Finding a great tapas bar in Benidorm is easy. Finding one where the locals actually eat? That takes a little more work — and that’s exactly what this guide is for.
Benidorm has hundreds of bars and restaurants, but the best tapas in Benidorm are hidden in plain sight: on backstreets behind the Old Town (Casco Antiguo), in small neighbourhood bars that don’t advertise online, and in family-run places where the menu changes with the season and the bread is always fresh. This guide cuts through the noise.
We’ve put together 22 tapas that Spanish locals order — dishes you won’t always find explained on tourist menus — along with honest reviews of 8 tapas bars in Benidorm worth your time, organised by what each one does best. Whether you want fresh seafood, premium Iberian ham, a local neighbourhood bar, or an all-in bottomless experience, you’ll find it below.
From Mara Boutique Apartments, you’re ideally placed: Benidorm’s Old Town tapas bars are under 10 minutes on foot, and every restaurant in this guide is reachable without a taxi.
What Is a Tapas Bar in Spain? And what makes Benidorm’s different
A tapas bar in Spain is not just a restaurant that serves small plates. It is a social institution; a place where you stand at the bar, order a drink, and eat a few bites before moving on to the next place. The ritual is called ir de tapas (going for tapas), and it can stretch for hours across multiple bars.
Benidorm has a well-earned reputation for British bars and beach clubs. But behind the main tourist strips, a different city exists — one where Spanish families and local workers eat lunch at 2pm, drink vermut at noon, and know exactly which bar does the best croquetas on the street.
The best tapas bars in Benidorm are concentrated in two areas: the Old Town (Casco Antiguo), which sits on the rocky headland between Levante and Poniente beaches, and the streets around Avenida del Doctor Orts Llorca to the west. Most of the bars in this guide are in or near the Old Town, a 5–10 minute walk from Mara Boutique Apartments.
The key difference between a tourist tapas bar in Benidorm and a local one? Price, noise level, and whether the bread arrives without being asked. Use this guide to find the second kind.
15 Tapas You Should Order in Benidorm
These are the dishes that appear on almost every local tapas bar menu in Benidorm. Some are Spanish classics found across the country; others are specific to Valencia and the Costa Blanca coast. All are worth ordering.
Jamón Ibérico
The crown jewel of Spanish food. Wafer-thin slices of cured Iberian ham, deep ruby-red with threads of acorn-fed fat. Served at room temperature on a wooden board. Never rush it. Order a glass of Fino sherry alongside if you want to eat like a local.
Tomate Aliñado
A deceptively simple tapa that tourists walk past and locals eat every week: ripe tomatoes seasoned with quality olive oil, salt, garlic, and sometimes tuna or boiled egg. Eaten with crusty bread, it’s one of the most honest dishes in Spanish cooking.
Croquetas de Jamón
Golden and crispy outside, creamy béchamel inside. The ham version is a Spanish staple, but caseras (homemade) croquetas are in a different league entirely. A good croqueta is the most reliable test of any tapas bar; ask if they make them in-house.
Pescaito frito
Andalusian-style fried fish: small fish dusted in chickpea flour and fried in very hot olive oil until impossibly light and crisp. Eaten whole, bones and all, with a squeeze of lemon and a cold beer. One of the great street foods of coastal Spain. Full breakdown below.
Fideuà
Born on the Valencia coast just up the road from Benidorm, fideuà is paella made with short toasted noodles instead of rice. Eaten with aioli stirred in at the table. The noodles that crisp at the bottom — the socarrat — are the prize. A genuine local dish.
Tapa de pulpo
Tender octopus, boiled slowly and then finished on the plancha. Dressed simply with olive oil, smoked paprika, and sea salt, usually on a slice of potato. A dish that looks simple and tastes extraordinary when the cook knows what they’re doing. Worth ordering everywhere.
Ensaladilla Rusa
Spain’s potato salad — but far better than you expect. Diced potato, tuna, olives, and vegetables in house-made mayonnaise. Every bar has their own recipe. Often complimentary with drinks in traditional bars. Always creamy, never bland. A staple of Spanish bar culture.
Gambas al ajillo
Prawns cooked in furiously bubbling garlic and olive oil with dried chilli, served in a clay cazuela still hissing at the table. One of the most ordered tapas in Spain, and for good reason. The oil left in the bowl is some of the best sauce in the world. Bring bread.
Entrecote de vaca
Beef entrecote is one of those cuts that needs no dressing up: bold flavour, well-marbled fat, and the deep richness that only comes from slow ageing. Served on the griddle, cooked to order, with a simple side that lets the meat do the talking.
Choco frito
Fried cuttlefish — lighter, more tender, and more flavourful than squid. Cut into strips or rings, dusted in flour, fried simply. A coastal classic all along the Costa Blanca. Squeeze lemon generously. Order two portions; you will regret ordering one.
Almejas
Clams opened to order in a pan with white wine, garlic, parsley, and olive oil. The broth that forms is extraordinary. Served with bread. Best with a glass of cold Albariño. Freshness matters enormously — at a good local tapas bar in Benidorm, ask what arrived today.
Mejillones
Mussels, steamed open in their own liquor with a squeeze of lemon. In traditional bars, often served free with a drink — piled high in a paper cone. La Mejillonera in Benidorm Old Town has been doing exactly this since 1981. A genuine Benidorm institution.
Salmorejo
A thick, silky cold soup from Córdoba: ripe tomatoes blended with bread, garlic, and olive oil until creamy. Richer than gazpacho. Topped with hard-boiled egg and jamón. The perfect tapas bar starter on a hot Benidorm afternoon — refreshing without being light.
Berenjenas con miel
Thinly sliced aubergine, battered, fried until golden, then drizzled with honey or cane molasses. A Moorish-influenced dish from Andalusia. The contrast of savoury-crisp and sweet-sticky is unlike anything else on a tapas menu. Order it once and you’ll order it every time.
Patatas Bravas
Every bar in Spain has their own version. Fried potato cubes, spicy red brava sauce, sometimes aioli. The recipe is fiercely guarded. In Valencia, the all-i-oli is intensely garlicky and deeply good. The single most-ordered tapas dish in Spain — and one of the best.
The 8 Best Tapas Bars in Benidorm: Our Honest Picks
Eight places worth your time, curated for different occasions, budgets, and tastes. All are walkable from Mara Boutique Apartments. We’ve grouped them by what each one does best.
La Mejillonera
Benidorm InstitutionA Benidorm landmark since 1981, La Mejillonera is entirely dedicated to mussels, rice dishes, and fresh seafood tapas. They serve mejillones in a dozen different ways — steamed, in tiger sauce, vinaigrette — piled generously at prices that make you order another round. The Old Town location is simple, loud, and 100% authentic. Spanish locals have been coming here for over four decades. If you want to eat seafood tapas in Benidorm the way locals do, this is your first stop.
Bar Cofradía
Local FavouriteConnected to the local fishermen’s brotherhood (cofradía de pescadores), Bar Cofradía serves ultra-fresh seafood at prices that feel almost illegal. The pescaito frito here is among the best in the area — order the mixed plate and work through it with a cold caña. No design, no decoration, no theatre. Just honest fish that came off a boat this morning. The kind of tapas bar in Benidorm that doesn’t need a marketing budget because word of mouth has done the job for years.
La Taberna del Jamón
Jamón SpecialistIf you’re serious about jamón ibérico, La Taberna del Jamón is your destination in Benidorm. The menu centres on quality Iberian cured meats — from entry-level serrano to premium bellota. Order a tabla de ibéricos, a glass of Rioja, and take your time. The unhurried atmosphere is exactly what a tapas bar in Spain should feel like: no rush, no pressure, and food that gets better the slower you eat it.
Jamonía Pig Ibéricos Gourmet
GourmetA gourmet jamón and ibérico shop-bar hybrid — you can buy to take home or sit and eat on the spot. Perfect for exploring premium Spanish products: acorn-fed jamón ibérico, lomo, salchichón de bellota, and artisan cheeses. A step above the typical tapas bar in Benidorm, aimed at guests who want to eat seriously and discover the full depth of Spanish charcuterie culture.
Tasca y Basta
Locals’ SecretA tiny, unassuming bar just off the main tapas street that quietly outperforms everything around it. Two women run it — one on tables, one in the kitchen — and the food is exceptional. Small plates, generous portions, and prices so reasonable you’ll order far too much. One of the most honest tapas experiences in Benidorm, and a prime example of why the best tapas bar is never the one with the most tourists outside. Cash only — arrive early or expect to wait.
Los Mancheguitos
Tapas & PintxosRooted in the Castilla-La Mancha tradition and now a firm Benidorm favourite, Los Mancheguitos does unpretentious, flavour-first tapas at prices that feel deliberately old-fashioned. The croquetas are routinely cited as among the best in town, and the pulpo sells out fast. Expect to queue. Expect it to be worth it. Pair your tapas with a jarra of cava or a decent Rioja and you’ll understand why the Spanish spend three hours at lunch.
Dehesa de Don Saturnino
Traditional SpanishA proper Spanish tapas experience with a menu covering all the classics done with genuine care: carillada ibérica, secreto, croquetas, pimientos del padrón, and excellent grilled meats. Named after the Spanish countryside tradition of Iberian pig farming, the focus here is on product quality. The kind of restaurant where Spanish families bring guests to show off what local food culture actually looks like — unhurried, seasonal, and built around the table.
Baldo Restaurant & Cocktail Bar
Our #1 Pick for GroupsSet just steps from Benidorm’s Old Town and directly facing the Mediterranean, Baldo is more than a tapas bar — it’s a social experience. A cocktail bar, tapas restaurant, and celebration venue in one, with one of the most consistent records for quality in Benidorm. Rated close to 4.9 by guests, Baldo combines excellent Spanish tapas, creative cocktails, and a seafront atmosphere that works equally well for a casual dinner or a full group celebration. The restaurant is also directly connected to Mara Boutique Apartments — guests staying with us have Baldo on their doorstep.
✦ Bottomless Tapas & Drinks — The Benidorm Experience
Two hours of unlimited drinks and Spanish tapas — one of the best-value experiences at any tapas bar in Benidorm. Cava, wine, sangría, cocktails, beer, soft drinks and water, all included alongside a rotating selection of classic tapas. Available Tuesday to Sunday until 17:00. Reservation required.
Also available: Bronze (40€), Silver (50€) and Gold (60€) sharing menus with drinks, dessert and coffee. Perfect for birthdays, anniversaries and group dinners.
More About Baldo →Benidorm Tapas Bars
Frequently Asked Questions
Stay Minutes From Benidorm’s Best Tapas Bars
Mara Boutique Apartments puts you within walking distance of the Old Town tapas bars, Levante Beach, and Baldo Restaurant; your local tapas experience starts the moment you arrive.
Prices and opening hours are subject to change. Always check directly with each venue before visiting.