Copiously cuisine: 9 new Michelin Stars for Portugal
It has just started, but 2017 is already an historic year for Portuguese gastronomy. The Michelin Guide, the world’s most famous and influential gastronomic bible, has given 9 new Michelin stars to restaurants in Portugal. 7 restaurants in Portugal win their first Michelin star and 2 restaurants join the select “two star” club. And what’s maybe even more notable: all the restaurants that already had a Michelin star keep it!
Michelin Star Restaurants in Portugal: small but mighty.
After the verdict of the Michelin guide critics this year, it’s fair to say that in terms of cuisine, Portugal is a small but mighty. In total, there are now 26 Michelin-starred restaurants in Portugal, 5 of them with 2 stars. The region of Algarve leads in number of Michelin Star Restaurants in Portugal. But this year, the Porto area has taken a big leap by duplicating the number of Michelin stars. Michelin star restaurants in Lisbon also grow in number, with exciting new additions to the prestigious list.
H2: Michelin Star Restaurants in Portugal: A feat and a feast
One thing is certain: international foodies have plenty of options when they come to Portugal looking for outstanding dining experiences. In a relatively small country, the fact that there are so many in Michelin Star Restaurants in Portugal is both a feat and a feast! Whether you’re a fan of Mediterranean food, want to delight in the freshest fish and seafood dishes or discover the extraordinary creativity of Portuguese cuisine, there’s a lot to choose from in the augmented list of Michelin Star Restaurants in Portugal.
Michelin Star Restaurants in Portugal: recognition
For celebrated chefs Henrique Sá Pessoa and Rui Paula the story with the Michelin Guide had always been one of the “always the bridesmaid, never the bride” type. This year, though the spell is broken, as their exclusive eateries finally join the select club of Michelin Star Restaurants in Portugal. Sá Pessoa at Alma (Lisbon) and Rui Paula at Casa de Chá da Boa Nova (Matosinhos, Porto), two of the most respected chefs in Portugal finally won their first Michelin Star. At the stunning Casa de Chá da Boa Nova, Rui Paula’s fantastic work with fish and seafood is finally recognized. Plus, the now Michelin starred restaurant in Matosinhos is one of the top projects by architect Alvaro Siza Vieira. This of course turns any dining experience into a double pleasure.
The Newcomers: Michelin Star Restaurants in Portugal
The list of new Michelin star restaurants in Portugal grows with 5 other chefs earning their first star. Young chef Alexandre Silva wins his first star at Loco (Lisbon), Sergi Arola, the disciple of Ferran Adriá, joins the club with his fabulous work at the LAB a small 22-seat restaurant at the Penha Longa resort in Sintra. In Funchal, Luís Pestana joins the list of Michelin Star Restaurants in Portugal at William and in Porto, Vítor Matos conquers his first star at Antiqvvm in Porto. In the region of Alentejo, chef Miguel Laffan, who had lost his Michelin star, wins it back and keeps on doing wonders with local produce and faraway inspirations.
Michelin star restaurants in Portugal: it’s getting better all the time
International foodies know that perhaps even harder than winning the much-coveted Michelin Star is keeping it. In this chapter, too, Michelin star restaurants in Portugal excel. One-star chefs earning a second star this year are Ricardo Costa at The Yeatman in Porto, and Benoît Sinthon at Il Gallo d’Oro in Funchal. With these two additions to the exclusive “two star” club there are now 5 double starred Michelin guide restaurants in Portugal. The other three are Belcanto, in Lisbon, led by celebrity chef José Avillez, and in the Algarve, Hans Neuner at Ocean and Dieter Koschina at Vila Joya. For a country that 5 years ago had only one restaurant with two Michelin stars, this is a major accomplishment for Portugal.
