
Casa Carmela
A century-old Valencian institution serving legendary paella cooked over an orange wood fire, with fresh seafood and stunning beachfront views.

Highlights
Must-see attractions
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Casa Carmela

Highlights
Must-see attractions
A century-old Valencian institution serving legendary paella cooked over an orange wood fire, with fresh seafood and stunning beachfront views.
"This is THE place for authentic paella in Valencia, cooked the traditional way on an open wood fire!"
Book Far in Advance
Reservations are essential, often weeks ahead. Secure your table, especially for weekends or larger groups.
Request a Table with a View
For a scenic experience, ask for a table on the second floor with ocean views.

Quick Facts
Cuisine
Valencian
Price
$$$
Phone
+34 963 71 00 73
Address
C/ d'Isabel de Villena, 155, Poblados Marítimos, 46011 Valencia, Spain
Website
casa-carmela.com/Highlights
Discover the most iconic attractions and experiences

Legendary Paella Cooked Over Orange Wood Fire
Experience Valencia's iconic dish, crafted for generations over an authentic orange-wood fire for a smoky, unparalleled flavor.

Oceanfront Dining with Elegant Ambiance
Enjoy exquisite Valencian cuisine with stunning views of Playa de la Malvarrosa, in an elegant setting that dates back to 1922.

Fresh Seafood Delicacies
Savor expertly prepared seafood, from succulent oysters and grilled octopus to brothy rice dishes brimming with fresh shrimp.
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Insider Tips
from TikTok, Instagram & Reddit
Book Far in Advance
Reservations are essential, often weeks ahead. Secure your table, especially for weekends or larger groups.
Request a Table with a View
For a scenic experience, ask for a table on the second floor with ocean views.
Try the Arroz Negro
The 'black rice' with seafood is highly recommended for its exceptional flavor.
Consider the Tasting Menu
Sample a variety of hot dishes, including the traditional paella, for a comprehensive culinary experience.
Tips
from all over the internet
Book Far in Advance
Reservations are essential, often weeks ahead. Secure your table, especially for weekends or larger groups.
Request a Table with a View
For a scenic experience, ask for a table on the second floor with ocean views.
Try the Arroz Negro
The 'black rice' with seafood is highly recommended for its exceptional flavor.
Consider the Tasting Menu
Sample a variety of hot dishes, including the traditional paella, for a comprehensive culinary experience.
What Travellers Say
Reviews Summary
Casa Carmela is celebrated for its authentic paella, cooked traditionally over orange wood fire, earning it a spot as a must-visit in Valencia. While many praise the exceptional quality of the rice dishes and fresh seafood, some reviews mention inconsistent service and a high price point. The beachfront location and elegant ambiance contribute to a memorable dining experience, though potential visitors should be aware of the need for advance reservations and potential costs.
"Visiting from NYC with my parents, my two sister’s and husbands (a group of 8), everyone we spoke to who had been to Valencia — plus some local friends — told us we had to try Casa Carmela. I’ll admit, I was a bit skeptical at first, thinking it might be more hype than substance. But I was wrong. We had an amazing experience.
We were seated at a round table (which I love for groups of 8+) in the back covered patio area, which was really pleasant. We ordered the arroz negro for five people — absolutely exceptional. Don’t miss it. We also had rodaballo (turbot) carved tableside, which was equally superb.
The place was packed for comida (lunch), but somehow it still felt calm, and the service never missed a beat. Midway through the meal, we realized we were going to go over the 2-hour time slot they typically allocate per table. The staff kindly asked if we’d mind having our coffee and after-dinner drinks on the upstairs terrace — which actually turned out to be a perfect way to end the lunch, overlooking the beach. (For the future, definitely try to request one of the large tables on the second floor with ocean views.)
As for wine, Casa Carmela has one of the best Spanish wine lists I’ve seen, with a great selection of magnums — we went for two!
Anyway, if you’re visiting Valencia, don’t miss the chance to eat here."
Ricardo Toro
"So far the best food to have in Spain, not only the paella but other seafood options like oysters, small clams and fried calamari.
Sweets is from another world (orange and pumpkin cake) atmosphere, service and food are all excellent and exceeded my expectations"
Yamen Aldorf
"The food: Calamari, Valencia salad and the lobster paella were delicious. It’s a very busy restaurant so waiters are not particularly patient or thorough. It’s definitely the best paella I ever had though"
Fabian V
What People Like
What People Dislike
Frequently Asked Questions
Yes, booking well in advance is highly recommended, as the restaurant is very popular and can be fully booked weeks ahead. Some TikToks even mention needing to reserve the paella itself.
Casa Carmela is renowned for its traditional Valencian paella, cooked over an orange wood fire, a technique passed down through generations.
Yes, while paella is traditionally made with meat, there is a 'Vegetables Paella' option available.
Casa Carmela is considered upscale, with some reviewers noting high prices and a mandatory minimum spend for groups.
Yes, many visitors enjoy watching the chefs cook the paellas over the wood fire, adding to the unique experience.
The restaurant offers an elegant and spacious ambiance, located by the beach, providing a lively yet comfortable dining experience.
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Take a bus or a taxi down to Malvarrosa beach for a long, leisurely lunch at Casa Carmela, a pretty and popular restaurant where they cook excellent paellas and other Valencian specialities, such as seafood fideuà, made with pasta rather than rice (book in advance).
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Or head to the seafront and visit the Casa Carmela restaurant, where you can see the spectacular sight of the chefs in action, cooking up to eight huge paellas simultaneously over firewood. Reservations are essential.
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Now, you see paellas everywhere, but you've got to go to Valencia to try theirs. Paella Valenciana is made with things like rabbit and snails. The best we had was at Casa Carmela, and Lavoe.
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You can’t come to Valencia and not have paella on the seafront, and nowhere does it better than Casa Carmela," says William Drew about this classic establishment that has been dishing up traditional Valencian paella and seafood rice dishes to hungry locals since 1922. In keeping with the instructions passed down from Carmen, the great-grandmother of the current owners, only orange wood and the freshest local ingredients are used to create a perfectly thin layer of rice with an authentically smoky firewood taste. In accordance with the age-old tradition, the paella is placed in the middle of the table and served with a wooden spoon.
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Since 1922, Casa Carmela has been an essential reference point for Valencians passionate about paella. Not only for the high quality of the ingredients used to make it and the exclusive use of orange wood for cooking it, but also for its privileged location: the restaurant is located in Playa de la Malvarrosa, near the home of the famous writer Vicente Blasco Ibáñez. In addition to the meat-based Valencian paella, the seafood paella with prawns and langoustines is excellent, as well as the fideuá, another Valencian dish made with a type of pasta similar to vermicelli, whole prawns, and langoustines.
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In a city where good paella isn’t hard to find, Casa Carmela stands out above the rest. In this 100-year-old restaurant that was once a beach shack, fourth-generation chef Toni Novo honours his great grandmother Carmen’s memory with traditional Valencian paellas cooked in a wood-fired oven for the perfect smoky firewood flavour. Located on the beachfront in the traditional neighbourhood of Malvarrosa, Casa Carmela works only with the best produce from local suppliers – think Denia prawns, Valencian clotxina (mussels) and rabbit from the nearby Huerto de Vera farm.
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Rabbit, chicken, green beans, garrofón beans, tomatoes, white beans, saffron, salt, water and oil is the original list of the most famous dish in Spain: paella. And in Carmela House They have been preparing the best wood-fired since 1922, slow-cooked over orange wood, which you can enjoy for an average price of 25 € per person in a very spacious and bright place, with lounges surrounded by beautiful tiles, in the Malvarrosa area. For dessert, we recommend the caramelized torrijas or the horchata flan.
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Casa Carmela, which opened for business in 1922, offers an experience that will take you back in time, allowing you to savor the tastes of yesteryear. Perhaps the secret of its delicious paellas, regarded by many as the best in all Valencia, is that they are slowly cooked over an orangewood fire, or maybe it's that they are prepared with such loving care, or that they only use the freshest, highest quality ingredients. Or maybe it is a combination of all that – who knows?
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I only had to choose one restaurant to eat at that day, and I balanced between two seaside legends, Casa Carmela and La Pepica. All my recommendations were pointing to the former (as was my gut feeling). Not just because Casa Carmela scores higher in review sites and is a legendary restaurant running for generations since the 1920s, but also because it cooks paella the traditional way, on an open wood fire and has reached the ultimate level of mastery in doing so!
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What started as a shack on the beach for swimmers to change, rest and fill their bellies with paella soon turned into one of the most popular paella restaurants in Valencia. For over 100 years, they have been serving hearty, home-cooking style paella, so they know a thing or two about flavor. Casa Carmela adds duck meat to the traditional Valencian paella in order to give it a richer and fuller taste and serve their paella in the original pot it was cooked in.
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At the end of the Malvarossa beach in the still undervalued, calm and friendly Malvarossa neighbourhood, you find Spain's perhaps most famous Paella restaurant. This is not a shy beach bar for locals and insiders, but a huge 200 plus seat restaurant where people from all over come to have great Paella. The many tourists don't stop the locals from coming, so you will find a great variety of characters eating here.
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Four generations of culinary expertise have shaped Casa Carmela into one of Valencia’s most cherished paella institutions since its founding in 1922. You’ll need to plan ahead—reservations are essential at least two hours in advance for their limited daily offerings cooked over orange wood, which imparts a distinctive smoky flavor to each dish. Paella facts can help you order the perfect paella.
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Travelers who are fastidious about food can’t pass up the chance to sample Spain’s best-known dish while visiting Valencia. Made with a very clear list of ingredients that includes rice, saffron, tomatoes, flat green beans, lima beans, chicken, and rabbit (seafood, never), the authentic paella was actually originated in the Valencian region, which is surrounded by rice fields.
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We could assure you that it is the temple of Valencian paella and Mediterranean cuisine for celiacs. They have an agreement with ACECOVA, and they offer gluten-free bread, in addition to adapting dishes for people with gluten intolerance, including those with batter. Enjoy the Mediterranean flavours of yesteryear and the most traditional dishes at Carmela House in Malvarrosa.
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Casa Carmela is a family restaurant serving authentic Valencian paella for almost 100 years. Passed down through four generations, this iconic eatery has become a culinary landmark, known for its traditional preparation methods and use of local, fresh ingredients. Casa Carmela’s history is intertwined with the family that founded it in 1922, Don José and Doña Carmen.
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With its long-standing reputation for being one of the paella greats of Valencia, Casa Carmela is packed at every hour it’s open. And given that it’s set behind the beach, with no sea view, there’s good reason for that. We tried their seafood paella, which is cooked over open wood fire (look in the kitchen on your way through the restaurant – it’s quite theatrical!).
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Casa Carmela – Cutting straight to the chase: if you’re looking for paella, head down to the picturesque beachfront of Malvarrosa, directly east of the city center. Casa Carmela is renowned for serving the best traditional, wood-fired paella and various other rice dishes. The restaurant has been run and operated by four generations of the same family.
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Casa Carmela is one of my top recommendations if you’re looking to try out some paella restaurants in Valencia. The classic beachfront restaurant has a long history of making the delicious rice dishes Valencia is famous for. And while they haven’t officially earned a Michelin-star, they’re still one of the best paella restaurants in Valencia.
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Casa Carmela is a place that comes with a lot of tradition and history. They opened up back in 1922 by Jose Belenguer and nearly 100 years later has been passed down four generations. His great-grandson Toni Novo considers taking over the family business as his lifework and takes great pride in serving some of the best paella in Valencia.
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🍽️ Valencian | ($$$) | Website | 📍 Google Maps | 📞 +34 963 710 073. There is one food staple that should be at the top of your list of things to do in Valencia – authentic paella. There are lots of places to try the local delicacy in Valencia where it was first crafted, but one of the best restaurants for paella is easily Casa Carmela.
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Another popular option is Casa Carmela, a family-run restaurant that has been serving up delicious seafood tapas for over 90 years. The menu features traditional dishes like squid in its ink and grilled prawns, as well as daily specials using the freshest seafood available. Customers rave about the friendly service and authentic flavors.
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Casa Carmela do one of the best three paellas in the city, without doubt. This is the closest you can get to getting the home-cooked family paella in a restaurant. They cook it very slow and therefore it is essential that you make a reservation at least two hours before arriving as the owners don’t serve more than six paellas a day.
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It’s the closest you will get to a delicious homemade paella in Valencia. This restaurant is located along the sea making it one of the most unique culinary experiences in Valencia . Be sure to make a reservation beforehand as this is essential, and prepare your transportation as the restaurant is located outside of the city center.
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When it comes to family-run restaurants, you won’t be disappointed with Casa Carmela. Located on the beachfront of Malvarrosa ( Google Map), this upscale family-run restaurant has been delighting customers for nearly 100 years. It originally started as a small shack near the beach where swimmers could change their clothes and rest.
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The nearly 100-year-old Casa Carmela in the beachside Malvarrosa neighborhood has been a local favorite for generations. The staff here follow the tradition of cooking paella over orange wood and then serving the pan in the middle of the table. The food here is so good that the kitchen was awarded a Plate from the Michelin Guide.
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A family-run restaurant that has been delighting customers for nearly 100 years, Casa Carmela has humble roots. In fact, it originally started as a small shack near the beach where swimmers could change their clothes and rest!. Before long, the family began serving paella to hungry swimmers, and a Valencian icon was born.
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Here, you’ll find establishments like Casa Carmela and La Pepica, which have been serving paella for generations. These restaurants often use wood-fired ovens to cook their paella, imparting a smoky flavor to the dish. Be sure to try the classic paella valenciana, featuring chicken, rabbit, snails, and green beans.
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Casa Carmela is just about the closest you can get to tasting home-cooked family paella in a restaurant. This family-run establishment dates back nearly a century as a humble beach shack where swimmers could change their clothes and rest. Before long, they started serving paella to hungry beach-goers.
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After returning from Albufera, dine at Casa Carmela, renowned for its traditional paella cooked over an open fire. End your day with a relaxing evening stroll along Malvarrosa Beach or consider joining the Valencia: Sunset or Daytime Catamaran Cruise with Drink for stunning views of the coastline.
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Casa Carmela is a popular restaurant in Valencia that is known for its delicious paella. The restaurant has been around for over 90 years and has become a staple in the city. They use only the freshest ingredients to make their paella, and the result is a dish that is bursting with flavor.
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A post shared by Restaurante Casa Carmela (@casacarmelarestaurant). If you’re looking for the best paella in Valencia, you simply have to visit Casa Carmela. This family-run restaurant has been serving up traditional paella for over a century, and it’s still just as popular as ever.
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Traditional Valencia Cuisine Restaurante Casa Carmela is a family owned restaurant for four generations, founded in 1922 and located just a few steps away from Malvarrosa beach. Wood-fired paellas are the speciality of the restaurant. There are 20 different types of rice dishes.
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Location: Avenida Neptuno, 64, Playa de la Malvarrosa, Valencia. With over 90 years of history, Casa Carmela is a reference for paella lovers cooked over a wood fire. Its long trajectory and wood-fire cooking technique provide a unique flavor that sets Casa Carmela apart.
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Enjoy paella perfection on the nearby beach, where four generations have cooked their traditional paellas over orange-wood fires since 1922. This venue is only open at lunchtime because – rule one in Valencia – nobody here eats paella in the evening.
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The first paella restaurant in Valencia on this list is perhaps the most iconic. Casa Carmela has humble beginnings, much like the rice dishes that they serve on their menu. It was originally a beach hut where swimmers could come and get changed.
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Casa Carmela specialises in wood-fired paella and no detail is overlooked. From the kitchen, they strive to offer an impressive menu using first-class products. As for the premises itself, the hall stands out for its brightness and peacefulness.
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Casa Carmela: Known for its authentic paella, Casa Carmela is a must-visit for anyone wanting to taste traditional Valencian cuisine. Located near the beach, this restaurant offers a cosy atmosphere and a rich history that dates back to 1922.
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For some of the best Paella, visit Casa Carmela in Cabanyal. If you want to try the traditional Valencian paella, make sure to reserve it beforehand. Also love their seafood such as the fried cuttlefish and the fresh shrimp.
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The restaurant has a main specialty: paellas to firewood Valencia. In addition, the diner can choose his favorite option among twenty varieties of rice. The lobster paella and the Valencian paella are part of its catalog.
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The kitchen is big and they cook the paella on ‘fuego de la leña de naranjo’. This means that it is made on a wood fire of branches of the orange tree. It is a very expensive restaurant, but by far the best.
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Casa Carmela: Renowned for their paella and confirmed by foodie friends as one of the best places to eat this traditional dish... It's also on the beach!. Lunch-only (Tues - Sat); reservations required.
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A beachfront staple for over 90 years, Casa Carmela serves some of the best seafood paella around, cooked the old-school way over a wood fire. Other seafood delights complete their enticing menu.
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While paella can be expensive at some restaurants, you can find affordable options at places like Restaurante Levante or Casa Carmela, both of which are known for their delicious paella.
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Make sure to book a table at favourites like Casa Roberto, Restaurante Alquería del Brosquil, or Casa Carmela. Make sure you book in advance!
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Casa Carmela, La Paz, and La Pepica are wonderful locations to grab some seafood if you’ve been eating too much paella.
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from TikTok, Instagram & Reddit