The City Council Seeks the Best Alicante Menu Restaurant

Alicante is the Spanish Capital of Gastronomy 2025, a title that honours the Mediterranean diet, the foundation of our nutrition; the tradition of a lifestyle and a healthy, local, and sustainable table; and also the work of thousands of people in the city's bars and restaurants, who daily gather traditional recipes and enrich them to serve to their patrons.

But, among all the bars and restaurants in Alicante, which is the best? Where is the best rice served? What is the best menu? These are questions the Alicante City Council aims to answer in 2025 with the 'Alicante, Spanish Capital of Gastronomy' award, which will select the best Alicante menu served in the city.

"The criteria the jury will evaluate include the use of Alicante products and the creation of a quality and unique menu," announced Lidia López, the Councillor for Commerce and Hospitality, during the presentation of the Commerce Awards. Additionally, the jury will also reward originality, design, and presentation of the dishes, as well as the menu's notoriety and popularity. The first prize winner will commit to maintaining this menu in their establishments until the end of 2025, while the second and third prize restaurants will do so for a period of six months.

This is the major novelty of the 27th edition of the Alicante City Awards for Commerce and Hospitality, recognising excellence, innovation, quality, commitment, dedication, and the trajectory of the commercial, hospitality, artisanal, and service sectors. A total of 18 awards will be presented at a Gala, which will take place on May 21 at the Principal Theatre, valued at 36,000 euros. Companies wishing to participate can do so until April 23, through the website https://premiosdecomercio.alicante.es/

Since the first edition in 1993, the City Council has held 27 editions, and this contest has become a benchmark in the city. Specifically, six award categories have been established for business trajectory, digitalisation, corporate social responsibility, entrepreneurship, 'neighbourhood commerce', and a new special award for the "Alicante, Spanish Capital of Gastronomy 2025" menu.

In each category, three awards will be given with a first prize of 3,000 euros, a second prize of 2,000 euros, and a third prize of 1,000 euros. It is planned to pre-select a minimum of five finalists in each category with two committees of experts and technicians, and the awards will be granted by a jury on May 21.