You can eat out in Valencia for a good price very easily. Valencia is not an expensive place to eat out. However, some days certain places have special offers on too and this makes eating out in Valencia really cheap as well as delicious. (However this does come with a warning so make sure you read right to the end.)
Firstly, let's just make sure you know the basics of eating out in Valencia. The Menu of the Day is almost always the best way to eat at midday. Most places don't have an evening "menu of the day", you have to eat a la carte, but in this post we will make a suggestion where you can get a good Menu in the evening too. Breakfasts and Brunch are also common and of course we know just the place to go for them too. Read on and find some of the best offers on each meal and make sure to come back regularly as recommendations are made we will post them on our Facebook page and also our Twitter feed as well as altering this post at times.
Breakfast and Brunch (The famous Almuerzo)
You drag yourself out of bed in the morning and cannot be bothered to make breakfast because you know there are so many places out there just tempting you into getting your meal there. Saying that breakfast is not a big thing in the majority of Spain, coffee maybe a croissant, maybe some early chocolate and churros if you have spent the whole night out (Those days are gone Graham!) However, in Valencia, for the late breakfast, the Almuerzo, there are various places you can go and get a good one.
Remember one thing though, people working generally will not have breakfast before starting work, they will nip out from work between 10 and 11 and grab their mid morning snack and call it breakfast. Therefore it is difficult to find one at an early time, you need to wait a bit. The "Almuerzo" as it is known is the traditional morning meal and is a calorie packed festival of whatever can be placed between two arm length pieces of bread accompanied by Olives, Peanuts, Coffee, Beer or Tinto de Verano (Wine and lemonade) and maybe, just maybe a "Cremaet" (A mixture of coffee, burnt rum, sugar, cinnamon, lemon peel and coffee beans, not for the faint hearted) When you are outside the city how do you know where to get a good Almuerzo? Look out for the cyclists. If there are a lot there then you can be sure it's good.
Inside the city the best traditional places for Almuerzo include La Pascuala which has just moved and can now be found on Dr Lluch (The old place was much more traditional and atmospheric but they moved last year) La Pascuala closes at midday, they have earnt their money for the day by that time.
Our next recommendation is in Central Valencia just off the Plaza del Ayuntamiento and is Puerta de la Mar. You get in the queue, get given a table and it is already laden with Olives. Then you choose the filling for your bocadillo and your type of coffee. It gets a recommendation for the price, quality and atmosphere.
[caption id="attachment_5121" align="aligncenter" width="750"]
Puerta de la Mar Brunch Options[/caption]
In contrast to this by the beach is La Mas Bonita. It doesn't win any prizes for price, it's pricey. But the choices are great and the portions are abundant and if you want something laden with sugar that still manages to call itself a coffee then the Frappes and Vienés Coffees will do it for you.
Ian Hopper recommends somewhere I have never been in La Zaidia, Cosas Ricas.
[caption id="attachment_5122" align="aligncenter" width="723"]
Ian recommends Cosas Ricas in La Zaidia for decent breakfasts[/caption]
Now if you are in or around Ruzafa you will know there are plenty of places for having your breakfast or brunch. Some of the better ones are Cafe Artysana on Calle Denia, the well known Dulce de Leche, which has now opened up elsewhere in the city in Calle Jesus. and another La Mas Bonita (Not a patch on the Patacona version). But if you search around you will find plenty of other places now stepping up to the plate on Breakfast and Brunch menu (But not many of them open early in August) Take a look at our article about Ruzafa here which mentions a few more. Finally, a personal favourite is Cafecito, (great terrace, terrible social media and web presence!) They also have more than decent smoothies and a great selection of egg dishes but it is generally a summer place as it is really tiny apart from their large shady terrace.
Lunch Menus
If you haven't eaten a sandwich as long as your arm during the morning and you are still hungry in the afternoon then lunch arrives at around 2pm onwards and you are spoilt for choice for the traditional "Menu del Dia". The rules are that it's Monday to Friday lunchtimes for menu del día at the best price. The price is higher or the menu non-existent at weekends, festivals and in the evening. The best Menus include a starter, main course, dessert, wine, bread and coffee and they may just give you a "Chupito" to finish off. In order to get the best value you need to understand the difference between "o" and "y". "Postre y Café" or "Postre o Cafe". The "y" is better of course because then it means Dessert AND Coffee. Prices for the Menu del Día range from 8 Euros, yes you can still find Menus for 8 euros and sometimes a little less, to around 15 Euros. There are high class restaurants that have higher price menus but you can always find something decent within that price range.
I asked in our Valencia Property community group on Facebook about personal recommendations and I got quite a lot. Personally I have not been to all of these but our clients find their own little nooks and crannies so take a look at what was recommended.
Steven goes with Bruselas who haven't updated their prices in years and are as reliable as anything on quantities, quality and service. Well worth a try.
[caption id="attachment_5125" align="aligncenter" width="515"]
Marije Recommends Various Places Around the Cabanyal and elsewhere.[/caption]
[caption id="attachment_5139" align="aligncenter" width="515"]
Christina Recommends Viva Napoli and it's nothing to do with proximity[/caption]
Christina recommends Viva Napoli on Calle de la Reina in Cabanyal among others. Nothing to do with the 35m walk to get there though because it is actually really good. Lots of reviews in Italian too which must be a good sign
The Fumiferro is a recurring recommendation for those living around the Cabanyal. It's in the still scruffy bit. It's a meat grill so not really recommended for Veggies but the following is, as recommended by Eileen.
[caption id="attachment_5126" align="aligncenter" width="519"]
Eileen Recommends This Vegan Restaurant[/caption]
David who works with me goes for the regularly recommended La Lonja del Pescado again in the Cabanyal but that maybe better for evening meals as it is just a little special.
[caption id="attachment_5127" align="aligncenter" width="528"]
La Lonja Del Pescado in The Cabanyal is Regularly Recommended[/caption]
Roger sent me a great list of his personal favourites with great descriptions and whys! And I would like to thank Roger because he included links and google map locations too so I reproduce it here in full, Ostras Pedrín gets another vote here. Take it away Roger.
Steve Wilkins sent us the most marvellous out of focus review list on Twitter from his own experiences in Valencia. For someone who doesn't eat breakfast, doesn't eat meat and doesn't drink wine he sent us some great recommendations.
[caption id="attachment_5128" align="aligncenter" width="726"]
Steve's blurry screenshot of restaurant recommendations and opinions[/caption]
Stand out among the recommendations is La Chingada Mexican restaurant in Ruzafa. I've been once and it was well decorated, the food was good but the service was slovenly. However the reviews in general state the service is great so if someone has finally found a decent Mexican in Valencia then I'll be back to check it out again. Having just been in Asturias on holiday where the food is divine, I will definitely be checking out the Taberna Asturiana Casa Ana in Ruzafa because my previous favourite Asturian place in Valencia closed down (No more Fabada or Cachopo I thought). And we have to take a moment to appreciate Steve's wonderful description of La Fabrica de Hielo by the beach. Here it is in all its glory.
[caption id="attachment_5129" align="aligncenter" width="635"]
Brilliant La Fabrica de Hielo Review[/caption]
Personally I really like the Menu in Las Lunas Soul Kitchen on Calle Ciscar. They are reopening in September with a new look. Good veggie options always too.
[caption id="attachment_5132" align="aligncenter" width="750"]
Las Lunas Soul Kitchen on Calle Ciscar[/caption]
And we love the really, really good value Menu del Día at La Tabernita in Campanar. Friendly staff and great place that looks totally inocuous. They also do the best croquetas we have tried in Valencia but of course we go there to have the Chivito Sandwich in the morning or even for lunch.
Evening Meals
Evening meals, if you can fit one after your huge Almuerzo and large Menu del Dia start late in Valencia. Forget about reserving a table before 8.30 and the usual thing is that they start to fill up at 9.30 and by 10pm if you haven't reserved you are not going to get in at the weekends or days before fiestas.
So far you will notice that we haven't mentioned Paella in an article about Valencian eating out and we will definitely not do it in the evening meal section because paella is for lunch not tea! It's true that you can get paella and rice dishes in the evening, it's just not the done thing. Check out the paella section below for that part. So the lesson for today is don't go out for paella in the evening unless you want to be classed as a tourist.
Some of our favourites for evening meals are Saona, to take advantage of the set Menu, Casa Montaña in the Cabanyal (As mentioned by Marije) which you will need to book almost always. For eating out cheap with friends try Tanto Monta in Calle de Poeta Artola. It's like a souped up version of 100 Montaditos (See below in the Special Offers section) with all the Montaditos at 1.70. However they are pretty special Montaditos as you can see in the images uploaded by the people on their Facebook page.
Cinnamon Restaurant on Calle de las Comedias is excellent, quality over quantity but make sure to book again as it's small. La Pappardella is one of the better Italians in Valencia (However it's another with a shocking website. Looks like someone ate too much and vomited over the right hand side of the screen)
Something a Bit Different
If you like fine dining and trying experimental food then there are three standout chefs in Valencia trying different things. Quique DaCosta's main Michelin starred restaurant in Denia will set you back a pretty penny (Around 200 Euros plus wine matching), I am told it's worth it. However he has a few places in Valencia and our favourite is the MerkatBar on Joaquin Costa. There are three set menus at midday at 15, 22 and 30 Euros. Buy ten get one free too!
[caption id="attachment_5134" align="aligncenter" width="750"]
Quique DaCosta's Merkatbar is excellent and experimental[/caption]
Ricardo Camarena also offers excellent cheaper versions of his Michelin starred recipes at the Central market bar and Canalla Bistro. For 16.50 you get a more than decent menu at midday but you will notice drinks are not included!
[caption id="attachment_5135" align="aligncenter" width="668"]
Canalla Bistro Menu Del Día.[/caption]
Our third recommendation is La Salita. Begoña Rodrigo is the chef who started her restaurant on winning Spain's version of Masterchef, and she is good. The tryout menu at La Salita is 46 euros plus drinks so special occasions only for most people. As you are learning the website is an absolute shocker but the reviews are brilliant. (By the way Begoña has now opened her second restaurant La Rodrigo and the menu there is 65 Euros. Tell me about it if you have been)
Paella (Something a bit traditional)
Mmmmmm, traditional paella what could be better? Prawns, mussels, squid.... wait wait... hold on... That's not traditional paella. The real Valencian paella has never seen seafood, it's chicken, rabbit, green beans, white beans and maybe a generous helping of snails picked up from the side of roads that morning. Paella comes from the "Valencian Huerta" and those are the ingredients that grow around Valencia.
However, you can obviously get seafood paella and that is just one of around 40 types of rice based dish that are often called paella. Take a look at some of them on the Visit Valencia page which explains some of the different dishes.
Our recommendations include going down to El Palmar village where virtually every place is a paella restaurant. The Nou Racó, Canyamel and Bonaire are all good (But then again all of them are good and if you haven't booked then any with a free table will usually do fine)
Overlooking the beach at the Malvarrosa you also have a gaggle of paella restaurants (That's the collective noun right?) The best known is probably La Pepica because Hemingway ate, and probably drank, there and then wrote about it. However they are all a bit touristy these days especially on days when the cruise liners arrive in port. Better as recommended by Marije above is Casa Carmela in the Malvarrosa which is closing in on 100 years of paellas or the Casa Navarro and Restaurante Llevant as mentioned in our Alboraya article here.
Avoid the places offering Paella around the Plaza del Ayuntamiento in general. Tourist fare and very soso. Outside the city many of the little towns do excellent paellas and lots of them have their own twist. It's worth exploring to find the most interesting ones but remember, Paella is for lunch and the best paella will always be with friends made on their paellero while drinking copious quantities of red wine and beer in their Casa de Campo with the recipe from their grandmother who always, but always, claims to have made the best paella in Valencia!
Special Offers
Who can resist the special offers on food for eating out cheaply. We have three favourites and they are all on different days of the week meaning you can stuff yourself for a cheaper price than normal. Currently the offers we recommend are as follows.
Wednesdays. Little Thai is actually owned by friends of the family and is a growing brand in Valencia having just opened their fourth place. They have one in Abastos, Ruzafa, Blasco Ibanez and Avenida de Francia. On Thursdays they have all the menu at 5.50. Personal favourite is "Ternera Little Thai" although I love the "Sopa de Coco" too. For all you Pad Thai lovers out there theirs is really good.
[caption id="attachment_5131" align="aligncenter" width="750"]
Little Thai's Ternera is Pretty Awesome[/caption]
Sundays and Wednesdays are great days to pick up a snack and a large drink at 100 Montaditos. 100 Montaditos is growing like mushrooms in the sense of every town in Spain will soon have one. On Sundays and Wednesdays all of their mini Montaditos (Small bocadillos with different fillings) are 1 Euro and so are drinks and even the chicken nuggets and sausages. Expect chaos as everyone descends on these places on Sundays and Wednesdays.
Thursdays are the day for the two for one offers at The Good Burger (TGB) Another chain growing fast over the last few years (It's actually the same owners as 100 Montaditos, Restalia), The Good Burger actually does burgers you might want to eat. They aren't huge but they are different and actually resemble meat unlike those in the two major chains. Their Pulled Pork burger and specials are excellent. Remember though the offer is not available on extras and double burgers, just singles. Their website is an absolute shocker which even when it works spells Burger differently from their website name (Burguer) and the logo doesn't load! Truly terrible website. Don't let that put you off though. If you want a chain based burger it's about a million times better than the two biggies.
Of course, offers don't mean you will get good value. Remember, however good the offer is, even if you have a token so that you can get it free, never, but never, eat at a Telepizza!
Eating out in Valencia[/caption]
Puerta de la Mar Brunch Options[/caption]
In contrast to this by the beach is La Mas Bonita. It doesn't win any prizes for price, it's pricey. But the choices are great and the portions are abundant and if you want something laden with sugar that still manages to call itself a coffee then the Frappes and Vienés Coffees will do it for you.
Ian Hopper recommends somewhere I have never been in La Zaidia, Cosas Ricas.
[caption id="attachment_5122" align="aligncenter" width="723"] Ian recommends Cosas Ricas in La Zaidia for decent breakfasts[/caption]
Now if you are in or around Ruzafa you will know there are plenty of places for having your breakfast or brunch. Some of the better ones are Cafe Artysana on Calle Denia, the well known Dulce de Leche, which has now opened up elsewhere in the city in Calle Jesus. and another La Mas Bonita (Not a patch on the Patacona version). But if you search around you will find plenty of other places now stepping up to the plate on Breakfast and Brunch menu (But not many of them open early in August) Take a look at our article about Ruzafa here which mentions a few more. Finally, a personal favourite is Cafecito, (great terrace, terrible social media and web presence!) They also have more than decent smoothies and a great selection of egg dishes but it is generally a summer place as it is really tiny apart from their large shady terrace.
Lunch Menus
If you haven't eaten a sandwich as long as your arm during the morning and you are still hungry in the afternoon then lunch arrives at around 2pm onwards and you are spoilt for choice for the traditional "Menu del Dia". The rules are that it's Monday to Friday lunchtimes for menu del día at the best price. The price is higher or the menu non-existent at weekends, festivals and in the evening. The best Menus include a starter, main course, dessert, wine, bread and coffee and they may just give you a "Chupito" to finish off. In order to get the best value you need to understand the difference between "o" and "y". "Postre y Café" or "Postre o Cafe". The "y" is better of course because then it means Dessert AND Coffee. Prices for the Menu del Día range from 8 Euros, yes you can still find Menus for 8 euros and sometimes a little less, to around 15 Euros. There are high class restaurants that have higher price menus but you can always find something decent within that price range.
I asked in our Valencia Property community group on Facebook about personal recommendations and I got quite a lot. Personally I have not been to all of these but our clients find their own little nooks and crannies so take a look at what was recommended.
Steven goes with Bruselas who haven't updated their prices in years and are as reliable as anything on quantities, quality and service. Well worth a try.
[caption id="attachment_5125" align="aligncenter" width="515"] Marije Recommends Various Places Around the Cabanyal and elsewhere.[/caption]
[caption id="attachment_5139" align="aligncenter" width="515"] Christina Recommends Viva Napoli and it's nothing to do with proximity[/caption]
Christina recommends Viva Napoli on Calle de la Reina in Cabanyal among others. Nothing to do with the 35m walk to get there though because it is actually really good. Lots of reviews in Italian too which must be a good sign
The Fumiferro is a recurring recommendation for those living around the Cabanyal. It's in the still scruffy bit. It's a meat grill so not really recommended for Veggies but the following is, as recommended by Eileen.
[caption id="attachment_5126" align="aligncenter" width="519"] Eileen Recommends This Vegan Restaurant[/caption]
David who works with me goes for the regularly recommended La Lonja del Pescado again in the Cabanyal but that maybe better for evening meals as it is just a little special.
[caption id="attachment_5127" align="aligncenter" width="528"] La Lonja Del Pescado in The Cabanyal is Regularly Recommended[/caption]
Roger sent me a great list of his personal favourites with great descriptions and whys! And I would like to thank Roger because he included links and google map locations too so I reproduce it here in full, Ostras Pedrín gets another vote here. Take it away Roger.
"Bear in mind that we are country cousins from Oliva that come in to the big city once every four to six weeks. That gives us less time to explore and try new places; it also means we like to return to reliable favourites rather than chance our arm (and stomachs) with new places. And it means we tend to go for lunch rather than dinner! We've eaten together more than once in all the places listed, except for the oyster bar which I dropped into on my own. Here goes (in no particular order):
Refugio
Website www.refugiorestaurante.com
Tel: 690 617 018
Tucked away in a scruffy part of the old city, next to the Civil War bomb shelter that gives Refugio its name, this 30 seater gem could be mistaken for a quirky cafe were it not for the quality of its food. The €14 set lunch always offers really interesting dishes: duck breast with wasabi cake, tuna with miso sauce on wild rice, cod over fennel with citrus sauce, rhubarb crumble. Staff are brilliant.
Turqueta
Website: www.gruposaona.com
Tel: 963 314 296
Part of a small chain (Grupo Saona), Turqueta is more generic Mediterranean than Spanish. The retaurant is large, but has many semi-private corners; the 'covered garden' is particularly pleasant. The €11.90 set lunch is a steal with a wide range of choices for each course; the starters are the real stars but the mains feature a highly recommended canelones de rabo de tora and a hamburguesa de black angus con ajo negro. Helado de vainilla con manzana carmelizada is an excellent pudding and the house wines by the glass are very fine.
(Note by Graham: Saona is one of our recommendations too. Don't be put off by the fact that they are now becoming a chain in the city, the food is inventive and good, the prices are decent and they have that holy grail of an evening set menu at a good price. They also do an interesting set of cocktails)
Ostras Pedrin
Website: www.ostraspedrinbar.com
Tel: 963 767 054
Another back street find, midway between the Mercado and the Turia riverbed and very handy for the university. As you'd expect from the name, it offers a selection of oysters along with a constantly changing range of other fresh seafood. Cold and clinical interior but warm and helpful staff. A great way to kick off an evening wandering around the old city.
[caption id="" align="aligncenter" width="452"]
Ostras Pedrín Pricelist[/caption]
Oslo
Tel: 960 910 722
Another old city favourite, and a great place to take a vegetarian or vegan. Cool Scandinavian decor married to to warm Spanish service. The croquetas de boletus y avellanas tostadas are sublime, but there are meat and fish options too.
Vino Tinto
Website: www.vinotintovalencia.com
Tel: 963 942 442
A short walk from the Plaza Ayuntiamento, Vino Tinto is a bustling restaurant with indoor and outdoor seating - don't be put off by the ever present scaffolding around the building! Seriously tasty and inventive tapas along with - as the name suggests - an excellent wine list. The €14.90 set lunch is always good and the service is cheerful and efficient. A handy place to eat if you're arriving or leaving by train.
La Utielana
Plaza Picadero de dos Aguas 3, 46002 Valencia
Website: www.utielanarestaurantesok.com
Tel: 963 529 414
La Uteliana is the most Spanish of all the restaurants I have chosen - Spanish in feel, in heritage, in food and in customers; every time we have eaten there, we have been the only foreigners there as far as we could see. Fine traditional dishes such as lamb, fideua, and suckling pig served up by cheerful if overworked waiters.
(Note from Graham: A well hidden restaurant doing traditional food on tablecloths that have been there since before the civil war it seems. Has that lovely sticky feeling that might put you off until you try the stews and other foods that they specialise in)
La Otra Parte
Website: none, but they're on Facebook
Tel: 963 550 599
Great to find a seaside place with reasonable prices and great cooking; it's a couple of minutes from the Eugenia Vines stop on tram lines 4 and 6 and a stone's throw from the beach. Excellent range of freshly prepared snacks and tapas served either indoors or out.
Steve's blurry screenshot of restaurant recommendations and opinions[/caption]
Stand out among the recommendations is La Chingada Mexican restaurant in Ruzafa. I've been once and it was well decorated, the food was good but the service was slovenly. However the reviews in general state the service is great so if someone has finally found a decent Mexican in Valencia then I'll be back to check it out again. Having just been in Asturias on holiday where the food is divine, I will definitely be checking out the Taberna Asturiana Casa Ana in Ruzafa because my previous favourite Asturian place in Valencia closed down (No more Fabada or Cachopo I thought). And we have to take a moment to appreciate Steve's wonderful description of La Fabrica de Hielo by the beach. Here it is in all its glory.
[caption id="attachment_5129" align="aligncenter" width="635"] Brilliant La Fabrica de Hielo Review[/caption]
Personally I really like the Menu in Las Lunas Soul Kitchen on Calle Ciscar. They are reopening in September with a new look. Good veggie options always too.
[caption id="attachment_5132" align="aligncenter" width="750"] Las Lunas Soul Kitchen on Calle Ciscar[/caption]
And we love the really, really good value Menu del Día at La Tabernita in Campanar. Friendly staff and great place that looks totally inocuous. They also do the best croquetas we have tried in Valencia but of course we go there to have the Chivito Sandwich in the morning or even for lunch.
Evening Meals
Evening meals, if you can fit one after your huge Almuerzo and large Menu del Dia start late in Valencia. Forget about reserving a table before 8.30 and the usual thing is that they start to fill up at 9.30 and by 10pm if you haven't reserved you are not going to get in at the weekends or days before fiestas.
So far you will notice that we haven't mentioned Paella in an article about Valencian eating out and we will definitely not do it in the evening meal section because paella is for lunch not tea! It's true that you can get paella and rice dishes in the evening, it's just not the done thing. Check out the paella section below for that part. So the lesson for today is don't go out for paella in the evening unless you want to be classed as a tourist.
Some of our favourites for evening meals are Saona, to take advantage of the set Menu, Casa Montaña in the Cabanyal (As mentioned by Marije) which you will need to book almost always. For eating out cheap with friends try Tanto Monta in Calle de Poeta Artola. It's like a souped up version of 100 Montaditos (See below in the Special Offers section) with all the Montaditos at 1.70. However they are pretty special Montaditos as you can see in the images uploaded by the people on their Facebook page.
Cinnamon Restaurant on Calle de las Comedias is excellent, quality over quantity but make sure to book again as it's small. La Pappardella is one of the better Italians in Valencia (However it's another with a shocking website. Looks like someone ate too much and vomited over the right hand side of the screen)
Something a Bit Different
If you like fine dining and trying experimental food then there are three standout chefs in Valencia trying different things. Quique DaCosta's main Michelin starred restaurant in Denia will set you back a pretty penny (Around 200 Euros plus wine matching), I am told it's worth it. However he has a few places in Valencia and our favourite is the MerkatBar on Joaquin Costa. There are three set menus at midday at 15, 22 and 30 Euros. Buy ten get one free too!
[caption id="attachment_5134" align="aligncenter" width="750"] Quique DaCosta's Merkatbar is excellent and experimental[/caption]
Ricardo Camarena also offers excellent cheaper versions of his Michelin starred recipes at the Central market bar and Canalla Bistro. For 16.50 you get a more than decent menu at midday but you will notice drinks are not included!
[caption id="attachment_5135" align="aligncenter" width="668"] Canalla Bistro Menu Del Día.[/caption]
Our third recommendation is La Salita. Begoña Rodrigo is the chef who started her restaurant on winning Spain's version of Masterchef, and she is good. The tryout menu at La Salita is 46 euros plus drinks so special occasions only for most people. As you are learning the website is an absolute shocker but the reviews are brilliant. (By the way Begoña has now opened her second restaurant La Rodrigo and the menu there is 65 Euros. Tell me about it if you have been)
Paella (Something a bit traditional)
Mmmmmm, traditional paella what could be better? Prawns, mussels, squid.... wait wait... hold on... That's not traditional paella. The real Valencian paella has never seen seafood, it's chicken, rabbit, green beans, white beans and maybe a generous helping of snails picked up from the side of roads that morning. Paella comes from the "Valencian Huerta" and those are the ingredients that grow around Valencia.
However, you can obviously get seafood paella and that is just one of around 40 types of rice based dish that are often called paella. Take a look at some of them on the Visit Valencia page which explains some of the different dishes.
Our recommendations include going down to El Palmar village where virtually every place is a paella restaurant. The Nou Racó, Canyamel and Bonaire are all good (But then again all of them are good and if you haven't booked then any with a free table will usually do fine)
Overlooking the beach at the Malvarrosa you also have a gaggle of paella restaurants (That's the collective noun right?) The best known is probably La Pepica because Hemingway ate, and probably drank, there and then wrote about it. However they are all a bit touristy these days especially on days when the cruise liners arrive in port. Better as recommended by Marije above is Casa Carmela in the Malvarrosa which is closing in on 100 years of paellas or the Casa Navarro and Restaurante Llevant as mentioned in our Alboraya article here.
Avoid the places offering Paella around the Plaza del Ayuntamiento in general. Tourist fare and very soso. Outside the city many of the little towns do excellent paellas and lots of them have their own twist. It's worth exploring to find the most interesting ones but remember, Paella is for lunch and the best paella will always be with friends made on their paellero while drinking copious quantities of red wine and beer in their Casa de Campo with the recipe from their grandmother who always, but always, claims to have made the best paella in Valencia!
Special Offers
Who can resist the special offers on food for eating out cheaply. We have three favourites and they are all on different days of the week meaning you can stuff yourself for a cheaper price than normal. Currently the offers we recommend are as follows.
Wednesdays. Little Thai is actually owned by friends of the family and is a growing brand in Valencia having just opened their fourth place. They have one in Abastos, Ruzafa, Blasco Ibanez and Avenida de Francia. On Thursdays they have all the menu at 5.50. Personal favourite is "Ternera Little Thai" although I love the "Sopa de Coco" too. For all you Pad Thai lovers out there theirs is really good.
[caption id="attachment_5131" align="aligncenter" width="750"] Little Thai's Ternera is Pretty Awesome[/caption]
Sundays and Wednesdays are great days to pick up a snack and a large drink at 100 Montaditos. 100 Montaditos is growing like mushrooms in the sense of every town in Spain will soon have one. On Sundays and Wednesdays all of their mini Montaditos (Small bocadillos with different fillings) are 1 Euro and so are drinks and even the chicken nuggets and sausages. Expect chaos as everyone descends on these places on Sundays and Wednesdays.
Thursdays are the day for the two for one offers at The Good Burger (TGB) Another chain growing fast over the last few years (It's actually the same owners as 100 Montaditos, Restalia), The Good Burger actually does burgers you might want to eat. They aren't huge but they are different and actually resemble meat unlike those in the two major chains. Their Pulled Pork burger and specials are excellent. Remember though the offer is not available on extras and double burgers, just singles. Their website is an absolute shocker which even when it works spells Burger differently from their website name (Burguer) and the logo doesn't load! Truly terrible website. Don't let that put you off though. If you want a chain based burger it's about a million times better than the two biggies.
Of course, offers don't mean you will get good value. Remember, however good the offer is, even if you have a token so that you can get it free, never, but never, eat at a Telepizza!
Never!
Never order from Telepizza because you cannot be bothered cooking or you have friends round or they have a two or even three for one offer on.Just don't do it. It is still absolutely disgusting and your taste buds will be regretting it from the first bite until your third bite when you decide to leave it for everyone else to eat and then throw away what's left because everyone else thinks the same. And with that our work here is done and if you have only learnt that you should never order a Telepizza we have done you a service that is worthy of buying your house in Valencia from us through our main website. [caption id="attachment_5136" align="aligncenter" width="750"] Eating out in Valencia[/caption]
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