Michelin has published the new edition of the Michelin Guide Spain & Portugal. As in years
past, it presents a broad selection of hotels and restaurants in both countries.
This is a very special year in Spain and Portugal. Faced with a severe economic crisis, many
hotels and restaurants are working hard every day to stay in business. This does not mean,
however, that they have abandoned their commitment to excellence. On the contrary, quality has
improved and the true values of Iberian cuisine are reflected more fully than ever on restaurant
menus. Nonetheless, the business environment remains difficult. In particular, the gourmet dining
scene was seriously shaken by Chef Ferran Adrià’s voluntary decision to close elBulli, considered
by many to be the best restaurant in the world and the epitome of creative cuisine. In response,
the MICHELIN guide Spain & Portugal team has focused firmly on the future and reaffirmed its
confidence in Spanish and Portuguese chefs. Every day, highly skilled, innovative professional
chefs throughout the peninsula are leveraging their passion for cooking and craftsmanship.
The MICHELIN guide Spain & Portugal 2012 features a selection of 4,448 establishments,
including 2,246 hotels, 295 country guesthouses, 1,783 restaurants and – in Spain – 124 tapas
bars. It also presents a selection of 229 Bib Gourmand restaurants that offer high quality meals at
a reasonable price (€35 or less) and 51 hotels displaying the Bib Hotel label, which denotes
affordable, quality accommodations, with double rooms available for €65 or less in major cities
and tourist destinations and for €55 euros or less in other locations. The 2012 edition also
includes 311 especially pleasant establishments, which are highlighted in red.
As always, the Michelin Guide offers a selection of the very best restaurants in each country,
identified with the famous Michelin stars. One star denotes “a very good restaurant in its
category,” two stars mean “excellent cooking, worth a detour” and three stars indicate
“exceptional cuisine, worth a special journey.” This year, five Spanish restaurants were awarded
three stars: Akelare and Arzak in San Sebastián, Martín Berasategui in Lasarte-Oria
(Guipúzcoa), Sant Pau in Sant Pol de Mar (Barcelona) and El Celler de Can Roca in Gerona. In
addition, 19 restaurants were awarded two stars and 127 others one star. The guide, which lists
1,397 localities, also includes 174 plans of 131 towns and cities, as well as 34 regional maps,
taken from Michelin’s extensive cartography databases.
The Michelin Guide Spain & Portugal 2012 is on sale at a price of €23.90.
Note: Torijos, the restaurant in Valencia, closed after the closing date for the 2012 edition of the
MICHELIN guide Spain & Portugal.
The MICHELIN Guide on your iPhone
Looking for a home-style meal or a gourmet restaurant? The MICHELIN guide inspectors have
selected the best establishments for you. For a complete presentation of each restaurant
(including contact details, awards and amenities, opening periods, prices and comments), you
just locate it on a map and can book a table directly via your iPhone. Then, share your
experience with other gourmet dinners. The MICHELIN guide Spain & Portugal application for
iPhone or iPod Touch will go on sale in March 2012 for €7.99. The MICHELIN guide Barcelona
2012 for iPhone will be sold for €3.99.