In 2024, Alejandra Merit dreamed of opening a space where art, gastronomy and improvisation would go hand in hand in Valencia. Today, that dream is already a reality: Veneno has opened its doors in April 2025 in the Ruzafa neighborhood (Peris y Valero, 124), and promises to be one of the great cultural protagonists of the city.
“I feel like I’ve touched a poison in me with this project,” Merit confessed a year ago, when she began to shape the idea after leaving her position as marketing director of the Voltereta group. “During a trip, I lost my fear of entrepreneurship and out-of-the-ordinary experiences,” she explained at the time.
“After three years at Voltereta, even though I was in love with the company, I felt I had reached my ceiling,” she said.
The idea of Veneno is inspired by other great cultural capitals such as Paris or New York. This space will be located in a brutalist-style warehouse and will feature daily cultural and artistic programming and a lot of improvisation.
Veneno viral in networks
“I want Veneno to be very close, a space for people,” details Merit, who surprised on Instagram with his challenge to raise 300,000 euros in 30 days to finance the project through brands, friends and family. Veneno has also incorporated Gonzalo Calvo as a strategic partner of the project.
In addition to the success in networks, Veneno received recognition from Valencia Activa with an entrepreneurship award, and has participated in events such as FOMO (Marina de Empresas), Brother Valencia and CEU Cardenal-Herrera.
A program that changes every day
Veneno is not an ordinary restaurant: it is a living space. Every day it offers a different proposal, always accompanied by its own fingerfood menu:
- Monday: Detox Day – dinner without cell phones; they are collected in a box at the entrance.
- Tuesday: creativity workshops with local artists.
- Wednesday: cinema with short films by Valencian creators.
- Thursday: live art – concerts, theater, exhibitions.
- Friday: Afterwork to disconnect.
- Saturday: Electronic Esmorzaret with live DJ.
- Sunday: market of designers and local brands.
A space where everything can happen, designed to be a haven of creativity, culture and gastronomy. “I want Veneno to be very close, a space for people”, said Alejandra in 2024. Today, after months of work and much expectation, that vision is materialized in every corner of this ship.