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Within the Valencian gastronomic scene, there are countless restaurants or rice restaurants that worship the star culinary creation of the terreta. A universal and sacred dish that these 10 restaurants have reinterpreted under their vision, dancing between tradition and innovation, as a return to the roots in a contemporary key.
MIMAR VALENCIA
On the beach of La Patacona, you will find this haute cuisine Mediterranean rice restaurant where you can taste local rice dishes along with its latest update of classic dishes from the fishing district of El Cabanyal.
This restaurant with live ocean views, gastronomically directed by chef Raúl Aleixandre, includes in its menu a series of Valencian paellas and ‘rossejats’ such as the senyoret rice or its lobster or lobster trunk paella, cooked in the most traditional way: grilled and respecting the raw material.
Where to find us? Av. Mare Nostrum, 50.
BON AIRE
In the middle of the Albufera Natural Park, hides this restaurant represented through rice and tradition, serving an experience in which Valencian gastronomy is versioned in new formats by its chef, Raul Magraner, winner of numerous awards.
Within the menu of Bon Aire, which aims to stimulate the five senses, based on ‘arròs i la tradició’, we can find star dishes such as paella bon aire with chicken, rabbit, duck or snails, black pudding, artichokes and garlic, as well as the innovative paella of boletus, duck and foie.
Where to find us? Carrer de Cabdet, 41.
CASA CARMELA
Casa Carmela is the rice temple par excellence based on the traditional cuisine that revolves around this icon of Valencian gastronomy based on cooking over orange tree wood.
Valencian paella is made with all its classics: saffron, chicken, rabbit, bachoqueta, garrofó, sealed by the smoky flavor of the fire.
At Casa Carmela we only work with fresh fish and seafood brought to us directly from the fish market: Dénia shrimp, beach lobster, clams, Valencian clotxina, beach tellina… The chicken, rabbit and duck we use are still brought to us by our long-time supplier, and both the garrofó and the ferradura (white and green beans) we use in our paellas are native varieties.’
Where? Carrer d’Isabel de Villena, 155.
LLAR ROMÁN
Llar Román has been creating and perfecting the best rice dishes in Valencia for more than 40 years. A whole era in which they have reinterpreted tradition, evolving the essence of traditional cuisine as part of their identity.
In this family restaurant they serve creations such as the mellow carranc (crab), a classic of the area, as well as other recipes such as arròs amb fesols i naps (white beans and turnips) or arròs del senyoret, which have been praised by all the rice devotees who visit their restaurant.
LA MARÍTIMA
In this restaurant overlooking the sea, and an interior inspired by the traditional landscape of the Valencian Huerta, they serve some of the best Valencian rice dishes, among which the lobster paella, the raw cuttlefish and white blood sausage mellow or the senyoret rice as creations that reflect that avant-garde twist to tradition that represents the philosophy of La Marítima.
Where to find it? Edificio Veles e Vents, La Marina de, 46024.
LAVOE
In LAVOE they start from tradition to initiate a creative process towards the search for the perfect paella. In fact, they seem to have already achieved their goal based on the best ingredients from orchards, fish markets and ports with which their chef, Toni Lavoe, reimagines the classic Valencian paella with vegetables, meat and snails, following the recipe taught to him by his father.
Beyond the classics, he also presents different rice dishes such as cocido (stew) or nécoras (crab), which have positioned him as one of the standards of Valencian paella.
Where to find it? C/ Creu Nova, 4.
CASA ROBERTO
There is no love more sincere than our love for Paella Valenciana’, says the philosophy of this rice boutique that has already established itself as a true institution of Valencian paella.
This classic restaurant staged in a traditional way, opened its doors in 1986 and its chef, Roberto Aparicio, assures that they can serve more than 150 servings of paella a day. His is the typical recipe, to which he adds snails and artichoke, and finishes in the oven and grilled, so that the socarrat adheres well to the pan.
Where: Maestro Golzabo, 19.
EL RACÓ DE LA PAELLA
Óscar and Guillermo revolutionized the gastronomic scene from Racó de la Paella. A reference for the lovers of the classic paella of the terreta, cooked in an artisan way, to firewood, from the patio of this local with enchantment reconstructed on a traditional Valencian house.
Where to find it? Street Mosén Rausell, 17.
EL FAMÓS
El Famós is a farmhouse near the Ermita de Vera, where they elaborate Valencian paella with the products offered by the garden each season, with quality raw material among ingredients such as artichokes or tender beans. Their ‘paella de fetge de bou’ stands out above the rest, with tavella bajoqueta and garrafó.
Where to find it? Cmo de la Iglesia de Vera, 14.
GOYA GALLERY
In this gastronomic gallery located in l’Eixample, its chef Fernando Navarro presents a traditional Valencian paella, which has become a gastronomic symbol in Valencia, prepared with the canonical ingredients: chicken, rabbit, garrofó and bajoqueta, with a variety of Albufera rice.
Where to find it? Borriana Street, 3.