Restaurant
Ricard Camarena Restaurant
Ricard Camarena's two-Michelin-star flagship inside the Bombas Gens arts centre, serving tasting menus built around vegetables from the Valencian huerta.
Casa Carmela
A family paella restaurant on the Malvarrosa seafront since 1922, cooking rice dishes over orange-wood fires to a recipe handed down four generations.
At a glance
- Type
- Wood-fired paella
- Area
- Poblats Marítims (Malvarrosa), Valencia, Spain
- Price
- $$$ · Upscale
- Opening
- Open 6 days a week (closed Sunday) · 13:00–16:00
- Official site
- casa-carmela.com
Good to know
- Wood-fired paella
- Private rooms
- Bar menu
Why we recommend it
Casa Carmela is one of Valencia's most famous places to eat paella. It was founded in 1922 by José and Carmen as a simple shack by the Malvarrosa beach and has been run by the same family for four generations. Today it is a large, traditional restaurant with several rooms, including private rooms for groups, but the cooking still follows the recipe passed down from Carmen.
The key detail is the fire. Paellas here are cooked over wood from orange trees, which gives the rice a gentle smoky flavour and helps produce a thin, even layer with a crisp base, the socarrat. There are around 20 rice dishes. The classic paella valenciana, with chicken, rabbit and beans, has to be ordered in advance because only a limited number are made each day. Other choices include arroz del senyoret with peeled seafood, lobster paella and a seafood fideuà made with short noodles instead of rice.
Starters are worth leaving room for. The menu includes grilled octopus, fried squid, Valencian mussels, tellinas (small local clams) and esgarraet, a Valencian salad of roasted red peppers with salt cod. There is also a monkfish dish in the style of the local all i pebre stew, and a simple salad of local tomatoes with tuna.
Casa Carmela serves lunch only, from Monday to Saturday between 13:00 and 16:00, and is closed on Sundays. That fits Valencian custom, where paella is a midday dish. Booking is essential, especially at weekends, and is made through the website or by phone; a booking only counts once the restaurant confirms it. Paellas are cooked for the table, so expect a wait and order starters while the rice cooks. It suits families, groups and anyone who wants a traditional paella lunch, and there are private rooms for larger parties.
The restaurant is a block back from the Malvarrosa beach promenade, near the northern end of the city's main beach. Tram stops on the coastal line are within walking distance, and a taxi from the centre takes about 15 to 20 minutes. Combine lunch with a walk along the seafront, or visit the Casa Museo Blasco Ibáñez, the novelist's former summer house, which is close by.
Casa Carmela FAQs
When was Casa Carmela founded?
In 1922, by José and Carmen; it has been run by the same family for four generations.
How is the paella cooked?
Over a wood fire using orange-tree wood, which gives a light smoky flavour.
Do I need to pre-order the paella valenciana?
Yes, it must be ordered in advance because only a limited number are made each day.
Is it open for dinner?
No, it serves lunch only, Monday to Saturday from 13:00 to 16:00.
Is it open on Sundays?
No, it is closed on Sundays.
How do I book?
Through the website or by phone; bookings are valid once the restaurant confirms them.
What else is on the menu?
Starters such as grilled octopus, tellinas and esgarraet, plus around 20 rice dishes and a seafood fideuà.
How do I get there?
It is a block from the Malvarrosa beach; take the tram to the coast or a 15 to 20-minute taxi from the centre.