Valencia Cocina

Terrific food! We tried two different kinds of arepas, fruit juice with milk and tacos!! Everything was delish! Their meat preparation was perfection! Staff were friendly! Neat and clean, relaxed ambiance! Orders were served quickly! All of the items went above our expectations! Will definitely come back again!

Valencia Cocina is such a beautiful new chapter for a Norwalk staple. While the name has changed, the heart, flavor, and warmth that made Valencia special are still very much alive , and honestly, better than ever. The reopening feels fresh and intentional. The space looks amazing, the service is just as welcoming, and the food is still packed with the bold, comforting Venezuelan flavors everyone fell in love with. You can tell there’s been thoughtful growth behind the scenes, not a loss of identity. If you’ve been hesitant because of the name change, don’t be. Valencia Cocina is honoring its roots while stepping into something new. Valencia Cocina absolutely nailed it with the appetizers. ⭐️ Fried Calamari was perfectly crispy without being heavy or greasy. The seasoning was balanced, and that creamy dipping sauce with a hint of spice took it to another level. Chef’s kiss. ⭐️ Ceviche was just as impressive. Bright, fresh, and beautifully plated. The citrus base was vibrant without overpowering the seafood. And the crispy plantain on top? Such a smart touch. It tasted clean, refreshing, and high quality. These two dishes alone prove the kitchen is still delivering, if not leveling up. Fresh ingredients, thoughtful presentation, and bold Latin flavors done right. Highly recommend starting your meal with both.

Great plates that fill you up. Pollo mechado hit the spot. My mom enjoyed the pernil plate but it was odd it came with broccoli. Dad got guava and mozzarella empanadas, it was good, just but thick cheese cut.

Amazing spot with excellent and wide choices. I like the fact that you can tailor small pieces of the menu and enjoy a bit of it all. Enjoy and come hungry and with a baggie

I went to Valencia recently and honestly the renovation makes such a big difference the location looks way better now. It feels cleaner, more modern, and just nicer overall, but still has that comfortable, welcoming vibe. The updated space really makes you want to sit down and enjoy your time there. The food is still as good as always, which I love. Everything tastes amazing and super fresh, and they’re really consistent with the quality. Every dish is flavorful and you can tell they care about what they’re serving. The portions are great too, so you definitely leave satisfied. The service is always friendly and attentive, which makes the whole experience even better. It’s honestly one of my go-to spots and I’d definitely recommend it.

The newly renovated restaurant is beautiful! We had great service as usual and tried some of the new menu items (short rib dinner + donuts). I loved the mocktails, too! Definitely recommend and will be back.

I’ve been coming to Valencia Luncheria for the past ten years, and this recent visit truly impressed me. The upgrade is obvious the moment you walk in. The space feels refreshed, intentional, and elevated while still maintaining the warmth and character that have always made this place special. The food has clearly been taken to another level. The new menu feels thoughtful and refined without losing the soul of what Valencia is known for. Every dish feels more composed and balanced. The ceviche is outstanding. It is bright, fresh, and perfectly seasoned with just the right acidity and texture. You can taste the quality of the ingredients and the care in execution. It is absolutely a must order. It also made me genuinely happy to see Louisito again. He has always provided great service, and seeing a familiar face after so many years added to the experience. That combination of elevated food and the same welcoming hospitality is what keeps me coming back. Overall, the transformation is impressive. I love the new menu and look forward to many more visits.

I’ve been going to Valencia for years and their empanadas are some of the best around. But unfortunately, they changed the entire restaurant and menu and i was so disappointed. They didn’t have any of their old empanadas which they were well known for. I figured I would give it a try because the restaurant was so great before, but I was extremely underwhelmed and I feel like it lost the charm that it used to have. I understand they tried to make a more upscale place but I loved the kinda dive bar type of feel. The food was phenomenal before now it’s mediocre at best

This a great local place with amazing food and drinks. I recently discovered it via a recommendation. My first visit was a brunch special (eggs Benny with real bacon and avocado) and two cocktails. I met some locals who gave me a few extra recos in the area. My second visit was a sunny fall day so we could eat outside. It was really a pleasure to introduce this place and arepas to my mom. Delicious food and cocktails. Service is always friendly and responsive, too.

Amazing and a newly relished experience at Valencia over my last trip to this place. (May be I developed a tolerance to the cuisine over time) We ordered a bunch of Arepes - Aphrodite, Jenny, JPC(personal favorite - ruby). Everything tasted so good. It's a tiny place and parking can get tricky on any weekend. I couldn't try their brunch menu but looked pretty promising.

My family and I enjoy coming to this little eatery. The food is very consistent and always fresh. I highly recommend their empanadas as they are always yummy no matter what filling you get.

Horrible customer service. Isaac the so called "manager" is extremely rude and condescending. They screwed up our order by not bothering to check that it was all there when it was picked up. They made no apologies about not getting us what we paid for or offered to bring it to us. And to top it all the yucca fries were stale and dry and the arepas as well. I used to love this place but it has gone downhill lately from the food quality to the quality of the people working there. I DO NOT RECOMMEND THIS PLACE TO ANYONE.

From outside, it doesn't look like much, but it is much bigger and fun/looking once you come in, with plenty of greenery and a casual beachy vibe. Staff is very friendly and quick to greet. There were so many exciting options to choose from, whether from the regular or brunch menu or the specials , so expect some tough decision-making time. Even the drink section has a plethora of juices and shakes to pick from. Pretty much everything we ordered was great. The highlight however, was the pernil banh mi, a crunch baguette sandwich harboring a delicious and refreshing mix of pork, mango slices and cilantro among other things. The family also enjoyed the medianoche burritos and the maricaibo quesadilla. Oh, and the side order of chorizo potatoes was surprisingly spicy but very tasty. The only thing I didn't like was the chorizo and peppers empanada, but I think it was my choice of ingredients inside rather than the whole thing, as the empanada was suitably crunchy and not oily. Be warned that the parking lot they have behind the building is small and tight. We found a spot but it could have been dicey trying to get back out with someone else also scouting availability. So, if you can park street side somewhere close by, you may want to take the opportunity. Instant favorite of a place thanks to inventive menu, great flavors and wallet-friendly prices! Now we just gotta find more non-food reasons to make the trip to Norwalk.

Very disappointed and disgusted. Ordered two Empanadas (pulled pork, and chicken), and the Guacamole. Though the chicken had a good flavor, the pieces were large nuggets (not shredded as expected), therefore were dry. The pulled pork had absolutely no flavor, and the shell was extremely greasy. To make it worse, the grease tasted very old and bitter. Pictures enclosed, but could not upload the video of the grease dripping out; but the collection can be seen in one of the pictures. The Guacamole was good, but the homemade chips were fried in the same grease, and the portion of guacamole was not worth the $10 (my hand is in the picture as a reference). New owner, or a bad day? Either case, I can't understand the 5 star reviews; I don't mind paying elevated prices, but the food needs to be equivalent respectively. The staff were very nice and welcoming.

Great empanada and arepa spot with a friend. Service was good (they started to get busy, so it was getting harder to get our servers attention who was pulling double duty as a bartender). The one thing I didn't understand - after a $85 lunch for a bunch of things, we never did get the chips and quac we ordered (weren't charged and never received). The thing that upset me the most was being charged a take out kitchen tax on the separate cannoli empanada I ordered. You have got to be kidding. The empanada was literally placed in a paper bag for me to take home, and I was charged a take out fee/kitchen tax on this? That says to me, next time, order whatever you want and just get a to-go box. Charging a tax on this is a poor business practice.

Valencia has been a part of my life since forever, making it around 15 to 20 times (or maybe more). It's the ultimate jack-of-all-trades spot. Birthday bashes? Check. First dates? Yup. Family hangouts? You bet. Even my grandparents love it. It's like the perfect place for anyone and everyone. I can even remember back when Valencia wasn't the bustling restaurant it is now. It's got that cozy, family-run vibe that just draws you in. The staff? Superstars. They've always been cool with me. Know the menu inside out and always ready to go the extra mile. Food time! Lunch is my jam here - their lunch specials are gold. Imagine scoring an empanada, an Arepa, rice, beans, plantains, AND avocado. The chicken avocado Arepa is totally my jam. And those empanadas? Impossible to pick a fave; they're all crazy good. Hold up, dessert empanadas?! Trust me, try the Nutella and banana chocolate one. It's a sweet treat like no other. All in all, Valencia is my spot. A real hidden gem that I'll keep coming back to, no doubt.

$18 chopped salad w/chicken. Same salad a few years ago was $8 and double the size! The portion of this salad is the size of a side salad. Not right. Fork for size comparison

Valencia Luncheria made it difficult to ever have eggs benedict not on an arepa ever again. We both cleaned our plates at brunch today! Valencia serves their regular food menu along with a brunch menu and eye catching brunch specials on the weekends, allowing for the ability to fulfill any craving. The coffee, as always, was phenomenal. An easy five stars!

The shrimp tacos and empanadas are soooo good! Wow so much flavor! I'll be back! Great service as well!

We started going to Valencia many years ago when they first opened down the road and the food was consistently delicious. It was a small restaurant so we were delighted when they expanded. We have been many times over the years and could always count on a good meal. We went tonight and the food was awful. I am not sure if it's under new ownership or just a new chef but my husband and I both thought the food and drinks were sub-par.

Staff is great Food is awesome. Best part is they have GFO if you tell them! Bartender got me a drink that isn't on the menu but used to be.

So, so, so good. Try the Pabellon Arepa, Lucas' Fire Arepa, and Arroz con Pollo. Chef's kiss. If you don't like your arepa fried they will grill it, takes a little longer. Great ambiance and service, as well.

Highlights: - near Stepping Stone Children's museum - kid friendly, loud atmosphere - fast pace food service - nice food - small restaurant, very busy in weekend lunch hour - ok parking availability

Great place for brunch or dinner. Self described as "Venezuelan beach food" (??) This place has a huge menu, great food, reasonable prices, excellent service and a terrific vibe.

The food, service, ambiance all amazing. Our server had a good recommendations and was very accommodating especially to my two small children. The price was amazing! A great value for a family of 4 would highly recommended. My children who are usually bland eaters, tried everything offered and loved it.

Love, love Valencia, never disappoints! Love their breakfast menu and the last few times ordered from their lunch menu which was also good. Highly recommend their egg dishes and smothering it with the green sauce, the green sauce on the table is amazing! Highly recommend the arepas. Looking forward to trying dinner one of these days, their cocktails look delicious!

Ahhhhh, this was great in the past. My hubs and I went a week or two before Christmas and we were disappointed. The service was slow and the food was mediocre at best. I may give it another chance but honestly it was disappointing and mehhhhh. The staff seemed to be having a good time... so good they may have forgotten they had customers. Maybe it changed hands??

Back in the day I tried finding restaurants from Diners, Drive-In's and Dives and discovered this place. Authentic Venezuelan food, fun atmosphere, great service! Must try any arepa or empanada. I promise you, you will not find another like either! Empanada is more like an unsweetened fried pie crust instead of the usual thin crispy ones. Arepas the side of a quarter pounder, unlike a lot of other places I've been where they are tiny side dishes. The carne meschada one is to die for! Like a slow-cooked, shredded-beef stew with so much flavor! Fresh ingredients with flavor in any dish. Best part is you can get like 3 empanadas or steps arepas for about $12. I buy a bag full and bring them home! Although I'm not a big drinker, they have a really nice chalkboard of their drinks, and are building their craft beer selection nicely. The restaurant is colored like you're down in the Caribbean with bright blues, yellows and other tropical colors . They even have a palm tree inside and picnic tables out front in the sand. The walls are usually filled with local artist unique work that matches the decor and you can buy it! Here's to local networking ! The staff is friendly, helpful and always willing to go out of their way for anything you ask (I have asked for crispy bacon, simple syrup on the side and other things in the past). Smiles all around in this casual, vacation-feeling place!

Valencia is the most popular place in town for good reason. This place got the Food Network stamp of approval years ago and it's been rolling ever since. The food here is a non-traditional/non-authentic take on Venezuelan food with other Latin influences. Normally that description would make me nervous, but don't worry, the flavor is something that cannot be denied. The arepas and empanadas come in a variety of filling options... you really do want to try them all and so far I've had no misses. You must pair the savory ones with the magical green sauce. The green sauce here is simply divine and belongs on just about everything on the menu. Valencia has a regular menu, but there's always a special/seasonal menu that always excites me because they offer delicious choices such as birria nachos, crab gazpacho, and even cocktails. Occasionally I will order something that I probably wouldn't get again like the bahn mi because it was incredibly dry or the birria tacos (2 tacos for $15), but that just makes me want to come back and try something else. This is totally a spot where you can catch a buzz whether you post up at the bar to try a drink from their fascinating cocktail menu or if you're in the mood for a boozy brunch. This place is always packed on the weekends including their outdoor beachy vibe seating when the weather permits, so it's recommend to call ahead for a table. Great choice for groups even though the inside can be a bit compact. I've been bringing friends, family, and work associates here for years and they always ask me when the next time we can go back!

The service was really great however I feel bad for the guy who was taking our orders as he was running around doing so many things at one time. Making drinks and other food. But great service and a lovely waiter. Ambiance was lovely too feeling as if I was at someone's house eating food. Emphandias were really good, would have said the best if I was spoiled at having them made a professional chef in Argentina. I would said that they were great if I wasn't so spoiled on great ones in Argentina. Idk why I need to mention that but well definitely happened

Great restaurant with outdoor seating. It's always a go to on a warm day to sit outside in their faux beachfront seating. They have an array of arepas and empanadas and refreshing unique cocktails. Never had a complaint about the food or service. Something to Consider: Parking lot in back is small but plenty of street parking.

Amazing . The food was so fresh . I love the arepas . Service was like a Italian grandmothers house . I wish I lived on Main st so I could eat there every day . Btw the owner Michael Is haf . The handmade cocktails and batidos are deliciouoosa

The empanadas were amazing here! As was the arepa! This place is like being on an island in the big city. There is an outside patio with sand floor. The service was very fast. I also had the cannoli empanada for dessert! Warm on the outside but cool in the center and so so good!

I attended a graduation party yesterday and the host rented out their food truck. So I'm basing this review on that rather than dining at their restaurant. WOW! Damn good food being slung out of this truck. Nachos and guac were great as was their pernil arepa sandwich. The Cuban and spinach and cheese empanadas were fantastic as well. To round out my healthy meal, I finished off with a heaping of rice and beans over a quite scrumptious salad. The young lady and man in the truck were super friendly, and they patiently explained the menu to guests that were unfamiliar. As far as prices go, I'm not sure what they charge because it was already taken care of........but I'll be visiting the restaurant on a future date for sure. Excellent job folks.......keep it up the. great work . 4.5 stars!

I live about two hours away, but any time I am in the area this is a 100% must stop. I feel bad for people who haven't tried this place yet! I've been quite a few times over the and always get arepas and buy the green sauce to go. I could drink that stuff. I've never had anything like it! This time I had the Zach arepa - a fried chicken with honey (not spicy) and it was fantastic!! It was a thin chicken breast breaded and fried to a beautiful brown crisp. I also had the tortilla salad off the lunch menu. It was a good size, not HUGE but absolutely enough on its own and super filling with an arepa. I took 2/3 home and decided to try the Nutella empanada. It was good but I'll probably skip next time. It's very messy! Service was lovely. Music makes a fun vibe. All around, absolutely worth the stop. I came at 3pm on a weekday and it was basically empty but I'd wait multiple hours to eat here.

Watch out for the built in extra "tip" to pay for their kitchen staff. The food is still good but clearly, some financial issue is being passed along to customers this way. If you're up for that than it's fine. If you had no idea about this and/or this is not the way you want to dine out, it's not a happy surprise and we won't be eating there again to repeat the magic.

A wide variety of great tasty empanadas. Nice waitresses and bartenders. Recommended!

I urge you all to look closely at your arepas or any bread from here, every time I eat here there is always Lint or dust particles, it's so annoying because honestly I love the flavor and the food is to die for, but I'm tired of always seeing these particles of lint and consuming them, I've mentioned it before and was just told that it's the flour/starch the use, but cmon I know that's not the case. I stopped coming here for this specific reason and came back again after a few months, nothings changed, you people are eating lint, I tried my best to use a black background to show the lint

Great as always! We usually go for lunch or dinner. Breakfast/brunch was sooo delicious. It might be our new weekend breakfast spot.

We went and it was a beautiful day so we sat outside. We had quick service and received our drinks and food within 15 mins. Everything came out hot! Recommend- chipotle burrito My only wish is for the pernil to be more seasoned and drinks to have less ice. I would definitely return to try more things on their extensive menu.

Soooo happy that I reached out to the Yelp CT Community Manager for recommendations in this area! He hadn't dined here much, but informed me that Guy Fieri said this place was the best restaurant in CT! After taking my teen and his friends shopping at the local mall, I knew they'd want ramen. I found a highly rated place on Main St. And much to my surprise, it was right next door to Valencia Luncheria! I dropped the boys and got the last seat at the car at Luncheria. There were quite a few people standing around waiting for tables. I had no idea what to expect. It's Latin American food - mostly Venezuelan- which I have little experience with. It was very hard to decide what to order! There were lots of empanada choices and arepas- corn cake with filling. But I went with a chicken dish I never had- chicken escabeche. It's a citrus marinated chicken with peppers and olives and capers. It was very tasty. I wished I weren't alone because I wanted to try some other dishes. The person next to me had a delicious looking paella. I could tell this place specializes in cocktails! The Expatriate was amazing! And I got the boys Nutella empanadas to go! Super good and Marge for $4.25 each! I cannot agree with Guy that it's the best restaurant in CT. I think my palate is too young to rate South American food. But it seems to be a hit with people that love this kind of food. Arrive early to secure your table!

Wow, it was fantastic. Looking forward to going back. The food was amazing, the service was great, the only slight negative was the parking. But then again if they weren't so good, they wouldn't be so busy and so parking would be easier.

Been coming here for years. Always a solid spot for lunch or dinner. We've loved their empanadas from the beginning! Also, their mixed drinks are the best, especially the rum punch!

This place is really crowded. There's hardly any parking available near the restaurant, and it's cramped inside the restaurant too. Both customers and employees have to squeeze inside and do those movements where they want to take up less space than normal. They're gonna have to continue doing that since the food is so dang good!

Been here many times over the years and it's always delicious. Ceviche burrito is particularly good. I could drink the green sauce. I'll always recommend this place!

Amazing restaurant in Norwalk, CT. A friend had gone their for brunch and loved it so much she declared we had to go the following day after our business meeting for lunch. Get an arepa we went with: Fennel Arepa with ham, brie, mango Pernil Arepa Bacon, spinach queso blanco 3 cheese Empanada Nutella, cream cheese Apple & Dulce De Leche empanada Sweet plantains The empanadas are also amazing and they also have some great cocktails to choose from.

I think my favorite thing to eat was the empanadas. I ordered 3 different ones and I cant pick a favorite because they were all great. I enjoyed the music and the service was amazing. Our waiter was super friendly and made sure to check up on us often. Perfect chill atmosphere. I will be coming again soon

This is one of our favorite restaurants in Norwalk. We have been going here since they had a very small location just up the street. We love their empanadas. My favorite drink is "the Vivian!" The bread pudding is to die for. Valencia never disappoints.

The best place to eat in Norwalk is Valencia Luncheria, either on the sand, on the patio or inside. Any way you choose, you get the best selection of authentic food around. I was celebrating my birthday [again] and was taken here to enjoy Brunch. My order of Steak-N-Eggs was the best. Two fried eggs alongside a beautiful grilled piece of Skirt Steak was the center point to a dish of Hash Browns, Refried Beans, Tortilla with Salsa Ranchera and a hearty sprinkle of Queso Blanco. It all blended together into a rememberable meal. The wait for the Papaya Batida was a bit bothering but it ended up a smooth end to the meal. A slice of succulent Flan came home with me but only lasted a short time! So time to go back. This time for an order of three arepas with different fillings...can't wait.

Great selection of tasty empanada. Ordered takeout. Parking lot makes pick up easy. Definitely want to go there to eat next time.

I don't know how I haven't reviewed this place yet. I have been here many times and it is always amazing. Service is always in point. The place looks like a dive on the outside but once you go inside it's always clean it's decorated nicely the vibes it just fire. Now the food I always get an empanada they are legit but the ceviche and guacamole are super fresh I can't recommend this place enough

Sadly we were turned away because of our 'Medical Alert Dog' By the time the server calmed down we had lost our appetite and went to another place down the block. It was great and called Taco Tequila

Perfect! From the food to the bloody Mary's..Amazing. Picadillo empanadas are so good, the green sauce is yummy Bartender, she was lovely. Waitress, all are very nice and accommodating.

Valencia Luncheria's menu has so many options. I stuck with arepas. That section alone had several options. I chose the Zach, Ruby and La Bonita (listed in order of preference). The honey chicken on The Zach was my favorite. They have two sauces a for each table (green sauce and hot sauce). I preferred the green, but I've had a pink , garlicky sauce at other spots that I wish they had. While the arepas were tasty, I felt they were lacking the sauce to hit all the flavor notes, especially La Bonita. The dining has a great tropical vibe and the front patio is awesome. It's like you're on the beach when you sit on the front patio.

We took the food out and ate it at home. I wanted to love everything. The place has potential. But details count. The Burrito: The steak was good. It was grilled perfectly. The beans (I asked for it separately) were great too. I don't usually like beans, but these were so tasty, I will defo have them again. That said the burrito was huge, and about 80% of it was white rice. I think it would have been better w a bit more meat (there was hardly any in this burrito). Oh, and the avocado wasn't fresh. The avocado had a lot of dark parts like it was overripe. The emapanadas: These were good empanadas, except they tasted old. It tastes like it was in the fridge for weeks, then fried. The dough was pretty rancid. I couldn't eat it. The filling was good. This could have been a 5 star empanada if it didn't taste like it had been in the refrigerator too long. The green sauce it came with was EXCELLENT!! The Spareribs: these chocolate ribs were good. It was a bit sweet, but nice and tender. 4 ribs for $15 for those wondering. I'm not sure id order them again. The place has a lot of potential. Imho, it's just the quality control that has to be watched. Maybe it isn't usually like this, and maybe it was a bad day...? But I did get a white rice burrito (with a bit of steak, etc) with overripe dark avocado, and three pretty rancid empanadas.

This place used to rock. We would cater from them for big events like the Superbowl, and we would go there twice per month. The bartenders were engaging, creative, and they served a solid drink. We went back there tonight. The drinks were super weak. The Pernil Arepa was fatty. The tables were not set up. My wife and i used to love going there, but we both agreed, never again.

This place felt so authentic! I loved the many arepa options and the variety in the menu. I went with the carne mechada arepa (not pictured) and the chicken empanada. Tasty meats! I enjoyed the chicken flavor more. I had a mango smoothie as well and it was blended with fresh mangos. Overall, it's a nice casual eatery for any meal of the day. The cocktail menus looked delicious as well.