El Lobo Blanco

El Lobo Blanco is a cosy bistro-style spot on Calle Castaños, right in Alicante's centre, and it's a good pick for a relaxed dinner that rolls on into cocktails. It opens in the evening and stays going late, so it works whether you eat at nine or ten. The kitchen calls itself bistronomique: French and Mediterranean ideas built around carefully chosen produce, with a real focus on meat. One diner said the duck was the best they'd had in ages, and reviewers often mention the friendly service and reasonably priced wine. There are vegetarian options and an English menu, which helps if you're not confident with Spanish. The bar side takes its cocktails seriously, all bright colours and fresh flavours, so it's worth staying for one after dinner. Bookings go through WhatsApp from the website. It opens around 6pm most days and earlier on Saturdays, and the menu was being refreshed at the time of writing.