Michelin Guide Portugal 2025. The debuts, the disappointments, the special awards and the final balance

The wait is (finally) over. In a ceremony held this Tuesday, February 25, at the Alfândega do Porto Congress Centre, an emblematic neoclassical building located in the city's historic centre, the new winners of the Michelin Guide Portugal were announced. Among the personalities in the spotlight was Marlene Vieira . With her eponymous restaurant, which offers two menus — one with nine (€115) and the other with 12 (€150) moments — that portray the national cuisine, the seasonality of the products and the identity of the chef and her team, Marlene became the second Portuguese woman to win a Michelin star. The space, which opened in April 2022 at Doca do Jardim do Tabaco, next to the Lisbon Cruise Terminal, is already known for its emphasis on seafood and fish.

The Porto native was not, however, the only one to make history in the second edition of the gala, exclusively dedicated to Portuguese territory. Rita Magro (Porto, Blind), along with Vítor Matos, also won a star . She is thus the third woman to be included in the guide. Maria Alice Marto was the first to achieve this feat, in 1993, with Tia Alice, in Fátima. She held the title for three years.

The other premieres

With eight additions, the group of restaurants with a Michelin star ("high-quality cuisine, worth stopping at") has grown from 31 to 38. In addition to Marlene and Blind , Grenache (Philippe Gelfi, Lisbon), Oculto (Vila do Conde, Ivo Rocha / Vítor Matos), Palatial (Braga, Rui Filipe), Vinha (Vila Nova de Gaia, Jonathan Seiller / Henrique Sá Pessoa), YOSO (Lisbon, Habner Gomes) and Arkhe (Lisbon, João Ricardo Alves) have joined the group. The latter joins Encanto (Lisbon, José Avillez), which in 2022 became the first 100% vegetarian restaurant in Portugal to achieve the distinction. For its concern for sustainability, which is reflected in the adoption of measures and formulas that seek to care for the environment, Encanto has achieved a Green Star.

The disappointments

But there was more than just joy during the ceremony, which was hosted by Marta Leite Castro. For 100 Maneiras (Lisbon), by Ljubomir Stanisic, the night was cloudless due to the loss of the star they had won in 2020.

Almost a hundred years after the first stars were awarded to Portuguese restaurants — the 1929 guide distinguished the restaurants Santa Luzia and Hotel Mesquita, in Viana do Castelo and Famalicão, respectively — Portugal still has not achieved the maximum distinction of three stars ("unique cuisine, worth the trip"). Contrary to the most optimistic, places like Belcanto (Lisbon, José Avillez), Casa de Chá da Boa Nova (Leça da Palmeira, Rui Paula), Ocean (Alporchinhos, Hans Neuner) and The Yeatman (Vila Nova de Gaia, Ricardo Costa) did not move up a level and were limited to two stars ("excellent cuisine, worth the detour"). The same happened with Vila Joya (Albufeira, Dieter Koschina), Il Gallo d'Oro (Funchal, Benoît Sinthon), Alma (Lisbon, Henrique Sá Pessoa) and Antiqvvm (Porto, Vítor Matos).

The special prizes

Although the awarding of the stars was the most anticipated, the awarding of the three special prizes did not go unnoticed. While José Diogo Costa, from the William restaurant in Funchal, was recognized as Young Chef, Nelson Barreiros, from Ocean, in Porches, received the distinction for Room Service. Marc Pinto, from Fifty Seconds, in Lisbon, took home the Sommelier Award.

The new recommended

In addition to the 116 recommended spaces, 35 more have been added. Among these, "the presence of numerous Asian-inspired restaurants stands out, which demonstrate the growing taste of the Portuguese, and international clientele, for oriental cuisine, in many cases in a fusion with local cuisine", notes the organization. This is the case of Avista Ásia, in Funchal, Izakaya, in Cascais, Omakase RI, in Lisbon, and Kaigi and Tokkotai, both in Porto.

As for the Bib Gourmand, awarded in recognition of the best quality/price ratio, five new products were presented this year: Canalha and Pigmeu, in Lisbon, Contradição, in Bragança, OMA, in Porto, and Terruja, in Alvados.

The final balance

All things considered, the Michelin Guide Portugal now has over 120 national restaurants – 38 of which have one star and eight have two. There are 116 recommended restaurants, while there are 28 Bib Gourmand restaurants. There are six with green stars. These results are the result of a whole year of work by the international team, made up of the Michelin group's secret inspectors, who travelled from one end of mainland Portugal to the other, always looking for the best gastronomic experiences the country has to offer.

After the awards were presented, a dinner for around 500 guests was held, prepared by nine renowned chefs from Porto and the North of Portugal. Rui Paula, Ricardo Costa and Vítor Matos coordinated the team, which also included António Loureiro (A Cozinha, Guimarães), Vasco Coelho Santos (Euskalduna Studio, Porto), Óscar Geadas (G Pousada, Bragança), Julien Montbabut (Le Monument, Porto), Pedro Lemos (Pedro Lemos, Porto) and Arnaldo Azevedo (Vila Foz, Porto). This is a group of "maestros who reinvent local traditions, redefine trends with innovative techniques and extol the value of the region's products", the guide points out. Smoked eel with beetroot kvass was among the most eagerly awaited dishes on the special menu.

The Michelin Guide, created at the beginning of the 20th century to help travelers on their travels, is today considered a global reference in restaurant ratings. It is present in 40 countries.

TWO MICHELIN STARS

1. Joya Village (Albufeira)
2. The Golden Rooster (Funchal)
3. Boa Nova Tea House (Leça da Palmeira)
4. Belcanto (Lisbon)
5. Alma (Lisbon)
6. Ocean (Porches)
7. Antiqvvm (Porto)
8. The Yeatman (Vila Nova de Gaia)

ONE MICHELIN STAR

1. Arkhe (Lisbon) — NEW
2. Blind (Porto) — NEW
3. Grenache (Lisbon) — NEW
4. Marlene, (Lisbon) — NEW
5. Hidden (Vila do Conde) — NEW
6. Palatial (Braga) — NEW
7. Vineyard (Vila Nova de Gaia) — NEW
8. YOSO (Lisbon) — NEW
9. Gusto by Heinz Beck (Almancil)
10. G Inn (Bragança)
11. Guincho Fortress (Cascais)
12. Disarm (Funchal)
13. William (Funchal)
14. The Kitchen (Guimarães)
15. Bon Bon (Lagoon)
16. Al Sud (Lagoon)
17. 2Monkeys (Lisbon)
18. Charm (Lisbon)
19. Factory (Lisbon)
20. Fifty Seconds (Lisbon)
21. Loco (Lisbon)
22. Kanazawa (Lisbon)
23. ROOM by João Sá (Lisbon)
24. Eleven (Lisbon)
25. Kabuki Lisbon (Lisbon)
26. EPUR (Lisbon)
27. Cura (Lisbon)
28. Lemos Table (Silva Steps)
29. View (Portimao)
30. Euskalduna Studio (Porto)
31. Pedro Lemos (Porto)
32. The Monument (Porto)
33. Vila Foz (Porto)
34. The Estate of Esporão (Reguengos de Monsaraz)
35. Oh Counter (Santarém)
36. Lab by Sergi Arola (Sintra)
37. Midori (Sintra)
38. See Tavira (Tavira)

BIB GOURMAND

1. Scoundrel (Lisbon)
2. Contradiction (Bragança)
3. Oma (Porto)
4. Pygmy (Lisbon)
5. Terruja (Alvados)

GREEN STARS

1. Encanto (Lisbon) — NEW
2. Oh Counter (Santarém)
3. New Mesh (Albernoa)
4. Spur (Reguengos of Monsaraz)
5. Lemos Table (Silva Steps)
6. The Golden Cockerel (Funchal)

RECOMMENDED RESTAURANTS

Porto and North

1. Bistro by Vila Voz (Matosinhos)
2. Cibû (Palm Tree)
3. Cod Cult (Porto)
4. Green Hope (Braga)
5. Fleur de Lis by Vila Foz (Matosinhos)
6. Kaigi (Porto)
7. LeBabachris (Guimarães)
8. Myth (Porto)
9. The Mother's Son (Braga)
10. Real by Casa da Calçada (Porto)
11. Pebble by Vasco Coelho Santos (Tabuaço)
12. Tokkotai (Porto)

Center

1. Supper (Lisbon)
2. Concept (Cascais)
3. Izakaya (Cascais)
4. The Two Hands (Lisbon)
5. Memories Santar (Santar)
6. Omakase Ri (Lisbon)
7. Oven (Lisbon)
8. Prose (Aveiro)
9. Harvest_ (Coimbra)
10. Vibe by Mattia Stanchieri (Lisbon)

Alentejo, Algarve and Madeira

1. Aqua (Funchal)
2. Atlantic (Porches)
3. Audax (Funchal)
4. Avista Asia (Funchal)
5. Stables (Évora)
6. Gazebo (Funchal)
7. Hybrid (Évora)
8. Legacy Winery (Estremoz)
9. Map (Montemor-o-Novo)
10. Oxalis (Funchal)
11. Restaurant F (Portimao)
12. Sublime Comporta Beach Club (Carvalhal)
13. Views of Monte Rei (Vila Nova de Cacela)