Gastronomy

Jávea has many restaurants specialising both in international and local cooking.
The town has a rich culinary tradition, maintained unspoiled among local families, and the dishes may be tasted, in the form of "tapas" in most of the town's bars.
As Jávea is a coastal town, rice and fish are staple items in its cooking, in their most mouth-watering varieties.
From traditional Alicante paella to "Arroz al horno" (oven-baked rice with meat and vegetables) or "Arroz a banda" (rice cooked in fish stock) among rice dishes, or the typical "Marinera al suc roig," not to forget the different kinds of fish grill.

                     TYPICAL DISHES

The most characteristic and popular dish is the Paella.

This consists of rice cooked in a wide, cast-iron pan (called paella) with other ingredients such as meat, fish, seafood and vegetables.

Rice forms a part of many dishes, such as "Arros al forn" (oven-baked rice with meat and vegetables) or "Arros amb fesols i naps" (rice with beans and swede).

Fish and seafood dishes include "Cruet de peix" (fish stew), "Suc roig" (fish stock) and fried fish.

Two fundamental elements of any dish in local cooking are garlic and olive oil, essential ingredients in Mediterranean cuisine. Together they make the delicious "all i oli" (garlic mayonnaise) which accompanies a wide variety of dishes.

Other kinds of food include anchovies salted or in vinegar and herbs, tuna, sausages and "borreta de melva".A traditional kind of food are the different varieties of coca ("les coques"); mainly savoury pastries filled with red pepper and tomato; onion; raisins; olive oil and salt.

Traditional sausages and cold meats include: "sobrasada" (sausage with paprika), "butifarra" (pork sausage) or "blanquet".

Local desserts are made using typical products of the land, such as almonds, oranges, raisins and figs. Well-known items include "pastissets de boniato" (sweet potato pasties), "mona de pasqua" (sweet bread typical of Easter) and "torta" (almond cake)..

Typical drinks include the wines of Jávea, the sweet "misteleta" wine, lemonades and "horchata" (drink made from tiger nuts).