The municipality with the most Michelin restaurants per square meter in Spain is in Alicante

Beautiful beaches and mountains, the climate, or the gastronomy, with high-quality raw materials, make Alicante one of the most coveted points with the highest quality of life on the peninsula. The province was one of the four candidates for Spanish Capital of Gastronomy (CEG) 2024, an award given by tourism journalists along with the Hostelería de España association, which ultimately landed in Oviedo.

'La Terreta' is in vogue and its restaurants continue to receive awards from the most prestigious references in the country. With a gastronomic offer of all kinds, including more than 1,700 registered establishments, rice dishes, coca de mollitas, and pericana stand out. To them are added 13 restaurants awarded with a Michelin star.

From that list, three are located in a beautiful town of 25,000 inhabitants in Marina Alta, making it the destination with the most Michelin restaurants per square meter in Spain, a unique gastronomic enclave. We are talking about Calp and its peix.

The love story of the town of Peñón de Ifach with Michelin stars began in 2017 with the distinction of Audrey's restaurant, led by the famous chef from Moraira and ambassador of Mediterranean cuisine, Rafa Soler. Seven years later, Calp has become the place in Spain that hosts more Michelin restaurants per square meter.

The prestigious Orobianco returned to the Olympus of Spanish restaurants by regaining its Michelin star, obtained in 2013 and 2018, at the gala held last November 28. For their part, Audrey's and Beat, belonging to the prestigious AR Hotels Resorts Group, retained the coveted culinary distinction in Spain's Gastronomic Guide 2024.

Thus, Calp's well-known trio of Michelin stars is once again made up of Audrey's, Beat, and Orobianco, with a common denominator: the impeccable product from its Fishermen's Guild, which celebrates its centenary this year. The so-called 'Peix de Calp' is a brand under which all the produce from Lonja calpina is marketed, with 'Gamba Blanca de Calp' as its star product.

The Italian restaurant lost its star in 2021 after Ferdinando Bernardi left; that same year he opened his own restaurant, also awarded at the last gala. Last April, the establishment began a new path led by Chef Paolo Casagrande, head chef at Lasarte Restaurant in Barcelona and awarded three Michelin stars.

The restaurant's name pays homage to one of history's most famous actresses: Audrey Hepburn. Its avant-garde cuisine, which fuses sophistication and tradition in every dish, is a tribute to local produce with ingredients from local markets and gardens.

Beat restaurant, located at The Cookbook Hotel in Calpe, ranks tenth in the Guide to the 55 best restaurants in the Valencian Community. It is the third best-ranked in Marina Alta, surpassed only by Quique Dacosta Restaurant in Dénia and Bon Amb in Xàbia.