What the Costa Cálida cooks

Caldero is the dish of this coast: a rice cooked in fish stock, served in two stages, first the rice, then the broth. It comes from the fishing boats, where it was made in a single pot over a fire.

Arroz with lobster or shellfish is the celebratory version, and the Mar Menor is known for it. Ensalada murciana is a sharp salad of tomato, onion, olives and cured tuna. Marineras are small tapas of tuna, pepper and a little mayonnaise on bread, and they are everywhere. Zarangollo is a summer dish of courgette and onion cooked with egg. Michirones, a slow stew of beans, is more of a winter plate. For a finish, look for paparajotes, fried lemon leaves in sweet batter.

The menú del día is still taken seriously at lunch, and it is the best-value meal in town: several courses, bread and a drink at a fixed price. Dinner starts late by northern European standards. Along the seafront, the chiringuitos are informal and often good for fish; a block or two inland the prices drop and the portions grow.

We have not listed restaurants by name. Kitchens, hours and ownership change faster than any guide can track, and we would rather publish nothing than a list we cannot stand behind. The owner adds the places they actually use from the dashboard, with their own notes, and they appear here once verified.

Until then: follow the locals, avoid the menu with photographs of every dish, and order the fish of the day.