The 2016 Michelin Guide has awarded culinary creativity and recognized the legacy of elBulli. A few innovations are highlighted, as well as the arrival of new values to the star restaurant list.
Barcelona is a city famous for its international gastronomic art. No less than 20 establishments in the city have been awarded one or two stars in the 2016 Michelin Guide.
A few kilometres away from the capital, you can find the most highly honoured restaurants. A perfect example is the kitchen king Ferran Adrià, who shares the throne with a lot more brilliant star restaurants.
The most important gastronomic guide has only awarded a new star to a Catalan culinary in 2016. Although the city is known to be a home of excellent gastronomy, there are a lot of new restaurants that match the excellency.
Barcelona is a place where you can enjoy not only the Spanish and Catalan cuisine, but the international cuisine as well. Are you ready to look at this list of delciiousness? Bon Appetite or ¡Buen provecho!, as we locals say here!
2016 Michelin Guide
Catalonia has always been a region with the highest number of awards. A total of 50 restaurants with a star, followed by the Basque country with 21 stars and Madrid with 16.
Even though no Catalan restaurant has been given the triple crown, the recognition is increadibly important for those who already do hold the prestigious crown.
El Celler de Can Roca (C/ Can Sunyer, 48, Girona), the world’s second best restaurant, according to “World’s 50 Best Restaurants“, continues shining with the three Michelin stars it has received.
The Sant Pau de Carme Ruscalleda (Carrer Nou, 10, Sant Pol de Mar) has also been awarded three stars, and considered the best restaurant in the province of Barcelona.
Restaurants with a two stars
Moments (Pg de Gracia, 38) Located in Hotel Mandarín Oriental, it is run by Raül Balam, son of the very famous Carme Ruscalleda. The restaurant is located in the famous Eixample and offers the traditional Catalan cuisine with an innovative twist.
Lasarte (C/ Mallorca, 259) in the Hotel Condes de Barcelona, brought the world-renowned chef Martín Berasategui to Barcelona’s Eixample, which resulted in an increadibly creative restaurant with a degustation menu worth trying.
Enoteca (C/ Marina, 19-21) in Hotel Arts and the restaurant with the same name are both run by the chef Paco Pérez, who holds two Michelin stars for Enoteca and other two for Miramar de Llançà, the king of gastronomy in Barcelona. Their gourmet dishes are mainly influenced by the delightful sea food.
Àbac (Avda Tibidabo, 1) the celebrity chef Jordi Cruz has proven himself to be worth the second Michelin star, and is now working hard for a third one. The excellent gastronomic masterpieces, increadibly refined technique and creative cuisine merge with tradition emerged from an elegant and calm atmosphere.
Restaurants with one star
There is an enormously long list of restraunts with one Michelin star, which are located throughout the neighbourhoods of Barcelona. It is a true gastronomic trip down the streets of Barcelona, which is worth enjoying.
Poble Sec and Poblenou
The Poble Sec has been renamed as the new gastronomic golden triangle and features two establishements run by brothers Adrià and Iglesias. However, other restaurants are not far behind and serve as the golden stadard for the cuisine here.
Tickets (Avda Paral·lel, 164),holder of one star, continues to greet us with creativty and its unique “bulliniana”, a new version of tapas. It has been extended thanks to the closure of 41º, which is waiting for being relocated somwhere in Barcelona, under the management of Albert Adrià.
Pakta (Lleida, 5) was a delightful surprise from 2015 Michelin Guide. The restaurant uses the incipience of the Japanese cuisine in Peru as inspiration, demonstrating the effects of the Japanese immigration.
Hoja Santa (Avda Mistral, 54) has been the latest establishment run by Albert Adrià to be awarded a Michelin star. This Mexican restaurant, together with Paco Méndez, is accompanied by tabern Niño Viejo, where the latest innovative tastes can be experienced in Poble Sec.
Dos Cielos (Pere IV, 272-286) is located at the other end of the city of Barcelona, in the Poblenou neighbourhood. A restaurant situated on the top floor of the impressive Hotel Melià Diagonal Mar where Torres brothers invoked the exotic flavours with originality.
Eixample
The centre of Barcelona offers a wide range of restaurants, which have been awarded a star from the Michelin Guide.
The ancient Fonda Gaig (C/ Còrsega, 200) has made quite a comeback with its old school Carles Gaig. Their cuisine bring the traditions back with the delicious salsa souces and a popular recipe book with its exquisite cod.
The Alkimia (C/ Indústria, 79) in Jordi Vilà has been famous for its culinary art and the beautiful minimalist design. The must-try dish in the restaurant is the clayfish with rice.
Roca Moo (C/ Rosselló, 265) is the result of the culinary reinvention by the Roca brothers. A kitchen located in the dining room, with an experienced chef Felip Llufriu who collaborates with the unique gastronomy of the Hotel Omm.
Caelis (Gran Via, 668) is served from Hotel Palace with a degustation menu that will leave you speachless. Talanted chef Romain Fornell prepares excellent dishes in one of the most beautiful corners of the hotel, the reading room, which is now a gastronomic altar.
Cinc Sentits (C/ Aribau, 58) is the name Jordi Alba has chosen for his restaurant. It is an imaginative cuisine with dishes inspired by the sea and the mountains… Here you can taste the best pork and the main dish of the restaurant – smoky grilled sweet potatoes.
Manairó (C/ Diputació, 424) is an authentic laboratory of ideas by genius Jordi Herrea. The kitchen is based on seasonal products with an astonishing touch of innovation.
Angle (C/ Aragó, 214) is a successful restaurant that Jordi Cruz has moved to Barcelona’s Eixample. It is defined as a “daily restaurant” and the results are truly extraordinary. The chef has been preparing many creative dishes with a personal touch.
Nectari (C/ Valencia, 28) in where young chef Jordi Esteve is a creator of the Mediterranean cuisine that seeks quality without sacrificing creativity or tradition. The menu also offers special dishes for those with coeliac disease.
Disfrutar (C/ Villarroel, 163) has been the latest to be included in Michelin Guide. It is run by Oriol Castro, Mateu Casañas and Eduard Xatruch, the three former heads of kitchen in elBulli, the restaurant of Ferran Adrià.
Ciutat Vella
From Born to Raval, passing through the central neighbourhood of the Old Quarter, there are a few interesting options to try out.
In Comerç 24 (C/ Comerç, 24), Carles Abellán and a group of young chefs are replicating the creative workshop organized in elBulli. The establishement is located in the gorgeous Born neighbourhood and is an impeccable modern representation and of haute cuisine, a good reason for a visit.
Saüc (Via Laietana, 49) gets its name from a healing plant, a concept represented by Xavier Franco in the Ohla Hotel. It is a true breeze of fresh air in the Old Quarter of Barcelona that has proudly entered the world of high quality cuisine. Amazing!
Koy Shunka (C/ Copons, 7) represents the sophistication of the renowned restaurant Shunka, one of the best Japanese restaurants in Barcelona. The extensive menu of this restaurant represents the excellence in the preparation of sushi.
In Dos Palillos (C/ Elisabets, 9), Albert Raurich, who has previously worked for elBulli, offers a supreme variation of tapas. Its Asian bar serves tipically Spanish food combined with Asian delights in Raval de Barcelona.
Sarrià-Sant Gervasi
The upper area of Barcelona also offers a combination of tradional and new cuisine.
Hisop ( Pge Marimon, 9) is a creative restaurant based on a mixture of experience and innovation, offering excellent quality of dishes. Its speciality is the contemprorary Catalan cuisine.
Hofmann (Granada del Penedès, 14-16) is a sample of the new haute cuisine with different Catalonian influences, attractive desserts and excellent presentations.
Via Veneto (Ganduxer, 10-12) has more than four decades of history. The arrival of the young chef Sergio Humada has widen the imagination of the cuisine with deep gastronomy roots, which are present in dishes like the truffles.
Neichel (C/ Beltrán i Rózpide, 1-5), located in Pedralbes neighbourhood, introduces innovative cuisine with Mediterranean influences. The main chef in charge is Jean-Louis Neichel, one of the best chefs specializing in French haute cuisine.
High quality cuisine spreads all along the Catalan territory, taking the form of star restaurants in Barcelona.
