Tapas Alley Benidorm | Where + What To Eat
Visiting Benidorm’s Tapas Alley this summer? We ate our way through this buzzy street recently, and this is our guide to the most authentic bars and must-try dishes.
Written by: Lesley Stewart | May 2025
No trip to Benidorm is complete without a wander down Calle Santo Domingo — better known as Benidorm’s Tapas Alley.
This narrow, buzzing street in the Old Town is packed with traditional Spanish tapas bars, many of which have served locals and visitors for decades.
We recently spent a week eating our way through Benidorm’s exceptional restaurant scene, and our night on the town’s iconic tapas street was one of our favourite experiences from the whole trip!
The atmosphere is casual and sociable, with people spilling into the street, sharing plates, and enjoying cold drinks in the warm air. Eating here is an incredible way to get a feel for authentic Spanish flavours and sample many different dishes in one evening.
Here’s everything you need to know about Benidorm’s Tapas Alley — from getting there, to what to order, and how to navigate this busy little street.
Quick Guide: Best Tapas Eateries on Tapas Alley, Benidorm
These are the best spots to eat and drink your way through Benidorm Tapas Alley (you’ll find all the details, including the best dishes to order, below):
La Cava Aragonesa: Bustling, loud, and full of character, with various tapas and pintxos.
La Tapería Aurrera: Stylish setting, delicious plates, and a solid intro to Benidorm’s tapas scene.
Pintxos Aurrera: Casual and buzzy. Great for people-watching, quick bites, and excellent pintxos with a Basque twist.
El Txoko: Cosy and rustic with a homely, no-frills vibe. Perfect for traditional Basque-style tapas.
Tasca y Basta: Trendy, modern and a good pick for travellers who want something stylish but relaxed.
El Rincón del Ribera: Simple, traditional and full of soul. Another good intro to the local tapas scene.
Aupa Taberna Bar: This stylish spot puts a creative twist on classic tapas. It's a bit calmer than the main drag, and the wines are great.
What Is Benidorm’s Tapas Alley?
Tapas Alley is a short pedestrian street in Benidorm’s Old Town that’s become a magnet for food lovers.
It's lined on both sides with tapas bars, most tightly packed and bustling, their counters brimming with platters of pintxos, sizzling dishes, and clinking glasses.
Locals, tourists, and in-the-know foodies squeeze in, elbow-to-elbow, sharing tables and soaking up the atmosphere. This isn’t fine dining; far from it. It’s the heart and soul of Spanish eating: casual, communal and often rowdy!
The beauty of Tapas Alley lies in its variety. You can try a little of everything — from garlic prawns and grilled chorizo to inventive croquetas or broken eggs topped with cured ham and grated foie gras.
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Tapas Alley Food Tour
I’ll be honest with you, while Tapas Alley is a must-visit in Benidorm, it can be overwhelming; there is just so much choice! We were lucky to have a local guide, who pointed out the best spots and recommended the most authentic (and delicious) plates.
If you’re a serious foodie looking for the best experience, or a tapas novice seeking a stress free evening, book this ‘tasting of Benidorm walking experience’.
A local foodie expert will guide you through the best of Tapas Alley, plus wine is included. While you can choose from lunch or dinner, I recommend the 6pm option, when the tapas street comes to life.
Tapas Alley Map
This handy Tapas Alley map pinpoints all the best tapas bars in and around the famous street, including a few standout spots nearby.
Whether planning a full tapas crawl or wanting to dip into a couple of local favourites, this map makes it easy to find the perfect place to eat, sip, and soak up the atmosphere.
Best Tapas Bars In Tapas Alley, Benidorm
1. La Cava Aragonesa
This is one of Benidorm's most iconic and established tapas bars — and it shows.
Inside, it’s all polished wood, gleaming glass cases, and shelves stacked high with wine bottles. The atmosphere is loud, lively and unapologetically Spanish, especially in the evenings when locals and tourists pack in for a quick bite or a long graze.
With an enormous selection of tapas and pintxos, it’s the perfect place to start your evening — or spend most of it.
Eat: If you’re overwhelmed by the choices, grab a plate of the solomillo (sirloin on toast with blue cheese) and a couple of pintxos with jamón and roasted pepper.
2. La Tapería Aurrera
La Taperia was our first tapas experience in Benidorm, setting a high standard for our trip!
Stylish and modern with a distinctly upmarket feel, La Tapería Aurrera adds a bit of refinement to the often raucous alley.
The space is warm and stylish, with dark wood finishes, an impressive pintxos counter, plenty of indoor tables, and a friendly team who are happy to help you choose from the menu.
The menu mixes traditional Basque-inspired pintxos with more contemporary tapas dishes, and the attention to presentation sets it apart.
Eat: Try the grilled goat cheese with fried aubergines and honey from the pintxos counter, homemade Iberian ham croquettes, or broken eggs with Iberian ham. Pair them with a glass of local Alicante red, and you’ll be glad you ate here.
3. Pintxos Aurrera
More casual in style, Pintxos Aurrera has an open, grab-and-go feel that encourages you to lean in and point at whatever looks good (which is almost everything).
The décor is clean and simple, with bar stools and standing tables that keep the energy flowing. It’s especially popular with younger locals and those who like a bit of a buzz, making it a great place to snack, sip and people-watch.
Eat: Try the grilled prawn pintxo or the one with spicy sobrassada and honey — surprisingly addictive combos. It’s also a great spot to wash it all down with a cold caña or a glass of txakoli (a lightly sparkling Basque white wine).
4. El Txoko
El Txoko blends rustic charm with a no-frills vibe — think wooden beams, chalkboard menus, and a steady stream of travellers who know they’ve found a gem.
It’s a family-run spot that specialises in Basque-style dishes. Many are cooked to order, giving everything a fresh, homemade feel. The atmosphere is friendly and relaxed, ideal for settling in and chatting over a bottle of local red.
Eat: Order the grilled octopus if it’s available — it’s perfectly charred with a smoky edge — or go for their morcilla and roasted pepper pintxo for something heartier.
5. Tasca y Basta
This bar brings a modern edge to the tapas scene with seriously good food and stylish plating. Expect a mix of locals and savvy travellers, with friendly staff who are happy to recommend their favourites if you're overwhelmed by choice.
There are a few seats inside, but I suggest grabbing a table outside if you can; it’s the perfect spot for people-watching!
Eat: The grilled pork skewers here are fantastic — juicy, tender and loaded with flavour. Also worth trying: their octopus with paprika and potato purée, which is beautifully balanced and not as heavy as it sounds.
6. El Rincón del Ribera
Small, simple, and packed with charm, this is one of those bars that locals slip into for a quick drink and stay for hours.
This was the first tapas bar we saw on the alley, and we instantly knew we had to visit.
The décor is traditional with rustic touches, and there's always a hum of conversation spilling out onto the street. It’s unpretentious, affordable, and the kind of place where ordering a drink often comes with a little tapa on the house—a nod to the generous spirit of old-school Spanish hospitality.
This is the best place we found in Benidorm for Tinto de Verano, a traditional sanria-style drink loved by the locals. Or vermut, a sweet wine served with ice cubes. So refreshing on a hot day!
Eat: Order a glass of house red and let the bar staff surprise you with a tapa — the marinated anchovies are often on offer and are always delicious!
7. Aupa Taberna Bar
Not technically on Tapas Alley, but close enough and only a short stroll.
Aupa Taberna brings a creative twist to traditional tapas in a stylish, wood-and-stone interior that feels both modern and authentic.
The vibe is a little calmer than the main alley — perfect if you're looking for a more relaxed sit-down meal without losing the charm.
Eat: Their slow-cooked pork with truffle mash is a must if it’s on the specials board, and the mini bao buns offer a fun, flavour-packed fusion bite. Friendly service and great wines round out the experience.
What To Eat At Tapas Alley
Tapas Alley is a haven for traditional and inventive small plates, and part of the fun is discovering new flavours with every stop.
Alongside classic tapa like Pimientos de Padrón (charred peppers) and gambas al ajillo (garlic prawns), you'll find a wide variety of pintxos (pronounced pin-cho) in Tapas Alley — bite-sized creations served on slices of bread and skewered with toothpicks, often topped with everything from creamy goat’s cheese and caramelised onion to spicy sobrassada or anchovies with pickled peppers.
The best way to choose which to order?
Head up to the bar where you’ll find a glass counter filled with small bites; generally, there’s a label in Spanish and English. The bartender or waiter will take your order, warm the pintxos, and deliver them to your table.
It reminded me of a similar, equally delicious tapas street in Logroño and another in pintxos mecca San Sebastian.
Many bars offer regional specials too, such as morcilla (Spanish black pudding) paired with apple compote, or bacalao (salt cod) served with a smooth saffron aioli. Be sure to try the broken eggs, small dishes of Iberian ham with fried eggs designed to be smashed in a gooey, moreish mess!
Finally, if you’re feeling adventurous, look out for croquetas other than the usual ham version—some places serve ones filled with baby squid or blue cheese.
How to Get to Tapas Alley
If you’re coming from the Levante Beach or Poniente Beach promenade, head toward the Old Town and follow the crowds past the Balcón del Mediterráneo viewpoint. Tapas Alley (Calle Santo Domingo) is tucked just behind Plaza de la Constitución — you’ll spot it by the lively buzz and clusters of people outside with wine glasses and small plates.
Practical Tips For Visiting Tapas Alley
For me, the best way to visit Tapas Alley is to ‘bar hop’ between tapas joints. Order one or two small plates with a drink, then head to the next spot and repeat.
However, at night, the tapas bars here are busy, so if you’re looking to eat after 7pm, then this might not be possible. In that case, book a table at one or two eateries to guarantee your spot.
Or do as we did and head out for an early dinner, when tables are easy to find in every bar!
The alley is also open, but less busy, during lunchtime. I suggest you head here for a lazy lunch after a morning spent on one of the coastal town’s spectacular beaches.
