New Michelin Gastronomic Guide to Spain Lowers Expectations

The Michelin Gastronomic guide to Spain and Portugal 2008 which was launched yesterday has disappointed fans of Spanish cuisine. Out of a total of 2090 establishments, only 134 Spanish restaurants have been awarded stars by the Michelin Guide.

Only 6 restaurants have been awarded the maximum 3 michelin stars – Akelarre, Arzak, Martin Berasategui, El Bulli, Can Fabes and Sant Pau – compared to 26 French ones.

And to rub a little more salt into the wound, in the first edition of the Michelin Gastronomic Guide to Tokyo out this year, no less than 150 restaurants have been awarded stars which is more than the whole of Spain. France has 527 restaurants with stars and Germany has at least twice as many as Spain.

According to the Michelin Guide which is highly regarded by critics all over the world it is worth planning a journey just to be able to visit a 3 star restaurant, and it is worth making a detour during a journey to visit a 2 star restaurant. A 1 star restaurant is simply considered to be excellent within its category.

There were rumours that a new Spanish restaurant – El Celler de Can Roca – in Gerona was going to be awarded 3 stars but it appears that it will have to wait another 12 months.

Abac in Barcelona was the only other restaurant to be awarded another star this year. Some Spanish culinary experts think there should have been more such as Ca Sento, in Valencia; El Bohío, in Illescas; Casa Gerardo, in Prendes… to name just a few.

In this new edition 14 Spanish restaurants have been awarded 1 star for the first time: Comerç 24 (Barcelona), Yayo Daporta (Cambados), Kokotxa (San Sebastián), Kursaal (San Sebastián), Arrop (Gandía), Massana (Gerona), Azurmendi (Larrabetzu), Club Allard (Madrid), Calima (Marbella), Els Casals (Sagàs), Retiro da Costiña (Santa Comba), Villena (Segovia), El Molino de Urdániz (Urdániz) and Ramiro’s (Valladolid).

Related: Restaurants in Spain