If you've visited Javea before you will know the bars on the sea front offer a good standard of food and drinks, but, can often have inflated prices for the sea view. I've chosen various restaurants in and around Javea where you can get excellent quality food at very reasonable prices. The restaurants I have chosen all provide lunch or dinner for less than 30 euros a couple.

Traditional Spanish

Negros - This restaurant is located between the Arenal Beach and the Port. It is on the main seafront road, with great views of the med. The menu has a wide selection at varying prices. The paella for two, which is excellent quality, will set you back apx 10 euros per head. Perfect for enjoying that Spanish holiday or living the Spanish life.

The restaurant Calima in the port offers a lot of sophistication and their lunchtime menu, although small portions is delicious. The Restaurant has a wonderful setting over looking the port. This is a lunchtime budget place, evening meals will cost around 40/50 euros a head! Always look out for expensive restaurant's menu of the day at lunchtimes, you can often get great food for a fraction of the price.

Jose's - In the old town, behind the post office (correos) offer a huge selection of tapas, with a warm friendly service, it's owner speaks fluent English. They also offer a menu del dia that again will cost less than 10 euros a head. There are several similar tapas bars and set menu bars in the old town. There are some very good ones around the church area. If you are on holiday and are worried about the language, don't be, as most restaurant owners and staff speak English, although, being rude and raising your voice to be understood will not endear you. Say ?buenos dias? or ?buenos tardes? followed by ?hablar ingles? (good day or good afternoon/evening do you speak English). The response you will probably get will be un poco (a little), which you'll probably find means they can speak it very well in comparison to your Spanish. The Spanish have a similar sense of humour to the English, although sometimes it's a bit Benny Hill-ish, so don't be shy have a laugh and a joke with them.

The restaurant El Faisan on the main road in the Arenal area has an all day menu, the price depends on the main course you order, with that you get a starter and pudding included.

English

If you ?re not into experimenting and prefer your standard British fair there are many cheap English bars that offer pie, burger, sausages, full English and chips. Digby's in the Javea Park area, although not in the best surroundings, is the best breakfast in town, the cook Jan is known by all as Mrs Breakfast and has cooked breakfast in the town for as many years as most can remember. Mono Loco on the road just behind the Arenal beach offers a great value set menu, 3 courses for apx 5 euros. A salad starter, a choice of traditional British main courses and a pudding. Both these bars also have reasonable drink prices.

The An Shebeen Irish bar is a little bit more expensive, but their menu of the day is huge and at apx 10 euros a head is great value. Watch out though because their drinks and evening meals are expensive.

Anyone who's ever visited Javea will know of Scallops, a ridiculously cheap restaurant on the beach front. I myself do not rate it, but many others swear by it.

If you have a car and want to venture outside of Javea, you can try one of the many restaurants on the Jesus Pobre road. This road runs parallel to the N332 out of Javea old town. The 121, The Montgo and Las Brisas are 3 English run restaurants that all offer daily menus, The Montgo is the cheapest and always extremely busy. The 121 and Las Brisas are bit more expensive, but if you choose carefully can get a meal for 2 for 30 euros.

Indian

There are 5 Indian Restaurants in Javea. The Indian Palace in the Arenal and the Ghurkha Palace in the port are great, but expensive, on an evening you can quite easily spend 50 euros a couple, but, they both offer lunchtime menus that you can take advantage of. If you are looking for a reasonable Indian all day then the restaurant called the Traditional Indian in a small road in the Port offers a choice of 3 different courses and a starter for apx 10 euros a head day and evening. Which isn't bad quality, I've had it a few times and enjoyed it.

Chinese

Where do I start! There are many, many Chinese restaurants, but, most are Mono Sodium Glutamated (MSG) up to the hilt! All Chinese's are cheap, I would never expect to pay more than 30 euros a couple and this would be very expensive. The popular one for locals is the Shanghai, on the main road in the Arenal, which has a really good menu between 5 and 10 euros. My favourite Chinese is in Benitachell, called the Asia, their crispy duck is huge and only costs 10 euros for a half duck. You will need a car to get to this one. Another one that I like in the Arenal area is the Indo - Chinese, I'm never quite sure of its name, but, it's on the opposite corner to the BBVA bank and has a deep blue sign.

Pizza

My favourite Pizza restaurant is run by Germans and not Italians. It's called the Grotto and is located on the Arenal to Port road just up from the Parador Hotel. The pizzas and pastas are all home made. Although, it can be expensive if you order starters and main courses other than pizza and pasta. Their pizzas range from 6-10 euros.

There are several hundred restaurants in and around Javea, you will always find something you like, but I hope you are not disappointed with my budget selection.

Happy Eating!