The Best Restaurants in and Around Ruzafa, Valencia

If you’re looking for the perfect place to try authentic Valencian paella, Ruzafa has got you covered. Try the local institution Casa Roberto, which opened in 1986 and is still going strong thanks to its friendly service, truly Valencian atmosphere and perfect paellas. The kitchen here follows the traditional recipe and cooking methods for paella valenciana, with theirs including plenty of vegetables and a large helping of snails. If that’s not your thing, there are plenty of other rice dishes to choose from!

This unpretentious, modern restaurant is a great choice for either a romantic meal or night out with friends. With its warm atmosphere and inexpensive, high-quality Mediterranean cuisine, it’s hard not to like. There’s always something interesting on the specials board, and the focus is on fresh local meats and fish paired with vegetables to create dishes bursting with flavour, such as their duck breast with mashed pumpkin, mango and port.

No visit to Valencia would be complete without a tapas dinner or two. For something a bit different, this famous and great value Ruzafa restaurant combines local and international flavours to create a menu of tapas plates that promises to take you around the world. Dishes like red curry prawns and mini Black Angus burgers go way beyond the traditional croquetas and patatas bravas – but don’t worry, those local favourites are on the menu too.

If you think healthy food can’t be fun and delicious, you’ve obviously never been to the Copenhagen restaurant. Part of a small chain of what must be some of the most popular restaurants in Valencia, it boasts sleek Scandi design and flavourful vegan food inspired by every corner of the world. Health-conscious diners who don’t want to compromise on flavour will love the varied menu, and the kitchen is careful to cater for any dietary needs.

Another great choice serving up true Valencian cuisine, this restaurant decked out in ceramics and wood has a very homely feel. Despite being a local favourite, it’s also a welcoming place for visitors and the friendly, English-speaking staff are happy to guide you with your food and drink choices, whether you fancy trying the paella, fresh seafood or something else.

If you’re in the mood for sushi, next to Ruzafa you’ll find a cluster of Japanese restaurants in the upscale Canovas area. The best of these is the unusual and innovative Sushi y Tapas which, as the name suggests, fuses local flavours and Japanese traditions to create “tapas style” sushi dishes that are very much worth a try. It’s also a great place to go for all the Japanese classics like spicy ramen, tuna tartar and giyoza.

If you’re a fan of simple, seasonal, Italian cuisine you’ll want to book a table here ASAP. The menu is varied and ever-changing but it’s full of mouthwatering choices, like their duck rolls with candied pear and gorgonzola cream in filo pastry with an onion crumble, as well as simple (but no less delectable) salad, pizza and pasta offerings. Make sure to pair it all with a glass or two from their long list of local wines and vermouths. It’s easy to see why this restaurant has now opened a couple of other locations around town.