If you only eat out once in Villajoyosa, make it Bar Ilpi. That is the one I would defend against anyone. The rest of this list is just as personal: these are the best restaurants in Villajoyosa according to the person who actually owns an apartment here and eats out regularly.
Bar Ilpi: Argentinian steak right on the beach
Bar Ilpi sits on the beach and it is Argentinian, which means one thing: go for the steak. It is excellent and the price is fair for what you get. It is my favourite place to end a day, usually after a swim and a slow afternoon. Sit outside if the weather allows, and book ahead in high season, because I am not the only one who likes it.
Taverna Valenciana El Posit for lunch
El Posit is where I go when I want a proper lunch close to the beach without a fuss. Lunch is the right moment for it. You walk in from the sand, you sit down, and the afternoon takes care of itself. I won't pretend to know the menu by heart and recite dishes at you. Just go, and ask what is good that day.
Pollo a la Brasa Villa Gaiosa: takeaway chicken
Not every good meal needs a table. Pollo a la Brasa Villa Gaiosa is takeaway chicken, and on the evenings when nobody feels like getting dressed, it is perfect. Pick it up, walk back, and eat on one of the two terraces at the apartment. With four people that works well, because everyone can find their own spot afterwards.
Sunset at Les Puntes del Morro
Les Puntes del Morro is a small chiringuito, and I mean small. You don't go for a long dinner. You go for the sunset, with a drink in your hand and the sea in front of you. It is simple, and that is exactly why it works.
Chocolatería Valor: churros, no discussion
Villajoyosa is known as the chocolate town, and Valor is the local legend. Order churros with hot chocolate and you have done your duty as a visitor. I usually go after dinner at Bar Ilpi, which makes for a very good evening and a slightly heavier walk home.
Steak at Bar Ilpi, churros at Valor. If that is all you do in one evening, it was a good evening.
A few things I have learned about eating out here
Not every place on the boulevard is good. Some are fine, some are tourist traps with a nice view. Check the Google reviews before you sit down, it takes thirty seconds and saves you a disappointing meal.
Look for the small local bars too. A coffee costs around one euro, there is no oat milk and no fancy cup, and that is the point. It is how people here start their day, and it is a nice way to join them.
If you are driving to a restaurant, remember that parking between 12:00 and 14:00 is often free on certain spots. If you find one, take it. Honestly though, most places I mention are within walking distance of the old town and the beach, so you can leave the car in the garage. Most visitors do everything by car, and they miss half of the charm.
One more tip: some evenings I don't go out at all. I buy fresh fish or meat at the local supermarket, cook garlicky prawns or a plate of linguine, and eat on the terrace. That is also part of eating well in Villajoyosa.
Stay close to all of it
The beauty of the apartment is that the sea, the supermarket and the tram station are all a few minutes away, so you can walk to most of this list. Want to taste it yourself? Have a look at the apartment or check the rates and send a no-obligation request.