Let’s talk about one of the most well-known aspects of Valencian culture – the esmorzaret. In Valencia, this famous meal is deeply loved, and for good reason. It’s time to dive into everything you need to know about l’esmorzar so you can appreciate an authentic Valencian meal like no other! 

What is an esmorzar?

An esmorzar is a mid-morning meal (between 10–11:30 AM) that was traditionally eaten by people who worked in manual labor (farmers, fishermen, etc.). Typically, it’s a hearty sandwich that helps give them the energy to keep working up until lunchtime.

These days, however, an esmorzaret (a little esmorzar) has transformed into a sit-down meal with a huge cult following. And don’t let that diminutive “-et” fool you – this is not a small meal! 

Typically, a Valencian esmorzaret includes a hearty sub-style sandwich, as well as drinks and appetizers.

Let’s look a bit deeper into this cultural meal, as well as set some expectations. Because it’s an important part of the culture, so we should enjoy its popularization without falling for any tourist traps

Esmorzaret details

Most people will not have an esmorzaret every day. Instead, this meal is considered a treat now. If you’re lucky, maybe you’ll have one once a week with work colleagues. 

However, this is different from an esmorzar. Many people will eat something in the middle of the morning, around 11:00 AM. But remember – an esmorzar is not the same as the Valencian esmorzaret. The first one is a smaller meal, but the second one will definitely fill you up! Some people might even skip their lunch, depending on how much they ate.  

In l’esmorzaret, you’ll sit down at a bar/café and enjoy appetizers, a beverage, and a huge sandwich. But in your average, everyday esmorzar, you’ll probably just eat a small sandwich or some other snack. 

These days, a quality esmorzaret should only cost around €7, depending on where you eat. And there will be some older people who complain that €7 is already outrageous! But if you’re paying more than €8.50 per person – then that’s not traditional at all! 

Esmorzar vs Almuerzo

Esmorzar is the name in Valencian/Catalan. However, in many parts of Spain, almuerzo refers to the same mid-morning snack. The difference is that most other places in Spain don’t actually have such a big esmorzaret like people do in Valencia. This larger meal is mostly restricted to Valencia. 

So even though other places in Spain have an almuerzo, it’s nothing like the ones in Valencia!

And in many places in Latin America – almuerzo actually refers to lunch. So it could be a completely different meal altogether.

Just know that this isn’t the same everywhere in Spain or throughout Latin America. 

And you’ll only get an esmorzaret in Valencia – nowhere else in Spain! 

What to eat for an esmorzaret

Now let’s look at what you can expect to eat during a traditional esmorzaret. This can change depending on where you are in the Valencian Country. Some more modern bars may also offer different options or specialties. 

But for this article, I’ll only be listing some of the most traditional foods to eat during an esmorzaret. So there is a bit of generalization here! 

Starters — El Gasto

When you sit down at a bar for an esmorzaret, you’ll likely be given a few starters for free. These are called “el gasto”. 

The exact dishes will vary a bit based on the area/bar, but you can expect to get some combination of the following:

• Olives – Olives 
• Cacaus – Peanuts
• Ensalada – A simple salad 
• Envinagrats – Picked vegetables

At a traditional bar, these should be included within the price. If you’re getting charged extra – you probably fell for a tourist trap! You shouldn’t even have to ask for these, they should just give them to you with your drinks.

The amount you get might also change based on how many people are in your party. For example, two people might just get some olives and peanuts, but maybe a large group will get the other dishes, too!

It all depends a bit on the bar.

Entrepans

Here’s the important part of a Valencian esmorzaret. An entrepà means “between bread”. These are sandwiches using fresh baguette-style bread.

The bread should have a bit of a crunch to it, but still be soft and tearable. Tasty, bakery-style bread is the key to a delicious esmorzaret!

There are many traditional entrepans, and every bar may have their own version they are famous for. So let me give a quick list of some of the most common entrepans:

• Blanc i negre – Comes with two types of meat, llonganisses (that are white) and botifarra (which is black). 
• Calamars amb all i oli – Fried squid with aioli. 
• Almussafes — Sobrassada (a pork and paprika paté) with cheese and onion
• La Brascada – Beef, ham, and carmelized onions
• Xivito – Pork loin, cheese, fried egg, mayonnaise, tomato, and lettuce 
• Truita – A large omelet with different ingredients, the most common being potato and onion. 
• Carn de Cavall – Filled with horse meat
• Figatells – Patties made from beef and pork 
• Sépia – Cuttlefish, often with garlic, lemon, and parsley

You can usually order either entrepà sencer (a whole baguette) or mig entrepà (half baguette). In general, these are always quite big, but the actual size depends on the bar. If you’re unsure, you can always ask “com de gran és el sencer?”

Drinks

When you order your food, there are typically two possibilities for drinks. Either the waiter automatically puts down a bottle of wine, club soda, and a pitcher of beer – or they’ll ask what you’d like to drink. 

The first is more likely in big groups and when you go to smaller towns. 

But regardless, it’s common to drink beer or wine during the meal. Now you start to see why people fell in love with this mid-morning tradition! Of course you can order water or soda as well, but when in Rome… 

Here are the most common drinks:

• Cervesa – Beer
• Vi i Llimonà – Wine with club soda 
• Aquarius – A typical soda in Valencia 
• Coca-Cola and other sodas 
• Aigua – Water

And after you finish your meal, that’s usually when you should order either a café or a cremaet – a coffee drink with rum! It’s called a cremaet (burnt) because the rum should be partly burnt off! 

Where to have an authentic esmorzaret in Valencia

Now of course, once you’re excited to try a traditional Valencian esmorzaret – you have to figure out where to go!

And to be honest, almost any bar in the city will offer it. These will vary in quality and authenticity – but you don’t have to go far to try one.

However, there are many restaurants in Valencia that have earned high acclaim for their esmorzarets. So let me give you a quick list of some of the most famous ones!

Note: Remember in Valencia, a bar is a typical restaurant that serves local foods, not necessarily a place explicitly to go drinking.

• Bar Nuevo Oslo
• Bar Mistela
• La Pérgola
• La Pascuala
• Central Bar
• El Pastoret

Each of those are in different areas, as well – so you’ll never be far from a filling meal. If you can, I highly suggest going during the week, as the meal will almost always be cheaper. 

Esmorzar tips for travelers

If you’re on the hunt for the best esmorzaret in Valencia, then let me give you a few pieces of advice to help. Because now that this meal has become famous – there are a lot of places that take advantage of its fame to bump up the prices or to trick the unexpecting. 

So here are a few tips to enjoy an authentic Valencian esmorzaret:

1. Don’t pay more than €8 per person. This is already expensive in my opinion, but if you’re going for the full experience, then I would set this as the upper limit. Although if you’re in the city center, many places might already be taking advantage of tourists!
2. Look for the uelos. If you see the bar full of old grandpas, cops, and priests – that’s a sign that it’s a good spot! 
3. Practice your Valencian. You can’t say it’s an authentic Valencian experience if they don’t speak to you in the language! 
4. Get there earlier. Especially on the weekend, bars will fill up pretty early. So head over there by around 10 /  10:30 if you want to get a seat. 
5. Not everything is an esmorzaret. Remember, this tradition originated from fieldworkers – so the food should be hearty and simple, not gourmet and super elaborate.

Travel Resources

Now you have everything you need to go enjoy an authentic Valencian esmorzaret. This long-standing tradition has become popularized over the years, so there are definitely some places that offer a less-than-authentic experience. 

So hopefully with this guide you’ll be able to understand what an esmorzaret is, why it was born in the first place, and what to expect. 

Go enjoy this tradition, and don’t forget to explore other areas of Valencian culture! 

Bon viatge!

To help you plan for your trip:

• Best restaurants in Valencia
• Where to stay 
• Useful Valencian phrases 
• Public transport guide