With the addition of five more restaurants to this illustrious category, three in Barcelona (Aleia, Enigma and Mont Bar), another in Bellvís, in Lleida (La Boscana) and a final locale in Madrid (Ramón Freixa Atelier), there are now thirty-seven restaurants in this category, serving outstanding cuisine which, according to the MICHELIN Guide, whichever route you are on, is worth the detour!
Aleia (Barcelona), on the first floor of Catalan Modernist gem – Casa Fuster (now a hotel), expresses a contemporary and creative experience through its tasting menu, devised by Italo-Argentine chef Paulo Airaudo with day-to-day operations run by Jerez-born, Rafael de Bedoya.
La Boscana (Bellvís) is a restaurant seamlessly immersed in nature and renowned as one of the gastronomic benchmarks of the Lleida region of Pla d’Urgell. Here, the excellent work of chef Joel Castañé, who is redefining the role of fruit in haute cuisine, becomes immediately apparent.
Enigma (Barcelona) is one of those establishments which captivates and surprises in equal parts for its striking, futuristic esthetics and incredible culinary offering. With some twenty-five courses, chef Albert Adrià takes us on a journey to discover nearly all of the existing culinary techniques, finishing many of the dishes before our eyes.
Mont Bar (Barcelona) is the kind of place that charms with its concept, for, while it is a restaurant, it retains the spirit of a gastrobar. Chef Francisco José Agudo’s proposal, that changes during the year based on locally-available and seasonal ingredients, surprises diners with its exquisite mouthfuls, avant-garde tapas and small plates to be shared…or not!
Ramón Freixa Atelier (Madrid), the new and exciting venture by this fabulous chef, who defends his particular interpretation of haute cuisine in an exclusive setting, that operates in the style of a speakeasy, within a larger restaurant that is accessible to the general public (Ramón Freixa Tradición). It features a single U-shaped table seating ten diners who savor a single tasting menu while the chef constantly interacts with the guests.
Twenty-five restaurants earn their first MICHELIN Star
After this shower of Stars, it is no wonder that these accolades have sparked gastronomic enthusiasm across the entire region, both on the Spanish mainland and the islands. Once more, as is to be expected considering the size of the population and the number of establishments, the majority are found in large cities: Kamikaze and SCAPAR in Barcelona; Islares in Bilbao; Itzuli in Donostia-San Sebastián and EMi and Èter in Madrid.
We must underscore the standing gained by the Autonomous Community of Andalucia in this edition, earning nine new MICHELIN Stars in five of its eight provinces: Faralá (Granada), Mare (Cádiz), Ochando (Los Rosales, in Seville), Palodú (Malaga) and ReComiendo (Cordoba).
Moreover, we take satisfaction in seeing that the decentralization of haute cuisine is gaining traction, with many younger chefs in particular looking to rural settings in which to open their own businesses, establishing close ties with the local area and making a strong commitment to the circular economy: Casa Rubén (Tella, in Huesca), Pico Velasco (Carasa, in Cantabria), Regueiro (Tox, in Asturias), Vértigo (Sober, in Lugo), and more besides.
With these twenty-five new MICHELIN Stars, the total number of restaurants bearing the distinction in the Guide has risen once again, to reach 254. We must also recall that one of them, Ibaya (Soldeu), is located in Andorra and is the only one in the country to shine with this accolade.
Twenty-nine new Bib Gourmands
The Bib Gourmand award, introduced by the Michelin Guide in 1997, recognizes selected restaurants offering excellent food at an affordable price. These establishments span a wide range of cuisines and invite diners to savor carefully curated proposals that remain accessible to every budget.
This year the selection features a total of 204 Bib Gourmand restaurants, with twenty-nine new entries. Among them, to name just a few, we should note the excellent work of the young chef, Pablo González at La Trébede (Pobladura del Valle, in Zamora); the application of molecular reactions to the local culinary tradition at Loreto (Jumilla, in the Region of Murcia); the inventive offering at Manifesto 13 (Madrid), with its Italian soul and creative fusion interpretations; the homage to classic bars and taverns at Memoria Gustativa (Valencia) and the laid-back haute cuisine served on the banks of the Guadalquivir River at Regadera (Córdoba).
Five Restaurants Receive the Green Star
The Green Star aims to highlight restaurants whose commitments have impressed the inspection team through inspiring practices that help shape the gastronomy of tomorrow.
This year, five restaurants have been awarded the Green Star by the MICHELIN Guide inspection team for their innovative initiatives.
Together, they embody a dynamic gastronomy, driven by authentic approaches and inspiring practices that are shaping the future of the sector.
The five newly distinguished restaurants, bringing the total number in this category to 59, are:
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Ama (Tolosa, Guipúzcoa)
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Bakea (Mungia, Biscay)
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Garena (Dima, Biscay)
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Hika (Villabona, Guipúzcoa)
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Terrae (Port de Pollença, Mallorca)
4 MICHELIN Special Awards
The MICHELIN Guide Spain & Andorra selection 2026 is not only about celebrating the unparalleled culinary heritage of these countries, but also paying a well-deserved homage to individual talent and to the abilities that enable us to experience moments that are defined by excellence and passion.
The MICHELIN Service Award 2026 was presented to Abel Valverde, front-of-house manager at the One MICHELIN Star Desde 1911 (Madrid). Considered one of the best head waiters in Spain, he divides his responsibilities between managing the dining room and training staff within the Pescaderías Coruñesas Restauración group. Trained at the Girona School of Hospitality, he notably worked at Can Fabes and led the dining room at the Santceloni restaurant in Madrid under the guidance of his mentor Santi Santamaría. Author of books on service and collaborator with prestigious institutions such as the Basque Culinary Center, he has received numerous awards, including the National Gastronomy Award for Best Restaurant Manager. Discretion, courtesy, and flawless service, complemented by an extensive knowledge of cheeses, define his signature style.
The MICHELIN Sommelier Award 2026, sponsored by Vila Viniteca, went to Luis Baselga, who is charge of the wine cellar at the Two Star Smoked Room (Madrid). After graduating in Gastronomy and Culinary Art from the prestigious Basque Culinary Center, he started out in the kitchen, although he soon realized that the world of wine was his true calling. People say that he does not merely select wines, he reinterprets them using a precise and accessible language to describe the sensations each glass evokes. In the Smoked Room he devises exclusive pairings that elevate the perception of every dish, always tailoring them to each diner’s preferences.
The MICHELIN Young Chef award 2026, sponsored by MAKRO, was presented to chef Juan Carlos García, who helms the kitchen at the One Star Vandelvira (Baeza, in Jaén). Brought up in the kitchen, he is proud to have graduated in Culinary Art and Gastronomic Sciences in the first class of the Basque Culinary Center, which paved the way for him to work alongside renowned chefs including Eneko Atxa, Albert Adriá and Yoshihiro Narisawa, with whom he spent one year in Japan. Today, as well as shaping the family business in his own likeness, he stands out for his maturity that is well beyond his age (32), offering a modern cuisine that is firmly rooted in seasonal and local produce, some of which is grown in his own garden.
The MICHELIN Mentor Chef award 2026, sponsored by Blancpain, honored Quique Dacosta, the chef heading the Three Star Quique Dacosta (Dénia, in Alicante) and who supervises the culinary proposal at restaurants including Deessa and Palm Court in Madrid, El Poblet, Llisa Negra and Vuelve Carolina in Valencia and Arros QD in London. He has earned many awards including the Spanish National Gastronomy Award and Spain’s Gold Medal for Fine Art, and has worked with young talents who have gone on to become highly esteemed chefs, such as Ricard Camarena, Alberto Ferruz, Carito Lourenço and Germán Carrizo, amongst others. Yet, what has truly stood out has been his own vision of gastronomy, elevated to the category of art and with an obsessive desire, as though it were a mantra, to attempt to cook beauty. One standout detail was his Octavo menu (2025 season) – the first in the world to be registered and protected by copyright, establishing cooking as another form of artistic expression and raising it to the same level as the other seven classical disciplines of the Fine Arts (architecture, sculpture, painting, music, literature, dance and film).
The MICHELIN Guide Spain & Andorra selection 2026 at a glance:
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Three Stars: 16 restaurants
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Two Stars: 37 restaurants (5 new entries)
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One Star: 254 restaurants (25 new entries)
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Bib Gourmand: 204 restaurants (29 new entries)
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Recommended: 784 restaurants (128 new entries)
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Green Stars: 59 restaurants (5 new entries)
Let us recall that Andorra, also included in the selection of this Guide, boasts 7 listed restaurants (one new entry), with one holding One MICHELIN Star. Altogether, the total of establishments in the Guide reaches 1,295.
As well as its restaurant selection, the MICHELIN Guide also features a list of hotels in Spain, Andorra and around the world, forming a collection of truly unique accommodations. The MICHELIN Keys, introduced in 2024, are awarded to the most outstanding hotels in the Guide and are celebrated just like the world’s best restaurants, recognized with the famous Stars. All of our hotels are defined by their design, architecture, service and character. The MICHELIN Key symbolizes truly exceptional experiences within our selection. All of the hotels can be booked directly through the MICHELIN Guide website and app.
You can watch the full MICHELIN Guide Spain & Andorra 2026 Gala on our YouTube channel via this link : MICHELIN Guide Ceremony Spain 2026 – MICHELIN Spain Gala 2026 – YouTube