Awesome Places To Eat in Valencia: My Regulars

Every few months, someone asks or comments asking for restaurant recommendations in Valencia. Yeah… every time, I feel a little twitch, but not because I don’t have opinions :-).

Anyone who knows me knows I have an embarrassing number of opinions up the wazoo… haha! I twitch because the question usually comes with an expectation I can’t deliver on: “What are the BEST restaurants in Valencia?”

The best? After eight plus years, I still can’t tell you that with a straight face. You know who can tell you? A blogger who flew in for a long weekend, ate at five places off a crap-sponsored or IG/Tik-Tok curated list, and wrote the definitive guide before their return flight. I admire the balls. I really do.

What I can tell you is where I like to go. My regular places. The places that have earned a permanent slot in our rotation are drama-free. None of them has Michelin stars, and thank god for that. I need to eat real food, not some foam-sprayed nonsense.

They have no drone footage, none of that “Valencia’s best-kept secret” nonsense because those secrets have been out for years anyway. These are the places where I eat when I’m hungry and don’t feel like cooking.

Fair warning: I’m not a huge lover of Spanish food (pause for gasps, and the occasional hate comment like go back to your country :-)). I know, I know. I live in Spain. The irony is not lost on me. I appreciate it, respect it even, and once in a while it genuinely surprises me, but it’s not where my heart lives. My heart lives in a bowl of pho in winter, or wrapped in a dumpling. Make of that what you will.

One more thing before we begin: I run a foodies group, and through that, I’ve eaten at more Valencia restaurants than I care to count. I’ve watched menus creep from €15 a head to €25 and more, and watched the good places get discovered and stop needing us, while others have closed down. So when I say I like somewhere, it means it’s survived that rocky road. Okay. Vamos.

Awesome places to eat in Valencia, according to me:

Vietnamese: Pho Mi

I will tell you right now that I could eat Vietnamese food almost every day and die a happy woman. Pho Mi on Carrer del Matemàtic Marzal is why I haven’t had to look elsewhere. The pho is the real thing, with proper broth and herbs. The bowl that fixes whatever’s wrong on those cold days in the winter.

For me, pho is too hot for the summer, but I love their shrimp-based anything, too. The fresh spring rolls and Bo Bun are also worth eating. It’s not fancy, but it doesn’t need to be. Clean, honest food that tastes like someone’s mum made it. I’ve never been to Vietnam, so I’m not sure if it’s authentic, but friends who have been, highly recommend it. High praise in my book.

Tip: Get there early, it gets pretty packed!

American Cafe Vibes: Bruno’s Lucky 13

This one is in Montolivete and is quite nice. Bruno’s Lucky 13 is an American-style cafe and bar that does what it says on the tin: great bagel sandwiches (so I’ve heard, but I have yet to try those), good coffee, and a laid-back atmosphere that doesn’t take itself too seriously.

Most of the food is homemade, a place you pop into and end up staying far longer than you planned because they are so friendly. I love the pulled pork sandwich and the brownies. They also do a language exchange on Thursdays, so get thee there to mingle.

Indian/Nepali: Kathmandu and Mr India (Because I Needed Two)

Look, I like Indian food. A lot, and Valencia has a lot of great Indian restaurants. These are two of the places I like a lot. I don’t get to visit as much as I’d like because Fede is not a big fan, so always just me and the girls. Try and imagine his misery when we spent 3 weeks in New Delhi last year, as well as a few years ago :-).

Kathmandu is in the Canovas area (they have several, and I can’t speak for the others) and has been a go-to of mine for a long time. It’s Indian and Nepalese, the whole team is from India or Nepal, and you can taste the difference. This is not “adapted for Spanish palates” cuisine. It’s the real deal. Spicy if you dare, unlike most restaurants that have 5 pepper images and taste very mild.

Mr India is in Montolivete, right near the tram stop (one minute, they say, and for once that’s not a lie). It’s a family operation, looks like, and that matters. You can feel it in the food. The curries are excellent, the portions are generous, and you feel like a regular even if you’re new. You can also have it spicy here. I do have to say I don’t love their garlic nan. Not loaded enough, but maybe it’s just me.

Very, very honorable mentions: Swagat and The Royal Buddha

Japanese: Restaurant Fuji

Fuji is on Carrer de la Justícia (Puerta del mar), and does something clever with the whole buffet concept: it’s à la carte, but everything is brought to your table, which means no cold dishes, awkward juggling of plates, and not having to hover by the station hoping someone restocks the edamame.

You order, they bring it, and it arrives hot. Revolutionary, apparently, because not everyone in the world has figured this out. Valencia has, and they have quite a few restaurants that do this.

They also have a tatami room upstairs (though I’ve never been in there) if you want to feel like you’re somewhere else entirely for an evening. It’s great food. Yes, I know that there are fancy frou-frou sushi places all over that cost and arm and a leg, but… to each their own.

We have brought several friends there, and they have all loved it too. The price is very reasonable, and it’s our go-to.

Honorable mention: Restaurant Kyoto across from the Nuevo Central mall (even though it seems they have less sushi in the buffet now)

Dumplings: Bar Changlong, Chinatown

Bar Changlong is not an experience for everyone because everyone has an opinion on the best Chinese food. The welcome is not exactly warm, I’ve found (except when the owner lady is there), but… but… but, here’s the thing about this place: the dumplings are outstanding.

If you go to a restaurant for the food, which, radical concept, is what restaurants are for, you will leave very happy. It’s in Valencia’s Chinatown, right by the train station, and it looks exactly like what it is: a no-nonsense Chinese place that got on with the business of making excellent food. It’s also the only place in Chinatown that has an outdoor sitting area. Go, and be patient. You’ll thank me.

Mexican: La Venganza de Malinche

Finding decent Mexican food in Spain is its own kind of challenge (despite what you might think), and I have the scars to prove it. A lot of places have come and gone, right along with their margaritas! La Venganza de Malinche, in the Canovas area, does it right. By right, I mean the food is authentic Mexican food, a mixture of different areas of Mexico, and the owner is from northern Mexico.

If you want to cry, have the chicken enchiladas… so spicy that it will kill anything that ails you!

You can taste the goodness. The tacos, enchiladas, and chilaquiles are legit, the frozen margaritas do what margaritas do, and the whole place has a buzz to it that makes you feel like you’re actually having a good time rather than simply eating.

Highly recommended, and I feel genuinely happy when others discover the place too. You know it’s serious business when I have the phone number of the owner! Trust me when I say that makes a huge difference.

There is another Mexican restaurant that will never get another euro from my friends or me. As you know, if you like a restaurant, you’ll talk about it. If you hate a restaurant, you’ll definitely talk about it :-). No names here.

If you pass by La Vengaza and hear a lot of screaming, it’s probably my friends and me having a great time!

BBQ: Barbaros Smokehouse BBQ

My husband and I are Texan adjacent in our love of a good BBQ. Barbaros, on Avenida de Jacinto Benavente, scratches that itch with admirable commitment. The chef was trained in Texas, and yes, it shows in the brisket, the pulled pork, and the ribs.

The sauces are homemade (BBQ, garlic and cilantro, sweet-spicy… take all three because they are tiny!!!! Pet peeve). The smoked chicken wings are not to be skipped either. They recently opened a Madrid location, and next time we’re there, we’ll drop in.

Honorable mention: Numero Uno Steakhouse

Fondue: La Fondue

Thirty years. La Fondue has been on Calle Serrano Morales for thirty years and still has a dedicated following, which tells you everything. It specializes in Bourguignon and Savoyard fondues, aptes, plus chocolate for dessert, and it does them superbly. After all, they’ve had three decades of practice. 

It’s cozy, and it’s romantic if you need it to be, but it can also accommodate a big crowd of 30 (ask me how I know 🙂 ). The staff is lovely, and the gorgonzola cheese fondue with all its dipping companions is a meal you plan your week around.

Make a reservation, though. It’s a bit pricy, but worth it.

Tapas: El Temple. Yes, Really. From the Woman Who Told You She Doesn’t Love… love Spanish Food

I know what I said, but El Temple, on Calle Maestro Gozalbo, is a place that won me, and Fede over (which is saying a lot) despite my biases, and I’m not too proud to admit it. The tapas here are well-executed, and the portions are generous. They do a tuna tartare and a sea bass ceviche that are genuinely good. It’s a solid spot for groups or a cozy twosome. I love the food there. High praise.

Honorable mention: La pizca del sal

Italian: Raffaello Pasta e Pizza

I will be brief here because the context makes it necessary: my husband is Roman. He grew up with the real thing. He cooks Italian food at home the way it should be cooked, which means that going out for Italian in Valencia is usually a study in disappointment and politely saying “it’s fine” while making a face. Most of the time, I decline an invitation to meet at an Italian place. I just can’t do it!

Raffaello, on Calle de l’Alcalde Reig near the City of Arts and Sciences area, is the exception that proved the rule. Family-owned, handmade pasta, and a tiramisu that doesn’t make me sad. When a Roman husband stops complaining and enjoys the food, it’s an endorsement. The first time we met them, they showed us everything, including the kitchen (stuff flown in straight from Naples regularly). Oh, and they own the gelato place next door (which used to be their old restaurant). 

Honorable mention: Osteria de Gianni

Pastries and Baked Goods: Dulzumat and Horno Hugo Rodríguez

Two spots here, because I have a pastry problem and I’ve made peace with it.

Dulzumat has been around since 1974 and has two locations in Valencia: everything is made in their own workshop, completely handmade, and it shows. They do seasonal pastries, cakes, breads, and all manner of sweet and savory things. A place where you go in for one thing and leave with a box. You know exactly what I mean, and the fact that one sits close to me is horrendous :-).

Horno Hugo Rodríguez is in La Petxina and is a traditional bakery that I am deeply grateful still exists. Superb pastries paired with good coffee, low prices, and no pretension. It’s a neighborhood spot that doesn’t know it’s special because it’s just always been there, doing its thing. I had my best red velvet cake so far in the city. We moved from the neighborhood a while ago, but I still like visiting. Long may it continue.

What about paella, you say?

No. No. I mean, I won’t be discussing paella. It’s a loaded topic in Valencia, as anyone who lives here will understand. My favorite place that served it has recently closed, which is genuinely gutting. I’ve tried plenty of the ones in the city that everyone says are “the best,” and I have not found one that makes me want to stand on a rooftop and announce it. When I do, you’ll be the first to know.

Now, outside of the city, I can highly recommend Restaurante El Gordo y El Flaco (the fat and the skinny). I’ve never been in the restaurant to eat. I heard about them when I visited a friend over that way, and she had it delivered. It was excellent! Simply excellent!  I’ve had it a couple of times since and was just as good. So, if you’re up for a drive to Betera, count me in.

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Final Thought: The part that counts, so read it! 

Okay then, as I said, these are my regulars. The places that earn their spot in our lives because they make us feel satisfied and full. I am not ranking them, nor am I calling them “Valencia’s best.” For sure, I am absolutely not responsible for what happens if you try one and decide it’s not for you.

What I am doing is trusting you to be normal about it. Come and me, and be ready for me to tell you to p**s off… hahahah!

If you’ve ever watched a place you love get “discovered”, watched it get loud and wait-listed, and slowly stop being the thing you loved, you’ll understand why I briefly considered writing this entire post about fictional restaurants (you know…popular places with awful food but good aesthetics). 

Don’t make me regret this. You might have also noticed there are no “local” bocadillo places or eateries. There are plenty of those in every neighborhood. We rarely visit those, but I do like a good fried calamari bocadillo when I find one. 

These spots are good partly because they’re not overwhelmed. Please let’s all collectively agree to keep it that way. So maybe once you’ve walked around the city, head to one of these places.

¿Vale?

Have your own Valencia regulars? Share them as I’m always open to new additions to the rotation.