Curator’s statement
Spain’s gastronomy scene has been steadily evolving since Ferran and Albert Adrià put molecular gastronomy on the map in the 90s at El Bulli. Their stellar legacy is very much alive today: Spain ranks in the top five countries globally with 291 Michelin-starred restaurants, of which 16 have three stars. For me, what makes Spanish fine-dining shine is a core of playfulness and joy that makes high-end food also fun. I’ve picked out five of my favorites worth booking for your next Spain trip.
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Disfrutar
Disfrutar, which topped the World’s 50 Best in 2024, might be my all-time best meal. Disfrutar means “enjoy” and it amazes in every bite of the 28 course menu, from a frozen gazpacho sandwich and tatin of corn and foie, to the caviar and sour cream doughnut and signature pesto eel dish. It’s tough to get a reservation, and worth taking whatever slot you can get.
Azurmendi
Azurmendi, in the deep-green countryside a short cab ride from Bilbao, has been awarded “most sustainable restaurant” several times. It gets you involved from arrival, with an amuse-bouche picnic basket eaten under the courtyard trees, and an indoor garden, where you pluck out edible treats like jewels. This is no gimmicky restaurant, however, as its three Michelin stars and mind-blowing menus attest.
Casa Marcial
Casa Marcial is a family restaurant on a twisty road in the Asturian mountains that started life as a local tavern and evolved into a place of gastronomic pilgrimage for Spanish foodies. Now with three Repsol Suns and three Michelin stars, this is the perfect place to enjoy produce from the local mountains and sea in the most creative way… think exquisite Cantabrian sardines, trout, wild boar, and the famous “pitu” Asturian chicken.
La Salita
A wooden gate leads into the old villa where you’ll find La Salita, my favorite fine-dining restaurant in Valencia. Begoña Rodrigo, a winner of Top Chef Spain, opened La Salita 20 years ago and is among the best vegetarian chefs in Europe. Her dishes have a lightness of touch, and she excels at fermentation and the creative use of local Valencian products. La Salita’s cocktail bar in the mansion garden is a must-do.
Arrels
Vicky Sevilla was 25 when she opened Arrels in the stables of a 16th Century mansion in the medieval town of Sagunto near Valencia. By 29, she’d nabbed her Michelin star. The menu is seasonal and elegant. I was blown away by her white asparagus ice cream teamed with smoked baby peas, celeriac flan with suckling pig jus, and a sliver of aged sirloin cap wrapped around mussel mousse and seaweed pickle.
Need to know
It’s essential to book well in advance at all two & three star restaurants in Spain.
For more inspiration and insider recommendations, visit our Spain page.
Travel Advisor
Jill Petzinger
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