Dining and Drinking

The Mediterranean is not only a region, but also a way of life and a philosophy. Here more than anywhere else in Europe, people enjoy the sun, the light, the sea and, of course, the food. The famous Mediterranean diet is known all over the world not only for its excellent flavour and its natural ingredients but also as a source of health and well-being.

Valencia is one of the most important cities on the Mediterranean coast, and naturally, it has made important contributions to this cuisine. This is the city that invented paella, and restaurants like Samaruch stand out in its preparation. Other Mediterranean options include the baked rice which is the speciality of Hotel Lido or top-quality fish, meat and seafood as offered by the restaurant Casa Navarro, which has the added benefit of being next to the sea.

Another option on the coast that would be unforgivable not to mention is La Marcelina, the most famous restaurant on Las Arenas beach. They have been preparing the best paella and seafood in Valencia for more than a hundred years. It is the best example perhaps of the Mediterranean lifestyle.

If you're not all that hungry, then you could just order tapas. Tasty favourites include Spanish omelette (with potatoes), fried squid, peppers, baby squid and a lot more. Gambrinus offers a great selection of all of these, but other options in the centre include Bar Pilar or Río Sil-Civera.

If we continue along our gastronomic route in the old part of the city, we will find fantastic restored buildings turned into restaurants. Among them, La Mamma, which is an old palace more than 100 years old, stands out. It is full of works of art and they serve delicious Italian food and pasta upstairs and cocktails on the ground floor. Similarly, another converted palace in the same area offers the best Valencian cuisine, both traditional and innovative. It is called Ben Fet, which in Valencian means "well done", an evening here and you will understand why.

In the last few years, Valencia has been visited by increasing numbers of foreigners and some of them have stayed on, becoming residents and providing Valencia with a cosmopolitan touch in both the type of bars as well as restaurants available. You will find Mexican restaurants such as El Coyote Cojo, that brings us all the atmosphere and tastes of Mexico, French restaurants such as Les Mouettes or La Fondue, Tariq from Pakistan and also international restaurants with theme weeks dedicated to the cuisine of each of the six inhabited continents as is the case with Phileas Fogg.

There are also several vegetarian options for vegetable lovers, such as the restaurant, Les Maduixes, and its fantastic meals without meat.

But in Valencia people don't only eat, they also drink. A couple of typical local drinks worth trying include Agua de Valencia, a very tasty cocktail which mixes champagne and orange juice. It will help liven up those nights out on the town, though you should be careful, as it could cheer you up too much. On hot, sunny afternoons and especially in spring and summer, there is nothing better to fight the heat than a glass of horchata. This is a natural drink which consists of squeezing chufas (tiger nuts) to get a milky white liquid which will quench the worst thirst. The horchaterías, Daniel or El Siglo, make it better than anywhere else in the city. If you are hungry, you can order fartóns, an elongated pastry specially made for the occasion.

As you can see, Valencia as a city has known how to preserve the best of the Mediterranean tradition, but it has also adapted to new times, new trends and incorporated the tastes and wisdom of other cultures, proving that Valencia is today more than ever a city open to the world, and one well-worth visiting.

   Copyright © 1999-2009 wcities.com all right reserved