Where to eat a good paella in Valencia
Paella is Valencian cuisine’s most international dish, our contribution to global gastronomy. Paella is to Valencia what the Eiffel Tower is to Paris or the aqueduct to Segovia, an extraordinary landmark.
With the difference being that ours is made from rice, vegetables from our farming region, l'Horta, and animal protein such as chicken, free-range if possible, and rabbit.
Or if you prefer, there is the seafood version, with the finest raw material from the Mediterranean. This is the best example of the pairing of locally sourced products in human history!
You find yourself in the best city in the world to get paella. You won't want to leave Valencia without treating yourself. If you sample a good paella in Valencia, you are sure to repeat the experience. To find out which spots you can trust, you can turn to wikipaella, an initiative to honour and promote the original recipe, or go to Visit Valencia’s rice restaurants section. Once you're in good hands, let yourself go. All you need worry about is what sort of surroundings you'd like to be in when savouring your paella: overlooking the Mediterranean? historic district? City of Arts and Sciences? The choice is yours. Enjoy the view and the food.
AT THE BEACH
Try the Valencian or seafood paella, but with the sea breeze as a companion in any of the establishments of the genuine Cabanyal, the vibrant Malvarrosa or the avant-garde Marina de Valencia, the city's three hot spots by the sea.
The relationship between our beaches and rice is a love story you should be part of: ingredients from the sea and countryside of Valencia, the result of having such a well-stocked natural pantry. Get some starters too: clóchinas (small mussels) in season, cuttlefish or squid, and dishes such as esgarraet or titaina. You're in the best place to try them!
IN THE HISTORIC CENTER
The center of Valencia is one of the largest in Europe and over 2,000 years old; a history as extensive as the number of places where you can eat a good paella.
Valencia has dozens of places that do rice right. Valencia is home to the masters of traditional, authentic Valencian paella, the one made with local ingredients.
IN THE ALBUFERA
L’Albufera is the cradle of Valencian paella, the place where it was created back in the 16th century by farm workers, who made it with whatever they got from the land.
Now they follow their own traditions, and restaurants in the area make it with rice grown in and around the Natural Park and with local vegetables and poultry. An ideal excuse to visit the natural park and enjoy our most international dish.
IN THE HUERTA
Valencia is surrounded by fruit and vegetable farms and here, in the farmland, you can taste a Valencian paella made with the freshest ingredients.
It's like having a natural market a stone's throw from downtown: a place where neatly arranged crops yield their very best to craft a recipe whose secret lies in using the right ingredients and seasonings. If you want local produce, try grilled artichokes, Valencian salad or esgarraet.
Don't forget, you’ll find more information and suggestions at Visit Valencia, where you can book a table directly or opt for a ‘Paella Experience’, pairing an activity such as a boat ride or sightseeing bus with a nice rice dish to round out the experience. Bon appétit!
