Valencian cuisine is full of diverse flavors, from tasty seafood to delicious desserts and besides its famous paella there are many more local specialties you need to try.
Esgarraet, or tenderly roasted red peppers and delicious fish, is one of Valencia’s favorite typical foods. This tasty salad includes strips of bacalao (salted codfish) and roasted red peppers, both of which are cut into fine strips. It’s usually served with plenty of olive oil and bread on the side to soak up the juices.

Arròs a banda (Rice and Fish) is a fisherman’s dish, traditionally eaten in coastal areas. A highly esteemed dish nowadays and undoubtedly one of the most famous in the Region of Valencia, arròs a banda has humble origins. Originally the rice was cooked with leftover fish from the markets, such as hake or monkfish, stewed with potato and onion.

The rice was cooked with the broth from the stew, as a mere side dish to accompany the fish, hence its name, which means ‘rice separately’. It is usually served up with all i oli (garlic mayonnaise) and the town of Dénia holds a prestigious international arròs a banda competition every year.
As for the desserts…
Bunyols are yummy fritters containing a touch of pumpkin in the dough. Locals usually snack on them during the famous Las Fallas festival in March, but we recommend enjoying them any time of year. Bunyols or buñuelos, Spanish, are a favorite treat all over the country but they have their roots on the eastern coast and are considered one of the typical foods from Valencia.

Horchata and fartons are the Valencian summer delight. Lots of people have enjoyed a nice cool glass of horchata in the summer, but many probably don’t know that this delicious vegan milk comes from Valencia. Locals typically accompany it with fartons, a sweet bread glazed with sugar.

Cover image via Youtube