WITHIN WALKING DISTANCE
In the immediate vicinity are a number of Spanish Bar/restaurants that offer menu del dia lunches from between €8 to €10 per person for a three-course lunch including wine and coffee. Restaurants within walking distance from the house that have been tried include:
Jumilla – a Murcian wine
Los Urrutias
Ruf-Mari restaurant: The best quality Spanish restaurant in town. Open from breakfast to dinner and has a bar for drinks, tapas etc and a restaurant that serves typical Spanish rice dishes such as Paella and Caldero – and of course excellent sea food. Top end of price range
Rincon Denis: Currently €10 per person weekday lunch. A small, friendly bar restaurant near the beach which is open early for breakfast (coffee, Tostadas, fresh orange juice etc), mid-day meals (either menu del dia or a la carte including tapas) and evening meals. The owner – Denis – is French and is delighted if you speak to him in his native language.
Casa Valentin: Open from breakfast to dinner and has a bar for drinks, tapas etc and a very smart restaurant that serves Spanish food with a cosmopolitan edge. Menu del Dia currently €7.50 per person. A La carte is more expensive. A high-quality restaurant with free wireless connection for laptops.
The Marina/Yacht club
About 200 meters from the house. The marina restaurant is out on the marina at the end of the walkway joining the marina to the shore. Excellent fish and a variety of tapas and more simple dishes at very reasonable prices. Spanish cuisine.
Hotel Sol y Mar: April to October. Open from breakfast to dinner and has a bar for drinks, tapas etc and a restaurant that serves typical Spanish rice dishes (Paella, Caldero…) and, of course, sea food.
The Heladeria/Pasteria: An excellent ice cream bar and cake shop. Very popular with the kids.
Los Urrutias/Estrella del Mar (about a 10 minute walk from the house)
Fuego’s: A smart modern cosmopolitan bar/restaurant, serving the local expat community from the UK and Germany. Excellent 3-course menu-of-the-day lunch for €6. Reasonably priced a la carte choices for lunch and dinner. Outdoor eating under palm trees with BBQ and live music on weekends. Free wireless connection for laptops.
Paddy Sings Bar Restaurant: A very extensive cosmopolitan menu, including curries. Has a resident Indian chef so the curry selection is normally very good. Free wireless connection for laptops. Free live entertainment every Friday and Saturday night and usually very full.
Lorenzo’s bar: (in the Estrella Del Mar urbanization, which means “development” in English): Cool atmosphere – trilingual boss (Peter) – basic food (hamburgers, pasta, sausages…). Strong German influence to the cooking. Free wireless connection for laptops.
Delfin Bar: (Pam’s all day breakfast and bar.) Next to Novo Cartago. UK breakfasts for those needing home comfort food. Has expanded menu range to offer evenung meals as well – steaks, BBQ’s, paelas etc
Estrella Pasteleria. Cakes, coffees and icecreams.
El Carmolí (up on the hill to the north end of the village)
Carmolí Restaurant: Large restaurant with bar. Tapas, sea food, rice dishes. Also serves good basic food (pizzas, snacks…). French owners. During summer they have a cute “Chill Out” behind the restaurant next to the communal swimming pool with plenty of surprising smashed iced drinks. Average age around 20-25.
FURTHER AFIELD
La Puebla : Approximately 6 Km from Los Urrutias.
Meson Galindo - Camino Romano s/n - La Puebla - Cartagena - Téléfono de reservas : 968 55 91 77
This restaurant serves excellent tapas in the bar and has a restaurant where you can have a full spanish menu starting from €10 drinks and dessert included. Excellent value for money and well known by the spanish people who are enjoying there lunch at +- 14 pm
Los Alcazares: The nearest local town. Approximately 6 Km from Los Urrutias. Geared for the Spanish holiday market, with lots of “Spanish” restaurants. Some excellent Italian/pizza restaurants, including: Ruccola, which is on the main drag going into town from Los Urrutias, on the right hand side of the road, before you get to the Town Hall. There is a large number of other Spanish and cosmopolitan restaurants, hotel restaurants, cafes and bars in Los Alcazares. You re spoiled for choice – but it is a 6 – 8 km drive and drive back. The Spanish police are hot on drink driving.
Venta Simon. Onn the main road going in to Los Alcazares. Totally “spanish” where you can also get an enormous plate of Eggs, bacon, chips, with orange juice and coffee if you want to mix your breakfast styles.
Venta el Puorto. Half a mile on in towards Los Alcazares by the Repsol petrol station on the left going into the town. A big single story building that looks pretty hohum from the outside - but inside, a different world altogether. A large, very “Spanish” and excellent menu, translated into English, French and German. The waiters dont appear to speak English, but as every item is numbered one points to the English item and the waiters check the Spanish equivalent. Rather like ordering in an old fashioned Chinese restaurant; by numbers. So far, the food we have eaten there has always been excellent. Menu del dia at lunchtime as well as a la carte. Well worth a visit.
Los Narejos: To the north of Los Alcazares. There is a magic invisible line in the sand where Los Alcazares ends and Los Narejos starts. Los Narejos is a more recent development for mostly expats where you will find European and English bars and restaurants and a number of very big “Wok Buffet” eat-as-much-as-you-like restaurants.
The main thoroughfare in Los Narejos is a wide pedestrianised plaza with well designed buildings, no higher than four storeys high, on either side of the concourse. This concourse is almost exclusively Northern European in character; Scots, Irish and British eateries abound on both sides of the thoroughfare. For those looking for a “home comfort” environment, Los Narejos offers it in spades.
Los Belones: Los Belones is a strong “ex-pat” village 5 miles south and west of our village. There are many restaurants catering for people with a hankering for home cooking plus at least one Indian restaurant. In Los Belones, there are a couple of “British” mini markets selling (expensive) UK produce. In Los Belones, those looking for local (Spanish) cooking will be very well catered for at:
Campo Verde: A big Spanish dining room and restaurant. The restaurant is more “chic” than the dining room and mostly used in the evenings. The large dining room is used by local business people for their midday meals and offers excellent Menu del Dia lunches: €8 for a three-course lunch with half a bottle of wine per person and coffee. However, you do need to be able to understand a bit of Spanish because the menu is not written down but rattled off by the waiters at machine-gun speed.
Cartagena:
Cartagena is the nearest big town – about 20 mins drive to the city centre and has something for every taste and budget. The area by the port/marina is touristy but away from the marina the catering is mainly Spanish. There is also an outstanding Italian icecream parlour in Calle Mayor, the main street between the Town Hall and Plaza Espania, about 300 meters from the Town Hall itself. Very well worth a visit. Also a “chocolate” house that sell Churros and hot chocolate during the day. Fantastic, but difficult to do more than once!
Excellent spanish cooking – for “locals”
We have been fortunate enough to be taken out by spanish neighbours on a couple of occasions recently for really excellent spanish/murcian foodat very affordable prices
1. Cartagena. Restaurant “Techos Bajos”. Address: santa Lucia.
Face the town walls with the Marina at your back. Turn right and walk past the Museo del Arque as vfar as the major roundabout. Cross the road at 45 degrees into an unkempt car and coach park, facing a big green with town walls at the far side of the green. Techos bajos is the second of two fish restaurants…blue white awnings. Does not look impressive, but the food is fantastic and very reasonable, Fish and sea food only, but well worth the expperience. Totally crowded with locals, so get thwre before the rush. They probably wont speak English, but will be delighted to be your food guide.
2.Murcia. Restaurant la Cocina de Vives.. Tipical Murcian food. Address Calle Los Apostoles, 3.
At the rear of the Cathedral. Just off the tourist path, but very well patronised by locals. Again, probably no English, but if you ask for tapas mixtas or just point to what someone else is eating you should not be disappointed. Meats, fish etc. the whole range. Again, very reasonable prices in a totally local atmosphere.
Some words to listen out for:
· Entremesses: Spanish hors d’oeuvres (cold meats, eggs, salad)
· Fritutra: a mixture of freshly caught fried fish
· Chipperrones: small deep-fried baby squid
· Callamares: as ever
· Mejillones: mussles
· Lomo: literally “back” – can mean a back cut of pork, lamb or beef
· Tapa: small portions as part of a selection of different dishes
· Racion/raciones: large portions, usually of one item.
· Caldero: Local casserole of beans, meat and chorizo.
In the immediate vicinity are a number of Spanish Bar/restaurants that offer menu del dia lunches from between €8 to €10 per person for a three-course lunch including wine and coffee. Restaurants within walking distance from the house that have been tried include:
Jumilla – a Murcian wine
Los Urrutias
Ruf-Mari restaurant: The best quality Spanish restaurant in town. Open from breakfast to dinner and has a bar for drinks, tapas etc and a restaurant that serves typical Spanish rice dishes such as Paella and Caldero – and of course excellent sea food. Top end of price range
Rincon Denis: Currently €10 per person weekday lunch. A small, friendly bar restaurant near the beach which is open early for breakfast (coffee, Tostadas, fresh orange juice etc), mid-day meals (either menu del dia or a la carte including tapas) and evening meals. The owner – Denis – is French and is delighted if you speak to him in his native language.
Casa Valentin: Open from breakfast to dinner and has a bar for drinks, tapas etc and a very smart restaurant that serves Spanish food with a cosmopolitan edge. Menu del Dia currently €7.50 per person. A La carte is more expensive. A high-quality restaurant with free wireless connection for laptops.
The Marina/Yacht club
About 200 meters from the house. The marina restaurant is out on the marina at the end of the walkway joining the marina to the shore. Excellent fish and a variety of tapas and more simple dishes at very reasonable prices. Spanish cuisine.
Hotel Sol y Mar: April to October. Open from breakfast to dinner and has a bar for drinks, tapas etc and a restaurant that serves typical Spanish rice dishes (Paella, Caldero…) and, of course, sea food.
The Heladeria/Pasteria: An excellent ice cream bar and cake shop. Very popular with the kids.
Los Urrutias/Estrella del Mar (about a 10 minute walk from the house)
Fuego’s: A smart modern cosmopolitan bar/restaurant, serving the local expat community from the UK and Germany. Excellent 3-course menu-of-the-day lunch for €6. Reasonably priced a la carte choices for lunch and dinner. Outdoor eating under palm trees with BBQ and live music on weekends. Free wireless connection for laptops.
Paddy Sings Bar Restaurant: A very extensive cosmopolitan menu, including curries. Has a resident Indian chef so the curry selection is normally very good. Free wireless connection for laptops. Free live entertainment every Friday and Saturday night and usually very full.
Lorenzo’s bar: (in the Estrella Del Mar urbanization, which means “development” in English): Cool atmosphere – trilingual boss (Peter) – basic food (hamburgers, pasta, sausages…). Strong German influence to the cooking. Free wireless connection for laptops.
Delfin Bar: (Pam’s all day breakfast and bar.) Next to Novo Cartago. UK breakfasts for those needing home comfort food. Has expanded menu range to offer evenung meals as well – steaks, BBQ’s, paelas etc
Estrella Pasteleria. Cakes, coffees and icecreams.
El Carmolí (up on the hill to the north end of the village)
Carmolí Restaurant: Large restaurant with bar. Tapas, sea food, rice dishes. Also serves good basic food (pizzas, snacks…). French owners. During summer they have a cute “Chill Out” behind the restaurant next to the communal swimming pool with plenty of surprising smashed iced drinks. Average age around 20-25.
FURTHER AFIELD
La Puebla : Approximately 6 Km from Los Urrutias.
Meson Galindo - Camino Romano s/n - La Puebla - Cartagena - Téléfono de reservas : 968 55 91 77
This restaurant serves excellent tapas in the bar and has a restaurant where you can have a full spanish menu starting from €10 drinks and dessert included. Excellent value for money and well known by the spanish people who are enjoying there lunch at +- 14 pm
Los Alcazares: The nearest local town. Approximately 6 Km from Los Urrutias. Geared for the Spanish holiday market, with lots of “Spanish” restaurants. Some excellent Italian/pizza restaurants, including: Ruccola, which is on the main drag going into town from Los Urrutias, on the right hand side of the road, before you get to the Town Hall. There is a large number of other Spanish and cosmopolitan restaurants, hotel restaurants, cafes and bars in Los Alcazares. You re spoiled for choice – but it is a 6 – 8 km drive and drive back. The Spanish police are hot on drink driving.
Venta Simon. Onn the main road going in to Los Alcazares. Totally “spanish” where you can also get an enormous plate of Eggs, bacon, chips, with orange juice and coffee if you want to mix your breakfast styles.
Venta el Puorto. Half a mile on in towards Los Alcazares by the Repsol petrol station on the left going into the town. A big single story building that looks pretty hohum from the outside - but inside, a different world altogether. A large, very “Spanish” and excellent menu, translated into English, French and German. The waiters dont appear to speak English, but as every item is numbered one points to the English item and the waiters check the Spanish equivalent. Rather like ordering in an old fashioned Chinese restaurant; by numbers. So far, the food we have eaten there has always been excellent. Menu del dia at lunchtime as well as a la carte. Well worth a visit.
Los Narejos: To the north of Los Alcazares. There is a magic invisible line in the sand where Los Alcazares ends and Los Narejos starts. Los Narejos is a more recent development for mostly expats where you will find European and English bars and restaurants and a number of very big “Wok Buffet” eat-as-much-as-you-like restaurants.
The main thoroughfare in Los Narejos is a wide pedestrianised plaza with well designed buildings, no higher than four storeys high, on either side of the concourse. This concourse is almost exclusively Northern European in character; Scots, Irish and British eateries abound on both sides of the thoroughfare. For those looking for a “home comfort” environment, Los Narejos offers it in spades.
Los Belones: Los Belones is a strong “ex-pat” village 5 miles south and west of our village. There are many restaurants catering for people with a hankering for home cooking plus at least one Indian restaurant. In Los Belones, there are a couple of “British” mini markets selling (expensive) UK produce. In Los Belones, those looking for local (Spanish) cooking will be very well catered for at:
Campo Verde: A big Spanish dining room and restaurant. The restaurant is more “chic” than the dining room and mostly used in the evenings. The large dining room is used by local business people for their midday meals and offers excellent Menu del Dia lunches: €8 for a three-course lunch with half a bottle of wine per person and coffee. However, you do need to be able to understand a bit of Spanish because the menu is not written down but rattled off by the waiters at machine-gun speed.
Cartagena:
Cartagena is the nearest big town – about 20 mins drive to the city centre and has something for every taste and budget. The area by the port/marina is touristy but away from the marina the catering is mainly Spanish. There is also an outstanding Italian icecream parlour in Calle Mayor, the main street between the Town Hall and Plaza Espania, about 300 meters from the Town Hall itself. Very well worth a visit. Also a “chocolate” house that sell Churros and hot chocolate during the day. Fantastic, but difficult to do more than once!
Excellent spanish cooking – for “locals”
We have been fortunate enough to be taken out by spanish neighbours on a couple of occasions recently for really excellent spanish/murcian foodat very affordable prices
1. Cartagena. Restaurant “Techos Bajos”. Address: santa Lucia.
Face the town walls with the Marina at your back. Turn right and walk past the Museo del Arque as vfar as the major roundabout. Cross the road at 45 degrees into an unkempt car and coach park, facing a big green with town walls at the far side of the green. Techos bajos is the second of two fish restaurants…blue white awnings. Does not look impressive, but the food is fantastic and very reasonable, Fish and sea food only, but well worth the expperience. Totally crowded with locals, so get thwre before the rush. They probably wont speak English, but will be delighted to be your food guide.
2.Murcia. Restaurant la Cocina de Vives.. Tipical Murcian food. Address Calle Los Apostoles, 3.
At the rear of the Cathedral. Just off the tourist path, but very well patronised by locals. Again, probably no English, but if you ask for tapas mixtas or just point to what someone else is eating you should not be disappointed. Meats, fish etc. the whole range. Again, very reasonable prices in a totally local atmosphere.
Some words to listen out for:
· Entremesses: Spanish hors d’oeuvres (cold meats, eggs, salad)
· Fritutra: a mixture of freshly caught fried fish
· Chipperrones: small deep-fried baby squid
· Callamares: as ever
· Mejillones: mussles
· Lomo: literally “back” – can mean a back cut of pork, lamb or beef
· Tapa: small portions as part of a selection of different dishes
· Racion/raciones: large portions, usually of one item.
· Caldero: Local casserole of beans, meat and chorizo.