Valencia is the birthplace of paella, so of course if you are travelling to Valencia you must try some and discover the infamous dish for yourself. Originally made by farmers, the workers would cook this dish for lunch and share it between everyone from one pan which is where the word paella comes from. It was made with whatever was to hand around the countryside, sometimes rabbit or duck may have been added for special occasions, but mostly snails as they were easier to access. Saffron and paprika give it its famous yellow colour, and often green beans are added for texture. In this article I am going to recommend 5 different restaurants to choose from when deciding where to get paella in Valencia.
Panorama
If you are looking for a restaurant with wow factor look no further than Panorama, with the best views over la Malvarrosa beach and the Mediterranean sea. The menu has a variety of different dishes and drinks to satisfy any group as well as of course paella. They serve the classics, valencian, seafood and also vegetable paella which is helpful if there are any vegetarians wanting to try this cultural dish. If you want to go all out on holiday or impress a date, Panorama would be the place for you.
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Gran Azul
Gran Azul is a sleek space with tiles and pale wood decor, serving the best fish and meat on the market to create its dishes. Its paellas are the main event with a selection of six different types to choose from, including one with Bresse pigeon. Of course it serves paella valenciana as well and a variety of different seafood adaptations.
Rincon 33
Rincon 33 is located in the heart of the old town and lives up to its thousands of good reviews. With a wide range of tapas and paella, this would be the perfect spot if you want to share a lot of different dishes. Instead of serving traditional valencian paella, Rincon 3 has many seafood variations, such as senyoret rice with mussels, prawns and cuttlefish and they even have a black rice version with squid ink.
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Casa Roberto
Casa Roberto was founded in August 1986, when Roberto Aparicio (a cook who has been in the profession for more than 40 years) decided to focus his efforts on offering high-quality cuisine, focused on the traditional roots of typical Valencian cuisine. The menu is small and fine-tuned for perfection, among them of course is the Paella Valenciana, with chicken, rabbit, fresh vegetables and snails. There are other rice dishes, all are a seafood variation such as lobster rice and creamy rice with red royal crab. With its warm orange interior and traditional valencian tiles, you will definitely feel the immersion of this incredible culture at Casa Roberto.
La barraca de Toni Montoliu
La barraca de Toni Montoliu is run by farmer Toni who takes pride in showing people across the world valencian specialities using organic traditional practices. The star of their cuisine is their paella with rabbit and chicken, made with orange firewood, as it has always been done. With fresh produce from their Huerta (vegetable garden) and season orientated menus, those who visit La barraca de Toni wil be sure to have the most traditional valencian experience
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