Restaurante Monastrell

Monastrell is María José San Román's flagship, and it's where you book when you want Alicante's fine-dining benchmark. It's been going since 1996 and since 2016 has lived in a restored historic building on the port, right by the marina, with sea views and a terrace. It's all tasting menus that take Alicante's food traditions and give them a modern edge, from the Menú Alicante up to the longest menu, named after the chef. Local rice is central, like rice with baby cuttlefish, squash and artichoke, alongside dishes such as raw lobster with a thermidor-style suquet. Bread is baked in-house, the olive oil comes from the family estate in Mutxamel, and the cellar holds around 270 labels, with a pairing for each menu. You'll spend serious money: menus have been listed at roughly 79 to 129 euros before wine. There are options for coeliacs and vegans. It does fill up, so book ahead through the website.