Altea has just landed on a list most of its visitors will never think to check. Ca Joan, a countryside asador on the edge of town, was named 46th among Europe’s 50 Best Steak Restaurants for 2026 by World’s Best Steaks, the only Costa Blanca restaurant to make the cut this year.

For a region best known for paella, rice dishes and seafood straight off the boat, a grill house earning a continental ranking against London, Paris and Milan steakhouses is worth a closer look — especially for anyone exploring Altea beyond its old town and beaches.

What Ca Joan Is

Ca Joan is a brasería — a fire-grill restaurant — run by chef Joan Abril on a rural stretch just outside Altea’s centre, at Partida la Olla, 146. It sits apart from the town’s seafront dining scene entirely: there’s no view of the water, no promenade setting, just a countryside site built around one thing — meat cooked over holm oak wood.

The restaurant’s calling card is its beef. It serves authentic aged buey (ox) and vaca (cow) meat, something the restaurant itself points out is rare in Spain, alongside long-aged cuts prepared the traditional way. Signature dishes include:

  • Chateaubriand and Galician Blonde Beef (rubia gallega), both cooked over the wood fire
  • Grilled octopus
  • Red prawns from Dénia, one of the Costa Blanca’s most prized seafood products
  • An “El Huerto” section drawing on local and national produce alongside the grill menu

The Ranking, Explained

Europe’s 50 Best Steak Restaurants is compiled by World’s Best Steaks, with En Primeur Club publishing the 2026 edition. Ca Joan placed 46th out of 50, the sole Spanish entry from the Costa Blanca on a list otherwise dominated by Madrid, Bilbao, London and Paris steakhouses — including four other Spanish restaurants that placed higher: Casa Julián de Tolosa (3rd), Lana in Madrid (4th), Laia Erretegia in Hondarribia (5th) and Amaren in Bilbao (24th).

It isn’t Ca Joan’s first appearance on an international list. It has also featured on the Opinionated About Dining (OAD) Casual Europe rankings in recent years:

  • 2023: 44th
  • 2024: 56th
  • 2025: 50th
  • 2026: 58th

Locally, it’s also listed in the Guía Repsol and was named among the Valencian Community’s top 55 restaurants out of more than 11,600 evaluated. (Checked October 2026 — these are independent lists with different methodologies, and rankings shift year to year, so treat the position as a snapshot rather than a fixed rating.)

Visiting: Prices, Hours and Booking

Expect to pay in the region of €50–100 per person, in line with a dedicated steakhouse rather than a casual grill — dry-aged ox and chateaubriand are priced accordingly. The dress code leans business casual, and the setting has a terrace for outdoor dining in good weather.

Current listed hours are 1:30–4pm and 7–11:30pm, Wednesday to Sunday, with Monday hours disputed across sources (some list it open, others closed) and Tuesday consistently shown as the closed day. Given the conflicting information, it’s worth calling ahead — +34 966 88 32 34 — or booking directly through cajoanaltea.com before making the trip out from central Altea, since the rural location means it isn’t a casual walk-in from the seafront.

Reservations are recommended regardless of day, given the restaurant’s growing international profile since the ranking.

Buying the Meat Without the Trip

Ca Joan also runs its own online butcher, Ca Joan Meat Club (cajoanmeatclub.com), selling the same long-aged ox and cow cuts for home delivery. Orders are shipped in refrigerated transport and arrive within 72 hours, with preparation guides included — a way to try the restaurant’s signature product without booking a table.

Getting There

Ca Joan sits inland from Altea’s old town, reached by car rather than on foot from the seafront or local markets. It’s a different side of Altea to the one covered in the town’s viewpoints and attractions guide or the slower pace described in Local Life in Altea — worth combining with a day exploring the old town, since the restaurant works best as a dedicated evening trip rather than a casual stop. Anyone planning a longer stay can check what else is on in town via the Altea festivity calendar.