Published February 2026 · By the EcoHotels-IMPT Travel Team
The Valencian Community is one of Spain's most important food regions. This is where paella was born, where turrón (nougat) has been made for centuries, and where the unique horchata de chufa (tiger nut milk) is the drink of choice on a hot afternoon. The cuisine reflects the landscape — rice paddies around Albufera, citrus groves stretching across Valencia province, almond orchards in Alicante's mountains, and fresh seafood all along the 500-kilometre Mediterranean coast.
This guide covers the essential dishes of Valencian cuisine, where to eat them, and the best restaurants in Valencia, Alicante and Castellón.
The original paella, from the fields around the Albufera lagoon. Made with Bomba rice, chicken, rabbit, garrofó (runner beans), ferradura (flat green beans), saffron, rosemary and olive oil. Cooked over an open wood fire in a wide, shallow pan. The authentic version contains no seafood — that's paella de marisco. The best paella Valenciana is eaten for Sunday lunch at a casa de comidas near Albufera. Restaurants like Casa Carmela (Valencia beach) and El Racó de l'Aire (El Palmar) serve it traditionally.
Paella's cousin, made with short fideuá noodles instead of rice. From Gandía (Valencia province). Cooked with fish stock, monkfish, squid, prawns and mussels. Served with allioli (garlic mayonnaise). Try it at Casa Federico in Alicante or beach chiringuitos along the Costa Blanca.
A simple but iconic Alicante starter. Shredded roasted red peppers, desalted cod, garlic, olive oil and black olives. Served at room temperature. Found in nearly every traditional bar in Alicante city and the coastal towns.
A rich eel stew from the Albufera region. Eels (anguilles) cooked in a clay pot with garlic, paprika, potatoes and chilli. Historically a fisherman's dish. Served at lagoon-side restaurants in El Palmar village, the epicentre of Albufera cuisine.
Spain's classic Christmas nougat, but Jijona (Xixona in Valencian) in Alicante province produces it year-round. Two main types: turrón duro (hard, like almond brittle) and turrón blando (soft, marzipan-like almond paste). Visit the Museo del Turrón in Jijona to see how it's made. 1880 and El Lobo are the leading brands.
A refreshing milk made from tiger nuts (chufas), sugar and water. Originally from the Valencian town of Alboraya, just north of Valencia city. Served ice-cold in horchaterías alongside fartons — sweet, elongated breadsticks perfect for dipping. Horchatería Santa Catalina and Horchatería El Siglo in Valencia are historic institutions.
A traditional Valencian flatbread, similar to a savoury cake. Topped with whatever is seasonal — roasted vegetables, sardines, onions, peppers, or sometimes just sugar and aniseed. Found in bakeries and markets across the region.
Pumpkin fritters, a Valencian specialty especially during the Fallas festival in March. Light, crispy, dusted with sugar. Sold in street stalls across Valencia during festival season. Also made year-round in traditional bakeries.
Valencia's food scene blends tradition with Michelin-starred innovation. The Mercado Central is Europe's largest covered food market — over 300 stalls selling fresh produce, jamón, cheese and seafood. Join a guided food tour or just wander and eat.
Alicante's cuisine leans heavily on the sea. The Explanada de España is lined with seafood restaurants, but head into the old town (El Barrio) for the best tapas bars.
Castellón province is the quietest of the three, and its food scene reflects a slower pace. The interior towns are famous for truffles, mushrooms and game, while the coast offers excellent seafood.
The Valencian Community has three D.O. (Denominación de Origen) wine regions: Utiel-Requena (Valencia province), known for its Bobal red grapes; Alicante D.O. (including the famous Fondillón — a sweet dessert wine); and Valencia D.O., producing fresh whites and rosés from Moscatel and Macabeo grapes.
Fondillón is worth a special mention. This amber-coloured sweet wine from Alicante has been produced since the 15th century. It was mentioned by Shakespeare in Henry IV and was the favourite wine of the Russian tsars. Only a handful of bodegas still produce it today — try a glass at Bodega Las Virtudes or Bocopa in Alicante province.
Beyond wine, order a refresco de limón (local lemonade) or a vermut (vermouth) from a barrel at any traditional bar. The Valencian Community is also the birthplace of Agua de Valencia — a cocktail of cava, orange juice, vodka and gin, invented at the Café de las Horas in Valencia.
Mercado Central de Valencia — Europe's largest covered market. 300+ stalls. Fresh produce, jamón, cheese, seafood, tapas bars. Open Monday–Saturday mornings. Don't miss the esgarraet stall and the olive vendors.
Mercado Central de Alicante — Art Nouveau building from 1921. Less touristy than Valencia's. Best for local cheeses, dried peppers and fresh seafood. The upstairs bar serves excellent vermut.
Mercado Central de Castellón — Modernist market from 1949. Smaller but authentic. Best for local truffles, mushrooms and artisan breads.
Mercado de la Libertad (Valencia) — Smaller than Central but less crowded. Great for lunch — the food hall upstairs has rotating pop-up kitchens.
Valencians eat with the seasons. Here's what's best when:
Spring (March–May): Artichokes from Benicarló, broad beans, spring onions, the first strawberries. Las Fallas season means buñuelos de calabaza on every corner. Wild asparagus in the mountains. Easter brings mona de Pascua — a sweet cake with boiled eggs baked in.
Summer (June–August): Tomatoes, peppers, aubergines, melons, watermelons. The gazpacho season (Valencians make a thicker version than Andalusia). Fresh sardines grilled on the beach. The coca de tomata — flatbread with tomato and anchovies — is a summer staple.
Autumn (September–November): Orange harvest begins. Setas (mushrooms) in the mountain areas — try them in rice dishes. Pomegranates, persimmons (caqui from the Ribera region), and the first turrón appears in shops. Game season opens — rabbit and partridge appear in paellas.
Winter (December–February): Turrón everywhere. The olla de la Plana — a rich Castellón stew with pork, chickpeas and cabbage. Artichokes again. Cauliflower, cardoons and leeks. The best time for all i pebre — eels are at their fattest.
Learn to make paella yourself. Several excellent cooking schools operate in the region:
Eating sustainably in the Valencian Community is easy if you follow a few rules:
Eat at the market. Mercado Central de Valencia and Alicante are the most sustainable places to eat — produce is local, seasonal and unpackaged. Bring a reusable bag.
Order what's local. Paella Valenciana uses chicken, rabbit and beans — all local ingredients. Avoid imported seafood. Ask what's in season.
Skip the tourist traps. Paella on the main square in Valencia is usually reheated frozen paella. Walk 10 minutes to find a restaurant where locals eat — the food is better and the supply chain is shorter.
Drink local. Utiel-Requena wines travel far fewer miles than Rioja or Ribera del Duero. A glass of Bobal red with your paella is the most sustainable choice.
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Explore more: Valencian Community Guide · Best Time to Visit · Qué Hacer