He breakfast is something akin to ‘little breakfast’ or snack. It is neither breakfast nor lunch, yet something in between, not unlike the elevenses that the British enjoy. More than just a little snack, however, el breakfast can actually be quite hearty and substantial and could even be considered a type of brunch.
Unlike elevenses though, there isn’t a set time for el breakfastthe Valencian Tourist Board says that it’s “between 9:00, for the purists, and 12:00, for the stragglers”.
The tradition began in l’Horta, a fertile area which stretches 120 km2 around the city of Valencia, from Puzol in the north to Albufera in the south, as well as towns including Moncada, Paterna and Torrent.
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The farmers who worked in the fields growing all the local fruits and vegetables would enjoy a mid-morning snack during a short break. Often they would bring their own filled baguettes and order a drink and an appetiser to accompany it.
Since this time, the tradition has spread and extended to other areas of the region.
Today, the typical breakfast begins with a selection of appetisers, traditionally little nibbles such as necklace cocoa, a local type of peanut, some pickled vegetables, olives and lupines lupines are lupin or lupini beans, a member of the pea family and are slightly nutty and harder than other beans. They are traditionally eaten all over Spain as a snack.
These nibbles will be accompanied by a drink – you could order anything you wanted, but to be a true Valencian breakfast eater, it would be a glass of beer or a type of red of summer or wine with lemon as it’s called in Valenciano, which is essentially red wine and lemonade.
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Now here’s where it becomes much more than just a snack, because the next course is a large baguette (mouthful) stuffed with various hearty ingredients. It could be anything from deli meats to omelettes, fried egg or cheese.
But to be a true breakfast purist you could go with one of the classic Valencian creations instead of choosing your own fillings. One of the most popular is the chivitofilled with grilled pork loin, fried egg, crisply bacon, mayonnaise, cheese and topped off with a piece of lettuce. Another is the black and white which is a mixture between sausage sausage and blood sausage (or black pudding), as well as broad beans.
Or you could opt for the traditional horse meat with wild garlic or the Almussafesstuffed with sobresada sasuage meat, slices of cheese and caramelised onions. Another favourite is the Pepito, a small bread roll stuffed with loved (like a tuna ratatouille) that is soaked in milk and egg before being fried.
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The Valencian mid-morning snack doesn’t stop there, however, no, it needs to be finished off with something a little extra. Many Spanish meals are completed with a coffee and the breakfast isn’t all that different. The classic Valencian way to finish it off is with a the cream. It will cream is similar to the Spanish carajillo or the Catalan burned and even the Galician burned. These are all essentially some type of spirit mixed with some type of coffee or coffee beans. The Valencian the cream is hot coffee with rum, slightly sweetened with sugar and flavoured with cinnamon sticks and lemon peel.
Where to try esmorzaret in Valencia. Photo: Lynn Vdbr / Unsplash
Where to find it:
The breakfast can be found in many traditional bars across Valencia, but for some of the best examples here’s a list of some bars to order it in Valencia city. Look out for places that have been awarded the Cacau D’Or prize for breakfast excellence.
New Oslo Bar – New Oslo Bar was the winner of the Cacau D’Or prize in 2022. It has all the fillings and the appetizers laid out along the bar, so you can choose exactly what you want.
Bar Mistela – mistela reinvents the classic Valencian breakfast with inventive and creative bites. There’s their version of the almussafes with scrambled eggs, poached onion, ham and cheese, and the Copa del Mundo – with Spanish tortilla (potato omelet), sausages and allioli (garlic mayonnaise).
The Cellar – Located in the hip Ruzafa area, The Cellar has become one of the best bars for breakfast in the city with its offerings for just €7. Its main offering is a sandwich filled with blood sausage (blood sausage), broad beans and crisps. They also have options for vegans.
Central Bar – Located within the Central Market (central market), this bar is run by Ricard Camarena, one of Valencia’s most famous chefs, who has two Michelin Stars. His signature mouthful is filled with pork loin, mustard, cheese and fried onions.
The Middle Piece – A classic for both snacks and lunch in Valencia, this spot is hugely popular and is always packed on weekends. Its offerings include baguettes filled with fried potatoes and tuna; fried egg, bacon and salad; and even calamari.