Best Dining Neighborhoods in Valencia

Valencia claims to have invented paella, and locals take this claim seriously enough that you should too. But the city's dining scene extends far beyond rice dishes into a Mediterranean food culture that revolves around extraordinary fresh ingredients and a deep respect for seasonal eating.

The area around the Central Market, Mercat Central, is where Valencia's food culture is most visible. The market itself, housed in a stunning Art Nouveau building, is one of Europe's largest fresh food markets with over 300 stalls selling seafood hauled in that morning, seasonal vegetables from the surrounding huerta farmland, and cured meats from the interior. Eating at the market's bar counters or at the small restaurants on the surrounding streets is one of the best ways to experience Valencia's kitchen.

For paella, the beach neighborhoods of El Cabanyal and La Malvarrosa are where locals go. The restaurants along the waterfront in these areas serve rice cooked over wood fires in the traditional way. Sunday paella lunch is a family ritual in Valencia, and the best restaurants fill up early, so arrive before one or prepare to wait. Authentic Valencian paella uses chicken, rabbit, green beans, and white beans -- not seafood, despite what the rest of the world assumes.

The Barrio del Carmen in the old town has the densest concentration of restaurants, from traditional tascas serving tapas and vermouth to modern bistros with creative menus. The area around Plaza del Tossal and the streets behind the Torres de Serranos reward wandering, particularly in the early evening when Valencians start their paseo.

Ruzafa has become Valencia's most exciting dining neighborhood. This formerly working-class barrio south of the center is now packed with restaurants, wine bars, and brunch spots that reflect the neighborhood's diverse, creative population. The streets around Mercado de Ruzafa have a concentration of quality that rivals anywhere in Spain.

The Albufera lagoon area south of the city is worth a special trip for rice dishes cooked by restaurants on the lake's edge, using ingredients sourced from the surrounding rice paddies and wetlands.

Practical tips: Valencian meal times run late even by Spanish standards. Lunch is from two to four, and dinner rarely starts before nine. The menú del día lunch menu is extraordinary value at most restaurants. Valencia's horchata, a sweet drink made from tiger nuts, is unique to the region and best enjoyed at a horchatería with fartons pastries.