Best Beach Bars (Chiringuitos) on the Costa Blanca
From rustic shacks where the paella is cooked over driftwood to Ibiza-style beach clubs with day beds and DJs — the chiringuito is central to the Costa Blanca summer. Here are the ones worth planning a day around.
From rustic shacks where the paella is cooked over driftwood to Ibiza-style beach clubs with day beds and DJs — the chiringuito is central to the Costa Blanca summer. Here are the ones worth planning a day around.
What's a chiringuito, really?
A 'chiringuito' is a beach bar — but the word covers everything from a wooden shack serving cold beer and sardines to a multi-million-euro beach club with infinity pools and €300 daybeds. Most close from October to Easter (they're literally built on the sand each spring and dismantled in autumn). The best ones are open from late morning to sunset; the very best from sunset until 2 am.
Rustic & local — the real-deal chiringuitos
| Chiringuito | Beach | Known for |
|---|---|---|
| La Siesta | Cala Baladrar (Benissa) | Pine shade, paella, no booking, queue from 13:00 |
| El Cossetes | Cala del Cossetes (Benissa) | Tiny, family-run, grilled sardines |
| Cap d'Or | Playa del Portet (Moraira) | Old-school, the gambas are perfect |
| La Caleta | Cala del Tío Ximo (Benidorm) | Hidden cove, full menu, locals only |
| Casa Roman | Playa de la Caleta (Villajoyosa) | Family-run for 40+ years, arroz a banda |
| Chiringuito Vista al Mar | Cala Bassetes (Benissa) | Sit on the rocks with a beer |
Beach clubs — the smart side
- ✦Bali Beach Club (Albir) — Balinese pavilions, sushi & cocktails
- ✦Beach Garden (Villajoyosa) — designer, DJ from sunset
- ✦Olas Beach Club (Moraira) — pool club above the sea
- ✦Trocadero Arenal (Jávea) — full sand-to-bed service
- ✦L'Hort de la Mar (Jávea) — beach restaurant with style
- ✦Mauro & Sensai (Albir) — long lunch into early evening
- ✦Sky Lounge — Gran Hotel Bali (Benidorm) — rooftop, unbeatable view
Sunday lunch at the best chiringuitos books out a week ahead in peak season. For Cala Baladrar's La Siesta — which doesn't take bookings at all — arrive before 12:30 or after 15:30 to avoid a 90-minute wait.
Sunset drink spots
For the magic-hour drink before dinner, head to a west-facing bar: Bali Beach in Albir, Olas in Moraira, Beach Garden in Villajoyosa, or the rooftop at Sky Lounge in Benidorm. For something simpler, the chiringuito at Cala Baladrar with the sun side-lighting the pines is just as good and costs a third as much.
What to order
- ✦Arroz a banda — local rice dish, simpler than paella
- ✦Paella valenciana — chicken & rabbit, the original
- ✦Fideuà — like paella but with toasted noodles
- ✦Sardinas a la plancha — grilled sardines with sea salt
- ✦Tinto de verano — wine + lemon soda, the local lunch drink
- ✦Café del tiempo — iced coffee with lemon, for the heat
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