Upscale in Valencia

Casa Carmela ★ 4.6

la-malvarrosa · C/ Isabel de Villena 155, 46011 Valencia

Casa Carmela on the Malvarrosa beachfront in Valencia has cooked wood-fired paellas to order since 1922, with a 20-strong rice repertoire and a lunch-only.

Tip: Book three weeks ahead for weekend lunch. Lunch only Tue to Sat 13:00-16:00; no dinner.

Llisa Negra ★ 4.6

sant-francesc · Calle Pascual y Genis, 10, 46002 Valencia

Llisa Negra on Carrer de Pasqual i Genis in Valencia is Quique Dacosta's product-driven fire-only kitchen, with no gas stoves and every dish cooked over wood.

Tip: Reserve through the website at least 10 days ahead for dinner. The Krug embassy table seats four for the prestige tasting.

Askua ★ 4.6

leixample · Calle Felipe María Garín, 4, 46021 Valencia

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.

Tip: Closed Sunday. Reserve 10 days ahead. The fish-and-chuleton menu changes daily on a small chalkboard.

Fierro ★ 4.6

russafa · Calle del Doctor Serrano, 4, 46006 Valencia

Fierro on Carrer del Doctor Serrano in Valencia's Russafa is Argentine chefs Carito Lourenco and German Carrizo's open-kitchen tasting room.

Tip: Reserve through the website four weeks ahead. Two seatings per night, dress smart casual.

Casa Montana Wine Cellar ★ 4.6

Calle de Jose Benlliure 69, 46011, Valencia

Casa Montana on Carrer de Josep Benlliure in Valencia's Cabanyal has poured wine from oak barrels since 1836, with a 1,500-bottle wine cellar and a strong.

Tip: Reserve in advance. The wine list runs deep into Valencian small producers; ask the sommelier.

Saiti ★ 4.5

leixample · Calle Reina Doña Germana, 4, 46005 Valencia

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.

Tip: Closed Sunday and Monday. The tasting runs about two hours; book through the website or call.

Bodegas Biosca ★ 4.5

Ruzafa · Carrer del Doctor Serrano 20, 46006 Valencia

Bodegas Biosca on Carrer del Doctor Serrano is the 1932 Ruzafa cellar still in the same family after three generations. The basement holds 10,000-litre tanks.

Kaymus ★ 4.4

leixample · Avenida Maestro Rodrigo, 44, 46015 Valencia

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.

Tip: Reserve through the website. Lunch tasting is excellent value; dinner is the full experience.

Cafe Madrid ★ 4.4

C. de l'Abadia de Sant Martí, 10, Valencia

Cafe Madrid on Carrer de l'Abadia de Sant Marti in Valencia is the 1959 birthplace of agua de Valencia, the cava-and-orange cocktail invented here.

Tip: Closed and reopened in 2018 after a tasteful renovation. The agua de Valencia carafe is the order.

Destilados ★ 4.4

Calle Padre Tosca, 7, 46001 Valencia

Destilados on Carrer del Pare Tosca in Valencia's Carmen is a spirit-focused bar with 250 mezcals, 200 whiskies and a cocktail menu built on Mexican-Spanish.

Tip: Closed Sunday and Monday. The mezcal tasting flight runs three glasses.

ViveVino ★ 4.4

Calle del Músico Padilla, 2, 46006 Valencia

ViveVino on Carrer del Music Padilla in Valencia's Russafa is a natural and orange-wine bar with a 100-bottle small-producer list, tapas and a music-bar vibe.

Tip: The orange-wine flight runs five glasses. Reserve for weekend nights.

La Pepica ★ 4.3

la-malvarrosa · Paseo Neptuno, 6, Valencia

La Pepica on Passeig de Neptu in Valencia's Malvarrosa beach has served paella since 1898; Hemingway, Queen Sofia and Orson Welles all ate the rice here.

Tip: Book the beachfront terrace one week ahead. Closed Sunday evenings. Hemingway's signed photograph hangs in the inner dining room.

Café Sant Jaume ★ 4.3

Calle Caballeros, 51, 46001 Valencia

Café Sant Jaume on Carrer dels Cavallers in Valencia's Carmen is a restored 19th-century pharmacy turned cocktail bar, with the original wood-and-marble.

Tip: Order the agua de Valencia or the gin and tonic. The Calle Caballeros terrace is the prime perch on weekend nights.

Bar Negrito ★ 4.2

Plaza del Negrito, 1, 46001 Valencia

Bar Negrito on Placa del Negret in Valencia's Carmen is a classic vermut and wine bar with a small plaza terrace, a tap of house vermut and a Valencian-wine.

Tip: Plaza terrace from sundown. The vermut and a pickled-anchovy plate is the local order.

Wine Gallery Ruzafa ★ 4.2

C/ de Cadis, 43, 46004 Valencia

Wine Gallery Ruzafa in Valencia is an art-gallery and wine-bar combo with a Spanish-wine list and a small tapas program, in the heart of the Russafa food.

Tip: Closed Sunday and Monday. The Tuesday-night DJ sessions run late.

Tinto Fino Ultramarino ★ 4.2

Ciutat Vella · Carrer de la Corretgeria 38, 46001 Valencia

Tinto Fino Ultramarino on Carrer de la Corretgeria pours a Spanish-and-Italian list with counter tapas in a snug Ciutat Vella room. Booking recommended.

Vinorte Wine Bar ★ 4.1

Extramurs · Calle de Cervantes 10, 46007 Valencia

Vinorte on Calle de Cervantes is the Extramurs wine bar pouring a Mediterranean-and-Spanish list. At Calle de Cervantes 10. Booking recommended.

Cafe de las Horas ★ 4.0

Calle Conde de Almodóvar, 1, 46003 Valencia

Cafe de las Horas on Carrer del Comte d'Almodovar in Valencia's old town is a baroque-decor cocktail and tea bar with a strong agua de Valencia pour.

Tip: Open daily through the day; the room is most evocative at dusk. Reservations not taken.