The world on the table: Spain

The contemporary face of Spanish gastronomy is defined by the coexistence of tradition and innovation. Authentic regional dishes – Valencian paella, Basque pintxos or Asturian fabada – remain the pillars of the country’s gastronomic identity, while modern technologies and an experimental approach have opened up new dimensions. At the end of the 20th century and the beginning of the 21st century, Spain rose to the culinary forefront, thanks to the work of chefs such as Ferran Adrià, one of the most influential figures in molecular gastronomy, or Joan Roca, who created a new style by combining traditional techniques with science. The number of Michelin-starred restaurants in the country is increasing year by year, and the world’s attention is constantly drawn to Spain for its high-end gastronomy.

Meanwhile, everyday Spanish food culture continues to maintain its core values: simple but perfectly prepared dishes, high-quality, seasonal ingredients and the communal nature of meals. Local markets, traditional family recipes and unique regional specialties ensure that Spanish gastronomy is not only a dynamically developing, globally recognized art form, but also remains a natural part of everyday life.

Spanish fine dining has been at the forefront of the world for decades, thanks to restaurants that have opened up new dimensions in the world of fine dining with their unique concepts, sophisticated techniques and modern interpretations of traditions. We have selected some of the most exciting top restaurants in Spain.

El Celler de Can Roca – Girona

El Celler de Can Roca is one of the best-known and most respected restaurants in the world, founded in Girona by the Roca brothers – Joan (chef), Jordi (pastry chef) and Josep (sommelier). The restaurant's philosophy is a unique blend of Catalan traditions, modern technology and sophisticated presentation.

The Roca brothers work in perfect harmony: Joan creates innovative and technically impeccable dishes, Jordi creates stunning dessert creations, and Josep’s wine pairings are world-class. Iconic dishes include caramelized olives served from a vertical tree branch, and the “Memory of a Bar,” a reimagining of traditional Spanish bar food.

El Celler de Can Roca has won the award for the best restaurant in the world several times, has three Michelin stars, and the brothers have also opened several joint catering units, restaurants, and pastry shops.

Aponiente – Cádiz

Aponiente is a seafood restaurant run by Ángel León, a three-Michelin-starred chef in Cádiz who opened his doors in 2007. León, who is also known as the “chef of the sea”, follows a completely unique gastronomic philosophy: he works exclusively with seafood, even if they are completely unusual.

León has revolutionized the use of fish and seafood in fine dining, developing a number of new technologies. He places particular emphasis on the use of plankton, which takes umami to a new level. One of Aponiente's most famous dishes is the seafood morcilla, which resembles a classic Spanish black pudding but is made exclusively from seafood.

Sustainability plays a prominent role in León's cuisine, and Aponiente has become world-renowned not only for its culinary innovation, but also for its efforts to sustain the marine ecosystem.

DiverXO – Madrid

DiverXO, also run by Dabiz Muñoz and also with three Michelin stars, is one of the most daring and provocative restaurants in Spain. The restaurant opened in Madrid in 2007 and was awarded its third Michelin star in 2013.

Muñoz is a punk in the fine dining world: his dishes are dramatically presented, full of powerful flavors, and often push the boundaries of traditional gastronomy. DiverXO's menu is based on a fusion of Asian and Spanish cuisine.

With dishes such as “Galician Lobster Awakening on the Shores of Goa”, “Drunken Crabs Partying in Jerez” and the “Minutejo del Agus” mini pork sandwich, Dabiz Muñoz’s fun, hedonistic cuisine completely reinterprets haute cuisine while transporting his guests to a highly personal and dreamlike world. In this spectacular setting, the one-of-a-kind tasting menu, “Flying Pigs Cuisine”, invites guests on a fascinating journey through different cuisines from around the world, including Asian fusion dishes, but always with Spanish ingredients dominating to keep the flavors familiar. The chef highlights themes such as invasive species or the Pyrenean ecosystem and creates without boundaries, combining local ingredients with exotic spices.

Noor – Cordoba

Noor (meaning light in Arabic) is Paco Morales' three-Michelin-starred restaurant, opened in Córdoba in 2016. The concept is unique: the chef revives the gastronomic traditions of Al-Andalus, using only ingredients that were also available in medieval Moorish Spain.

This means that there are no tomatoes, potatoes or peppers in the kitchen, as these were introduced to Europe after the discovery of America. However, the flavours of the dishes are impressively rich, as Morales brings back the flavours of the past with a masterful use of spices and sophisticated technologies.

Miramar – Llança

The two-Michelin-starred Miramar, located in the Catalan town of Llançà, has become world-famous under the leadership of chef Paco Pérez. Originally a family tavern, the restaurant was transformed by Pérez into a modern fine dining venue. The cuisine draws on ingredients from the Mediterranean coast and showcases the full spectrum of flavors from the sea, paying particular attention to textures and temperatures. One of the iconic dishes is the "frozen lobster", which is based on the interplay of cold and warm textures.

Lasarte – Barcelona

It's rare that a quasi-side project can reach the standards of its original, but that's exactly what happened at this stunning restaurant, part of the gastronomic empire of the legendary Martín Berasategui.

Here, Paolo Casagrande, a protégé of the San Sebastián master chef, serves his own interpretation of the refined dishes his mentor dreamed up. The interior design draws inspiration from the forms of nature: the undulating ceiling evokes the sea, the ethereal lamps resemble jellyfish, and the dominant golden hues radiate a warm elegance.

Whether you choose à la carte or a tasting menu, the experience is elevated to a new level when you reserve a seat at the Chef's Table. This exclusive space offers the opportunity to watch the chefs at work through a large glass wall while enjoying the special Il Milione menu, which features dishes inspired by Marco Polo's travels. These include cold white asparagus with strawberries and shrimp, wild "sea and land" risotto, and grilled kingfish with vinaigrette, truffle roots, aniseed crab reduction and Amarena cherries.

Arzak – San Sebastián

Arzak has been a Michelin-starred restaurant since 1974. Hospitality, history and modernity come together in this centuries-old family mansion, which has become the gastronomic mecca of Alto de Miracruz. The restaurant is run by the duo of Juan Mari Arzak and his daughter Elena, who combine Basque tradition with the most surprising innovations in an impressive way.

The creativity, impressive presentation and intense flavours of the dishes are the results of the experiments of the Laboratorio Arzak operating in the restaurant building, where a “taste workshop” works with more than 1,000 premium quality ingredients with the utmost respect.

Guests can choose between an extensive tasting menu and wine pairing, or a seasonally changing à la carte menu. The restaurant now holds three Michelin stars.

Mugaritz – San Sebastian

Mugaritz is located in the town of Errenteria, near San Sebastián, and is considered one of the most innovative and experimental restaurants in the world. Chef and creative director Andoni Luis Aduriz is a pioneer of theoretical gastronomy, elevating the dining experience to an artistic and philosophical level.

Aduriz founded Mugaritz, now with two Michelin stars, in 1998 and has quickly become one of the most influential venues in the world of fine dining. The concept focuses not only on the food, but also on how guests perceive it. The restaurant does not have a traditional menu, but instead offers a surprise menu of around 20 courses. The dishes are designed to challenge familiar tastes, textures and eating habits.

One of Mugaritz's most famous dishes is the "edible stones", which look like real pebbles but are actually filled with a creamy mashed potato filling hidden under a crispy layer. Another iconic dish is the fermented rice cream, which surprises the taste buds with its unique texture and deep umami flavor.

The restaurant's specialty is that the dining experience is built on interactive and sensory games. The dishes served at the table often arrive in a form that challenges guests.

Asador Etxebarri – Atxondo

The Michelin-starred Asador Etxebarri is located in the heart of the Basque Country, in the village of Atxondo. Chef Victor Arguinzoniz not only runs the restaurant, but also developed the unique grilling techniques that have made Etxebarri world-famous. The restaurant's concept is extremely simple: every dish is cooked over an open flame, grilled over a fire.

Arguinzoniz's minimalist philosophy is that the best flavor in food comes from presenting ingredients in their pure and natural form. That's why the restaurant doesn't use modern technology, sous-vide machines, or molecular cooking tricks - it's all about perfect cooking over a fire.

One of the most famous dishes is the red prawns “a la brasa”, which arrive perfectly grilled in their shells and whose flavour takes seafood to a whole new level. Etxebarri’s homemade chorizo ​​is also iconic, which gets its characteristic smoky flavour from the grill. Among the meats, the txuleta, a Basque-style thick cut of beef, is one of the most sought-after dishes.

Enjoy – Barcelona

Disfrutar is one of the most modern and creative restaurants in Barcelona, ​​founded in 2014 by three former El Bulli chefs: Oriol Castro, Eduard Xatruch and Mateu Casañas (you can read our previous interview with Disfrutar here).

The three chefs worked together in Ferran Adrià’s legendary kitchen, where they mastered the highest techniques of molecular gastronomy. The name Disfrutar means “to enjoy” in Spanish, and that’s exactly what the restaurant offers: a vibrant gastronomic journey full of surprises. Guests are treated to a 30-course surprise menu full of creativity and unexpected twists. The restaurant’s signature dish is the Pan chino, filled with beluga caviar and sour cream.

Disfrutar's serving style is also unique: many dishes are presented interactively or in a form that is completely different from what you would expect. One dish, for example, is an "edible plastic bag," which is actually a creative transparent shell made of tapioca flour, under which is a cream filled with seafood flavors.

The restaurant quickly reached the gastronomic peak: it received its second Michelin star in 2018, and then its third in 2023.