What to eat in Valencia: 12 dishes and where to try them

What to eat in Valencia comes down to one fact: rice rules here. Paella valenciana was born inland, in the farmland around the city, not by the sea. It is made with chicken, rabbit, garrofo (a flat white bean), green beans, tomato, paprika, saffron and sometimes a sprig of rosemary. No chorizo, no peas, no onion. If it arrives with chorizo, it is not paella valenciana.

The rice dishes come first

Beyond paella valenciana, the city eats plenty of other rice dishes: arroz del senyoret (everything peeled, the seafood already done for you), arroz a banda, black rice with cuttlefish and its ink, and baked rice with chickpeas and pork belly. What everyone is after is the socarrat, the toasted crust that sticks to the bottom of the pan. It is a lunch dish, rarely dinner, and you order it for at least two people. To pick a place, see our guide to where to eat the best paella. The arrocerias of El Palmar, next to the Albufera lagoon, remain the safe bet.

By the sea: La Malva-rosa and the Cabanyal

Rice with a sea view has its place too. La Pepica, on the Malva-rosa promenade, has served paella at the water's edge for more than a century. Hemingway sat at its tables, along with a good chunk of the city's recent history. In the Cabanyal you will find titaina (a fishermen's stew of tuna, peppers and pine nuts) and old school tapas at Casa Montaña, a bodega from 1836 known for its tinned seafood, its anchovies and its vermouth.

Tapas and starters to order

• Esgarraet: roasted red pepper with shredded salt cod, garlic and oil. Cold and plain.
• All i pebre: eel stewed with garlic and paprika, from the Albufera and El Palmar.
• Clochinas: the Valencian mussel, smaller and more flavorful, sold only in season (May to August).
• Bravas and figatells: the usual fried potatoes and a kind of grilled pork patty.
• Coca de tomate: a thin baked flatbread, good to start with.

Markets: eat while you shop

The Mercat Central is one of Europe's largest fresh food markets, and inside it houses Central Bar by Ricard Camarena, where even a sandwich gets taken seriously. The modernista Mercado de Colon is more for a quick bite and a drink.

The sweet side: horchata, fartons and more

Valencian horchata is made from chufa (tiger nut, a small tuber grown around Alboraia), water and sugar. No almonds, no rice, no milk. Drink it cold and dunk fartons in it, the long sugared buns. The classic spot is Horchatería Daniel, inside the Mercado de Colon. For a full route, see our horchata guide. Other sweets worth knowing: arnadi (pumpkin and sweet potato), Easter monas, and pumpkin buñuelos during Fallas.

How and when to eat

The clock runs late here: lunch is from 14:00 to 16:00, dinner from 21:00 onward. Rice dishes need a booking and take 30 to 40 minutes to cook, so mention it when you order. If a food fair or tapas event happens to fall during your stay, it will show up on the live agenda.

Frequently asked questions

What goes into authentic paella valenciana?

Chicken, rabbit, garrofo, flat green beans, tomato, rice, oil, paprika, saffron and water, sometimes snails or a sprig of rosemary. No chorizo, no peas, no onion.

What is horchata made of?

Chufa (tiger nut, a small tuber grown around Alboraia), water and sugar. No almonds, no milk. Served cold, usually with fartons.

Where do you eat the best paella in Valencia?

At the arrocerias of El Palmar and the Albufera, and at the classic spots on the Malva-rosa. Our guide to where to eat the best paella lists the options. Book ahead and order it at lunch.

What time do people eat in Valencia?

Lunch runs from 14:00 to 16:00, dinner starts around 21:00. Many arrocerias serve rice only at lunchtime.

Which typical sweet should I try?

Horchata with fartons, year round. In season, add the pumpkin buñuelos of Fallas and arnadi made from pumpkin and sweet potato.