Esgarraet is Valencia's salt-cod and roasted-red-pepper salad: torn salt-cod, strips of roasted red pepper, garlic and olive oil, served cold as a tapa.
Where to eat it: 4 restaurants across 1 city.
Esgarraet (Valencian for 'torn') emerged in the 19th-century inland Valencian villages, where dried salt-cod was the only fish available far from the coast. The fish is torn (esgarrar) into strips, mixed with roasted red peppers and raw garlic, and dressed with the best Valencian olive oil. The dish became canonical across the city as a tapa, especially at Casa Montana in the Cabanyal which has served the dish since 1836.
Common allergens: Fish
Tip from the editors. Tear the salt-cod with your hands; never chop with a knife. The texture and the name come from the tearing. Use Valencian olive oil if you can find it.
This is the TableJourney editorial recipe, modelled on the canonical bistro / counter version. The first place to try the dish in its city of origin is below.
Casa Montana on Carrer de Josep Benlliure in Valencia's Cabanyal fishing quarter has poured wine from oak barrels and served tapas since 1836, with a 1,500-bottle wine cellar.
Signature: Esgarraet, Anchoas del Cantabrico, Atun en aceite
Order: The esgarraet (salt-cod with roasted red peppers) and a glass of Utiel-Requena bobal from the barrel.
Tip: Reserve ahead, especially for weekends. Closed Sunday. The wine list runs deep into local Valencian small producers.
Order: Esgarraet salt-cod salad and the sepia a la plancha, plus a cana.
Why locals love it: 1947 worker's tapas bar in Extramurs that tourists rarely find, beloved by locals for esgarraet and grilled sepia.
Tip: Closed Sunday and Monday. Lunch counter is packed by 13:30; arrive earlier.
Order: Half a dozen grilled sardines off the plancha with a cana.
Why locals love it: 1946 charcoal sardine grill counter on a quiet old-town side street, lunchtime-only, all-local crowd.
Tip: Open lunchtime only (12:00-16:00). Closed Sunday.
Bodega Anyora on Carrer Vicent Gallart in Valencia's Canyamelar maritime quarter runs a restored 1937 wine room with a tight Valencian wines list and a daily tapas chalkboard.
Signature: Tapas valencianas, Esgarraet, Embutidos
Order: The plate of esgarraet with pickled-and-preserved vermut snacks.
Tip: Closed Sunday. The bar fills with locals from 20:30 onward.
More cities are in research. Want esgarraet covered somewhere specific? Tell us where you want to eat.