your own private experience with a stop at an authentic rice restaurant.
✅ Conclusion
Rice in Alicante is not just food — it’s culture. Now you know where to eat it well, when to order, and how to enjoy it like a true local. And if you want us to explain it to you spoon in hand…
🎟️ Book your Free Tour Alicante, Alicante highlights tour, or our Alicante food, wine and sightseeing walking tour with local tours in Alicante and experience the city with tours by locals.
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