Tapas in Benidorm: 16 tapas and pintxos bars by area, with 2026 ratings

If you want to go for tapas in Benidorm, the area with the most tapas and pintxos bars is the old town, around Calle Santo Domingo, known as the “zona de los vascos” (the Basque quarter). Outside it, Poniente is more about fish and seafood, and the centre has more creative places. Here are 16 bars by area, with their 2026 ratings, a walking route and the June tapas competition. A quick note on the words: tapas are small plates, and pintxos are the Basque version, usually a bite served on a slice of bread.

The 16 bars at a glance

The selection comes from our own report, last consulted on 25 October 2026, based on ratings from Google, TripAdvisor and TheFork and on the local aggregator TapasBenidorm. It weighs the score, the number of reviews and whether tapas or pintxos are the heart of the place. The Google and TripAdvisor scores date from July 2026 and the TheFork ones from October, and they change over time. They are not averaged, because each platform uses its own scale, and scores with few reviews should be taken with caution.

“Inexpensive” means a tapas outing of up to about €20 per person and “moderate” about €20 to €35. These are rough ranges: ordering seafood or wine changes the bill a lot.

The Basque quarter and the old town

“Zona de los vascos” is a popular name, not an official one. It matches Calle Santo Domingo, which links to Plaza de la Constitución through a passage. It grew up around La Cava Aragonesa, which opened in 1980, and expanded in the 1990s. From Santo Domingo it stretches along José Martínez Oriola, Sant Miquel, Rosari and Paseo de la Carretera. To see the rest of the neighbourhood, there is our guide to the old town of Benidorm.

La Cava Aragonesa

It is at Plaza de la Constitución, 2. Its trademark is the pintxo bar and the “yescas”, with plenty of cheeses, cured meats, salted and smoked fish. It opened in 1980 and its website lists opening hours from Monday to Sunday, 12:00 to 00:00. On TripAdvisor it has 4.1 out of 5 with 2,570 reviews (July 2026), a low score for its fame. The local aggregator puts this down to overcrowding. We recommend going outside peak hours, before 13:30 or 20:30.

Gaztelutxo

Calle Santo Domingo, 7. Basque-style cooking, pintxos and tapas. It has 4.5 out of 5 on Google with 1,085 reviews and 4.2 on TripAdvisor with 249 (July 2026). It was still open in October 2026. According to the bar itself, it closes on Mondays except public holidays, and opens 12:00 to 15:30 and 19:00 to 23:00 from Tuesday to Thursday; check the hours before you go. Order several pintxos rather than a single portion.

Tapería Aurrera, Pintxos Aurrera and Brasería Aurrera

The Aurrera Group has several places in the area.

• La Tapería Aurrera (Santo Domingo, 6) makes “micro-cuisine” pintxos and contemporary sharing plates. On TheFork it scores 8.2 out of 10 in October 2026.
• Pintxos Aurrera (Costera del Hostal, no number) is the group’s first place in Benidorm, opened in 1991, with Basque pintxos and sharing plates. It is good for two or three pintxos before moving on along the route.
• La Brasería Aurrera (Santo Domingo, 10) cooks over charcoal: meat, fish and rice. On TheFork it scores 8.2 out of 10 with 260 reviews (October 2026).

Tasca y Basta

Calle Martínez Oriola, 25. A small tavern with bold Spanish flavours, and reviewers keep mentioning the garlic. It has 4.7 out of 5 on TripAdvisor with 196 reviews (July 2026). It closes earlier than most places in the area: better at lunchtime or early in the afternoon.

Aupa Taberna

Calle Martínez Oriola, 27, ground floor. It is one of the safest bets for tortilla, croquettes and meatballs, at €10 to €20 per person. It has 4.6 out of 5 on Google with 992 reviews and 4.4 on TripAdvisor with 173 (July 2026). Arrive before the busy hours if you want a table.

La Rana

Costera del Barco, 7. Classic Spanish cooking with plenty of croquettes, stuffed mushrooms and garlic prawns. It has 4.5 out of 5 on Google with 907 reviews and 4.6 on TripAdvisor with 416 (July 2026). Its website announces a closure in November, so check before you go.

Los Pinchos Morunos II

It is a classic of the area and the heir to Los Pinchos Morunos. We do not have its address or its rating, so look it up on the map before you go.

The centre

Here you will find less touristy bars and more contemporary places, a short walk from the old town.

• La Fava (Calle de la Palma, 41). A gastrobar with local produce and creative tapas, rated 4.6 out of 5 on TripAdvisor with 150 reviews (July 2026). It won the 2026 tapas competition with “Entre la Serra Gelada y nuestra Illeta”. Better to book.
• RITÄ Esquina Gastronómica (Pasaje de Santa Rita de Casia, 2). This is the more gastronomic take on tapas, with charcoal cooking and seasonal produce. It scores 9.3 out of 10 on TheFork, with about 466 reviews (October 2026). TheFork still shows number 6, but the bar’s own website gives number 2. Book on Fridays and Saturdays.
• Cervecería Dos Estrellas (Av. de l’Aigüera, 16). Tapas and fish in a beer-hall atmosphere, away from the most crowded circuit. Its 4.8 out of 5 on TripAdvisor comes from only 92 reviews (July 2026).
• Tapería La Mina (Av. de Ruzafa, 2, unit 9). Traditional tapas and paella, with tapas from €1.30 according to the bar itself. Its own website shows 4.4 out of 5 on Google, without giving the number of reviews.

Poniente

Poniente is the area for eating fish and seafood at a calmer pace.

• Daivel (Av. de la Armada Española, 21). Grill, tapas and quality produce, at €20 to €30 per person. It has 4.7 out of 5 on Google with 1,108 reviews and 4.8 on TripAdvisor with 377 (July 2026), and several reviews mention a small tapa when you sit down. It is better for lunch than for a late dinner, and one listing shows it closed on Wednesdays.
• Bar Cofradía (Calle Gardenias, 7). Fish and seafood, with 4.5 out of 5 on TripAdvisor with 554 reviews (July 2026). It is worth calling ahead to ask which fish they have.

Levante and Rincón de Loix

This is the campsite’s area. There are fewer Basque pintxos and more Mediterranean cooking or casual tapas.

• Casa Toni (Av. de Cuenca, unit 27). Fresh fish and seafood, with 4.6 out of 5 on TripAdvisor with 460 reviews (July 2026). It is more a restaurant than a pintxo bar: book for dinner and order according to the produce of the day.
• The Black Rabbit Tapas Bar (Av. del Mediterráneo, 66, unit 48). Casual tapas and beer, in Rincón de Loix. Its 4.7 out of 5 on Google comes from only 26 reviews (July 2026), so take it as a hint, not a guarantee.

How to go for tapas without making mistakes

• Order several pintxos rather than a single portion, especially at Gaztelutxo.
• Avoid the peak hour at La Cava: go before 13:30 or 20:30.
• Book at RITÄ and Casa Toni, especially for dinner and at weekends.
• Check the opening hours on the day. It is the detail that changes most, and even more in November and on public holidays.
• Ask about the fish of the day at Bar Cofradía and Casa Toni before ordering.

A walking route through the Basque quarter

We recommend starting at La Cava Aragonesa and the streets around it. From there, continue to La Tapería Aurrera and finish at Los Pinchos Morunos II. If you prefer another order, our report suggests Gaztelutxo, La Tapería, Pintxos Aurrera and La Cava, adding La Rana or Tasca y Basta if you are still hungry. The bars are very close to each other.

The annual tapas and pinchos competition

The Benidorm Tapas and Pinchos Competition is organised by the City Council together with ABRECA, the association of bars, restaurants and cafés. The last two editions took place in June: from 20 to 29 June 2025, with 23 venues, and from 19 to 28 June 2026, the 16th edition, with 19. Back in 2019, the 9th edition was also held in June. In 2025 and 2026 the price was the same for everyone: €3.50 per tapa.

The City Council drew a dinner for two among those who voted. According to the Life in Benidorm guide, in 2026 you asked for the QR code with your bill, rated the tapa from 1 to 5 stars and attached a photo of the receipt. Check each edition’s system in the official leaflet. In 2026 there was another tapas route at €3.50 in February: TapaFest, from 6 to 15 February, with 20 venues.

The 2026 venues

In June 2026, 19 venues took part. Some serve tapas every day, and others put together a tapa just for the competition. A competition tapa is designed to compete, and on its own it does not tell you what the place serves the rest of the year.

With tapas or pintxos as their speciality, according to their website: La Cava Aragonesa, Pintxos Aurrera, La Tapería and La Tabernita del Sur. In 2026 La Cava Aragonesa presented the “Papa Taco”, a taco of marinated pork jowl.

The other participants: Baldó, Cervecería L’Abadía, El Bodegón Aurrera, El Mesón, Freiduría Los Peces, La Fava, Malaspina, Marisquería El Puerto, Molta Pasta, Pinocchio Playa, Rock’n Ribs, Taberna Andaluza, Uncle Bob Taberna Jamaicana, La Pinta and La Pinta Beach. Before going for a specific tapa, look at the menu: the competition tapa does not have to be on it.

In 2026 La Fava won with “Entre la Serra Gelada y nuestra Illeta”, followed by Malaspina with “Jenga Terreta” and Uncle Bob Taberna Jamaicana with a jerk chicken tapa. The audience award went to Taberna Andaluza with “Presa bao”.

Getting there from the campsite

The campsite is in Rincón de Loix, near Levante beach. It is 2.8 kilometres on foot to the Basque quarter. By taxi it is about 8 minutes, and the total cost is around €8 to €10 (approximate price in October 2026).

Urban bus line 4 stops on the campsite’s main road, with an hourly service, and goes to the centre. Before relying on it, check the timetables on the official Llorente Bus app, the urban operator.

To get your bearings, there is our map of Benidorm. In the guide to buses in Benidorm you will find the other lines, and in the one on parking in Benidorm, where to leave the car if you go on your own.

If you prefer a table

To choose a restaurant by type of cuisine, there are the restaurants in Benidorm. And if you want to start the day with something else, where to have breakfast in Benidorm.

The campsite restaurant is open every day, but it is not a tapas specialist. Its thing is rice dishes, Mediterranean food and the burgers of its own brand, Smash! The Burger. Turisme Comunitat Valenciana mentions “a typical rice dish of the area” in its listing. You will find more details in the campsite facilities.

For the rest of the plans, things to do in Benidorm has the full list.

And if you can only do one thing: start at La Cava Aragonesa and let the streets around it decide the rest.