Every spring, hundreds of bars and restaurants across Spain come together for one of the most original food events of the year: the Ruta del Paquito. Here at Alenar, right in the heart of Valencia, we take part with a proposal you simply cannot miss: the Paquito del Montgó, our lamb sandwich and winner of the award for Best Paquito in Valencia 2024. It was created for the route, but it is now on our menu all year round.
If you are wondering what a paquito is, or you are looking for something special to eat in Valencia, this is your chance to discover why lamb, when treated with care and made with quality produce, can be a completely different kind of experience. Here is everything you need to know.
What is the Ruta del Paquito?
The Ruta del Paquito is an annual gastronomic event organized by INTEROVIC (Interprofesional Agroalimentaria del Ovino y el Caprino) with a purpose as straightforward as it is appetizing: to celebrate lamb, kid, and suckling lamb by bringing them closer to a younger audience through the most universal food format there is: the sandwich. That is where the name comes from: a paquito is a sandwich with lamb as the star ingredient.
Each year, more than 15 Spanish cities join the initiative, with hundreds of participating venues each offering their own take on the Paquito: from molletes to focaccias, via artisan baguettes, always with lamb as the star of the show. The 2026 edition ran from 8 May to 7 June. For those who love food events in Valencia, the Ruta del Paquito is one of the most eagerly anticipated occasions of the year.
At the end of the event, a specialist jury selects the Best Paquito in Spain from all the participants, which means every bite carries a little more weight than your average sandwich.
El Paquito de El Montgó
Our Paquito takes its name from El Montgó, the iconic Alicante mountain that rises between Dénia and Xàbia as a symbol of the most authentic Mediterranean spirit. It is not a name chosen by chance: El Montgó represents the connection between land, landscape, and tradition, which is precisely what we seek to express through this creation.
The Paquito de El Montgó is made with first-quality lamb, cooked with care to preserve all its juiciness, served in toasted artisan bread and accompanied by fresh vegetables and house-made sauces with a distinctly Mediterranean character. Every ingredient has been chosen to deliver a sandwich that is balanced, generous and full of personality.
In 2024 it won the award for Best Paquito in Valencia. Today it is made with shredded lamb on a Robuchon-style sweet potato purée, with pine honey, ditet (a Valencian chilli pepper), candied orange and sweet potato crisps, and you can try it all year round: on its own for €11.50, or in our Gastro Esmorzaret breakfast for €12.90, with a drink, coffee and mistela, Monday to Saturday until 12:30.
Why is lamb worth trying in sandwich form?
Lamb is one of the most versatile and sustainable products in the Mediterranean diet, with outstanding nutritional value and a significantly lower environmental footprint than many other meats. Yet it is often reserved for more formal dishes or special occasions.
The Ruta del Paquito changes that perception entirely. Presented as a sandwich, lamb becomes an accessible, dynamic and genuinely surprising dish. At Alenar, we take this proposal seriously: the Paquito de El Montgó is not just any sandwich, it is a carefully crafted creation made with the same attention to detail we bring to everything on our menu, from our Valencian tapas to our seasonal menus.
How to take part in the Ruta del Paquito at Alenar
Taking part could not be simpler: just come and visit us and order the Paquito de El Montgó, during the route or any other time of the year. No prior booking is needed to try it, though if you would like to secure a table you are welcome to book online, call us on +34 960 039 603 or drop us a line at hola@alenarbodega.com.
You will find us in the heart of Valencia, at Carrer de Martínez Cubells, 6, with the warm and welcoming atmosphere we are known for and a team that puts the same care and attention into every Paquito as into any other dish in the house. We are open Monday to Friday from 8:45 to 23:00 and Saturdays from 10:30 to 23:00.
If you would like to keep up with all the food events in Valencia we take part in throughout the year, join the Club Alenar and never miss a thing.
