When the opportunity is painted bald, it must be taken advantage of. Valencia will celebrate next Tuesday the 20th, the staging of one of the most important annual events in the world of gastronomy, “The World’s 50 Best Restaurants”. It is a good way to close a fantastic cycle for the city in many aspects. I’m not going to get into political issues, lest the bull catch me.
No one will doubt that Valencia has shone like a supernova in the Michelin firmament over the last five years, thanks to our fantastic chefs and cooks, but also thanks to those who have taken the reins of tourism, such as Emiliano Garcia and the team from the Visit Foundation Valencia, captained by Toni Bernabé. Among his achievements we can count: “The World Paella Day”, the Paella BIC (Asset of Cultural Interest), accompanied by the application to UNESCO Intangible Heritage of Humanity, or the Michelin Guide Gala last year. Initiatives that have consolidated the city as a first class gastronomic destination, with a lot of muscle and well plated. That will remain in the memory of the people for a while and in the newspaper archives for the remains. For my part, I just want to pay a small tribute to the 50 bars where the best Valencian lunch is served, and happiness is shared in abundance.
1.- LA MAR SALÁ (Playa del Dossel, Cullera): Pioneers of lunches in cauldrons (paellas). Nando gave a new dimension to l’esmorzar. The sky between the dunes.
2.- RAUSELL (València): The most serious and thorough establishment of the Valencian hospitality industry. There you have lunch, eat and dine always well. The best product bar in town.
3.- LA PASCUALA (Cabanyal, Valencia): Pioneers of large and very large lunches. Of course, they were for dockers and not for instagramers.
4.- LA PÉRGOLA (Paseo de la Alameda, Valencia): The place where chocolates are eaten for lunch, as if it were a pastry shop. The best terrace in the city.
5.- EL TROCITO DEL MEDIO (València): A bar next to the Central Market that began as a small piece and is now almost the entire block. You can take the product from the market to be cooked for you.
6.- CASA CENT DUROS (Borbotó – l’Horta Nord): It is the bar that José Andrés chose to find out what this Valencian lunch meant. Orchard and authenticity.
7.- MARVI (València): Going to Tino’s house is the best, especially when you already know him. He makes himself loved and surpasses himself every day. Champion of cremaet 2023.
8.- ASADOR PASTORET (Nàquera): One day having lunch there became a traffic and public order problem. It will be that they do it well.
9.- CHAPARRAL (Serra): Keep going up, don’t look back. Go up up! pedal! Then there’s a prize. And of the good ones, one of them, the views from the Garbí.
10.- CASA SANCHIS, LA TULIPA (Gandia): Figatell paradise. Of course, the owner is from Beneixama.
11.- BAR MESTALLA (València): It is the lunch bar par excellence of the Local Police. Varied, fast and you don’t get fined in the second row.
12.- BERGAMONTE (La Puebla de Farnals) Gourmet grilled Iberian meats and brutal oil bread with its entourage of sauces. Great service.
13.- L’INSTITUT (Riba-roja del Túria): A place where you go crazy. Visentico is the master of ceremonies for lunch lovers. If this were a religion, he would be a bishop.
14.- DON COLOR (Gandia): Variety of cauldrons and stews like no other known place. Shifts and lunch shifts. The wait is worth it.
15.- THE ATENEU OF ALAQUAS (Alaquàs): Having lunch at the Ateneo transports you back in time. Popular and authentic. Terrace and castle to conquer wills.
16.- LES PLANES (Grao de Castellón): Those who say that cuttlefish is the best are right.
17.- BAR MERCAT (Xàbia): A must visit. There is little left of the market, almost everything is bar and show.
18.- BONANZA (Mercat Municipal de Dénia): Robert’s baret inside the market, all the product, quality and variety that can be expected from the Marina Alta.
19.- CASA PAQUITA (Eslida, Castellón): Empire of the bicycle, nutritious and energetic lunch, and the best carajillo in the province. Mel de romer and water from its sources.
20.- FERNANDET (Swedish): They opted for excellence and gourmet lunches on request. Less problems and better clientele.
21.- CASA TERE (Grao de Gandia): The abundance and good hospitality of Miguel Navarro makes him have a legion of followers.
22.- LA VILLAGE (Cabanyal, Valencia): A place with so much charm and flavor that it fills your soul. Cabanyal in its purest form.
23.- RAMOS (San Antonio de Requena): If you put one foot in Utiel and the other in Requena, the eggs… mask, sausage and rosé bobal wine.
24.- CA TOMÁS (Alzira): Of the good, the best of the Ribera Alta. Or early morning or early morning. Gourmet lunches and for Gluttoniers
25.- REYTON (Swedish): If you enter, you may not come out. A place to live having lunch. You love the loves.
26.- CA MARIO (Fondeguilla, Castellón): The bar where those who know what’s on go. And Mario there is only one.
27.- LLAURADOR (Pedreguer, Alicante): Dani, the cook who kneads the best cocas in the Marina, cauldrons, snails, trotters… I’m dying.
28.- LES TAPES DE RAFA (Carcaixent, Valencia): His lunches are masterpieces with Rafa on sax and his wife in the kitchen.
29.- CENTRAL BAR by Ricard Camarena (Central Market of Valencia): The gastronomic lunch in the cathedral of fresh produce.
30.- LA CANTINA DE RUSSAFA (Valencia): Perfect lunches with narrative and product. Eva, Jaume, their urban garden and the desire to please.
31.- BAR COOPERATIVA (València): Grilled lunches with the best meats in the world. Raúl left us but there remains his legacy.
32.- PARIS (Los Isidros, Requena): Paris is well worth a mass and the kilometers that are needed.
33.- CA SAORET (Tavernes de la Valldigna): The bar of impeccable bars. Elevate lunch to art.
34.- LA MESEDORA (Algemesí): Technology and tradition well taken. Lunches with Moixeranga, tabalet and dolçaina.
35.- BELUGA (València): A lot of people have lunch in uniform and that is synonymous with BBB. Keko used to be a DJ, but he’s better at this.
36.- CASA HERMINIA (La Pobla de Tornesa, Castellón): All the cyclists clap their hands with the palm tree.
37.- LES CHOLINES (Fondeguilla, Castellón): The two good fairies of lunch with a magic wand for the carajillos.
38.- PIZCUETA 14 (Valencia): The best tortillas in Valencia and in most of the galaxy. No discussion.
39.- PENSAT I FET (Cullera): The town bar for the town and for those who want to have lunch as ambassadors. You choose in the kitchen. Without foolishnesses.
40.- NUEVO OSLO (València): The staging of the king of l’esmorzaret with a happy ending. There is no bad Raúl in this lunch.
41.- COUNTRY CLUB (Les Palmeres, Sueca): Cauldrons of abundance for exquisite palates. There are no sandwiches, nor do they need to.
42.- SIMAT SPORTS CENTER (Simat de la Valldigna, Valencia). Champion of champions of the cremaets. Views of the monastery, surrounded by orange trees. Walhalla.
43.- EL FERRAO (Alicante): The best products from the Alicante pantry in a few square meters next to the Central Market. What a bar!
44.- TONI CANTÓ (Teulada, Alicante): So authentic that it scares but everyone likes it. A thoroughbred of local gastronomy.
45.- PITTI (Grao de València): The best “De la terra” sandwich.
46.- LA ROCA (Benirrama, Alicante): Fried coquettes and whatever you need from the Vall de la Gallinera.
47.- EL BARULL (Castellón): Charcoal and the best lunches in La Plana, by far. Honesty, speed and quality. What the heck!
48.- FLOR WINERY (El Cabanyal, Valencia). Sandwiches wrapped in bar napkins, with an interior dining patio. Sorolla would love her light.
49.- UVI (Segorbe, Castellón): Overflowing eggplants and the best coffee in 100 km. to the roundabout.
50.- CASA CAROL (Xeraco): The punctuality bar. If you lose track, you don’t have lunch. Stop and inn of the breakfast universe during Fiescrem. Launcher for ever
And the list goes on to 550 fantastic lunch bars at laculturadelalmuerzo.org
