When we arrive at the Restaurant “El Bodegón” in Calpe, we just think about the most famous Spanish book from Cervantes “Don Quixote”. Dulcinea and Don Quixote don’t welcome me but I am personally welcome with a lot afffection by the owners “Miguel Díaz”, his wife “Vicenta” and their employees Mª Ángeles Martínez and Mª Ángeles Pérez.


Here you can find all the features from La Mancha: rustic white walls, lead lamps with coloured glasses, typical curtains of the area… and everywhere, Iberian hams and wooden carafes hanging on the walls. There are also wine casks and Iberian hams of acorns whose smell comes to my nose and tells me that in the rustic atmosphere of the Restaurant “El Bodegón” there must be several good specialities to taste.

The air-conditioned restaurant is managed since 1976 by Miguel Díaz and his wife, and for 30 years, this place has been considered by its faithful customers as a special place in Calpe.

It seems that time has stopped and the images of Don Quixote and Sancho Panza appear when the owner, proposes us a newly cut Iberian ham of acorns and a cheese from La Mancha.

They recommend us fresh fish from the fish market of Calpe “Peix de Calp”, rice dishes and a first quality meat from Galicia. We taste the sole “Bodegón” style with orange and the “Llauna de Calpe”, fish speciality that you can only find in some restaurants of the area. The duck in orange sauce and the steak with pepper prepared directly on the grill by the owner, Miguel, together with a good red wine from the Ribera del Duero, delight the palate of the gourmet.

They have an extraordinary selection of more than 100 wines coming from various Spanish areas.

Finally, we enjoyed delicious Crêpes Suzette and the crème caramel of the house with an herbal liquor.

Both head cooks, Valeriano Guillén and Manolo Ballaguez, take care of the customers of the Restaurant “El Bodegón” since 1983 and 1988. The customers loyalty is confirmed with a very a good value for money and the friendly connection with Spanish and European customers.

There is also a large outdoor terrace where the customers can have a meal.

The Restaurant “El Bodegón” has been honoured with the 2007 Tourist’s Merit medal of the Town of Calpe, the “1998 an 1999 Gold Dish of the Tourist’s Radio” as well as the recommendation of the Michelin Guide for its quality .

Moreover, in 1988, Miguel Díaz was one of the founders of the “Ifach Calpe Rotary Club”, which nowadays keeps meeting every Wednesday at midday at the Restaurant “El Bodegón”.