We love to try new things, we love olive oil, garlic, herbs and spices.  John will eat everything with gusto, I will eat most things, but can order anything in confidence, in the certain knowledge that if I don’t ‘like the look of it’ John will swap me. 

I keep mentioning tapas.  A tapa is a tiny dish of something tasty served with your drinks.  Often, but not always free, but if not it’s reasonably priced.  Tapas are usually on a chilled cabinet on the bar, and it’s perfectly acceptable to point at what you fancy.  Olives, whitebait, various salads, mussels, fish, bits of pork casserole, offal such as liver and kidney, marinated cheese, smoked salmon are all typical offerings.  A couple of tapas and a couple of beers are sometimes all you need for lunch, especially when it’s hot.  Great fun is a ‘tapas crawl’ along the seafront in Garrucha, pop into several restaurants, stand at the bar and order a drink and a tapa.  Stay at the bar, it is regarded as bad form to eat tapas at the dining tables (unless it’s a bar that only does tapas, like Simone).  Eat and drink up and move on to the next one!  Lovely!

The best place for tapas in Vera Playa is El Balconcito on Hotel Street.  The garlic muchrooms, cooked with a bit of parsley, are fabulous - also the kidneys if you like offal, the patatas a lo pobre (potatoes cooked slowly in olive oil with peppers and garlic) the magre (pork stewed with tomatoes).  For the current 'crisis' El Balconcito has a special offer - a bottle of Estrella and a tapa for 1 euro 30. 

The best restaurants for a tapas crawl in Garrucha are the Rincon del Puerta, where all the bar area and what was the restaurant area through the bar are now set up for tapas.  Use any of the boat shaped standing tables, or with bar stools.  Our favourites here are Cazon, (little bits of deep-fried white fish - a member of the shark family) Costillas (roasted ribs with peppers and onions) the ensalada Rusa (russian salad, mixed vegetables with mayonnaise, Tortilla (thick Spanish potato omelette) or just point at the extensive tapas bar.  Move on to the Maison del Pescador, further along the prom, the bocquerones there are particularly good, also the seafood salad, then to the Andalucia.

Within easy travelling distance there are literally hundreds of restaurants of every kind.  We can only describe our experiences and perspective, as chefs change, or just have an ‘off day’, our experiences might not reflect the norm for any establishment!

2009 - The economic downturn, in Spain - the crisis.

Many restaurants are struggling - although people are still coming to Vera Playa, many have less disposable income, and many local jobs have been lost, so there are some bargains and special offers to be found.

The Sol y Luna chiringuito Open all year with restricted hours in winter

Open again now and hosting the boules competition on Sundays at 1pm.  Unfortunately the prices are rather expensive - reputed to be good Spanish food but pricey.

Natsun Chiringuito – also known as ‘Tigger’s’  Open from April to October

Only open for lunch (food till about 4pm, bar serves till about 6pm, earlier if the sun’s not shining)  Good fish, salad, chicken, seafood.  Good place to meet some ‘Brit’ company – usually for sundowners – about 4.30 till Tigger throws you out.  Tigger’s is naturist – if it’s hot you won’t be welcome clothed.  If you have had too much sun put a top on, but fully clothed is a no – no, and no tapas. Remember to sit on your towel.

Paso Doble

Behind Tiggers, walk past Tiggers in the direction of the hotel, turn immediately left (past the sunbed hut, past Natsun pool) and you'll find Paso Doble.  Not so nice a view but more sheltered from the wind and good prices.  Does Menu del dia - also offers tapas - just say tapa? (with a question in your voice). Many Spanish bars just don't bring Brits tapas because we're renowned as 'fussy eaters' who won't try unfamiliar things! Naturist.

Atoda Vela Open all year, near the entrance of Torremar Natura

Open all day, serves drinks, Nice atmosphere, big screen football (Spanish La Liga) and good music. 

Mayo 2004

Italian style restaurant, ice cream parlour, usually okay for pizzas, pasta etc etc.

El Fado   

Opened again in summer 2009 as Ice Cream Parlour, closed for the winter.

 Wok Buffet

On the top floor above the Consum Supermarket,  This is a buffet with excellent starters,  Peking Duck,  then a chill buffet cabinet with raw meat, fish and veg, you get a plateful of raw food then queue up for the chef and he will cook your food with a sauce of your choice. Dessert consists of ice cream, cream caramel (called flan in Spain) and fruit.  Excellent value, some people really like it, others hate it,  as much as you can eat, less than 10 euros. The 'free wine' to take away at end of meal is undrinkable!

Hotel Street

Hotel Street is immediately in front of the Hotel, and the Pizzeria, Buena Mesa and Benitos are there.  It seems bizarre, but Hotel Street is not naturist.  Although increasingly the bars are 'naturist friendly' there aren't enough naturists here all year to sustain the businesses.  Just be a bit discrete / modest.  If you arrive in a sarong you'll be fine.  Somebody may challenge you if you arrive unclothed. The quickest way to get there on foot is to go out of the car park gate, turn right then turn left between the Parque Veras.  When you get to the road turn right, an easy 5 minute walk.

There is also the Broadway Bar ( a good late bar with nice atmosphere ) and Frankie’s Bar.  Frankie’s is open all year and has English football, rugby etc.. Landlord and Landlady, Alan and Shell, are a lovely couple and working hard to make the bar a success.  New for this season is fillet steak and home made chips, fish and chips etc!

El Balconcita

Next door to Frankie’s bar, an excellent Madrid Style tapas bar, new in 2006.  Owned by Carmen and Steve.  Carmen is a wonderful cook, the traditional Spanish fayre is wonderful.  If you like offal, try the wonderful kidneys in sherry or braised tongue. The leeks, wrapped in ham and cooked in cheese sauce, the patatas al pobre (poor man’s potatoes, cooked in olive oil with onions, garlic and green peppers), the ribs are all as good as you’ll find anywhere.  For the less adventurous, the burger is very good and the home made soup, Tomato, Chicken, Seafood and Vegetable, every day is superb. Carmen is also offering a good value Menu del Dia, every lunchtime and evenings too.  Excellent 3 course home made meal.  Also, new for 2009, a 'crisis' menu at only 5 euro 99 - salad starter, a single option for main course and dessert - must be good value.

The Pizzeria has good pizzas with thin crisp bases, other food is usually okay and there is a good atmosphere and excellent music.  The wine is good and good value.  If you like hot food try the chili oil poured over - not for the faint hearted.

The Buena Mesa has excellent fish and steaks (virtually everything is served with chips and salad)  Home made tapas are also served here, but not offered so much at busy times.  Order the Ternera - it's not Veal by our understanding - in Spain all beef under 18 months old is classed as Veal, so the fillet de Ternera in actually a fabulous fillet steak.  Poco Heche for those who like it really rare, Medio and it will be English medium rare, Buen cuit for well done, more English medium.  If you like it really well done, when it comes ask for it to be sliced open (butterflied - they'll understand hand signals) and cooked again - or order something else!  If you're of a squeamish nature don't order the rabbit cooked on the grill (Conejo a la Plancha) - it comes whole complete with head - delicious but not for the faint hearted!

Benitos has some good music.  Renowned for large portions, mostly served with a fried egg and a tuna salad. Good value for money.  Benito and Hector won’t mind at all if you order one meal and a spare plate.  The steamed mussels are particularly good - one portion and a portion of chips serves 2 easily - if you are into the French Moules & frites.  Mussels are Mejillones - pronounced mehiyones.

The hotel restaurant is not open to non residents, but we have found the Head Waiter and asked and he’s given us a table before now.  The food is the usual hotel hot buffet, and also an excellent barbecue area adjacent to the beach.

B2

Walk down to the prom, turn right, the first bar /restaurant you come to, after about 300 yds.  Very Spanish, here you will find mature beef ‘ Fillet de Buey’ , fabulous.  Excellent restaurant, more expensive but superb quality, also does tapas outside and at the tables nearest to the bar.  Up to May 2009 B2 was doing an excellent value Menu Del Dia, Monday to Thursday.  Thursday there is Gazpacho and Paella on offer as part of Menu Del Dia - excellent value at just 10 euro.  Closed so far in Winter 2009 / 2010 so no Menu del Dia at the moment.

You are falling over fish restaurants on the prom.  Be aware that it is often the Spanish way to ‘graze’ through several fish dishes.  Often the starter and main meal portions are listed together on the menu.  Order prawns, for instance,  and you will almost certainly get a starter portion. At some restaurants the fish is priced by the kilogram, before it is prepared and cooked.  If in any doubt, and certainly if offered a large raw fish ask “Quanto es?”  = How much is it?  If you don’t understand ask the waiter to write it down!  It’s too late when the fish is cooked and eaten.  We once ordered a fish that cost 88 Euros and would have fed 10 people, in fact it did!  We brought the remains home in a goody bag, froze it and had several excellent fish lunches.  Note, fish is usually served with a slice or two of potato, often with alioli and usually no vegetables.  If you need veg order a green salad, but one portion is probably enough for four people unless you really love your salad!

The Spanish often order several dishes to share, having each one served individually.  You keep your plates and cutlery and just graze your way through a range of dishes.  You order you selections and say ‘Algo para picar’ – something to share.

Here is our opinion of some of the restaurants, starting from the Mercadona end….

Meson Del Mar

At the cheaper end of the range,.  The specials are excellent and good sized portions.  we’ve had the Zarzuella there on a couple of occasions and it’s been excellent. Cad  Garrucha (it’s sort of like a cross between Paella and Fish Stew) is also excellent.  Specials are not served on Saturday nights.  Watch how the Spanish eat, they seem to order many fish dishes and share them, you may not have sufficient with just one portion of fish ‘a la plancha’ each.

Rincon en Puerta   (On the port, lighthouse on top)

We have eaten here several times, the food is excellent but it can be rather expensive.  You are charged on weight of the fish, beware if something is not available and you’re offered an alternative, it might be very expensive.  The tapas here are superb.  Many people just stand in the bar area and eat tapas.  The cazon is excellent, as is the Russian Salad, Patatas Bravas, Ribs - in fact all the tapas is gorgeous.  If you sit outside you will be charged more for tapas.

El Almejero   (On the port, fish market end)

This restaurant has an excellent reputation and we have had excellent seafood tapas there, but the only time we dined there the service was appalling, the food was average and the price was high.  It was a cold, wet February night, and everybody in the restaurant seemed to be in a bad mood (including us, by the time we left!).

Esquanez

Excellent food, expensive.  Good selection of seafood and shellfish and absolutely excellent tapas

Meson del Pescador

Wonderful restaurant, fair prices, excellent tapas.  A ‘must’ to be included on the tapas crawl!

Andalucia

Nice food, nice atmosphere, but a bit pricey.

Casa Adriana

Lovely restaurant, looks like it’s been there for ever but it was only built last year.  Food is cooked in a wood burning oven. There is a bar on the Calle Major entrance and a Restaurant on the Promenade entrance.  Excellent tapas (Calle Major side)  Typical Spanish food (expensive) in the restaurant.  The Iberican Jamon, 18 Euros for a ration, is fabulous.

It’s worth mentioning the café bar Hamburgueseria Simone, really cheap and cheerful, full of locals but does absolutely excellent tapas – if you want more than a taste order a ratione.  (The tapa is free, the ratione moderately priced) I think that we paid 3 euro for a beer, a wine and 2 tapas.  Note - this recommendation no longer applies, twice this year we have been charged 'tourist prices' - at least double the price you would normally expect to pay - once might have been a mistake, but twice is not acceptable!

Manolo’s

A great tapas bar towards the Mojaccar end of Garrucha, on an alleyway off the Calle Major (the main street through Garrucha).  Pass the lottery shop, look out for the red tables and chairs up a hill to your right.  Here the tapas are grilled fresh for you, there’s prawns, hamburgers, calamari, different blackboard every day our particular favourite is ‘morcilla’, it’s like a little black pudding, filled with almonds instead of fat, cooked on the counter over a dish of burning alcohol. Delicious!.  Small beer or wine and tapa is 1.50 on the terrace and 1.30 at the bar.

La Capilla

On the before the Turre turnoff, lovely atmospheric restaurant set in an old chapel.  Fabulous place for a special celebration.  Wonderful Spanish food, moderately expensive.

Turre

Our favourite restaurant, the Casa Adelina, at the top of the hill, on the right.  Absolutely superb regional food, but don’t go if you don’t like olive oil, garlic etc)  The service is relaxed but friendly, don’t go if you’re in a hurry.  The atmosphere for Sunday Lunch is superb, but you’ll need to book in advance, go up a couple of evenings before, book your table and have a drink and a tapa.

Bar Zambra

Opposite Super Turre – the kidney tapas are just the best.  Also good kebabs,  spicy potatoes.  A bit transport café like, but reasonable priced good tapas.

Maison del Pobre

Turn right opposite Super Turre, the bar is opposite you, on the left, at the T junction.

Absolutely fabulous tapas, excellent menu del dia at lunchtime,  good prices and good quality.  The home made soups are hearty and delicious.

Tiny village up in the mountains on the way to Lubrin, past Los Gallardos

El Paniajo

Tiny French style restaurant, only 6 tables, run by two English girls, superb food.  You need to book.

El Molina

On the hill walking up to the village, on the left.  Excellent tapas, menu del dia.  Interestingly, everything seems to be served with a fried egg.  Good value, very tasty.

Mojacar Playa

Torre Bahia (up a little side street behind the Hollywood Bar)

Regional food Good steaks, fish, fish soup, relatively inexpensive. 

El Cabana

Near the end of Mojacar Playa, on the same block as the Music Musicca Bar.  Argentinian Steak bar, barbequed steaks to die for – but as usual just served with chips. You’ll need to book here.

Tito’s

Mojacar Playa, on the sea side, opposite La Cabana, open air tables overlooking the med.  Good food, nice atmosphere. We had superb roast shoulder of lamb with vegetables, in a barbecue sauce, with lovely sliced crisp potatoes, probably cooked in Olive Oil, lovely.  Live music is a speciality on early Friday evenings - often performing is the more talented brother of Peter Sarsted!

Asador Ayerbe (before roundabout, near to Juan the Butcher)

Basque style restaurant, try the bacalao dishes (salt cod).  We had salt cod omelette, red peppers stuffed with salt cod, soft shelled crabs, fillet steaks, all superb.

There are lots of restaurants / bars in Mojaccar,  of all styles, English, Spanish, Chinese, Indian.  Bollywood is said to be the best of the Indian’s. 

Media Luna

Half way up the hill towards Mojacar Pueblo, turn left opposite the carpet shop and follow the little road (that becomes unmade) until you get to the Media Luna, on the left.  Fabulous terrace, overlooking the med, fabulous Spanish food.

Vera Hotel

Excellent food, specialising in regional cooking, bit expensive.  Lovely breakfast of tostados con tomate, (toast with a little bowl of chopped tomatoes and olive oil) freshly squeezed orange and good Spanish coffee for 3 euros 50 cents.  Menu del dia every day, cheaper in the bar than the restaurant (same menu). They do a dinner dance every Friday night. Every February there is a gastronomic festival, with top chefs from all over Spain presenting a different meal at lunchtimes.

Hotel Carmona

Excellent, regional specialities, good seafood, goat, definitely different.  Moderately expensive. Again, fresh vegetables are not served with main meal.  Go for tapas.  Arrive at 2pm and there is always a fresh paella, order a ration and it’s the cheapest and best way to eat an excellent paella. Lots of other choices in the chillers.

New bars are opening all the time, there’s one opposite Banco Santander, up a side street, that is excellent.  The Lizzaran, opposite the Convent, down from the town hall, has tapas in a ‘self service’ format, choose what you want, save your cocktail sticks and pay at the end.  Most things are served on a slice of bread.

El Fogon

In the El Real Industrial Estate (strange but true) near to the motorway exit north of Vera, on the way to Antas.  This amazing barbeque restaurant serves a Menu del Dia, lunchtime Monday to Friday, from about 1.30pm.  Excellent 3 course meal with wine, coffee, brandy for about 8 Euros 50 cents.

Villaricos

El  Mar la Mar

On the main road just before the Villaricos turn off, overlooking the sea. Good English chef  serving typical menu you would find in decent restaurant in the UK - with a Spanish influence.  The menu is all in English (or Spanish, of course) and the waiters all speak English

Excellent value Menu del Dia Monday to Friday lunchtime - up to 7 choices for each of 3 courses with half a bottle of wine per head.

Playa Azul

In the village on the left hand side before the square - lovely Spanish restaurant - serving menu del dia Monday to Friday.  The menu del dia menu is not written down, the waiter will just tell you what's available but unless your Spanish is excellent you may not fully understand - be prepared for an excellent adventure - very good food, typical of the region. With wine, about 10 euro per head.  Or splash out and try the main menu - good sea food etc.

Cabreras, Cortijo Grande

Los Pastores

Italian style, reasonable, absolutely fabulous location, ancient, Moorish style building.  All English spoken.  One of the best ‘meat’ restaurants we’ve been to.

The Riad Cabrera (Fatima's)

On the road going back down to Mojacar, super Moroccan restaurant, fabulous lamb tagine, good tapas, the fried aubergine are wonderful.  Here the tapas are not inexpensive - if 4 people arrive and you order tapas for 4 you will get several large platters of food - plenty for lunch, served beautifully - a different experience and definitely worth it!  And the surroundings are to die for!  Fatima's is now a very special venue for Civil weddings in Spain.

Velez Rubio

Casa Joya

Amazing restaurant and country guest house in the middle of the country-side, on the way to Velez Rubio, about 1 hour away.  Best food we’ve ever had, the proprieter was head chef at  Langhan’s Brasserie. Lovely homely atmosphere, with superb accommodation.  Ask us for details.  (you wouldn’t find it otherwise). www.casa-joya.com