By Max Milano (Travel Writer & Photographer)

Food is a religion in Spain, and perfectly prepared seafood, rice dishes (paellas), and embutidos (jamón Ibérico) represent the Holy Trinity of coastal cuisine among the top-end restaurants along the Costa Blanca.

Restaurant owners on the Costa Blanca know their trade well and offer top-notch food and service, often boasting a loyal local following. However, challenges do arise when their local slice of coastal paradise becomes a haven for tourists and expats from northern Europe (and more recently North America), who may or may not be familiar with the local cuisine’s more “traditional” aspects.

It’s no secret that a short stroll along the restaurants of the Costa Blanca’s resorts and villages that are most popular with northern European tourists and expats (cough, cough Altea, cough, cough Denia, cough, cough Calp, and don’t get me started on Benidorm) will reveal a steady flow of pizza places, Argentine grills, and gelaterias, but hardly a Valencian arrocería in sight. Like coral bleaching, the success of the most beautiful villages along the Costa Blanca often comes with the death of local cuisine in favor of more “international” options. And you can’t blame the restauranteurs; they must pay rent and their staff, and if the current batch of northern European tourists and expats prefer pizza, French fries with mayonnaise, and gelato over paella and grilled fish, then that’s what they get. Continue Reading on WhaleSocial.com