22/06/2026
STOP EATING AT MCDONALD’S IN VALENCIA
You have flown hundreds, sometimes thousands, of kilometres to visit one of Europe’s great food cities. So why are you having coffee in Starbucks?
It might sound harsh, but if there is one piece of advice I could give every visitor to Valencia, it would be this: eat and drink local.
Valencia is blessed with incredible produce. The vegetables from the huerta, seafood from the Mediterranean, rice from the Albufera, local wines from Utiel-Requena, clóchinas in spring, oranges in winter and olive oil from across the Valencian Community.
You are surrounded by ingredients that people around the world would love to have on their doorstep. Yet every year, more international chains appear across the city centre. McDonald’s, Burger King, Taco Bell, Starbucks and countless global brands continue to expand while many independent bars and restaurants struggle with rising rents, higher energy costs and increasing competition.
Local business owners are worried. Commercial rents in popular areas such as Ciutat Vella, Ruzafa and El Cabanyal have risen sharply in recent years, making it increasingly difficult for family-run cafés, bakeries and bars to survive. Many of these businesses have served their neighbourhoods for decades.
When you spend €20 in a local bar on a menú del día, more of that money stays in Valencia. It pays local staff, local suppliers, local landlords and local taxes. The same goes for your morning coffee. Why spend €5 on a chain coffee when you can enjoy a café con leche and a fresh pastry in a neighbourhood café for less?
A traditional menú del día in Valencia still costs between €14 and €18 in many local restaurants and often includes three courses, bread, a drink and coffee. In some neighbourhoods, you can still find excellent options for under €15. Try getting that value from a global fast-food chain.
The best places are rarely found on the main tourist streets. Wander one street back. Look for handwritten chalk menus. Listen for Spanish being spoken around you. Ask your accommodation host, your taxi driver or local Facebook groups for recommendations.
Most locals are proud of their city and happy to help. Tourism can either hollow out a place or help preserve what makes it special. Every coffee, every lunch and every tapa is a small decision. Choose wisely.
Support the people who make Valencia, Valencia.
