It may seem obvious, but paella, just like in Valencia, isn’t served just anywhere. And since we’re talking about paella, you’ll want to know where to eat the best paella in Valencia.
The traditional recipe states that a good paella includes chicken, rabbit, rosemary, saffron, garrofó beans, and bajoqueta or green beans. And if it’s cooked over a wood fire, even better. Based on this, here are the best restaurants to enjoy an authentic Valencian paella.
Sequial 20
The Sequial 20 restaurant in Sueca won first prize in the 2023 Sueca International Paella Competition.
This restaurant in Picassent is one of the most highly recommended spots for enjoying a delicious wood-fired rice dish on the outskirts of Valencia. It has even been recommended by The New York Times. Valencian paella, baked rice, and seafood rice are their specialties.
Casa El Famós Restaurant
Considered the oldest tavern in Valencia, this family-run country house has been serving rice dishes since 1890. Located next to the vegetable garden, it offers more than 15 varieties of paella and rice dishes cooked over a wood fire, ranging from the classic chicken and rabbit to lobster or espardenyà.
Alejandro Platero’s restaurant won the award for “Best Paella in the Valencian Community” at the latest International Paella Contest in Sueca.
This restaurant in El Palmar has won the International Valencian Paella Contest on more than one occasion. In 2018, it was named the best paella in the world.
Second prize in the 2023 Sueca International Competition went to chef Binhui Jiang, who runs the kitchen at this modest bar in Valencia where paella has become his specialty.
“It used to be a neighborhood bar that offered a paella menu, but because of our love for paella, we started making it with different ingredients. Now we offer a wide variety of paellas tailored to the customer’s taste, especially with Asian ingredients,” explains Binhui Jiang.
You’ll find it in Serra, at the foot of the Sierra Calderona, and it’s one of the best, endorsed by Wikipaella, the Bible of Valencian paella.
A classic among orange groves and orange blossoms. If you have the chance, enjoy your paella on this restaurant’s terrace overlooking the orange groves.
Founded in 1922, its wood-fired paella is one of the best in the city. Over 100 years of cooking paella is a sure bet.
You can also enjoy a great paella in the center of Valencia. You’ll find it next to the Serranos Towers, and it’s one of the best.
La Ferradura
This restaurant in Alboraya is another summer classic: paella and the beach. It’s a great venue for celebrations, so if you’re up for it, it’s a great option to enjoy a proper paella on La Patacona Beach.
It’s more than just a restaurant. At Toni’s barraca, you can enjoy wood-fired paella and produce from the Valencian countryside like nowhere else. Everyone eats at the same time when Toni rings the bell. It’s a complete Valencian experience. About 30 euros (set menu for a full table with tapas, paella, and dessert).
El Racó de la Paella
We return to the city of Valencia to discover another special spot. This restaurant in Campanar specializes in one thing: paella. And they make that crystal clear with their name. Then, once you try their rice dishes, you’ll be hooked for life.
Sueca is the birthplace of paella, where much of the rice from the Albufera comes from. And that’s why it also has one of the best restaurants specializing in this dish.
Alquería del Pou
This restaurant is located very close to the Ciutat de les Arts. Valencia’s metropolitan vegetable garden offers the perfect setting for celebrations and meals that you’ll want to last forever.
El Racó de Meliana
Right in the heart of Meliana, we find a restaurant where they really know their paella. Their Valencian recipe is the most popular, though they also offer other dry and creamy rice dishes.
In 2022, it received the award for best paella in the Valencian Community. This restaurant in the La Canyada neighborhood of Paterna specializes in Mediterranean cuisine. It is run by Carles López and Sonia Lluch—a chef trained at the CDT Valencia and a professional with over 10 years of experience in the front-of-house sector.
