The best restaurants in Denia in 2026: where to eat very well this year

Denia is produce, it is rice dishes, it is red prawns, and in 2026 its gastronomic culture continues to set the benchmark on the Costa Blanca.

Recognised as a UNESCO Creative City of Gastronomy, the town offers something that is hard to find in other destinations: Michelin-starred fine dining, traditional temples of rice cuisine, and areas where you can stroll by the sea while choosing where to sit down for lunch.

This is an updated and clearly structured guide to help you find exactly what you are looking for.

When it comes to gastronomic excellence, Denia competes in the top league.

Three Michelin stars and three Repsol Suns make it the leading benchmark. Its 2026 proposal, “For the Love of Art”, elevates local produce to an extraordinary creative level. Here, red prawns are not just an ingredient: they are a symbol. It is an experience designed for those seeking more than simply a meal.

Awarded one Michelin star, it combines charcoal grilling, market-fresh fish from the local auction and contemporary technique. It is one of the restaurants that best balances tradition and modernity without losing its Mediterranean identity.

• El Baret de Miquel: creative tapas with local roots. Informal, authentic and always full.
• Dexcaro & Ossadía: a bold concept with a strong personality.
• Aticook: an intimate rooftop experience with an accessible tasting menu. Recently mentioned in the 2026 Repsol Guide.
• El Carreter (La Xara): relaxed cooking in a former farmhouse.

Here, rice is not a side dish: it is culture.

In Denia, you must try:

• Arròs a banda: Rice cooked in a rich fish stock, traditionally served separately from the fish itself
• Arròs del senyoret: Rice with all the seafood already peeled (“for the gentleman”)
• Creamy rice dishes with an intense Alicante-style stock
• Red prawns treated with the utmost respect
• Espencat, llandeta, dried octopus and traditional cocas

Among the leading exponents of local produce are:

• El Faralló, a sanctuary for red prawns.
• Casa Federico, consistency and tradition across more than twenty varieties of rice.
• Haití, where you can even choose the level of socarrat (the prized crispy layer at the base of the rice).
• Pont Sec, in the Les Marines area, where the traditional cocas by Pep Romany are an essential stop if you want to understand the popular cuisine of the Marina Alta.

If I had to recommend one complete plan in Denia, it would be this: walk along the pedestrian promenade of Les Rotes and let the sea set the pace. Here, you are not just choosing a restaurant. You are choosing an experience.

You begin strolling beside the Mediterranean and, one after another, some of the area’s most iconic restaurants come into view:

• El Faralló, ideal for starting strong with pure, top-quality produce.
• Helios, a relaxed Mediterranean option for lunch or a leisurely aperitif.
• El Pegolí, living history since 1943. Its classic arròs a banda is essential.
• L’Eriçó del Trampolí, traditional seafood cuisine beside one of the Les Rotes beaches from which it takes its name, El Trampolí.
• Restaurante Sendra, famous for its octopus drying in the sun to prepare one of Denia’s most typical dishes, dried octopus.
• Restaurante Mena, a perfect finale perched on the cliffs, with some of the best views in Les Rotes.
• Ca Nano, a laid-back seaside atmosphere right at the end of the route, next to the well-known coves Les Arenetes and Aigua Dolç.

What makes Les Rotes special is not only the individual quality of each restaurant, but the chance to combine a swim, a scenic walk and excellent food without having to move the car.

In 2026, it remains one of the most highly recommended plans in Denia.

Not everything is about formal dining. The historic centre offers a more relaxed scene that is just as interesting.

If you are looking for Denia’s true foodie soul, Calle Loreto is an essential stop. This iconic pedestrian street is packed with terraces, laughter and the irresistible aroma of tapas that seems to feed you as you walk past. Even better, it lies just at the foot of the Denia Castle, so the perfect plan unfolds naturally: stroll around the fortress at sunset with views over the harbour and, as you head down with a healthy appetite, settle into Loreto to round off the day with excellent tapas and local wine. Ideal for hopping between bars and sampling market-fresh cuisine in spots such as Els Tomassets or Tasca Miguel Juan. It is the true heart of Denia’s late-afternoon social scene.

In the Baix la Mar district you will find a gastronomic market with more than 20 distinctive stalls across 3,000 square metres. You will find everything from typical Denia dishes to international cuisine, pizzas, burgers and ice cream. Without doubt, it is an excellent place to sample a little of everything the Marina Alta has to offer.

If you are looking for a more open setting with sea views without leaving the centre, the area around the Denia harbour and the Explanada Cervantes is an excellent choice.
Here the atmosphere shifts slightly: spacious terraces, boats in the background, a sea breeze and a lively ambience both during the day and towards sunset. It is a perfect area for an aperitif, an informal dinner or simply to enjoy a drink after a stroll around the marina.
It is also one of the most pleasant places to combine dining with a walk, especially in spring and summer.

In 2026, Denia stands out not only for its outstanding restaurants, but for having a distinctive gastronomic identity deeply linked to the sea, Montgó and the traditions of the Marina Alta.

You can come here for a Michelin star, for a perfectly toasted rice with socarrat, or for a gastronomic route through Les Rotes as the sun sets over the Mediterranean. Eating in Denia is not an isolated activity: it forms part of the city’s complete experience.

And for that very reason, understanding its gastronomy also means discovering its beaches and coves, its routes around Montgó, its historic centre, the Denia Castle and the essential plans for a perfect weekend.

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