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Date Published: 11/10/2022

Top 30 hidden bars in the Valencia Region and where to find them, according to Repsol Guide

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The guide puts the spotlights on Costa Blanca's traditional and "hidden" establishments "popular with locals"

Top 30 hidden bars in the Valencia Region and where to find them, according to Repsol Guide

Spain's Guía Repsol (Repsol Guide) has added 30 bars and cafes in the Valencia Region to its comprehensive list of 500 establishments across the country recommended for those looking for a traditional place popular with locals and essentially off the beaten track.

The guide describes the establishments in this section, known as the Soletes de Barrio category, as "friendly, appealing places that you would recommend to a friend",

Selected venues include cafés offering homemade pastries in districts largely tourist-free, bars with decades of history just a stroll from the town centre or restaurants headed by young travelled chefs who have returned to their neighbourhoods.

And the public has until October 20 to vote for their favourite in an online survey on Guía Repsol's website, with the chance to win two nights in a hotel in Alicante.

"Soletes de Barrio seeks to reach every corner of the country and put the spotlight on hidden places that are worth a visit but do not usually appear in the media. The initiative encourages people to explore areas of towns and cities that are rarely visited but offer a great way to escape the overcrowded urban core," explained María Ritter, director of Guía Repsol.

"As well as bars dishing up unforgettable omelettes and lentils on Thursdays that you come across one day when visiting a friend's neighbourhood or doing business in another part of the region, the Repsol Guide highlights the cuisines that you unwittingly find as a tourist that end up being the best meal of your trip.

"More and more professionals are opting for outlying areas to innovate in cuisine at reasonable prices, as the centres have become too expensive for those who are just starting out," she added.

The full list can be found online, but here's a few of the recommended establishments in Alicante and what the guide experts have to say about them:

La Fundición: This old foundry in La Florida neighbourhood "has a lot of rhythm!" On its terrace or in its concert hall you can enjoy live music, tastings, or jazz & wine nights while you dine on Brazilian rodizio.

La Máquina de Escribir: Hydraulic floors, wooden beams and a wine bar on display: in this cosy restaurant in the Benalúa neighbourhood the hours fly by with tapas, music and glasses of wine.

Pastisseria Ópalo: Butter croissants, panettone, mille-feuille... and homemade ice cream. You'll be spoilt for choice at this artisan pastry shop and café in Alicante's La Florida neighbourhood.

Le Sol: Surrounded by works of art and surprises: the terrace is an explosion of colour, something that is reflected in its fun gastronomic offer. Try their cheesecakes!

Arrocería Estiu: Go for their highly original rice dishes (with veal tail, mushrooms and pomegranate or pig's trotters and raspberries) and you'll definitely want to return having felt so at home in this simple bar in Polígono Babel.

Now read: Nationwide photography competition enters its last week: contribute to a Portrait of Spain

Image: Guía Repsol

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