Valencia is the birthplace of paella and one of Spain's great food cities, eaten well at every budget. This list spans the essentials: traditional paella valenciana and seafront rices, the market and its tapas counters, historic bodegas, and the famous horchata. A note on paella: locals eat it at lunch, never dinner, and the authentic versions look nothing like the saffron-yellow tourist trays. Save the places that fit your trip.
Where to Eat in Valencia: Paella & Local Food
1Must visit
Restaurant5.0
Casa Carmela
Wood-fired paella cooked over orange-wood by the beach since the early 1900s, the gold standard. Book ahead for lunch.
Malva-rosa
2
Restaurant5.0
Casa Roberto
A tiny, beloved central restaurant serving textbook paella valenciana with chicken, rabbit, and garrofó beans.
Eixample (Russafa edge)
3
Restaurant4.0
La Pepica
The historic Malvarrosa seafront house, open since 1898, for classic rices with the sea at your elbow.
Cabanyal-Canyamelar
4Must visit
Bar5.0
Central Bar
Ricard Camarena's buzzing tapas counter inside the Central Market, plating market-fresh bocadillos and small dishes.
Ciutat Vella
5Must visit
Market5.0
Mercat Central (Central Market)
The Modernista market itself: graze the stalls for jamón, cheese, and fruit, a food experience in its own right.
Ciutat Vella
6
Bar4.0
Bar Pilar (La Pilareta)
A 1917 El Carme tavern famous for clóchinas, the small, intense local mussels, with cold beer and simple tapas.
El Carme
7Must visit
Bar5.0
Casa Montaña
An atmospheric 1836 bodega in El Cabanyal with exceptional traditional tapas and an outstanding wine cellar.
Cabanyal-Canyamelar
8
Bar4.0
Tasca Ángel
A tiny, unpretentious old-town bar whose grilled sepia (cuttlefish) is a budget local classic.
El Carme
9Must visit
Cafe4.0
Horchatería de Santa Catalina
The classic tiled horchatería by the cathedral for horchata and fartons, a Valencian tradition since the 19th century.
Ciutat Vella
10
Restaurant4.0
La Riuà
A ceramic-tiled old-town favourite for all i pebre (eel stew) and seasonal rices near Plaça de la Reina.
Ciutat Vella
11
Restaurant4.0
Goya Gallery Restaurant
A smart, contemporary rice restaurant in the Eixample with a strong wine list, for upscale arroces.
Eixample
12
Restaurant5.0
Ricard Camarena Restaurant
The city's two-Michelin-star flagship inside the Bombas Gens art centre, for a special-occasion tasting menu.
Marxalenes (Bombas Gens)
FAQ
- What food is Valencia famous for?
- Above all paella, which was born here, plus other rice dishes like arròs a banda and all i pebre. The city is also known for horchata with fartons, clóchinas (local mussels), fresh seafood, and the produce of its Modernista markets.
- When do people eat paella in Valencia?
- At lunch, never dinner. Authentic paella is a midday dish, traditionally on Sundays, and is cooked to order, so allow time. The best versions are eaten by the beach or in the Albufera's rice-country villages like El Palmar.
- What is horchata, and where should I try it?
- Horchata (orxata) is a sweet, milky drink made from tiger nuts (chufas), served cold and often with long fartons pastries for dunking. Try it at the historic Horchatería de Santa Catalina by the cathedral or Horchatería Daniel in the Mercado de Colón.
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