Valencia may not have the star appeal of Barcelona but it has just as much going for it. In fact, it’s a bonus that because it doesn’t, it’s so much more unassuming. Valencia boasts the super futuristic architecture of Santiago Calatrava, a river that is now a park and an old town rich in history. It’s also located right on the beach! 

After arriving into the city, my sister and I were already pretty eager to get into the old town and start exploring. Coming from north of the Turia park and gardens (it used to be a river!), we came through the arch of the Torres de Quart and stepped into the old town. And although there isn’t a castle-like tower at every entry point into the old town, its maze-like streets and alleyways are a dead giveaway that you’ve stumbled upon it.

We actually hadn’t got very far at all before our grumbling stomachs had us on the lookout for a place to stop for lunch. In fact, you can just about see it on the left of the picture below…

Looking through to the old town from Torres de Quart

Looking to discover Valencia and beyond with a low-cost Spain car hire? You can see our choice of pick-up locations and get a quote here.

Lunch stop at La Pizca de Sal 

It was an easy choice in the end – the menu del dia board outside La Pizca del Sal had us salivating and a sneak peek at the funky interior drew us in for a table. Here’s a couple of pics of the inside…

Bar area at La Pizca de Sal

Inside seating

Menu del dia

The menu del dia is a favourite amongst locals for lunch and typically includes a starter, main course, drink, bread and a dessert. As you might be able to tell, lunch is generally the biggest meal of the day in Spain! Having not eaten since breakfast before our early morning flight, we were both pretty hungry so figured we should do as the locals do and have the menu del dia.

Like other restaurants offering a menu del dia, there are several options for each course. I had the Caprese Salad to start and the Iberico pork cheeks with mushrooms.  My sister went for the Paella Valenciana and the Tuna and Prawn skewer.

Our starters: Caprese salad and Paella Valenciana

Paella Valenciana

Caprese salad

We did some strategic ordering for our starters choosing a salad and the paella to share. Good thing too because neither were especially small servings! The paella actually originated from this region so when you’re ordering a Paella Valenciana, you’re ordering the original! Typically made with chicken, rabbit and green beans, this didn’t divert from that. More importantly, it was a fantastic way to start our Valencia trip. 

Our mains: Iberico pork cheeks with mushrooms and a tuna and prawn skewer

Tuna and Prawn skewer

Both dishes were served with their freshly made crisps – this might sound a bit strange, but you’ll actually be thankful to not have something heavier! The pork cheeks (pictured at the top of this post) were slow cooked in a rich and delicious sauce so they fell apart at a touch. So good! And my sister enjoyed her skewer – simply grilled and served with a herb sauce over it.

And something sweet too

Apple Tart

Despite feeling pretty full already, I couldn’t resist a pudding. Here’s my baked apple tart – delicious and fruity!

Like in most restaurants we saw on our trip, the price for the menu del dia was often the price of a single main course or less on the a la carte menu! As you can see from the pictures above, they aren’t stingy on the portions. I’m also very happy to confirm that they’re not stingy on flavour either. This day’s particular menu del dia was €13. A bargain for quality and tasty food! On top of that, service was friendly and attentive. Our server could also speak really good English so was able to translate the bits of the menu we couldn’t understand. 

Finding La Pizca de Sal…

Restaurante La Pizca de Sal Plaza Santa Ursula 3 Valencia
Tel: +34 96 391 1796 www.lapizcadesal.es
Opening hours: Monday to Sunday for lunch from 11.00am to 5.00pm and Thursday to Saturday from 8.00pm to midnight.

The restaurant is literally steps away from Torres de Quart. If you’re coming from here, continue walking along Carrer de Quart and you’ll see it on your left. The square (Plaza Santa Ursula) that the restaurant is located on overlooks the torres so it really is difficult to miss! And over the summer, they take over a portion of the square with lots of additional seating for customers looking to dine al fresco.

Torres de Quart

La Pizca de Sal

The old town is pretty small and compact so easy to explore on foot. If you’re driving your Spain car hire to Valencia and looking for a parking space, stay out of the old town! You’ll find it much easier to find parking outside of it. 

For more information, visit: www.valencia.angloinfo.com/information/transport/driving/parking. This map from parkopedia is also pretty handy!

To check out more of our city highlights, visit our Valencia travel blog. And if you are planning to pick up a car hire in the city, Valencia Airport car hire and Valencia Railway Station car hire are your best options. See our guides to collecting and returning a Valencia car hire here.