Casa Montaña — Restaurant in Valencia

We have 7:30 reservations but arrive before 7:30—the Metro schedule meant being either early or late—but they won’t open the doors for us, despite the chilly and misty weather outside. When they finally let us in after 15 minutes, we are irritated. Dinner better be good. Very good.

We are apparently unstylish, so are seated around the corner and toward the back next to a table of otherwise unstylish young people. Two strikes. Then the menu is exclusively on a board with a QR code. Three strikes. We order a bottle of Raventos Blanc de Blancs, but the waiter returns with the wrong wine—a regular blanc. Four strikes is almost too many. He checks for us and says the cellar is out of what we ordered. The wine is good, but if the restaurant hadn’t been so far from something else and if it wouldn’t have reflected poorly on our BnB host, who had to ask for space for us, we would have left.

Fortunately, things get better. The rustic bread is excellent, followed by raw tuna in oil with cracked pepper—a perfect texture and flavor. Next is a tomato salad—those curious pink but ripe tomatoes, with just a little salt. The onion soup (sopa de cebolla) is done extremely well and again not too salty, with the right amount of cheese and very crispy bread. A plate of roasted artichoke slices (alcachofa plancha) is a surprise, still crunchy and very tasty with browned edges and cumin (and a lot of them!) with some salt.

The waiter seems astonished that we have also ordered the “1836 Chef’s Menu Plus” for two, which is indeed so much that we leave behind a few artichokes slices. First come broad beans, dark and salty and hot in sauce and oil, followed by Ibernian ham—not particularly different from what we have been eating, which means it’s very good, and not dry. Next are steamed or braised leeks with mushrooms, peppers, onions, and vinegar; then creamed bacalau grilled on toast. Small roasted red peppers stuffed with cheese look like little pyramids, not quite as good with black olive paste on the side. Again we have the peppers padron, but this time of a medium size (about 5cm) dusted with less salt and more roasting.

The highlight of the meal comes nearly last: steak. It is small, rare (blue), and covered in scallions. It is very tender, flavorful, and perfectly cooked—something memorable we did not expect here in maritime Spain. Dessert is coffee and cake: a small chocolate mousse truffle dusted with chocolate powder and a small finger with hazelnut paste and cream. Both are very good, but the finger is better.

The waiter is French and we find ourselves stuck in a language tangle, speaking French with him and saying merci to the Valèncian server. The waiter is good fun with stories of his travels, and has salvaged Casa Montaña from...

If you’re looking for an unforgettable dining experience in Valencia, Casa Montaña in Cabañal is simply unbeatable. We’ve visited several times, and each occasion has been wonderful, but our most recent visit truly set a new standard.

From the moment we arrived as walk-ins-two (make a reservation well in advance) couples and a couple of kids-the team went above and beyond to accommodate us. We were even lucky enough to be seated in the “secret room,” which added a special touch to the evening. The atmosphere, with its historic, cozy charm and old-world elegance, makes you feel both at home and part of something unique.

A highlight of our night was the exceptional service from Jana, who was an absolute delight. She made sure everyone felt welcome and comfortable, offering thoughtful recommendations and always with a smile. The staff at Casa Montaña are renowned for their knowledge and warmth, and Jana exemplified this perfectly.

The food, as always, was outstanding. Casa Montaña is famous for its high-quality, locally sourced ingredients and a menu that celebrates both traditional Valencian and Spanish flavors. Dishes like the marinated Mediterranean tuna, grilled squid, and their legendary cod croquettes are must-tries. The wine list is one of the best in the city, with hundreds of carefully curated bottles and plenty of options by the glass, making it easy to find the perfect pairing for any meal.

What truly sets Casa Montaña apart is the combination of top-notch cuisine, a world-class wine cellar, and a welcoming, historic setting. Whether you’re a local or a visitor, dining here feels like a genuine celebration of Valencia’s culinary heritage.

Hands down, Casa Montaña is one of the best places to eat in Valencia-consistently excellent, always memorable, and a place we’ll keep...

Hands down the best meal experience I've had to date in Spain.

I won't dwell too much on the food and vermut as there's no praise I could give that hasn't already been said ten times over. But it's damn good. Seriously. I'm typically a contrarian, but in this case: believe the hype. Their preparation of simple but fresh ingredients is genius, and I still have the sensation of several of their dishes in the back of my tongue (which is saying something given it's been over 5 months since my visit and I have the memory of a goldfish). Their house vermut was also a wonderful, rich pairing with the dishes I had from the chef's selection menu.

Also delighted to report that as of September 2024, they were permitting single diners for their tasting menu -- something I particularly appreciate as a solo diner since many places require a party of at least 2.

Last but not least, I'm not usually one to mind too much about service one way or the other, but the staff at Casa Montaña was too outstanding to not give them a shout out. I felt very well taken care of throughout my meal, even as a solo diner at the bar. Every person who served me a dish off the tasting menu was well-versed in the dish, as well as gracious enough to bear my questions in badly-spoken Spanish and (mostly) English.

Also worth a mention that reservations are highly recommended. I got lucky lining up on a weekday right at opening, and was one of the last people to get in on a walk-in.

Thank you, Casa Montaña, for such an unforgettable dining experience. I hope to return...