Malaga to host Michelin Guide Spain 2026 Gala

In keeping with Malaga’s reputation as a top foodie destination, the city will host the Michelin Guide Spain 2026 Gala. This glittering event will take place on Tuesday 25 November at Sohrlin and play host to 700 guests from Spain’s rich culinary world.

Why is Malaga to host the Michelin Guide Spain 2026 Gala?

At a press conference, local and regional authorities revealed that Malaga is the choice to present the 2026 Michelin Guide Spain awards. The event is extra special this year because the Michelin Guide celebrates its 150th anniversary as the world’s benchmark culinary guide. It also celebrates 115 years in Spain.

As a result, the venue for this year’s Gala is more important than ever, as Mónica Rius, Director of Communications for Michelin Guide Spain emphasised.

Malaga is no stranger to big culinary events – for example, in November 2023, the city hosted the Macarfi Restaurant Guide Gala.

Three key reasons to choose Malaga

For Miguel Póveda, Sales and Marketing Director for Michelin Guide Spain, Malaga has been selected to host the Michelin Guide Spain 2026 Gala for three reasons:

1. The vitality and momentum of culinary promotion in the city and province. He mentioned Saber a Málaga as a shining example of the successful promotion of local produce and restaurants.
2. The high level of gastronomy in the province and the personality of what’s on offer. He highlighted the rich diversity of local produce, Malaga’s culinary traditions and influences. Póveda also mentioned the sardine espeto and ajoblanco as two of the star traditional local dishes in Malaga.
3. Easy access and a variety of places to stay in Malaga. For Póveda, Malaga has “perfect connections”.

Celebrating culinary excellence

The Michelin Guide Spain 2026 Gala is coming to Malaga thanks to three entities: Malaga City Council, the Diputación de Málaga (provincial governing body) and the Junta de Andalucía (regional government).

Representatives from each highlighted their reasons for placing Malaga centre stage of Spain’s gastronomic scene. Francisco Salado, President of the Diputación, said the event aims to “celebrate the gastronomic excellence in Malaga city and province”. For his part, the Mayor of Malaga, Francisco de la Torre, said that the Michelin Guide gives Malaga city yet another opportunity to offer visitors “an extra in culinary experiences”.

When is the Gala?

Save the date – Malaga welcomes this star-studded event on Tuesday 25 November 2025 from 7pm onwards.  

Where is the Gala?

It’ll take place at Sohrlin Andalucía, the Theatre School affiliated to Antonio Banderas and located near the western seafront.  

Who’s cooking at the Gala?

As you’d expect, a gastronomic event of this calibre requires a menu created by chefs at the top of their game. The Michelin Guide Spain has chosen Benito Gómez from Bardel restaurant in Ronda and Marcos Ganda from Skina in Marbella to coordinate the tasting menu. Both these chefs’ restaurants have two Michelin stars to their name.

Gómez and Ganda will draw on the rich talent and produce in the province to create the menu. Gala guests can expect creativity and innovation to join tradition as they combine with the delicious fresh produce Malaga is famous for.

Both chefs pointed out that the Gala menu isn’t about their restaurants. For Gómez, the menu will carry the flag high for Malaga and Ganda said that they aim to make Malaga province the real star of the show.

Which Malaga restaurants are in the Michelin Guide Spain?

Malaga province is a shining star in the Andalusian Michelin firmament, with a total of 11 stars. Malaga city currently has three Michelin-star restaurants: Restaurante José Carlos García, whose restaurant has held the coveted award for ten years; Kaleja, which renewed its star this year; and Blossom, which arrived this year.

The city also has two Bib Gourmand restaurants. These venues, highlighted for their excellent value-for-money cuisine, are La Cosmo and La Taberna de Mike Palmer. Michelin Guide Spain also highlights several other restaurants for their “good cooking”, such as Aire, Cávala and Palodú.

Which Malaga restaurants will enter the Michelin Guide Spain 2026?

Malaga has a long list of excellent restaurants, so we expect at least one or two more to join the trio currently with a star. The Bib Gourmand list should also receive some additions.

But we’ll have to wait until 25 November to find out!