Feature · Class & Villas

The essence of yesteryear and the rice dishes of always

Since 1980, Casa Federico has been cooking the Mediterranean recipes of the Marina Alta on Les Marines beach, with fresh fish and seafood from local fishing and an extensive wine cellar.

From beach bar to restaurant

Casa Federico (Restaurant Les Marines) was born in 1980 out of a family meal: the idea was to open a place to enjoy the cooking of the area and preserve the Mediterranean recipes of the Marina Alta in the middle of the tourist boom. That little beach bar gradually changed, the terraces were extended and today the restaurant has comfortable indoor spaces and terraces for summer and winter. It is run by Pepa and Jaime Cervera Devesa, successors of the founding family.

It stands on Les Marines beach, 600 metres from Dénia castle, just where the town centre ends and the beach begins: the beach restaurant closest to the centre, as they describe it themselves.

Fresh produce and old-time recipes

Fish and seafood come mainly from local small-scale fishing and nothing frozen is used; vegetables are mostly locally sourced, meats are selected cuts of Spanish origin and desserts are handmade in-house. The menu brings together tapas, fresh fish and seafood, traditional rice dishes and meats, with dishes suitable for coeliacs.

• Dénia red prawnboiled or sautéed with garlic
• Salted fish and saladssalted fish, tuna salad
• Bay fish calderetathe house suquet de peix (fish stew)
• Rice dishes and paellascod and onion paella, lobster rice, vegetable paella
• Fish and seafoodfish from the market, langoustines and mixed fish and seafood grills

A wine cellar to match

The cellar brings together leading brands of champagne, cavas and D.O. wines from different origins and vintages. Online bookings are made only through their website; for weekends and public holidays they ask you to phone in advance. Closed on Tuesdays; dogs are not allowed.

Text by Class & Villas based on information published by Casa Federico.