Valkenburg's food scene is firmly in Dutch tourist-town territory: mostly decent, occasionally good, never spectacular. The local Limburg specialities are worth seeking out — vlaai (a filled tart, not a cake) comes in cherry, apple, and rice varieties and is best from a real bakery. The Belgian-influenced beer culture of South Limburg means good dark beers and abbey ales are available in most bars.
The Grotestraat pedestrian street has most of the restaurants. Quality varies widely; the places slightly off the main street tend to be better value. Several cafes have pleasant terrace seating overlooking the Geul river.