Valencia Restaurants and Dining

(Valencia, Carabobo, Venezuela)



Don't expect the kind of expansive dining scene in Valencia that you would probably experience in the capital of Caracas. There's plenty of good food here, just not the depth of variety or quality. Most of the restaurants and eateries in Valencia focus on the native Venezuelan cuisine. You won't find many, if any, Chinese or Italian joints in this city.

What you will find is all of the usual dishes that combine to make Venezuelan dining so good. Local favourites like those tasty little 'arepas' (corn dough pancakes) are ubiquitous. Meat is also a feature of most restaurants in Valencia, so you won't have to look hard to find tasty 'asado negro' (caramelised shredded beef) or 'pabellon criollo' (rice, beans and beef) seared to perfection. However, do note that most restaurants close for the evening as early as 20:00, so don't expect to make a night of it, unless you plan to head to a bar afterwards.


What to Eat, and Where

If you are a fan of tamales, you will be happy to know that Venezuela serves the 'hallaca', a cousin of the more globally famous delights wrapped in banana leaves. During the day, be sure to cool off with a 'cocada', a natural fruit drink that blends coconut, milk, sugar and ice.

The centre of Valencia, around the Plaza Bolivar, is where you will discover the majority of cheap eateries. Wander the backstreets and you will find some simple but decent food for pennies. After dark, many of these humble 'tascas' (Spanish-style bar restaurants) transform into drinking venues. The food gets much better and more sophisticated as you head north along the Avenida Bolivar Norte and to the west, around the Avenida Monsenor Adams.

You can also enjoy very good dining options within the El Vinedo neighbourhood, roughly 2.5 km / 1.5 miles to the north of the city centre. This is one of Valencia's hippest wining and dining spots. The affluent and artistic of Valencia spend their time here among the many restaurants, bars and cafés. El Vinedo is one part of the city where it is quite safe to walk around at night.

Spanish cuisine has a strong showing in Valencia. Places like the Rias Gallegas, La Villa de Madrid and the Restaurant Marchica all serve up excellent Gallician fare.