Where to eat in Jávea — the best local restaurants and tables worth booking, filtered by cuisine and picked for tourists, expats and families.
Jávea (Xàbia) punches far above its size at the table — this small town holds two Michelin stars, BonAmb in a country house above town and Tula on the Arenal beachfront, plus a long list of Repsol-recognised kitchens. The Marina Alta is rice-and-sea country: arroz a banda, fideuà and suquet, done best at rice specialists like Arròs i Més and the long-running Trencall.
The port is where you eat with your feet by the water — Cala Bandida's buzzy terrace, La Cantina with its own fishing boat, and Pòsit by the Grava for the day's catch — while La Perla keeps things classic on the Arenal sand. It's an upmarket scene, so book ahead for the big names, especially in summer.
A rice specialist doing every Marina Alta style — paella, arroz a banda, baked rice and fideuà — with good starters, as the name ('rice and more') promises.
Carretera Benitachell 100, Jávea
Jávea's two-Michelin-star flagship — chef Alberto Ferruz's creative tasting menus rooted in the Marina Alta, in a restored country house with landscaped gardens. Booking essential.
A rustic-chic restaurant right on the water at the port — seafood tapas, rices and cocktails with one of the best terraces in Jávea for a long lunch or a stylish dinner.
Muelle Pesquero, Puerto de Jávea
A Mediterranean restaurant by the fishing harbour with its own boat — about as fresh as seafood gets, in a relaxed, popular setting.
A family-run restaurant on the Arenal beachfront — a classic Mediterranean seaside setup for fish, rices and seafood over a relaxed lunch or dinner by the sea.
A harbourside restaurant next to Playa de la Grava serving locally landed fish straight from the Jávea market, with lovely views over the marina.
A local favourite since 1970 for traditional Marina Alta rices — paella, dry honeyed rice and fideuà — alongside tapas and fish from the Jávea lonja.
A one-Michelin-star restaurant right on the Arenal beachfront — refined, market-driven Mediterranean cooking with the sea in view. Booking recommended.
Yes, two — BonAmb, chef Alberto Ferruz's two-star restaurant in a restored country house, and Tula, a one-star spot on the Arenal beachfront. The Repsol Guide also lists more than 20 Xàbia kitchens, so it's a serious food town for its size.
The Marina Alta rice specialists — Arròs i Més for every style, and Trencall, going since 1970 — are the classic choices. Look for arroz a banda (rice in fish stock) and fideuà, the local favourites.
The port. Cala Bandida has a buzzy waterfront terrace, La Cantina de Jávea lands its own fish, and Pòsit sits right by Playa de la Grava — all serving seafood with harbour views.
For BonAmb and Tula, yes — well in advance. The popular port and beachfront restaurants also fill up in summer and at weekends, so booking is wise.