Central Bar

Central Bar is chef Ricard Camarena's bar inside Valencia's Central Market, and it is one of the easiest ways to taste the cooking of one of Spain's most respected chefs. It is a simple counter bar among the market stalls, with stools around the bar and the noise and colour of the market all around you.

The menu is short and practical. You can choose between tapas and a bocadillo, the Valencian sandwich that is eaten at almost any time of day, and there are daily suggestions chalked up based on what is good in the market. Expect well-made Spanish and Valencian bar classics using produce from the stalls around you, with a full menu and a drinks list alongside the daily specials. The bar does not take bookings, so you simply turn up and wait for a stool.

Because the market is open from Monday to Saturday, so is the bar, and it follows the market's daytime rhythm. Mid-morning is the best time for a relaxed visit, when you can join locals having almuerzo, the Valencian mid-morning snack. Around lunchtime it gets very busy and you may queue. It is closed on Sundays, along with the rest of the market.

Central Bar suits solo travellers, couples and anyone exploring the market, and it is good value for the quality. It is less comfortable for large groups or small children, as space is tight and seating is limited to bar stools. If you would like a full sit-down meal of Camarena's cooking, his Canalla Bistro and flagship restaurant are better options. The bar also offers delivery and an online shop through its website for those who would rather eat elsewhere.

The bar is inside the Central Market, a Modernista iron-and-glass building completed in 1928 that is worth visiting in its own right. Shop for fruit, cured meats and local products before or after eating. La Lonja de la Seda is just across the square, and the church of the Santos Juanes is next door. The cathedral and the Plaza de la Reina are about ten minutes' walk away, and many buses stop around the market.