Valencia is a diverse city with so much to offer, making it ideal for culture lovers, beach bunnies and those looking for a long weekend in a vibrant city. It is also becoming an increasingly attractive destination for tourists looking for luxury gastronomy as the city is home to more than two and a half thousand restaurants, including many creative innovations, Michelin-starred haunts and traditional local eateries.
 
The most famous dish to come out of Valencia is unquestionably the paella – a dish of rice, green vegetables, butterbeans and a variety of meats seasoned with olive oil and spices. The dish originated in the 19th century and is particularly special due to the excellent rice crop grown in the Valencia region. You could eat paella every single day of the week in the city and not run out of restaurants for months but some of the best eateries are those that date back many years. La Pepica on Malvarrosa Beach is an extremely popular location, renowned for its delicious paella, which is served at lunchtime, according to local custom. Its luxury comes in the form of exquisite traditional food and décor, along with the beautiful outdoor terrace and expansive views across the ocean. The restaurant has been open for over a century and has served dishes to a whole host of esteemed clientele including Ernest Hemingway, Ava Gardner, Antonio Banderas and Melanie Griffith. The restaurant has even welcomed royalty in the form of King Don Juan Carlos I and Queen Sofia.
 
The Civera restaurant is another landmark on Valencia’s luxury cuisine landscape. The family-run eatery is located close to Colon station and has been open for nearly half a century, welcoming the most elegant of diners and serving seafood that is renowned in the region for its quality and freshness. Casa Carmina in El Saler is also widely considered to serve the best rice dishes in the whole region and offers a whole host of traditional Valencia meals within which rice is the main ingredient. 
 
One of the most attractive features of Valencia’s cuisine is its creativity. The Michelin-starred La Sucursal is located inside Valencia’s Modern Art Museum and offers an elegant menu of fusion cuisine that focuses on producing the best texture, flavour and presentation in every dish. Each plate is presented as an artwork, providing the perfect complementary experience to a visit to the museum – which was the first modern art centre to open in Spain and one of the most visited art museums in the world. La Sucursal has recently opened a second branch near the City of Arts and Sciences but its original location is the epitome of luxury dining. An equally trendy location is the Ampar restaurant, situated close to the Turia Gardens and the historic centre of the city. Its black-and-white design is the ultimate in chic and it is a great place for luxury dining with imaginative and flavourful nouvelle cuisine.
 
The Oceanographic complex is another popular attraction that includes a beautiful luxury restaurant. The Submarino restaurant offers a very different style of dining where guests can eat ‘underwater’ surrounded by marine life. The whole experience is unique and the restaurant’s design and ambience is stylish and extremely tasteful, with local and world foods.
 
No review of luxury food in Valencia would be complete without a mention of Ricard Camarena, the Michelin-starred chef whose eponymous offering brings a whole new meaning to the word ‘luxury’. The surroundings are embedded in Oriental-style elegance while the food’s is designed with understated cosmopolitan creativity, the freshest seasonal produce and elaborate presentation. Camarena’s other Valencia offerings are extremely diverse and take in local market produce and unique eating experiences.
 
Finally, no visit to Valencia would be complete without a meal at Riff. Rated for three years running in the Anuario Gastronómico as the best restaurant at which to eat rice in Valencia, it is surely top of the list for those who want to sample the best of the local dishes. Another place that is as famous for its rice as it is for its spectacular location is Duna. Situated on the beachfront within the Albufera Natural Park, it is a stylish space with a beautiful outdoor terrace and outstanding food to match.
 
For a real treat for foodies coming to the city, the Valencia Cuina Oberta-Restaurant Week takes place twice a year usually in the months of June and November. The ten-day festival sees some of the finest restaurants in the city offer diners the opportunity to enjoy their cuisine at a special price. The festival is designed to promote Valencia cuisine to the wider world and offer a fabulous dining experience, too. For more information, visit Valencia Cuina Oberta- Valencia Restaurant Week  website For more great restaurants, please refer to this link.

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