Spanish cuisine is famous throughtout the world. Classed as mediteranen food, famous for its variety, rich flavours and healthy ingredients.
In all this, Valencia is well known for outstanding produce, like the famous valencian oranges, la Huerta (irrigated garden) with its vegetables and sea food.

Rice has a big part to play as is very famous in this region. It has written one of the largest pages in the history of spanish cooking. After all,who hasn´t heard of Valencian Paella? Another variety of paella is Fideuá which consists of noodles and is absolutely delicious like black rice which gets its colour from cuttlefish ink.

Another great Valencian creation is Horchata, a sweet drink made from tiger nuts. The plant resembles rice and is only grown in Alboraya, a neighbouring village to Valencia. It is delicious drank cold and looks a bit like milk and is ivory in colour. It´s usually drank in summer with Fartons, large, long, thin rolls; an essential compliment in order to fully appreciate Horchata.

Tapas are also typical. Served on small plates to be shared with others. The most famous tapas are las Patatas Bravas, ham and cheese, anchovies and snails. All of these you can taste in any bar or restaurant in Valencia and they are usually very good value for money.

University cafés and reatuarants are open during the week and offer cheap meals. Other restaurants near to the University also offer good value food.

Blasco Ibañez would be worth checking out as it has places that cater for impoverished students. In the city centre there is a wide range of culinary establishments throughout
all of the districts. The Barrio Carmen area has many small, local restaurants. Here for example you can find an intimate italian restaurant or a typical spanish bar. If you have a good look around you can eat well and not pay too much.

There are several restaurants on the Paseo Maritime by the beach, many of which
serve Valencian cuisine and it is definately the best area place to go in search of a good Paella.

In the Cánovas area, near to the Gran Via Marques del Turia, you will come across a huge variety of eateries mixed with many bars and pubs.

Valencia is full of supermarkets for your weekly food shopping. Among the most popular is Mercadona which is reasonably priced. There is one on Blasco Inbañez nº 81.

Opencor are small convience supermarkets that are open from 8:00 am until 2:00 am. They do tend to be more expensive yet are useful for purchasing emergency food items, books, gifts and mobile phone credit. The closest one to the University is on C/ Ramón Llull nº 19.

Most service stations have small grocery stores too and are generally open 24 hours. There is one by Plaza Xúquer (close to the university).

We would recommend you to pay a trip to the various markets that the city has to offer. Here you will get the best experience of how true Valencian people go about their grocery shopping and you are more likely to find the better culinary products of Valencia. For example, fresh fish, excellent meats and vegetables from the irrigated garden.

The Central Market is the biggest and the best, selling the finer quality of produce at the best price. Although worth an hour of your time would be the Cabañal Market at
the eastern end of Blasco Ibañez. (C/ Justo Vilar)

Spanish people tend to eat later than other europeans. Breakfast, continental style, is taken between 7h30 and 10h00 in the morning. Food in restaurants is served between 14h00 and 15h30 and then from 21h00 until 22h30. Larger establishments are opened from 10h00 unitl 21h00. The majority of shops open saturday mornings yet are closed all day on sundays and bank holidays.