Valencia is famous for its paella, and La Pepica is a long-established fish restaurant on the Valencia beachfront. We enjoyed a long, lazy lunch on a relaxed Sunday afternoon at La Pepica.
Valencia’s Playa de Leante beachfront is not in easy walking-distance from the old town. Our fifteen-minute taxi ride cost EUR$5, and we arrived there at 2pm on a Sunday afternoon. We had reservations, and our table by the window gave us a good view of the beach in front. (La Pepica also has an outdoor eating area, open in summer).
La Pepica is big, and the Sunday afternoon atmosphere was definitely busy. The restaurant was full by 2:30pm, with most of the clientele being large family parties. We started our meal with a plate of ham-and-cheese slices, and an excellent "Valencian" salad (with big capers and sweet tomatoes). We also had a plate of fantastic anchovies – thicker and bigger and not as salty as the ones I am used to, and served in tomato paste and oil. A real highlight, and a good sign for the paella to follow.
For the paella main course, we chose the seafood variety (rabbit and chicken varieties are also popular). After a while, we were presented with a big platter of yellow rice. This was dotted with fish and shrimps, and with garlic mayonnaise on the side. The platter was then taken away, and the paella returned to our table on plates. It really was delicious, and the second portion (with the rice from the bottom of the pan) tasted even better.
We finished our meal with strawberries and cream, and we enjoyed watching all the activity around us. La Pepica is laid out like a big hall, with testimonial photographs of paella-eating celebrities (including, in pride of place, a large picture of Ernest Hemingway and friends) on the walls. There are also some interesting tile murals and old memorabilia on display.
After our long lunch, we waited a while for our bill and then stepped outside for some sea air and exercise. La Pepica is the first of a long line of restaurants along the beachfront, and we enjoyed a pleasant dawdle along the boardwalk. We saw a new hotel under construction and a few intrepid beach volleyball enthusiasts. After strolling for about half an hour, we walked inland one block and caught the no. 32 bus (EUR1 per person, buy tickets from the driver) for the half-hour ride back to old Valencia.
We enjoyed our Sunday paella lunch at La Pepica very much. Service was not quick, but it was friendly, the food was definitely up to expectations, and the people-watching was exceptional. Highly recommended.