Valencia is the home of paella – and of much more. The city sits between the sea and the huerta, the fertile market gardens that surround it, and its cooking is built on rice, vegetables, fish and oranges. Here is what to eat, and how to eat it like a Valencian.
Paella and other rice dishes
Paella valenciana
The real thing has no seafood: chicken, rabbit, flat green beans, garrofó (large white beans), tomato, olive oil and saffron, cooked in a wide, shallow pan. The prized crispy layer at the bottom is the socarrat. Valencians eat it at lunchtime, never in a hurry.
Arroz a banda, arroz negro and fideuà
Arroz a banda is rice cooked in rich fish stock, served with alioli; arroz negro is black with squid ink; fideuà swaps rice for thin noodles and comes from the coast south of Valencia.
Where to eat it
The restaurants along the beach at Las Arenas and the village of El Palmar in the Albufera are classic places for rice.
From the Albufera: all i pebre
In the lagoon south of the city, the fishermen’s dish is all i pebre, eel stewed with garlic, paprika and potatoes – try it in El Palmar.
Tours and activities in Valencia
Horchata and fartons
On a hot afternoon, do as Valencians do: a glass of cold horchata (*orxata*), made from tiger nuts grown around Alboraya, with fartons, long sweet buns made for dipping. Traditional *horchaterías* serve it in the old town and in Alboraya.
Tapas and local favourites
- Esgarraet: roasted red peppers with salt cod.
- Clóchinas: small local mussels, steamed – in season in the warmer months.
- Almuerzo: the mid-morning sandwich break, a true Valencian ritual.
- Agua de Valencia: a cocktail of orange juice and cava, with spirits – strong!
The markets
The Central Market, a modernist iron-and-glass hall opposite La Lonja, is one of the great food markets of Europe: fruit, vegetables, ham, fish and stalls where you can eat. The Colón market, in the Eixample, is now a beautiful place for coffee and tapas.
Food tips
- Lunch is the main meal, from around 2 pm; dinner starts at 9 pm.
- Paella is often for two or more; some restaurants ask you to order it in advance.
- Skip the paella with pictures on the menu in the busiest squares.
Plan your meals around the sights with Valencia in 3 days, and find a base near the best food in where to stay in Valencia.
