La Salita de Begoña Rodrigo

The meals were both exciting and excellent. I truly enjoyed diving into this journey of novel tastes. ❤️ I had my dinner on the terrace, which was a lovely setting. However, one aspect I found a bit puzzling was the requirement for terrace guests to use the outdoor restroom, which had low lighting and bugs and spiders on the walls. Access to the more comfortable indoor restrooms was only possible upon special request and under staff supervision. I was escorted there, waited for, and then accompanied back to my table. Meanwhile, guests dining inside could use those facilities freely. Otherwise lovely experience, very thankful.

The food is rich, creative, and beautifully presented. Naturally, I had my favorites among the dishes, but overall, it was an amazing experience. What makes La Salita stand out is that there’s a story behind every meal—it’s not just dining, it’s a journey. One thing I really appreciated were the well-timed breaks between courses. It gives you the chance to digest, relax, and truly savor each part of the menu. The staff were incredibly quick and friendly, adding to the charm of the evening. A special mention goes to the sommelier, who was absolutely fantastic and made our experience even more memorable. Whether it’s a romantic date or an evening out with close friends, I can only recommend La Salita. It’s not just dinner—it’s an experience.

A very unique place and incredible experience. They have managed to surprise us, make us question what we were eating, and have a beautiful time, all at once. Started with appetizers and cocktails, couldn't start better. Moved to the core of La Salita's work and the food and service were 1/ very very very good if that's what's your looking for 2/ very very very interesting if that's what you're looking for. The amount of work behind everything and every dish, is noticeable. The meal closed with a real laugh due to a stunt they had planned (part of the menu). Thank you so much, to all the team, for making it an unforgettable moment.

After reading about La Salita’s history and the chef’s impressive background, I arrived with understandably high expectations. In hindsight, perhaps too high—because I left feeling underwhelmed in several key areas. Our evening began outdoors with cocktails. While the aroma was promising, the drink itself was lukewarm and lacked flavour—anything but refreshing, which is the one thing a cocktail should always be. The guests next to us even sent theirs back, and I suspect for the same reasons. The first appetizers arrived—visually stunning, no doubt, and had pleasant flavour, but overall, they lacked excitement. The rice paper “leaves” with pesto looked beautiful but were overwhelmingly salty, which ruined the experience of that particular bite. Moving inside to the main dining room, we were presented with a wine list. I described our usual preferences to the sommelier, and I must say—his recommendation, 200 Monges 2011, was spot on. Elegant, complex, and beautifully balanced. As the dishes followed, I felt they were often over-thought and at times over-flavoured, lacking the harmony that makes truly great cuisine memorable. The real disappointment, however, was the absence of warmth and engagement from the staff. Not once were we asked if we enjoyed the food. In top-level restaurants, where dishes can be conceptual and experimental, feedback should be welcomed, not avoided. Here, the service felt distant and uninterested, with ingredients recited in a monotone—no sense of storytelling or passion. This lack of emotion in the service unfortunately translated into the food, which, while technically competent, often felt soulless. That said, one dish truly stood out—the strawberry and pea creation. It was brilliant: balanced, surprising, beautifully textured, and visually stunning. A perfect example of what the entire experience could have been. In the end, I take La Salita for what it was: an experience that adds to the broader journey of exploring gastronomy. I’m not disappointed—just aware that there are more inspiring and emotionally engaging dining experiences in Valencia and within approximately an hour drive.

First - if you are used to starred food in places like London, Paris, NYC, etc. please do your research outside of Google before booking here. This review is going to cast a high bar but it should for 500€. (I kid you not, the r/finedining subreddit is a gold mine and cautioned against this place while also leading me to Noor in Cordoba which was a gem.) This started off on the wrong foot from the beginning. My wife received the wrong cocktail (16€) while they somehow told me that an old fashioned was not something they could make (fully stocked bar staring me in the face). We accepted the wrong drink amongst the two of us and moved on (because no one ever came to ask us how our drinks were). On to the food - everything about this screams “a chef trying desperately to earn a second star” - chef clearly has not eaten their menu from start to finish. It is an assault on your palate - not in a good way. Once you’re past the intro courses, savory after savory after savory with nothing to give your mouth a break - there was no break to the richness of the dishes. It is forced-technique to prove that they can do it. There were multiple instances where the wrong cutlery was put down, only to be picked up without a word. On the final time, I asked and was told we were done with the menu only for another waiter to let us know coffee desserts were on the way. Utter confusion. When we raised this (and the cocktail issue) with the waitress, a simple apology was issued - mgmt never appeared. We had the longest menu and it took a whopping 3 hrs 40 minutes. I’ve had 20+ courses at 2* and 3* run just as long. Spacing was off - this was around 10 courses. This is intended to come off as a review demanding a high bar as dinner for two was almost 500 euro despite ordering cheaper alcohol options (food is 190 per person). Especially in Spain, outside of Barcelona and Madrid, you can do much better for that amount of money. Pics: just 4 of the savory back to back courses to illustrate.