Spain has some of the Best Restaurants in Europe
Prestigious gastronomic guide ‘Opinionated About Dining’ (OAD) has just revealed its long-awaited List of the Best Restaurants in Europe for 2024 and Spain has a record 45 establishments appear in the top 150.
Many of these are ranked at very high positions on the list, which confirms the quality (and not just the quantity) of Spain’s gastronomic offer.
This year’s number one is, for the fourth consecutive year, Alchemist, the Copenhagen restaurant where Rasmus Munk practices holistic cuisine that integrates elements of gastronomy, theater, art, science, technology and design to create an experience multilevel sensory.
Alchemist in Copenhagen, Denmark
In second position we find El Asador Etxebarri (Axpe, Vizcaya), which was named second best restaurant in the world at the beginning of the month at the World’s 50 Best Restaurants 2024 gala held in Las Vegas. (editor’s note: Asador Etxebarri was also placed in 2nd position on the on the World’s 50 Best 2024 list, just after another Spanish gem, Disfrutar in Barcelona)
Chef Bittor Arginzoniz’s Basque grill technique continues to dazzle both critics and diners, since the OAD ranking, which is in its 11th year, is created with the reviews of thousands of accredited collaborators.
Chef Bittor Arginzoniz of El Asador Etxebarri
Third position goes to JAN, by chef Jan Hartwig (Munich, Germany), whose innovative and refined cuisine combines classic techniques with a contemporary approach that stands out for its meticulous attention to detail and its ability to transform high-quality ingredients into a artistic plate that is full of flavour.
The presentation of the new list was held at the Mandarin Oriental Ritz hotel in Madrid, with various awards being given. Among them, the award for Best New Restaurant, to the Italian Atelier Moessmer Norbert Niederkofler (remember that in 2022 it was won by Pescaderías Coruñesas), and the recognition of JAN from Munich as the Biggest Mover of the year, having risen from position 133 in 2023 until the third in 2024. For its part, Los Marino José de Fuengirola (Málaga), an essential on the Costa del Sol serving fantastic seafood, was distinguished as the Best Casual Restaurant, heading the Europe Casual list of 2024.
Top 10 of the best restaurants in Europe in 2024 according to OAD:
- Alchemist (Copenhagen, Denmark)
- Etxebarri (Axpe, Vizcaya, Spain)
- JAN (Munich, Germany)
- Restaurante Frantzén (Stockholm, Sweden)
- Bagá (Jaén, Spain)
- Schloss Schauenstein (Fürstenau, Switzerland)
- Diverxo (Madrid, Spain)
- Restaurant Quique Dacosta (Dénia, Alicante, Spain)
- De Librije (Zwolle, The Netherlands)
- Geranium (Copenhagen, Denmark)
In addition to this leadership, Spain is also the country that grows the most in the number of restaurants compared to 2023, with two new additions to this top 150: Txispa (Atxondo, Vizcaya), Tetsuro Maeda’s Basque-Japanese grill, is in position 105 and Vandelvira (Baeza, Jaén), restaurant located in a 16th century Renaissance convent and run by Juan Carlos García from Jaen, on 111.
Vandelvira in Baeza, Jaén
Italy, for its part, is the second country with the most restaurants in the Top 150, with 23 businesses, among which Lido 84 (Gardone Riviera), in 13th place, Pizza Duomo (Alba), in 27th, and Marzapane stand out. (Rome), at 76. Denmark follows, with 16 restaurants, and France and the United Kingdom, which have 14 establishments each on the list.
Rest of Spanish restaurants in the Top 150
- Disfrutar (Barcelona) – 11
- Desde 1911 (Madrid) – 21
- Azurmendi (Larrabetzu, Vizcaya) – 24
- Ca l’Enric (Olot, Girona) – 30
- El Celler de Can Roca (Girona) – 33
- Els Casal (Sagàs, Barcelona) – 34
- Casa Marcial (Arriondas, Asturias) – 36
- Cocina Hermanos Torres (Barcelona) – 42
- Martín Berasategui (Lasarte, Guipúzcoa) – 45
- Restaurante Iván Cerdeño (Toledo) – 46
- Deessa (Madrid) – 49
- Alkimia (Barcelona) – 53
- Estimar Madrid (Madrid) – 54
- Noor (Córdoba) – 57
- Enigma Concept (Barcelona) – 60
- BonAmb (Jávea, Alicante) – 67
- Aponiente (El Puerto de Santa María, Cádiz) – 69
- Ultramarinos Marín (Barcelona) – 70
- El Poblet (Valencia) – 75
- Al Kostat (Barcelona) – 79
- La Tasquita de Enfrente (Madrid) – 82
- Lasarte (Barcelona) – 84
- Arzak (San Sebastián) – 85
- Estimar (Barcelona) – 91
- Direkte Boquería (Barcelona) – 94
- Amelia (San Sebastián) – 102
- Kaleja (Málaga) – 103
- L’Escaleta (Concentaina, Alicante) – 104
- Txispa (Atxondo, Vizcaya) – 105
- Mugaritz (Rentería, San Sebastián) – 108
- Dos Pebrots (Barcelona) – 109
- Vandelvira Restaurante (Baeza, Jaén) – 111
Vandelvira in Jaén
- La Salita (Valencia) – 118
- El Pescadors (Llançà, Girona) – 129
- Oba-Hotel Cañitas (Casas-Ibáñez, Albacete) – 134
- Moments (Barcelona) – 135
- Àbac (Barcelona) – 137
- Osa (Madrid) – 138
- Tohqa (El Puerto de Santa María, Cádiz) – 142
- Nerua (Bilbao) – 147
- Miramar (Llança, Girona) – 149
In addition to the main list, OAD also presents a parallel selection of 404 restaurants that, although not in the top 150, are worth a visit. Spain again leads with 92 establishments, followed by the United Kingdom with 79 and Italy with 60.
