Winners of Spain’s Michelin Stars.
Credit: Ayuntamiento de Malaga.
For the second consecutive year, the Michelin Guide Spain 2026 was unveiled at a gala celebration in Malaga, confirming the city and the Costa del Sol as one of Europe’s most dynamic gastronomic destinations. Around 700 guests, including chefs, journalists, and international industry figures, attended the presentation at the FYCMA Palace, before enjoying an exclusive cocktail dinner prepared by chefs from the province’s nine Michelin-starred restaurants, which together hold eleven stars.
The menu was kept strictly under wraps until the last moment and coordinated by the only two double-starred chefs in Malaga, Benito Gómez (Bardal) and Marcos Granda, and featured 18 dishes, two from each establishment. Highlights included Bardal’s oyster in coloured tocino and fried squid, Skina’s reinterpretation of gazpachuelo with cuttlefish, Back’s chicle-foie and goat cheek with Andalusian curry, and Sollo’s smoked eel consommé with Iberian broth.
Credit: Ayuntamiento de Malaga
This triumphant return of the Michelin Guide goes to show Malaga’s extraordinary momentum. In 2025 the province has welcomed a record 14 million tourists and seen an unprecedented influx of new residents, drawn not only by its 320 days of sunshine and 160 kilometres of beaches, but by an increasingly sophisticated offer that combines luxury, culture and, above all, culinary excellence.
In all, Spain gained another 9 Michelin stars on the night bringing the national total to 357 and placing the country into a listing of the best places in the world to eat.
From Marbella’s grand hotels to Malaga city’s booming contemporary art scene, the Costa del Sol has achieved fame as a destination where quality is non-negotiable. Its eleven Michelin stars, concentrated in just nine restaurants, are the ultimate symbol of that pursuit of excellence. Restaurants such as Kaleja, Messina, José Carlos García, Back, Blossom, Skina, Nintai, Sollo and Bardal have turned the province into an obligatory stop on any international gastronomic travels.
As one attending chef remarked last night, “Malaga is no longer just sun and beach; it is a place where you can live surrounded by the finest things life has to offer – and now the world knows it.” For the Costa del Sol, the red guide is not only recognition; it is the seal that confirms its transformation into one of Europe’s most desirable places to visit – and to stay.