{"id":9985,"date":"2020-08-28T14:06:48","date_gmt":"2020-08-28T12:06:48","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/devourvalenciafoodtours.com\/?p=94"},"modified":"2023-01-23T17:01:45","modified_gmt":"2023-01-23T17:01:45","slug":"best-places-for-paella-in-valencia","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"http:\/\/dev.devourtours.com\/blog\/best-places-for-paella-in-valencia\/","title":{"rendered":"Paella in Valencia: Our Top Picks (& How to Spot the Good Stuff)"},"content":{"rendered":"\r\n\r\n\r\n

If you’re dead-set on eating paella when you visit Spain, you’re not alone. Paella is probably the most famous Spanish food throughout the world, and one countless visitors to Spain have on their bucket lists. But while you’d be forgiven for thinking that paella is a staple at restaurants and in homes throughout the country, it’s especially highly revered in its home region of Valencia.<\/p>\r\n

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How do you know if your paella spot is the real deal? Keep reading to find out!<\/figcaption><\/figure>\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n

We’ll show you some of our favorite places to eat paella in Valencia, but first, let’s take a look at what paella is and how to know you’re ordering one that’s worth your time.<\/p>\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n

Paella’s humble beginnings<\/h2>\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n

Valencia’s climate is perfect for growing rice, and locals have enjoyed paella in one form or another for centuries.<\/p>\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n

It all started when laborers working the fields in Valencia’s inland areas would cook rice in a flat pan with whatever vegetables and meat they could find. Healthy, hearty and easy to make, it was perfect after a long morning of hard manual labor.<\/p>\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n

Early recipes had some variations, but most paella traditionalists agree that true paella valenciana<\/em> is made with chicken, rabbit, snails, green beans, and local garrof\u00f3 <\/em>beans (similar to lima beans). Together with a slow-cooked sofrito<\/em>, beautiful crimson saffron, and the rice itself, this is Valencian paella in its purest form.<\/p>\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n

Nowadays, you’ll find plenty of variations on paella, including seafood and “mixed” (think surf-and-turf) varieties, many of which are just as delicious as the original. But not all paellas are created equal. Thanks to its iconic status outside of Spain, plenty of restaurants serve subpar versions in order to cater to unsuspecting tourists.<\/p>\r\n

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An authentic Valencian-style paella: a shallow layer of short-grain rice topped with beans and snails, among other things. Photo credit: Giulia Verdinelli<\/a><\/figcaption><\/figure>\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n

How to find great paella in Valencia<\/h2>\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n

So how do you narrow down which paellas are actually worth your time? There are a few tell-tale signs:<\/p>\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n