Food and Wine News - 2023 Michelin Stars in Spain
As the end of the year approaches, awards and best-of lists start to come out, and the Iberian food and wine universe is no exception. It’s easy to believe that awards aren’t important, that all that matters is the hard work that winemakers and chefs put in day after day, but prizes certainly serve as an indicator of where things are today and where they’re headed. In the last month important Spain and Portugal awards and best-of lists have come out, reflecting trends and successes of in the world of food and wine.
Michelin Stars for Spain and Portugal 2023
Last week the Michelin stars for Spain and Portugal in 2023 were announced. The annual granting (and occasional removing) of stars is the most important day of the year for haute cuisine restaurants and their chefs and staff. The Michelin stars and Michelin-recommended restaurant lists point to the dining trends which while they have constants–see the three Michelin starred restaurants–they evidence the elevation of casual product-driven locales to equal footing with traditional fine dining.
New 3 Michelin Stars in Spain
The big announcement this year is the third Michelin star awarded to two Spanish restaurants, taking Spain’s total number of three star restaurants to a stunning 13. It’s been a few years since a new name joined this elite group. Barcelona has gained another three-star option in Cocina Hermanos Torres, reinforcing Catalonia’s position as a fine dining destination to rival the Basque Country, with the region now tying the Basques at 4 three-star restaurants. And Extremadura, a region best known for its traditional cuisine and wide-open landscapes, has gained access to this small club with the award of the third star to Atrio.
The Torres twins behind Cocina Hermanos Torres made a name for themselves in Barcelona with their restaurant Dos Cielos. After moving to a larger space, the brothers regained their two Michelin stars before finally getting their third this week. The twins are masters of creative cuisine, operating for years at the cutting edge of what is possible in the kitchen. Cocina Hermanos Torres has now joined ABaC and Lasarte at the pinnacle of Barcelona’s fine dining scene, cementing the city as one of the great restaurant destinations in Spain.
Atrio lies on the other side of Spain, in the historic city of Cáceres in Extremadura. It’s a surprising place for a restaurant of this level, but like El Bulli in its day, Atrio has become a destination in its own right. On the menu you’ll find elegant and surprising homages to the richness of ingredients and traditions of the cuisine of Extremadura, including the world-famous Iberian pig that thrives there. In addition to an impeccable dining experience, Atrio is perhaps best known for its world-class wine cellar featuring collections of some of the world’s rarest wines. It was this cellar that was the target of the bold theft last year, where thieves made off with a number of rare priceless bottles. The third Michelin star couldn’t come at a better time, vindicating the struggles and incredible dedication of the team behind Atrio.
New 1 Michelin Stars in Spain
The one-star restaurant list grew considerably and diversely. Barcelona and Madrid are represented, of course, with a perhaps surprising first star for Mont Bar in Barcelona, an informal creative spot with the soul of a tapas bar that’s been making waves in the city. But as has been the trend in recent years, many of the new stars in Spain have fallen far from the big cities, in regional capitals or even villages across the country. The most interesting addition this year is the first Michelin star in Cádiz, for chef Leon Griffioen’s Código de Barra, another indicator of the red-hot food scene in Andalusia’s southern province. Wine travelers will welcome a third one-star restaurant in Rioja’s capital of Logroño (Ajonegro) and one for Burgos (Cobo Evolución), the historic city between Rioja and Ribera del Duero. With the accumulation of amazing restaurants in all corners of the country, Spain continues to make the case for itself as one of the world’s great dining destinations.