Valencia has restaurants that are an institution. These centenary spaces, which unfortunately are becoming fewer and fewer, are unofficial embassies of Valencian gastronomy and know-how. Casa Carmela, on the Malvarrosa beach, is one of them because of its history and quality.
Four family generations have kept the business going since 1922. This year this emblematic place celebrates its centenary without changing its recipe. Here they follow the rhythms set by great-grandmother Carmen and that Toni Novo, in charge since 2011, executes with excellence every day.
The history of Casa Carmela
The history of Casa Carmela dates back to the Valencia of the early twentieth century, when the beach was filled with huts for bathers. Casa Carmela began as a hut that served as a changing room and later launched a takeaway service.
The humble hut later became a small bar-restaurant facing the Mediterranean and successive renovations have made it what it is today, a modern corner, adapted to its time, but maintaining all the essence that Doña Carmen devised.
Always with orange tree wood and only with local ingredients, paella is the star dish of Casa Carmela, with a price of 15 euros per portion. It is only made to order.
The Senyoret rice, lobster paella or beach lobster paella are other of the most demanded dishes on the menu.
The rice can be accompanied by a wide range of sea and mountain tapas such as oysters, prawns, esgarraet, puntilla, Iberian ham or a selection of Valencian cheeses, among others. As explained on their website, they only work with fresh fish and seafood brought directly from the fish market, such as Dénia shrimp, beach lobster, clams, Valencian clotxina or beach tellina.
During the last 100 years, its gastronomic offer has gone beyond the limits of the everyday, appearing even in novels such as Manuel Vicent’s Tranvía a la Malvarrosa, or being one of the reference places of the most illustrious neighbor of the neighborhood, Vicente Blasco Ibáñez.
Casa Carmela receives 150 diners every day and cooks about 25 paellas per service. Why do we mention it? Because it is advisable to make a reservation so as not to miss out on enjoying a place with so much history in Valencia.