In this guide
💡 The Short Version: Horchata is a cold drink made from the tigernut, served with fartons to dip. The horchatería named by the most of the 39 publishers counted is Horchatería Santa Catalina in El Carmen (11), open every day 08:15 to 21:30. El Siglo (5) and Horchatería Daniel (4) follow. Daniel is in Alboraya, on Metro lines 3 and 5, and has made horchata since 1949. Ask for horchata made with D.O. Chufa de Valencia, the designation of origin whose label guarantees the tigernut. Or book a tour: the morning food tour with a Central Market visitad ends with a horchata and is from €59 (GetYourGuide).
📊 The evidence behind this guide. Nothing here is ranked on one visit. The counts are the publishers, among 39 publishers of Valencia food lists, that name the place, 27 of them in English and 14 in Spanish. Twenty-two of the 39 mention horchata at all, and 17 mention fartons. Tripadvisor and other review sites, tour operators and Visit València’s own pages are not counted. How the guides are made
What the drink is
Horchata de chufa is made from the tigernut, the chufa, a small tuber. The Consejo Regulador of the D.O. Chufa de Valencia, in Alboraya, says the tigernut is grown in 27 towns of the Horta Nord, and that only its label guarantees a product is 100% chufa de Valencia with the designation of origin. Visit València calls horchata a refreshing tigernut drink with a designation of origin. The Consejo’s site also notes that “horchata sin azúcar” is now officially horchata de chufa.
A glass of horchata with fartons. Photo: Nacho Pintos, Wikimedia Commons, CC BY 2.0.
- Fartons are the long, soft, sweet pastries that you dip in the glass.
- Ask for the label. The Consejo says imported tigernut is on the market, so ask whether the horchata is made with D.O. Chufa de Valencia. Its label is the only guarantee.
- Granizada is the frozen version, and the horchaterías also sell ice cream, pastries and hot chocolate with churros.
- Alboraya is the home of horchata: the Consejo has its office on the Plaça de la Constitució there, and Horchatería Daniel’s avenue is named after the drink.
The places named by the most sources
| Place | Where | Sources (of 39) | English | Spanish |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Horchatería Santa Catalina | El Carmen | 11 | 8 | 4 |
| Horchatería El Siglo | Old town | 5 | 1 | 4 |
| Horchatería Daniel | Alboraya | 4 | 3 | 1 |
Two sites publish in both languages and count once, so the columns add up to more than the total. The English lists send visitors to Santa Catalina, 8 publishers against 4 in Spanish. The Spanish lists name El Siglo 4 times against once in English.
The horchaterías
Horchatería Santa Catalina
Plaza Santa Catalina 6, El Carmen · open every day 08:15 to 21:30 · Cited by 11 of 39 sources (8 English, 4 Spanish) · horchateriasantacatalina.com
A house with two centuries of tradition, according to its site. Order the horchata with fartons, or a hot chocolate with churros. Its site says it does not deliver, but sells to take away. It is the one on the old-town walk: see El Carmen.
The tiled counter wall at Horchatería Santa Catalina. Photo: MollySVH, Wikimedia Commons, CC BY 2.0.
Horchatería Daniel
Avenida de la Horchata 41, Alboraya · Monday to Thursday 10:00 to 22:00, Friday 10:00 to 22:30, Saturday 10:00 to midnight, Sunday 10:00 to 22:30 · Cited by 4 of 39 sources (3 English, 1 Spanish) · horchateria-daniel.es
Artisan horchata and fartons since 1949. The family’s first premises opened in 1960 on the ground floor of its own house, and in 1979 Daniel opened the horchatería on what became the Avenida de la Horchata. The Centro de Artesanía of the Comunitat Valenciana has given it three artisan seals, as horchata maker, baker and ice-cream maker. Its founder was one of the backers of the designation of origin for the tigernut. It has a free car park behind the building, and a second unit in the Mercado de Colón, where each unit sets its own hours. Visit València gives the hours above and Metro lines 3 and 5.
Horchatería Daniel in Alboraya. Photo: JaGa9480, Wikimedia Commons, CC BY-SA 4.0.
Horchatería El Siglo
Old town · Cited by 5 of 39 sources (1 English, 4 Spanish)
Named four times by the Spanish lists and once by the English ones.
Tours worth paying for
A horchata needs no guide. These tours add one to the walk or the ride. Prices are GetYourGuide’s lowest “from” prices, per person.
Morning food tour with a horchata to finish
From €59 · 3 hours · 4.9 stars from 267 reviews · meets at Plaza del Colegio del Patriarca 2
Valencia: Morning Food Tour with Central Market Visitad is run by Food Lover Tour, in English, French or Spanish, for up to 10 people. The listing ends the morning with a horchata after the Central Market and an esmorzaret. It needs a day the market is open, so not Sunday. Free cancellation up to 24 hours ahead. Valencia food tours compares the others.
Bike ride to Port Saplaya with a horchata
From €38 · 3.5 hours · 4.7 stars from 21 reviews · meets at Bikes & Tours, Calle Puerto Rico 23
Beyond Valencia: El Cabanyal, Little Venice & Horchataad is a guided bike tour run by Bikes & Tours, in English or Spanish, for up to 28 people. It rides from Ruzafa through El Cabanyal and Malvarrosa to Port Saplaya, a marina village the listing calls Valencia’s Little Venice, and stops for a horchata near the tigernut fields. The horchata costs about €3 to €5 on top. The listing excludes people who cannot ride a bike and anyone over 120 kg. Free cancellation up to 24 hours ahead.
Getting to Alboraya
Alboraya is on Metro lines 3 and 5, according to Visit València, which also lists the Avenida de la Horchata address. The horchatería is open late, and Saturday runs to midnight, so it suits an evening. Valencia public transport has the metro fares.
Plan the rest
Where to eat in Valencia has the counts for every kind of food, best paella in Valencia covers the lunch, and the Central Market sells tigernut and horchata by the bottle. 3 days in Valencia fits a horchata to the old-town morning.
Common questions
What is horchata in Valencia?
A cold, sweet drink made from the tigernut, the chufa, which is grown in 27 towns of the Horta Nord, the farmland north of the city. It is served with fartons, long soft pastries that you dip in it.
Which horchatería do the most publishers name?
Horchatería Santa Catalina in El Carmen, named by 11 of the 39 food publishers counted (8 English, 4 Spanish), then El Siglo with 5 and Horchatería Daniel with 4.
When is Horchatería Santa Catalina open?
Every day from 08:15 to 21:30, according to its site. It is at Plaza Santa Catalina 6, and also sells hot chocolate with churros, ice cream and pastries.
How do I get to Horchatería Daniel?
It is at Avenida de la Horchata 41 in Alboraya, on Metro lines 3 and 5, according to Visit València. It opens Monday to Thursday 10:00 to 22:00, Friday 10:00 to 22:30, Saturday 10:00 to midnight and Sunday 10:00 to 22:30, and has a free car park.
What is the D.O. Chufa de Valencia?
The designation of origin for tigernut grown in 27 towns of the Horta Nord. Its Consejo Regulador says only its label guarantees a product is 100% chufa de Valencia, so ask for horchata made with it.
What are fartons?
Elongated, fluffy pastries, perfect for dipping in horchata, according to Visit València.
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