Lunch outside of Valencia just doesn’t make sense. Or at least it isn’t experienced the way we do it. The esmorzaret is a full-fledged weekend ritual, a gathering spot, a chance to catch up with friends, a celebration of gastronomy, and so much more—enough to fill a book.
The thing is, having lunch in Valencia is a true tradition, and so you don’t have to go searching all over the place for a good “esmorzar,” which bars make the biggest sandwiches, or which ones you should order, we’ve put together the definitive guide.
They serve lunch Monday through Sunday, from 10:00 a.m. to 12:00 p.m., starting at 9.50 euros for the “half lunch” and going up to 12.50 euros for the “full lunch.” Both options include a salad, cocoa, toasted bread with aioli, a drink, and coffee.
But the crowning jewel is on Fridays: from 10 a.m. to 12 p.m., an all-you-can-eat grilled meat buffet for 17 euros, so you can put together your own lunch however you like.
The bar that served the ultimate Valencian lunch sandwich in 2024, Valencia Secreta, is a sure bet for lunch any day of the week (the sandwich is no longer available).
Don’t miss either Topmussafes or Copa del Mundo. In 2024, Cacau d’Or was among the winners, alongside the other restaurants in the Gastroadictos group, such as Mistela, Cassalla, and Cremaet.
Start your weekend with a gourmet esmorzar in downtown Valencia. Alenar is a Mediterranean wine bar that strictly follows the esmorzar tradition. With its gourmet lunch menu available Monday through Saturday, you can choose sandwiches like cuttlefish, brascada, or figatells, served with a glass of wine, a drink, and coffee.
Casa Baldo 1915, part of the Gastro Trinquet Group, received the Amstel Cacau d’Or Special Award in 2024 for a recipe featuring free-range chicken, an Iberian sobrasada omelet, Brie cheese, and mayonnaise made with orange blossom honey.
This bar in Poblats Marítims has won the 2023 Cacau d’Or Especial award, as chosen by a jury of experts, for its “Almussafes” sandwich and its promotion of the culture of the midday meal.
Vermúdez
Ruzafa may have become a place where brunch is more popular than the esmorzaret, but we still have restaurants like Vermúdez that are committed to the classic Valencian esmorzaret.
High-quality ingredients, grilled to perfection, and at a very affordable price: €7.50 for a half sandwich and €8.50 for a whole sandwich (coffee and a drink included, of course).
Garden Brasas
This bar has everything you need for a great lunch. A quiet terrace with a playground nearby in case you’re bringing kids. Add to that a menu with plenty of options, yet simple: two price points based on size (regular or XL). A regular lunch costs less than 9 euros and includes a drink, service charge, and coffee.
It won the Cacau D’Or award in 2022 for having one of the best bars in Valencia. It’s a feast for the eyes to walk in and see all the small plates laid out on the counter so you can choose the combination that appeals to you most at that moment. A new benchmark in Valencia.
The restaurant in Valencia where a robot serves you lunch. That’s one of the main draws of La Mesedora, not to mention that it serves some absolutely amazing sandwiches. Without a doubt, one of the best bars right now in the province of Valencia.
Now also at the Roig Arena.
Having lunch in the Ruzafa neighborhood is priceless. La Cantina de Ruzafa has become one of the best bars for lunch in Valencia. Open Monday through Saturday from 9:30 a.m. to 12:30 p.m.
Right next to the Central Market, you can enjoy one of the best lunches in Valencia. If its terrace is packed on Saturdays and it’s hard to find a seat inside, there’s a reason for it. A classic spot for lunch in downtown Valencia.
Bar Mistela was born with the spirit of the classic bars of yesteryear, yet without losing sight of the present. Here, they celebrate local produce and the Valencian vegetable gardens (just 500 meters away from the bar), but the esmorzar recipes are reimagined with modern and unique twists, such as their take on the traditional Almussafes (Topmussafes 2.0 with scrambled sobrada, poached onions, ham, and cheese) or one of the most popular choices, the Copa del Mundo with Spanish omelet, longaniza sausage, and aioli.
One of the latest discoveries in Riba-roja del Turia. The lunches here are a sight to behold. And if you don’t believe us, the photo proves it.
A Galician bar and winner of the 2017 Cacau d’Or award, which recognizes the best lunches in the region. 6.50 euros for a lunch, 50 cents more if you add a cremaet.
The bar that surprised José Andrés. Another classic, also a 2017 Cacau d’Or award winner. It’s in Borbotó; the esmorzar costs 5 euros (4 if you order a half sandwich). Don’t miss their cremaet.
Their tortilla sandwich with eggplant, cheese, and anchovies is simple, but one of the best we’ve ever tasted. It’s at L’Eliana. It recently changed owners.
La Pérgola
The legendary bar on Valencia’s Alameda is also a mecca for lunch. The “completo” costs around 6 euros. It’s closed on Sundays.
The Casa Marina bar leads the 2026 Spanish Sandwich Championship after winning first prize in the Valencian Community. Its championship-winning entry, the “Bocata de la Valldigna,” embodies the esmorzar tradition with a combination of locally sourced ingredients, grilled flavors, and bold taste.
The recipe features figatells and botifarrons, caramelized onions, melted cheese, and a touch of truffle mayonnaise. The spot was already known for its classic lunches and cremaets, and now it’s outshining strong competitors like La Mesedora and Cal Carrero to be crowned the ultimate sandwich stop in the area.
