We were only in Valencia for a short period of time and were limited to staying inland (as we didn't want to bus, cab, or hike to the beach because we were far), but it didn't stop us from eating some of the best food I've had in my entire life. Here are some amazing spots you should hit up for food if you ever find yourself in this relaxed, historic, beautiful city.
Where we Ate:
When we arrived in Valencia i was majorly craving a jamón bocadilla (ham sandwich, I speak very little Spanish at this point but I know that phrase). I think seeing all of them in the cafe I got coffee at that morning really sparked my craving, but I wanted one in Valencia and not the Barcelona train station at 10am. When we got to Valencia I wasted no time looking up the best ham sandwiches in Valencia, and this place came up right away, and for valid reasons. This freaking HAM. I literally can’t. It was the best ham I’ve ever had. The sandwich was just bread, jamón, and oil. I never knew something so simple could be so good. I was going to add cheese but our waiter said not to because it takes away from the ham and I’m so glad he offered his advice and I took it because my taste buds were so happy with the simple sandwich. Though it was simple the sandwich was bigger than my head, and I almost ate all of it. I seriously haven’t had a sandwich this good since I ate one on fresh french bread in France back in the day.
My dad added a Spanish omelette and tomato spread to his and the whole sandwich was maybe 6 inches thick and tasted inSANE! You can’t go wrong with any of the sandwiches on this menu, or anything else i’m guessing. Our waiter was also so funny and nice. They have great service, prices, and atmosphere there. Who wouldn't wanna sit outside eating sandwiches on a beautiful day in Valencia.
We also got a grilled vegetable plate because #health and it was amazing. There was so much fresh oil, salt, and pepper. The vegetables were also cooked to perfection. If you think you don’t like veggies you need to try them from here and your mind will be changed. They also have a huge menu beyond sandwiches: great tapas and drink combo deals, lots of tapas, so much jamón, sandwiches, fish/meat entrees, and more. Cannot rave about this place enough.
This was the first place that came up when I Googled “healthy food in Valencia” and it lived right up to that reputation. They have lots of toasts, smoothies, coffee, teas, and acai bowls of course. You can customize what you put on top of your acai bowl or order straight from the menu. I loved their selection of toppings and how generous they were with them. The acai base was also not too sweet so you could tell it was made from healthy, top notch ingredients. I got buckwheat, kiwi, slivered almonds, chia, and goji berries. SO YUM! You can even make a reservation to get a table here as it gets crowded during breakfast and lunch time, yes it is that good.
If you want authentic, delicious tapas come here. The menu was even all in Spanish. Luckily we recognized most dishes from eating in Barcelona, my Spanish career from 5th-12th grade, and then the rest from Google translator. I’d say we didn’t do too shabby ordering and the meal turned out well. We went very simple: two croquettes (one jamon, one spinach). They were SO good. A croquette is like a mozzarella stick but better because it's filled with stuff other than cheese like ham, spinach, potatoes, meats, fish etc. It's the perfect combination of creamy on the inside and crispy on the outside. It was probably good we only ordered two because I could eat maybe 20 of these if I was hungry enough and ruin the rest of the meal.
We also got the cheese board. The hard cheese was better than the soft but when it comes to cheese I don’t discriminate. Unless it's Kraft. I hate that fake plastic crap. Okay anyways rant over back to good food! The little bread they gave us with the cheese plate was so cute too.
We also got Valencian tomatoes. There were the best tomatoes I have ever tasted, fresh from Valencia. They just had some oil on them and that’s all they really needed. Locally sourced food is just so much better. Tastes good and good for ya! Can't get better than that.
Also got bread, duh. You really can’t have cheese without bread and I have to eat bread at least once every single day (kind of like caffeine for me) so I needed this. It was so fresh and I liked it so much I forgot to even take a picture of it until we only had half a piece left. I also liked how they just gave you bread with no tomatoes because i was a little tired of the combo at this point and just wanted my plain old gluten filled carbs on their own. Call ahead to make a reservation! We got lucky we were eating early and there were still tables but once it’s dinner time it fills up quickly.
If you go to Valencia you have to eat the paella. It’s a coastal city so the fish is so fresh and I can confirm from eating here.
I also tried Jugo de Valencia which is cava or champange, orange juice, vodka and gin. It tastes like straight up orange juice. Dangerous but good.
Also they give out free bread here too HOLLA!!! In typical fashion we got some fresh grilled vegetables because #health again. They were so fresh and amazing. They came with a housemade romanesco sauce as well which was probably the best sauce I’ve had since eating in Italy. Hot tip: get the vegetables and when you have leftover sauce from them dip your bread in it.
Okay now for the star of the show: the paella. OMG. First of all the portion is HUGE. Second of all this is one of best things I’ve ever eaten. The rice was seasoned perfectly and complimented the fresh fish so well. This was one of my top five meals of the trip by far and I cannot recommend this place enough for paella in Valencia. You might wanna call ahead as it’s very popular (as it should be) and got extremely busy around dinner time, luckily we showed up right before the rush. Also if you don’t like fish or paella they’ve got plenty of other good things on their menu.
Amorino Plaza San Lorenzo
It was honestly kind of an impulse and a total tourist trap, but the gelato was so pretty and tasted amazing. I’m a big gelato girl and a big macaron girl so this was the perfect post dinner combo to satisfy my sweet tooth.
