Rice, as a base, seasoned with fish, fowl, vegetables and sausages, by a great variety of methods in its preparation, and gazpacho (Andalusian cold soup), with characteristic usages and specific customs, either from the Plain, the Mountain or the Coast, are the most widespread culinary preparations in Alicante.

Other prime materials such as shellfish, hunting game, fruits, vineyards and confectionery – nougat and ice cream-bring more to the richness of the Alicantine Mediterranean diet.
In the main tourist centres on the coast a quality international food can be enjoyed. However, the regional cuisine, increasing in popularity, deserves a good consideration. Examples are, the gazpacho made with jewfish and shrimp in Campello, the rice with eel and shellfish from Santa Pola, the crudet, -a stew of hard fish- along with paellas of Valentian influence, in Denia and its surrounding villages, or the salting fish from Altea. The list is endless.

The rich variety of Valencia cooking mirrors the variety existing in its province and comes as yet another pleasant surprise to the visitor. Among the typical dishes, the Paella Valenciana comes first, after having become the most international Spanish dish in its own right. The true Paella Valenciana is prepared over a wood fire and has the following ingredients: rice, chicken, rabbit, snail, young beans, "tabella", "garrofó", tomato, olive oil, salt, saffron, red pepper and water.

The rice dish has produced an endless variety of different combinations: Arros a Banda, based on fish; and Arros Negre with squid in inky sauce, which are served with all y oli as an appetizer; Paella de Verduras (with vegetables); Arros al Forn (prepared in the oven); Arros amb Bledes (with chard); Arros amb Fesols i Naps (with white beans, pork, lard, "garreta", black pudding and turnips), followed by a long list of other varieties since rice is the local staple food. The Fideua is a "paella" of thin noodles with shellfish and fish, which comes from Gandía where an international competition is organized every year to promote the dish.

All i Pebre is a sauce made with garlic and pepper and normally accompanies eel, a very common dish around La Albufera and Catarroja and as tasty as the Suquet de Peix of La Ribera Baja, the Titainas or the Pimento i Tomata ainb Tonyina, the Llisa Torra, the Sang amb Ceba, the Esgarrat, the Figatell, the Valencia Salads...

El Gazpacho is a typical dish prepared with hare, rabbit and partridge with "torta de pastor" (lit. Shepherd's pie); sopa coberta or les pilotes; olla churra, calducho or morteruelo; gachamiga, ajoarriero, ajetao, giraboix, lamb prepared in the oven, blat picat, sausage products, mazamorro, cachuli and les coques escaldes are all very traditional fare in the inland regions.

Apart from the excellent quality of Valencia fruit where the orange takes first place, there is a wide range of desserts or sweet dishes, especially arnadi, and a series of typical refreshments, outstanding among which is the horchata, a cold drink -originally from Alboraya- made with chufa, rush or tiger nuts. It is usually drunk with fartóns. As a result of a well conceived plan, the Valencia wines are made with ever increasing care and their quality will also come as a surprise to the visitor. The whites from the Upper Turia and the Serranía or the reds from Requena, Utiel and Campo de Liria as well as some other area will satisfy the most demanding tastes.