Double that of its immediate competitor, that is the weight of Spain in the list of the 150 best restaurants in Europe presented this Monday in Madrid. Up to 42 references from our country include the ranking prepared by Opinionated About Dining (OAD) which, however, is led by the Danish Alchemist. Etxebarri from Biscay is third, followed by Bagá in Jaén and Desde 1911 from Madrid. Quique Dacosta closes the Spanish presence in the top 10, seventh, while DiverXo (15), Disfrutar (18) and Azurmendi (20) sneak into the top 20. The next country with the most restaurants on the payroll is Italy, with 21, followed by the United Kingdom and Denmark, while France has to settle for fifth position and 15 references.
The podium is traced to that of the 2022 edition; gold for Alchemist, silver for Swede Frantzén and bronze for Bittor Arguinzoniz, by now a legend of the grill that has put the Biscayne municipality of Atxondo on the world gastronomy map. Another confirmed international reference is Pedrito Sánchez, from Jaén, whose tiny Bagá rises from fifth to fourth place thanks to a cuisine richer in ideas than in technical tricks, served in a modest space for just 15 lucky people. It is followed by another of the gastronomic revelations of recent times, the one from Madrid Since 1911, the one that ranks the most in this edition, jumping from 65 to 5. The award-winning space of Pescaderías Coruñesas has also been the setting chosen for the presentation dinner, served by nine leading figures in Spanish cuisine and accompanied by wines from Marqués de Murrieta, the best winery in the world in 2023.
Three icons of the Spanish avant-garde such as DiverXo from Madrid, Disfrutar from Barcelona and Azurmendi from Biscay enter the top 20, while El Celler de Can Roca remains at number 27. From there, OAD mixes spaces with some ease. contemporary haute cuisine -Enigma (53), Aponiente (57), Mugaritz (76)- with more traditional houses -Els Casals (30), El Pescadors (115), (El Campero (125)- and established references -Martín Berasategui (40) or Arzak (71)- with new talents, such as Javier Sanz and Juan Sahuquillo, Revelation Chefs in Madrid Fusión 2021, who sneak in with Oba in position 149. It is one of the three new national additions to the list, in addition from Malaga Bardal, by Benito Gómez (112) and Kaleja, by Dani Carnero (130).Other noteworthy positions, Casa Marcial at 32, Noor at 42, followed by the recently three-starred Hermanos Torres, the two Estimar headquarters in Madrid (62) and Barcelona (77), Amelia from San Sebastian at 79, the Ritz hotel restaurant, Deesa, at 99, or Nerua from Bilbao at 146, to name just a few.
Spanish dominance among the informals
At the international level, the leadership of Rasmus Munk stands out, who has just been confirmed as one of the headliners of the next edition of San Sebastián Gastronomika. The Danes have been going strong, and although their number is smaller than that of Italy (16 compared to 21), they place a handful of reference names in very high positions. Geranium -number 1 in the world for the rival 50 Best that will be presented next week in Valencia- is eighth, Kadeau Bornholm and Jordnaer occupy the 13th and 14th position respectively and Noma 2.0, by Rene Redzepi, which has announced its closure for the next season, it’s sixteenth. Italy has a name in the top 10 -Lido 84- and places three more in the top 20 -Uliassi, Osteria Francescana and Le Calandre-, while to find the first French reference you have to go down to 21, with L’Arpège de Alain Passard.
But what is this list, what criteria does it follow and who is behind it? The OAD initiative comes from the American businessman Steve Plotnicki, who, after developing a large part of his career in the music industry, entered the gastronomic circuit around 2003, first as a blogger and later as director of this ranking based on non-reviewed reviews. inspectors or specialized journalists, but about 7,500 frequent restaurant customers. It began in 2007 with a list circumscribed to the United States and already presents up to 13 annual lists organized by region and business profile. The one dedicated to informal establishments in Europe is also overwhelmingly dominated by Spain, which tops the top 5 positions for Mannix from Valladolid, Elkano, in Guipuzkoa, Marinos José, in Fuengirola, D’Berto from Galicia and Güeyu Mar from Asturias.
Global chart top 10
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1
Alchemist (Copenhagen, Denmark)
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2
Restaurant Frantzen (Stockholm, Sweden)
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3
Etxebarri (Axpe, Vizcaya)
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4
Baga (Jaen)
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5
Since 1911 (Madrid)
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6
Schloss Schauenstein (Fürstenau, Switzerland)
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7
Restaurant Quique Dacosta (Denia, Alicante)
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8
Geranium (Copenhagen, Denmark)
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9
Lido 84 (Gardone Riviera, Italy)
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10
De Librije (Zwolle, The Netherlands)
Rest of Spaniards on the OAD list
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15. Diverxo (Madrid)
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18. Enjoy (Barcelona)
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20. Azurmendi (Larrabetzu, Vizcaya)
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27. El Celler de Can Roca (Girona)
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29. Ca l’Enric (Olot, Girona)
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30. Els Casals (Sagas, Barcelona)
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32. Martial House (Arriondas, Asturias)
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40. Martín Berasategui (Lasarte, San Sebastián)
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42. Noor (Córdoba)
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43. Hermanos Torres Kitchen (Barcelona)
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44. Alchemy (Barcelona)
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47. Iván Cerdeño Restaurant (Toledo)
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53. Enigma Concept (Barcelona)
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57. Aponiente (Puerto Sta. Ma., Cádiz)
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62. Estimate Madrid (Madrid)
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71. Arzak (San Sebastian)
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75. BonAmb (Jávea, Alicante)
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76. Mugaritz (Errenteria, Guipúzcoa)
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77. Estimate (Barcelona)
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79. Amelia (San Sebastian)
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80. Lasarte (Barcelona)
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81. El Poblet (Valencia)
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88. Two Pebrots (Barcelona)
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90. Smoked Room (Madrid)
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95. Al Kostat (Barcelona)
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98. L’Escaleta (Cocentaina, Alicante)
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99. Deesa (Madrid)
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102. The Tasquita across the street
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112. Bardal (Ronda, Malaga)
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114. Abac (Barcelona)
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115. The Fishermen (Llançà, Girona)
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124. Moments (Barcelona)
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125. El Campero (Barbate, Cádiz)
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130. Kaleja (Malaga)
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144. Skina (Marbella, Malaga)
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146. Nerúa (Bilbao)
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147. Can Jubany (Calldetenes, Barcelona)
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149. Oba-Hotel Cañitas (Casas Ibáñez, Albacete)
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