The 19th-century grid south of the old town: Mercado de Colon, Calle Conde Altea wine bars, fine-dining rooms and quiet residential streets.
Order The paella valenciana ordered ahead, with the croquetas and salmorejo to start.
Casa Roberto on Carrer del Mestre Gozalbo in Valencia's Eixample has cooked Roberto Aparicio's traditional paellas since 1986, with a long chef's record.
Order The arroz of the day plus a glass of natural wine; the bocadillo de calamares for a lighter lunch.
Habitual on the lower level of Mercado de Colon in Valencia is Ricard Camarena's market food-hall project, a sit-down bistro inside the 1916 modernista.
Order The croquetas of jamon iberico, then the arroz meloso or the steak tartar with a glass of Mistela.
Goya Gallery on Carrer de Borrull in Valencia's Eixample is a modern Spanish dining room with a strong tapas-and-arroz carte, a gallery-art interior.
Order The shorter tasting menu at lunch is the best-value introduction to the kitchen.
Saiti on Carrer de Reina Dona Maria in Valencia's Eixample is chef Vicente Patino's modern Valencian room with two Repsol Suns, anchored on Mediterranean.
Order The tasting menu at lunch (around 45 euros), with the chef's choice of arroz that day.
Kaymus on Avinguda de Maestro Rodrigo in Valencia is chef Nacho Romero's modern Valencian kitchen, with a strong arroz carte, a Mediterranean tasting menu.
Order The chuleton (old-cow rib-eye) sliced at the table, with a tomato of Bunol salad on the side.
Askua on Carrer del Felip Maria Garin in Valencia is a Basque-style grill founded 1994 by Ricardo Gadea, with rotating local-fish specials, chuleton from old.
Order The Thai green curry or a plate of bao buns with iberico pork.
Ma Khin Cafe on the lower floor of Mercado de Colon in Valencia is a pan-Asian kitchen, with curries, noodles and bao under the 1916 modernista market vault.
Order The arroz al horno (oven-baked rice with chickpeas, pork and morcilla) for two.
Racons in Valencia's Eixample is a neighbourhood arroceria with a wide rice carte, including the wood-oven arroz al horno that needs ordering in advance.
Very Valencia runs evening paella classes near the Plaza de Toros with traditional, vegetable or seafood formats, the meal eaten at the table afterwards.
Melia Valencia's Sky Bar is a 24th-floor rooftop bar at the city's tallest hotel, with 360-degree city views, sunset cocktails and a small tapas carte.
