Where to eat and drink in Valencia, Spain's sunny citrus-filled city

Santa Barbara Castle with Alicante Panorama Aerial View, Alicante, Spain

Looking for the best restaurants in Valencia? From traditional paella restaurants to old-world bodegas and new-wave wine bars, Alex Crossley and chef Eduardo Idrobo share their tried-and-tested favourites.

For more Spanish travel inspiration, check out our guide to the best Spanish food trips, best Spanish hotels for food lovers or the best restaurants in San Sebastian.

Where to eat and drink in Valencia

Restaurante Casa Carmela – for paella valenciana

Chef Eduardo Idrobo says, “A must-go for first-time visitors to Valencia, this is where paella valenciana was originally created and is the most well-respected authentic paella restaurant in the city. Located near Malvarrosa Beach it has been operating since the early 20th century and has become an institution. They cook with wood fire only, there is no gas or induction involved. It’s recommended to book in advance.” casa-carmela.com

A pan of paella on the fire at Casa Carmela

Casa Montaña – for neighbourhood bodega traditions

This atmospheric bodega was originally a tavern where locals would fill bottles with vermouth, brandy or fortified mistela from the barrels, evolving into a hangout for drinks and tapas. Choose between a counter seat in the bodega, a single sharing table in the original family kitchen (where jamón is also carved) and a handful of tables in the space where the barrels were traditionally stored.

Kick off with bread rolls made using local heritage wheat before refined tapas dishes such as seven spice bluefin tuna, bechamel-stuffed piquillo peppers and cod brandade montaditos. A take on the El Cabanyal neighbourhood’s tuna belly sofrito titiana dish is encased in a deep-fried bread roll for a satisfying snack. An exceptional wine list boasts more than 500 bottles, including an in-house project recuperating indigenous local grapes in partnership with regional vineyards. emilianobodega.com

Barrels behind the bar at Casa Montana in Valencia

Rausell – for seafood bistro-style lunches

This upmarket neighbourhood bistro was established in 1948 and is a local go-to, particularly for seafood. At the tapas counter, order the likes of carabinero red prawns, lightly battered monkfish pieces and clams clattering in a white wine garlic marinera sauce. In the restaurant proper, rice dishes include seafood fideuà, black rice with squid and razor clam rice. The patatas bravas, known to be some of the best in Valencia, are larger and fluffier than most, slathered in creamy paprika. You’ll always find a queue of locals at the streetside deli-style takeaway counter, particularly for roast chicken on Sundays. rausell.es

A prawn and clams on a bed of saffron coloured rice

Mevino – for natural wines

Spotlighting regional Spanish wines, this shop and tavern has plenty of low-intervention options from The Valencia Community – varieties such as bobal for crisp, dry rosés, fortified monastrell and merseguera with a characteristic finish of fresh herbs and bitter almonds. Alongside cold cut boards, Mediterranean-style sharing dishes include red pepper salmorejo, cuttlefish croquettes and Mediterranean tuna tataki with flame-grilled aubergine purée. instagram.com/mevinotaberna

Ricard Camarena – for Valencian fine dining

Chef Eduardo Idrobo says, “Ricard Camerena is a well-known chef from the area. This two-Michelin-starred fine-dining restaurant has a strong focus on vegetables and seasonal produce. The restaurant works closely with farmers and producers, and there is an emphasis on sustainability and only working with what you have. What makes this place special is the elegance and respect for tradition. Everything you eat here is from the region.” ricardcamarena.com

Central Bar – for market lunches

If you want a taste of Ricard Camarena’s influence in a more affordable and relaxed environment, this counter-style spot is a fabulous place to soak up Valencia’s market atmosphere. It’s best known for hearty toasted sandwiches, particularly the namesake filled with pork loin, caramelised onions, mustard and cheese. m.centralbar.es

An open sandwich filled with serrano ham next to a glass of orange juice

Horchatería de Santa Catalina – for teatime treats

My Valencian friend used to come to this two centuries-old café as a child. Though now firmly on the tourist map and photos are banned, it's still got whispers of old-world charm with its colourful Manises tiled walls, marble table tops and traditional sweet treats. You can get your chocolate and churros fix here, but the more local version is horchata with fartons – a glass of creamy tiger nut milk paired with a fluffy, icing sugar-coated dough stick to dip in. It's a ritual Valencians most typically enjoy for teatime ‘merienda’, late afternoon or early evening, making it the best time of day to visit for people watching. horchateriasantacatalina.com

Outside of Horchatería de Santa Catalina with traditional tiles either side and Spanish writing above the door

Bar Maipi – for casual tapas

Recommended by a local couple at Rausell, this is a handy casual spot, its walls covered in mismatch frames of football legends and local characters. The focus is on Spanish market cuisine, with fresh ingredients selected from El Mercado Central and served simply in tapas dishes such as glistening anchovies on toast, ventresca tuna belly on a bed of fresh tomatoes and jamón croquetas, as crunchy and creamy as they should be. Valencian vermouth is generously poured into a glass adorned with dried orange slices for a local touch, and there's mountain herbal liqueur for digestif alongside homemade truffles. maipi.es

An anchovy on tomato toast on a plate that says maipi

Ampar – for contemporary Valencian dining

Hospes Palau de la Mar’s on-site restaurant Ampar has a hushed, sophisticated feel, its swirly art-adorned ruby red alcoves adding a contemporary pop. The menu has a 0km ethos with a local take on tapas such as coca d’oli, cod fritters and garlic pepper octopus, plus paella valenciana, artichoke fideuà and turbot with garlic and gamba roja. Examples of stunning artistic presentation include confit raf tomato on a delicate brass stand. amparrestaurante.com

Three bitesize snacks – one tomato shaped placed on a brass stand

Hospes Palau de la Mar – for agua de Valencia-fuelled stays

Housed in two 19th-century mansions on the cusp of Valencia’s old town, this luxury boutique hotel retains original palatial features with a pristine contemporary layer atop. Wooden double doors open into a gleaming lobby of marble flooring, majestic columns and a sweeping double staircase, all doused in an alluring aroma of orange blossom to tempt guests further in. Suites are all pale wood, sumptuous creams and muted geometric throws with statement headboards to add character, while chic treatment rooms on the mezzanine host massages such as the ‘Orange Experience’ to envelope yourself in mineral salts and orange scent.

An olive and orange tree-lined central courtyard makes relaxing lounging territory for an iconic agua de valencia cocktail, while the bar is a prime spot for the well-respected martinis accompanied by extra olives. hospes.com

Why I love Valencian cuisine

Want to know what to eat and drink when you're in Valencia? Learn all about what makes the cuisine of this Spanish city so special from chef Eduardo Idrobo. From iconic paella to citrus and local signature drinks, there is plenty for foodies to enjoy.

Gamba roja

This Mediterranean red prawn is deeply embedded in our cuisine and considered one of the most exceptional seafoods around the world. Its red colour is a result of the depth at which the prawns live in the sea, which contributes to the intensity of flavour and natural sweetness. The texture is very delicate, almost like butter.

Fresh prawns on ice on market stall in Barcelona, Spain

Rice

Rice is the most important ingredient in our culture, we use it as a transmitter of flavours. There are three different varieties. The first is bomba, a short-grain rice cultivated in Albufera Natural Park, which is great at absorbing broth. The second is albufera and the third is senia. These are both considered good but don’t hold up as well when cooked over fire. Bomba allows you to play more with it.

Paella valenciana

Paella valenciana is our most iconic dish. It traditionally contains chicken, rabbit, garrofón beans (a type of butter bean), artichokes and runner beans, though ingredients vary depending on where you are in the region. You’ll find snails and pork near the mountains, and seafood on the coast. Paella is not just a dish but a ritual that we usually cook on Sunday, similar to a Sunday roast, over a fire pit and enjoy with friends. Fire itself is embedded within the paella tradition – it’s considered an important ingredient that adds smokiness.

Las Fallas

This is a major festival held annually in March where locals build huge satirical sculptures that are set alight at the end of the celebrations. At the fairs you’ll find people selling a dessert called buñuelos de calabaza, which is fried pumpkin dough sprinkled with sugar, often paired with hot chocolate.

Citrus

Valencia once was the principal exporter of oranges across Europe due to its warm climate and soil, which is perfect for citrus, particularly sweet oranges. Oranges play a key role in daily life – we tend to start the day with an orange juice paired with pan tomate, and also use them in desserts such as cake or flan.

Valencia Mediterranean city with orange trees ornamenting and decorating its streets. Signal city centre in the local language, Valencian.

Agua de Valencia

Everyone from Valencia drinks this cocktail made from a base of cava, Cointreau, water and orange juice. We have it as an aperitif and drink it in social settings with friends. It was created to use up the products you had available, resulting in many personal variations.

Horchata

This is a nutty, soft drink made by soaking dried tiger nuts in water, then blending with water and sugar before pressing out the liquid and serving cold. It’s milky and refreshing, popular with kids, and we usually drink it in the morning paired with sugar-glazed brioche fartons.

The importance of lunch

Valencians truly respect lunchtime. At around 2pm everyone stops what they’re doing for a one- to two-hour break back at home. The shops are closed, the world stops. This is why most dishes are to share, including paella valenciana, fideuà (a short noodle dish cooked in a paella pan), vegetarian rice with artichoke, garlic and leeks, and coca bread (similar to pinsa and focaccia).

Mountain produce

Another beautiful part of the Valencian community is that as you move to closer to the mountains there is even more variety of amazing produce. You’ll find snails, rabbits, mushrooms and garrofón beans, which have a very smoky flavour when you cook them over fire.

Marcona almonds

These almonds are indigenous to Spain and they have been eaten in the Valencia region for centuries. They are usually served as a snack with a beer in bars, as well as being incorporated into savoury and sweet dishes.