The Michelin Star Journey in Portugal.
The Algarve has been selected to host the first Gala in honour of Portugal having its very own MICHELIN Guide for the first time ever. The eagerly awaited MICHELIN Portugal Guide 2024 will honour Portugal's amazing gastronomic development as well as the country's increasing excellence and consistency, as noted by the Guide's distinguished inspectors.
With seven restaurants holding two MICHELIN Stars, thirty restaurants holding one MICHELIN Star, 38 Bib Gourmand honours, and three projects receiving the prestigious MICHELIN Green Star, Portugal currently has an exceptional culinary scene. The Algarve as a region boasts no fewer than eight MICHELIN starred restaurants, which is the highest concentration.
Dieter Koschina Rui Silvestre
The top restaurants in each of these categories are painstakingly selected for The MICHELIN Portugal Guide 2024, which places a particular focus on sustainability with the MICHELIN Green Star. This recently created award honours establishments and chefs who exhibit extraordinary commitment to sustainable cuisine and the future of our planet.
According to Luís Araújo, head of Portugal Tourism Board: "We all value our gastronomy, but especially the tourists who visit us. The two things they most praise in Portugal are the friendliness of the people and the second is the gastronomy.”
An exclusive Gala event will be held on February 27, 2024, at the famous NAU Salgados Palace & Convention Centre in Guia, Albufeira, to commemorate the release of the MICHELIN Portugal Guide 2024. The Gala Dinner will be curated by renowned chefs Dieter Koschina of Villa Joya (two MICHELIN Stars) and Rui Silvestre of Vistas Rui Silvestre (one MICHELIN Star), as well as a number of other brilliant chefs from the Algarve. Visitors will have the chance to sample famous delicacies and the best Portuguese cuisine has to offer.
Nuno Ferreira speaker for Michelin- Michelin Gala
João Fernandes, President of Algarve Tourism, commented: "It is no coincidence that we (in the Algarve) have eight of the 38 award-winning restaurants in Portugal and that two of the seven with two stars are in the region. The region has a quality that stands out."
The Algarve was chosen as the setting for this great event since it is one of Portugal's most recognisable areas and is a well-known gourmet destination in Europe. The Algarve, known for its rich gastronomic tradition, draws foodies from all over the world with its wide range of options. From mouthwatering seafood specialties to the typical cataplana, a meal that highlights the extraordinary quality and flavour of the products used in the area Chickpea stew, pork, maize, and vegetables are some more Algarve delicacies that are also crucial components of mountain cuisine. Almonds and carob, two essential components of the well-known sweets Dom Rodrigo and Morgadinhos, are also featured in the dessert from the Algarve.
The Algarve is renowned as a top tourist destination that offers a broad variety of cultural and recreational activities in addition to outstanding food. Explore the gorgeous beaches of Lagos, Carvoeiro, and Sagres, or travel interior to the charming mountaintop villages of Silves and Monchique. The remote Isle of Tavira and the energetic city of Faro both provide distinctive vantage points on the area's beauties.
An exciting new chapter in Portugal's culinary history is due to begin with the publication of the MICHELIN Portugal Guide 2024. It honours Portugal's gastronomic accomplishments, draws attention to sustainability initiatives, and welcomes both residents and foreign tourists to go on an extraordinary culinary adventure.