Food & Drink

In Spain the main meal is usually taken at midday, around 2 – 3 pm. At this time most restaurants offer an excellent Menu del Dia. For this you will pay around 9 euros and this includes your drinks !

If you eat in the evening and want to experience a truly Spanish atmosphere, don’t even think of going before 9.00pm.

If you dine before 9.00pm you will be surrounded by foreigners and the atmosphere will usually be quiet. After this time families of locals will arrive to enjoy their evening out and they will be exuberant and noisy. This is when Spanish restaurants start to buzz. Children are welcome at all hours.

Along the coastal regions of Murcia it is always advisable to book a table for Sunday lunch. Throughout the year the popular restaurants are very busy on Sundays and you will have to wait a couple of hours for a table if you have not made a reservation.

Murcian cuisine is based on the ingredients readily available in the region; lamb, pork and goat feature on the menu, along with a wide range of excellent, fresh sea food. Although many vegetables are grown locally they tend to by-pass Spain and go direct to Tesco or Morrisons. In most restaurants you will be expected to get your veg by way of a salad, generally served with or as your first course. Few restaurants serve fresh veg with the main course. Beware – first courses are often substantial and often are far more filling than the average British starter. It is not uncommon to find a menu of the day offering spaghetti Bolognese or paella as the starter, followed by a meat or fish course !

brief escape from the gloomy winter weather.

Eating out #1

Resturants & clubs

Located near the Commercial Centre on Camposol - Mason Marianos is a good sized restaurant and is open all year round.

Great for lunch time tapas or "menu del dia" (menu of the day) which is usually a fixed price for a 3 course lunch and good value. They also offer an evening menu in the main restaurant.

This is one of our favourites, being a short drive from Camposol, serving lovely food and wonderfully hosted by Pepe and his wife. Head out on the main road towards the Port and take the turning to Morata. Go along this road for a few kilometers and you will find Casa Colora on the right hand side. It doesn't look much (and may even look closed - but trust me).

They serve a varied menu but have a couple of specialities that are worth a try. You have to order them the day before and there are minimum numbers. They are slow roasted lamb (4 people) and roast suckling pig (6 people). They are fine with children having a young boy of their own, who will often join in any games.

Just outside the port heading south on the main coast road towards Bolnouevo you will find the Hotel Playa Grande.

They serve the most delicious paella which you can eat whilst sat out on their terrace overlooking the beach and the sea. Very reasonably priced too.

JP's is situated in Puerto de Mazaron. If you head towards Bolnuevo you will find it on the left hand side of the road. The place itself is very smart and the food is aimed towards the top end of the market. We have never taken the children there and I don't think it would realy be suitable.

If you crave a Chinese whilst you are away there are plenty to choose from in and around the Port.The Hong Kong is situated close to the middle of the Port as you head South out towards Bolnouevo on the main road. The food is nice and very reasonably priced. We found the service to be excellent and our children were made to feel very welcome.

This one gets a mention in many guidebooks. Good fish in an elegantly furnished restaurant.

Can be a bit cramped. Booking is essential.

Casa del Nono is situated on the left hand side on the main road through Isla Plana (cost road north of Puerto de Mazarron). It is a very popular restaurant and I would recommend that you book at weekends ( 968 152 056).

Try the steak on hot stone. We find that no matter how much you ask you can't get a "well done" steak in Spain - this way you get to cook it yourself.

La Siesta is siuiated almost at the end of Bolnuevo, on the left as you drive through, right on the beach.The setting is lovely, you have the beach/sea on one side and the sand sculptures on the other. Service is first class, children are welcome and the beef stroganoff is definitely worth a try!

Everyone refers to this place as "the Australian Bar" although I don't actually think that is it's name. It is decorated with cricket & Australian memorabilia, which I presume is where it gets it's pet name.

It can be found by heading out of the Port North and onto La Azohia. You go past the small jetty in the village itself and you can see the bar up on the hill. You need to wind through a couple of small streets to get there. The bar has a limited menu, mainly sandwhiches and tapas, but what they do serve is very nice. The seating is mostly outside and its fine for the kids. It seems to have some strange opening hours, but if you go at lunch time you'll be ok.

On the beach at La Ribera, a well known and popular fish restaurant. Popular with locals and visitors. Great if you like fish, you will be spoiled for choice. In the summer you can eat on the terrace.

Next door to Miguel’s and offering the same selection of high quality, fresh sea food. Both these restaurants are well worth a visit.

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