Food in Orihuela
- Wine tip: Spanish wines are graded by the length of time they have been aged, the best wines carry gran reserve labels; these have been aged both in oak and in the bottle
- Food tip: When buying food in supermarkets and local stores, look out for denominacion de Origen on speciality goods, this certifies their authenticity and is a good indication of quality.
Eating Out
The food of Orihuela varies depending where in the municipality you are eating. Sit down for a meal inland and you'll be assaulted with by dishes laden with fresh vegetables from its fertile fields - huertana paella (vegetable paella) is one such specialty. As you'd imagine, meals on the coast feature fresh fish and seafood - dorada a la sal (salted sea-bass) is particularly loved by locals.
Rice dishes also abound, whether inland or on the coast. Arroz y costra is Orihuela's most typical. It's similar to paella, but baked in a deep clay dish with an outer crust of egg. You'll also find stews everywhere, turkey being the favourite ingredient. We would be remiss not to mention the area's multitude of sausages, which are divine. Orihuela's salted meats are also justifiably well known.
Pastries take the cake in Orihuela's desert menus - the most craved are valarinos, chatos and almojábenas.
Cooking at Home
If you don't feel like eating out, fresh ingredients are available from numerous shops around Orihuela.
