Coffee on the Costa Blanca - cortado, bombón & culture

A quick solo at the bar, a cosy con leche at breakfast or a sweet bombón in the afternoon: coffee is much more than just a drink on the Costa Blanca - it is a ritual, a piece of culture and a daily opportunity to engage in conversation.

If you stroll through the streets of Dénia, Altea or Villajoyosa, you can hear it everywhere: the clink of small cups, the rhythmic hiss of the espresso machine, the murmur of guests. Coffee is never „to go“ here, but always a social experience.

Variety in a cup - The classics are clear:
▶ Café solo - the strong espresso, quick and without frills.
▶ Café con leche - half milk, half coffee, the favourite in the morning.
▶ Cortado - a solo with a dash of milk, ideal for in between meals.

But the region also has its own peculiarities:
▶ Café bombón, famous in Alicante and Villajoyosa: espresso with sweetened condensed milk, a dessert in a glass.
▶ Carajillo, usually with brandy or aniseed - once a working-class drink, now a cult favourite.
▶ Blanco y negro, the summer version with ice cream or horchata.

Coffee with local colour
The Marina Alta & Baixa set their own accent:
- In Villajoyosa, coffee culture blends with the chocolate tradition. Many cafés serve the bombón with an extra portion of Valor chocolate - a sweet liaison that can only be found here.
- Altea and Benissa are characterised by old cafeterias. Some of them have been run by the same family for three generations - and have remained meeting places where time passes more slowly.
- In Dénia, young roasters are bringing a breath of fresh air. They are experimenting with single-origin coffees and new brewing methods - an exciting contrast to the traditional bar culture.