Must-see restaurants in Valencia Region

  • El Portal

    Alicante

    Excellent in every way, this plush corner spot sports deliberately OTT decor that changes biannually but is always interesting. Grab a table or squeeze up…

  • Quique Dacosta

    Dénia

    In sleek, white, minimalist premises near the beach 3km west of Dénia, this coolly handsome place is one of the peninsula's temples to modern gastronomy…

  • Bodega Paella

    Navarro

    Valencia

    A byword in the city for decades for its quality rice dishes, Navarro is run by the grandkids of the original founders and it offers plenty of choice,…

  • La Salvaora

    Valencia

    Refined, elegant but not expensive, this intimate spot is decorated with black-and-white portraits of flamenco stars. At first glance, the menu of Spanish…

  • El Poblet

    Valencia

    This upstairs restaurant, overseen by famed Quique Dacosta and with Luis Valls as chef, offers elegance and fine gastronomic dining at prices that are…

  • Bodega La Guindilla

    Castellón Province

    Sit around barrels, grab an outdoor table or head downstairs to the dining room at this bright corner spot, an expansion of its crowded Calle Barracas…

  • Daluan

    Castellón Province

    Daluan is run by Avelino Ramón, a cookery teacher by trade, and his wife Jovita: a very friendly team! Its small upstairs interior is satisfyingly…

  • Farga

    Castellón Province

    This quality restaurant at a former monastery perched on a hill 2.5km from town offers sublime views of the surrounding plain from its terrace, and a…

  • La Vida es Bella

    Valencia

    The front terrace or back garden of this innovative spot make great places to relax and absorb Benimaclet life with a beer or bite. More house than…

  • Entrevins

    Valencia

    With a quiet, restrained elegance, this upstairs restaurant makes a lovely lunchtime retreat from the bustle of the street and is handy for several nearby…

  • El Granaino

    Alicante Province

    Across the river from the centre, El Granaino, with its bar lined with people scarfing down a quick, quality lunch, is worth the 10-minute walk. Top…

  • Bodega La Venganza

    Alicante Province

    It's impossible not to love this tiny, sassy tapas joint, which expands out to tree-shaded tables on a pretty plaza behind the Iglesia de las Santas Justa…

  • Cinnamon

    Valencia

    This intimate space is so tiny, you wonder how it prepares anything more elaborate than a fried egg. But wonders emerge from the open kitchen, with dishes…

  • Gran Azul

    Valencia

    Spacious and stylish, this main-road spot is a temple to excellent dining. Things are focused on rice dishes and the grill, with premium quality steaks…

  • Cervecería Sento

    Alicante

    Top-notch montaditos (little rolls) and inventive grilled tapas (try the turrón and pork 'Chupachups') are the reason to squeeze into this brilliant…

  • Delicat

    Valencia

    At this particularly friendly, intimate option, the open kitchen offers an unbeatable-value set menu of samplers for lunch (€14.50) and delicious tapas…

  • Dos Estaciones

    Valencia

    Two talented chefs oversee this small restaurant, which consists of a line of small tables and a bar counter behind which the food is cooked in limited…

  • Telero

    Valencia Province

    Tucked away but worth seeking out, this intimate restaurant focuses on quality ingredients. Admire the cosy, exposed-brick dining area in the traditional…

  • El Bodegón

    Costa Blanca

    Tried and true, this traditional Spanish restaurant hasn't changed in decades and is all the better for it. Reliably good classic meals such as rabbit,…

  • Street view of La Osteria.

    Osteria Vino e Cucina

    Valencia

    This tiny restaurant serves authentic Italian food with a smile. The handwritten menu offers dishes made with ingredients sourced from Russafa market…

  • Entrance to Canalla Bistro.

    Canalla Bistro

    Valencia

    Chic but commodious, with an interior featuring packing crates, cartoon chickens and other decorative quirks, this is where top Valencian chef Ricard…

  • Bahía

    Costa Blanca

    Offering an ample range of fresh seafood and well-prepared meat dishes with sweet sauces, this traditionally run, but modern-styled place channels sweet…

  • Sucede

    Valencia

    Modern design meets the old Moorish city wall in this striking space attached to the Caro Hotel. The cuisine is confidently modern, offering excellent…

  • La Casa di Sophia

    Valencia

    Reassuringly chunky and colourful, the retro-nostalgic furniture here creates a comfortably informal atmosphere that's more than matched by the excellent,…

  • Ricard Camarena

    Valencia

    Valencia's most highly rated current chef showcases the range of his abilities here, in a new location in the Bombas Gens factory-turned-art-centre. A…

  • Balansiya

    Valencia

    This restaurant in a student neighbourhood near the university is worth seeking out. Elegantly decorated in Moroccan style, it's a warmly welcoming spot…

  • OneOne

    Alicante

    It’s easier if you speak a little Spanish at this wonderfully eccentric place with its faithful following of regulars, but your ebullient host will make…

  • El Baret de Miquel Ruiz

    Dénia

    This is a real find for gastronomes. The chef had a Michelin-starred restaurant but chose to reject the pretension of that world in favour of a more…

  • El Rodamón de Russafa

    Valencia

    The deal here is that they've picked their favourite dishes encountered around the world and made a Valencian tapas plate from them, so you can pick from…

  • El Sequer de Tonica

    Valencia Province

    At the end of El Palmar's main street, the luminous dining room at El Sequer de Tonica is deservedly highly esteemed by Valencians for its rice dishes,…

  • El Encuentro

    Valencia

    There's a very likeable old-fashioned feel about this place, which offers stalwart Spanish cuisine at fair prices. Expect plenty of stew-type dishes such…

  • La Despensa

    Alicante Province

    Near the station, La Despensa offers handsome traditional decor and excellent cuisine. It does some great rices, including a very tasty one with rabbit…

  • Piripi

    Alicante

    This quality restaurant is strong on rice, seafood and fish, which arrives fresh daily from the wholesale markets of Dénia and Santa Pola. There’s a huge…

  • El Charquito

    Castellón Province

    Draw a Spanish bar from muscle memory and this is what you get: hanging hams, strings of garlic and peppers, orderly family frenzy behind the counter,…

  • La Perdi

    Castellón Province

    Our favourite place for a traditional meal in the centre of Sant Mateu, the Perdi has been run for generations by the same family. A couple of set menus…

  • Tasca Ángel

    Valencia

    This no-frills place has been in business for 70 years and is famous for its fishy tapas, but in particular grilled sardines, which are delicious. Order…

  • Cervecería Maipi

    Valencia

    Far more traditional than most of trendy Russafa, this small tapas bar is a real delight. Delicious no-frills dishes use ingredients of excellent quality…

  • Entrance to Café Artysana.

    Café ArtySana

    Valencia

    A welcoming eatery that doubles as a creative space for local artists. The charming owners create a simple menu focused on healthy food and local…

  • Street view of El Rebujito from Calle Cadiz.

    Taberna El Rebujito

    Valencia

    Named for an Andalusian cocktail, this popular tapas bar serves favourite bites from the southern Spanish region. The menu includes Andalusian classics…

  • Street view of Mare Meua with outdoor tables.

    Mare Meua

    Valencia

    With bright yellow walls and red tiles, this cosy bar on a quiet corner serves cheap and cheerful snacks. Colourful cold and hot montaditos served on…

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