The tapas ‘Forest Surprise’ and ‘Cannolo de gamba esteponera in textures’ stood out as the most esteemed by customers and a jury, respectively. Those who voted for the top tapa had the chance to win one of nearly fifty prizes. Estepona’s mayor, José María García Urbano, awarded the winners of the XV Tapas Trail ‘Taste Estepona 2026’, an event within the ‘Estepona lives its streets’ initiative. ‘Avocado’ restaurant, with its ‘Forest Surprise’ tapa, won over the public jury among the 46 contenders. ‘Bardo Restaurante’, featuring the ‘Cannolo de gamba esteponera en texturas’ tapa, was the choice of the professional jury. The competition boasted 46 establishments in the town center and outskirts, with 10,000 passports distributed for citizens to vote. The ‘Best Tapa’ contest saw its highest participation in this recent edition. The esteemed establishments received recognition from the City Council, along with cash prizes. The winners of the 1st, 2nd, and 3rd place prizes in the categories of customer choice and professional jury are as follows: Choice by popular jury: – 1st.- Avocado, with ‘Forest Surprise’. – 2nd.- Trampantojo, with ‘Falsa identidad 2.0’. – 3rd.- Tuna Experience. Mercado Santa Ana, with ‘Tuna tartar and truffle mayonnaise on glass bread’. Choice by professional jury: – 1st.- Bardo Restaurante, with ‘Cannolo de gamba esteponera en texturas’. – 2nd.- Trocadero Estepona, with ‘Brioche of pork head in the wood oven’. – 3rd.- Halomon Restaurant, with ‘Chicharrón at low temperature with sweet and sour sauce’. Beyond voting for their favorite tapa, citizens who visited at least three establishments entered a draw for nearly a hundred prizes, including a hotel stay for two with breakfast, Thalasso SPA packs, a paddle surf board, an Iberian ham, fruit baskets, household appliances, show tickets, a catamaran ride, or drinks worth 50 euros. The City Council will contact the winners post-draw. Mayor José María García Urbano praised the culinary offerings of this edition’s participants, emphasizing the Tapas Trail as a valuable platform for locals to explore Estepona’s diverse gastronomic scene.