Geniuses of fire: the Michelin stars of Catalan cuisine

Catalan cuisine is shining brighter than ever: Catalonia boasts 62 Michelin-starred restaurants (5 with three stars, 5 with two stars, and 52 with one star), earning a total of 77 stars awarded by the prestigious Michelin Guide. Additionally, the region has garnered 15 Green Stars, a recognition of its commitment to sustainability.

From the Catalan Pyrenees to the Terres de l’Ebre, you’ll find Michelin-starred restaurants of varying styles. Five establishments proudly hold three stars, maintaining their privileged position: El Celler de Can Roca, Cocina Hermanos Torres, ABaC , Lasarte, and Disfrutar .

Among the two-starred restaurants, five stand out: Bo.TiC, Cinc Sentits, Enoteca, Les Cols, and Miramar. This year, Moments lost one of its stars, now holding just one.

In the one-star category, there are 52 outstanding restaurants: Caelis, Castell de Peralada, La Boscana, L’Antic Molí, Alkimia, Ca l'Enric, Can Bosch, Can Jubany, Fogony, Rincón de Diego, Els Casals, Hofmann, Massana, Sala, Via Veneto, Els Tinars, La Fonda Xesc, Villa Retiro, Hisop, Les Magnòlies, Dos Palillos, Koy Shunka, Lluerna, Malena, L’Ó, Les Moles, Empòrium, Tresmacarrons, Oria, Deliranto, Aürt, L’Aliança d’Anglès, Quatre Molins, Atempo, Aleia, Come, Enigma, Mont Bar, Slow and Low, Angle, SUTO, Quirat, Casa Nova, Citrus del Tancat, Divinum, Esperit Roca, Fishølogy, MAE, Prodigi, Teatro Kitchen & Bar, Voramar, and Moments.

The new additions to the Michelin guide this year include Casa Nova, Citrus del Tancat, Divinum, Esperit Roca, Fishølogy, MAE, Prodigi, Teatro Kitchen & Bar, and Voramar. Meanwhile, Xerta lost its star and was removed from the guide.

Sustainable Green Stars The Michelin Guide also rewards sustainability by granting Green Stars to restaurants and chefs who promote local territory and eco-friendly culinary practices. In Catalonia, 15 restaurants have received this distinction: Empòrium, L’Algadir del Delta, Les Moles, Celler de Can Roca, Cocina Hermanos Torres, Els Casals, L'Antic Molí, Les Cols, Lluerna, Somiatruites, Casa Nova, Bistrot 1965, Espacio Amunt, La Boscana, and Restaurant Gastronòmic 1497.

The Catalan Culinary Revolution If you are passionate about haute cuisine that innovates without abandoning its traditional roots, Catalonia is a must-visit. It’s the birthplace of the most significant culinary revolution of the late 20th century. The legacy of chefs like Ferran and Albert Adrià, the Roca brothers , Carme Ruscalleda , and Santi Santamaría remains vibrant and alive, offering a major draw for food lovers. Alongside these iconic figures, a new generation of daring chefs is transforming dining rooms and bars across the region into vibrant stages where anything can happen.

Years have passed since Catalan cuisine made its mark on the global stage, yet Catalonia remains an endless source of gastronomic inspiration. Every celebrated chef, gourmet, foodie, critic, or gastronome will reference Barcelona and Catalonia at some point. Few places in the world can boast such diverse culinary richness with so many expressions. In the 1990s, Catalonia leaped forward to become a global gastronomic powerhouse.

This transformation was driven by a unique generation of chefs, a favorable socio-economic context, and the early effects of globalization. This group of pioneers revolutionized the very foundations of international cuisine.

The Legacy of elBulli, El Celler de Can Roca, Sant Pau, and Can Fabes The groundbreaking work of legendary restaurants such as elBulli, El Celler de Can Roca, Sant Pau, and Can Fabes paved the way for new chefs and concepts that redefined Catalonia’s gastronomic landscape, with Barcelona as its epicenter. Beyond the restaurants, the region's culinary schools and educational institutions now serve as global benchmarks, attracting aspiring chefs from around the world.

From this explosion of creativity emerged names such as Carles Abellán, Sergi Arola, Oriol Balaguer, Mey Hofmann, and Ramon Freixa, who set the stage for today’s illustrious chefs, including Oriol Rovira, Fina Puigdevall, Albert Ventura, Ada Parellada, Nandu Jubany, Núria Gironès, Jordi Vilà, Dani Lechuga, Carlota Claver, Oriol Ivern, Víctor Quintillà, Iolanda Bustos, Núria Bonet, Jordi Artal, Susana Aragón, Xavier Pellicer, Carme Picas, Borja Sierra, Eli Farrero, Rafa Peña, Ana Ruiz, and many more.

Catalonia’s gastronomic scene solidified itself through Michelin-starred fine dining while also transforming the culinary landscape throughout the region.

Catalonia offers an authentic, innovative, and dynamic cuisine that will never cease to amaze you.