We ventured off the beaten track for a change and arrived at Bar El Lugarico in the square at San Felipe de Neri and enjoyed the winter sun over a drink and a selection of tapas.
What is nice here was we were the only non-Spanish, and it didn’t raise an eyebrow. This is the traditional bar in a village setting, and there’s plenty of seating both indoors and out.
I will, at this point, apologise that I didn’t take a photograph of the huge board inside with all the different tapas and dishes available; however, this might encourage you to visit yourself and try this delightful little bar!
What We Had at Bar El Lugarico
Just to mix things up, I was driving, so it was me having the Coke while Soph had a Tinto de Verano. I had ordered a couple of tapas dishes from the display; one was fish in a tomato sauce, and the other was sardines.
The sardine dish was as expected; we used to have these often down in Granada on our Tapas Friday day out. The fish in sauce was very tasty and surprisingly good. I went back in and ordered another tapas which was liver, and also, from the huge blackboard, a portion of the grilled tuna, atún a la planche.
The liver was brought out quickly, and I loved it. You either love or hate liver, I adore it, but Soph is not a fan but that just means I got to keep it all to myself! This was a very tasty dish, and it was plentiful portion size, which came with another basket of bread. Soph had the tuna, and this was yet another really nice dish, full of flavour and served with seasoned chips.
What We Liked About Bar El Lugarico
The food was really good. This is an authentic village bar, and it has a lovely, relaxed feeling to it. We sat outdoors in the shaded seating area, with the 25c sun on our backs, and it was pretty much perfect!
What Could Be Improved
There is nothing to recommend for any improvement. This place is what it says it is, a local bar, in a traditional Spanish village, serving local food and drinks. If I were going to be very critical, I could say it’s always nice to see a Tinto being made up from the house wines, but as Soph also points out, with the pre-made bottled version, you know what you are getting. By this, she means it’s not the rough and ready, intense, dark red wine being used which she’s not a fan of.
How Much Did It Cost?
Our bill at Bar El Lugarico came to €23.50 in total, which is broken down as:
My Coke was €1.50, while Sophs Tinto was €2.50.
The 3 tapas dishes from the counter came in at €10.50 for the three, so these were €3.50 each. The tuna from the planche was €9.00, but this was well worth it and we were totally full come the end of the visit.
Would We Return To Bar El Lugarico
Yes, we would if we were passing or in the area. If you’re looking for a taste of the real Spain, then this is it. The selection of tapas is really good, and there’s plenty to choose from.
How To Find Bar El Lugarico San Felipe de Neri
The easiest way is to come off the roundabout near to Catral, and take the exit signposted to San Felipe de Neri. Follow this road until you come to the T junction with traffic lights. Take a left into the village centre, and the bar is on the square to the right. Drive slowly the first time, as it’s your typical village one-way system. There is limited on-street parking, but we were lucky there was a space available when we visited.
If you use Google Maps, then it’s on there with the directions.
The address is: Plaça Cardenal Belluga, 03158 Sant Felip Neri, Alacant.
