Arroz negro is Valencia's squid-ink rice: bomba rice cooked in a black squid-ink broth with cuttlefish, served with allioli on the side.
Arroz negro emerged in the Cabanyal fishing quarter, where cuttlefish ink was a free flavouring from the daily catch. The rice takes on the dramatic black colour from the ink, with the cuttlefish chopped through the rice. The dish became canonical across Valencia and the Catalan coast, served at La Riua and most Valencian rice kitchens. The allioli on the side cuts the richness of the ink.
2 editor picks for Arroz negro in Valencia, ranked by editorial score. All Valencia signature dishes · Arroz negro across every city.
Casa Roberto ★ 4.5
leixample · Carrer del Mestre Gozalbo, 19, 46005 Valencia
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 in Valencian rice.
La Riua ★ 4.4
ciutat-vella · C/ del Mar, 27, Valencia
La Riua on Carrer del Mar in Valencia's old town has run a family-tavern rice kitchen since 1978, now in the third generation, with a dozen paellas on the carte.