ALICANTE CITY - RESTAURANTE NOU MANOLÍN

2 days ago

2 min read

NOU MANOLÍN Michelin Guide

Nou Manolín Alicante has been a landmark on the city’s food scene for more than 50 years, earning an international reputation for its outstanding tapas and traditional Mediterranean cuisine.

The restaurant was founded in 1971 by Vicente Castelló and his wife, Vicentina Such. Their families ran rival bars near Alicante’s bullring, called Manolín and Ponoch. After marrying, the couple decided to open their own establishment and named it Nou Manolín (New Manolín).

Over time, Nou Manolín became famous for its magnificent tapas counter, piled high with fresh seafood, fish, jamón ibérico and other specialities. One of its most celebrated admirers was the legendary French chef Joël Robuchon, who reportedly described Nou Manolín as having the best tapas bar in the world.

Today, Nou Manolín remains in the hands of the Castelló family, with the second and third generations continuing the traditions established by Vicente and Vicentina. Despite its international reputation, Nou Manolín has retained much of the character of a traditional Alicante tapas bar, combining excellent ingredients, friendly service and a lively atmosphere.

This well-known spot in Alicante’s city centre has two distinct areas, each offering a different experience. Upstairs is a stylish, sophisticated restaurant serving consistently excellent, creative seafood dishes, while downstairs you will find a casual, come-as-you-are bar where you can turn up, grab a spot at the counter, and soak up the atmosphere.

We recommend taking a seat at the bustling ground-floor bar counter, where you can watch the staff in action and soak up the lively atmosphere. It is wise to turn up when the bar opens for evening service.

Once settled at the bar, we started with some excellent ostras (oysters), followed by buñuelos de bacalao (which were light, fluffy, deep-fried salt cod fritters).

Especial mariposa (butterflied langoustine special).

Lomo de lubina al ajillo (sea bass fillet with garlic and chilli).

Steak tartar de vacuno mayor con patatas fritas (steak tartare made with mature beef, served with chips).

For dessert, we enjoyed a delicious tarta fina de manzana con helado de mantecado (thin, crispy apple tart served with traditional Spanish mantecado ice cream).

Torrija con helado de turrón (traditional Spanish French toast, soaked in milk, fried until golden and served with nougat ice cream).

With its charming atmosphere, attention to detail and, most importantly, excellent, no-fuss, upmarket food, Nou Manolín has firmly established itself as one of Alicante’s must-visit restaurants.

There is a good selection of local wines, with bottles starting at around €18.