Jan 13 2025

Alicante, the City of Rice, Named Spanish Gastronomic Capital 2025

The Mediterranean city is also known for its outstanding seafood, its splendid orchard, and its turrones, among other delicacies

Honors for Alicante, a city located in the Valencian Community, that has been crowned Spain’s Gastronomic Capital for 2025, a title that celebrates the city’s rich culinary heritage and its innovative contributions to the country’s gastronomy, according to the jury. Alicante will follow the steps of Oviedo, in Asturias, that held the title during 2024.

Alicante, the City of Rice

Rice takes center stage in Alicante’s culinary offerings, celebrated in a wide variety of dishes such as arroz a banda, baked rice, or creamy and soupy rice dishes. This versatile grain reflects the region’s deep Mediterranean roots. The key to Alicante’s exquisite rice dishes lies in the use of high-quality local ingredients: extra virgin olive oil, azafrán (saffron), tomato, ñoras (dried peppers), and fresh seafood, vegetables, and meats. The secret ingredient, salmorreta, a flavorful paste made with garlic, parsley, and ñoras, elevates these recipes to another level.

A range of exceptional products

Alicante is home to a wealth of exceptional products, many of which hold Protected Geographical Indication (PGI) or Protected Designation of Origin (PDO) status, underscoring their quality and cultural significance. Among the most renowned are the Vinos de Alicante (PDO), particularly those crafted from the Monastrell grape, such as robust red wines and the legendary sweet Fondillón, unique to the region. The city is also famous for its Turrón de Jijona and Turrón de Alicante (PGI), made with almonds and honey; the former is soft and creamy, while the latter is hard and crunchy.

Another standout product is the Uva de Mesa Embolsada del Vinalopó (PDO), a crisp and sweet table grape from the Vinalopó Valley, integral to Spain’s New Year’s Eve traditions. Additionally, the Cerezas de la Montaña de Alicante (PGI) are celebrated for their vibrant color and sweetness, while the Granada Mollar de Elche (PDO), with its ruby-red seeds, is a global symbol of agricultural excellence. Alicante also produces the Nísperos de Callosa d’en Sarrià (PDO), highly regarded for their juicy, perfectly balanced flavor.

Beyond these certified products, Alicante is renowned for its extra virgin olive oils, often made from traditional varieties like Blanqueta and Alfafarenca, the region’s Marcona almonds and of course the delicacies from the sea, as the red Mediterranean red prawns, and the salazones as mojama de atún, consisting of fillets of salt-cured tuna.

The legendary ‘barras’

Most of this outstanding products can be enjoyed in Alicante traditional barras, where culinary tradition and social life converge in a dynamic gastronomic experience. These bustling bars, with counters brimming with tapas, fresh seafood, and locally inspired dishes, are central to the city’s identity, offering a casual yet high-quality way to enjoy the flavors of the Mediterranean. One of the most iconic establishments is Nou Manolín, a historic barra in Alicante with a reputation that even reached the late Joël Robuchon, the world-renowned French chef, who credited Nou Manolín as the inspiration behind one of his restaurant concepts. Alongside Nou Manolín, other notable bars and eateries like El Buen Comer, La Taberna del Gourmet, and Cervecería Sento have become landmarks of Alicante's vibrant gastronomic scene. Baeza & Rufete, the only Michelin starred restaurant in the city with dishes as a tuna coca or a red shrimp rice, completes the portrait of a paradise for foodies waiting to be discovered.

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