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Best Restaurants in Valencia (2026)

Rice is the centre of Valencian cooking, and paella is traditionally a lunchtime dish. For the classic seafront experience, book a table at Casa Carmela, where paella is cooked over orange-wood fires, or at La Pepica, which has served rice on the beachfront since 1898. In the centre, Restaurante Navarro near the Plaza del Ayuntamiento and La Riuà near the Plaza de la Reina are reliable choices, and La Riuà also serves rice at dinner. Paella is cooked to order, often for a minimum of two people, so expect to wait and order starters first.

Beyond rice, the city has a strong tapas and wine culture. Bodega Casa Montaña in the Cabanyal dates from 1836 and has a long wine list, Central Bar serves market tapas inside the Mercado Central, and Bar Tonyina near the City of Arts and Sciences offers tuna dishes and a good-value set lunch. For fine dining, Ricard Camarena holds two Michelin stars, and Lienzo on the Plaza de Tetuán offers refined Mediterranean cooking, while Camarena's Canalla Bistro is a more casual option open every day. Local meal times are late: lunch from around 14:00 and dinner from 21:00. Book ahead at weekends, and note that many restaurants close on Sundays or Mondays.

10 places · Updated November 12, 2026

Our top 3 restaurants in Valencia

  1. Ricard Camarena Restaurant Contemporary Valencian tasting menu, Marxalenes (Bombas Gens)Ricard Camarena's two-Michelin-star flagship inside the Bombas Gens arts centre, serving tasting menus built around vegetables from the Valencian huerta.
  2. Lienzo Contemporary Mediterranean, Ciutat Vella (La Xerea)Chef María José Martínez's Michelin-recognised restaurant on the Plaza de Tetuán, cooking seasonal Mediterranean dishes from local produce.
  3. Casa Carmela Wood-fired paella, Poblats Marítims (Malvarrosa)A family paella restaurant on the Malvarrosa seafront since 1922, cooking rice dishes over orange-wood fires to a recipe handed down four generations.

Restaurant

2. Lienzo

Contemporary Mediterranean$$$$Ciutat Vella (La Xerea)

Chef María José Martínez's Michelin-recognised restaurant on the Plaza de Tetuán, cooking seasonal Mediterranean dishes from local produce.

View details — Lienzo

Restaurant

3. Casa Carmela

Wood-fired paella$$$Poblats Marítims (Malvarrosa)

A family paella restaurant on the Malvarrosa seafront since 1922, cooking rice dishes over orange-wood fires to a recipe handed down four generations.

View details — Casa Carmela

Restaurant

4. La Pepica

Paella and seafood$$$Poblats Marítims (Playa de Levante)

A beachfront rice restaurant on the Levante promenade since 1898, linked with Ernest Hemingway and Joaquín Sorolla and known for its peeled-seafood paella.

View details — La Pepica

Restaurant

7. La Riuà

Traditional Valencian rice$$Ciutat Vella (La Seu)

A family-run rice restaurant in the old town near the Plaza de la Reina, with walls covered in Manises plates and Valencian tiles.

View details — La Riuà

Restaurant

8. Canalla Bistro

Fusion bistro$$L'Eixample (Pla del Remei)

Ricard Camarena's relaxed bistro in the Ensanche, serving sharing plates that mix Asian, Latin American and Mediterranean influences.

View details — Canalla Bistro

Restaurant

9. Central Bar

Market tapas bar$Ciutat Vella (El Mercat)

Ricard Camarena's counter bar inside the Central Market, serving tapas, sandwiches and daily specials to shoppers from Monday to Saturday.

View details — Central Bar

Restaurant

10. Bar Tonyina

Tuna-focused tapas bar$Quatre Carreres (Ciutat de les Arts i les Ciències)

A neighbourhood bar near the City of Arts and Sciences known for tuna dishes, tapas, grilled sandwiches and a good-value daily set menu.

View details — Bar Tonyina