The long-awaited all-Portuguese Gala in Albufeira took place last night, revealing a grand total of five new Stars, two Green Stars, eight Bib Gourmands, and 21 newly recommended restaurants, including Tavira’s Noélia and Portimão’s Numa.
The first ever all-Portuguese Michelin Gala took place last night at the Nau Salgados Palace in Albufeira. Paying tribute to the “crème de la crème” of Portuguese gastronomy, the highly-anticipated moment marked the launch of the Portuguese guide and was the first instance the country was not part of a joint ceremony with neighbouring Spain.
With some 500 guests in attendance, the ceremony’s biggest highlight was the attribution of a second star to Porto’s exquisite Antiqvvm restaurant by chef Vítor Matos, followed by four new restaurants being awarded a MICHELIN Star, bringing the total of establishments with one star in Portugal up to 31. Two new restaurants were awarded the MICHELIN Green Star for their commitment to sustainable gastronomy, and eight with the Bib Gourmand for their exceptional quality/price ratio.
The two-and-a-half-hour-long ceremony, presented by TV star Catarina Furtado, started with three new awards: the Service Award, which went to Pedro Marquês at The Yeatman** in Vila Nova de Gaia; the Sommelier Award, given to Leonel Nunes at Il Galo D’Oro** in Funchal; and the Young Chef Award, for Rita Magro at the creative Blind restaurant located in the Torel Palace in Porto.
Then came the long list of restaurants recommended by the Michelin Guide Portugal, which saw 21 new additions, including, in the Algarve, Noélia in Cabanas de Tavira and Numa in Portimão, totalling 167 restaurants in the 2024 Guide.
Awards for quality/price ratio and sustainable gastronomy
The evening’s excitement grew with the attribution of the eight new Bib Gourmand and 2 MICHELIN Green Stars. The Bib Gourmand, which emerged in 1997, highlights restaurants with the best quality/price ratio. In Portugal there are 32 establishments, eight of which were added to the list last night: Flora (Viseu), Inato Bistrô(Braga), Norma (Guimarães), Olaias (Figueira da Foz), OMA (Baião), O Pastus (Paço de Arcos), Patio 44 (Porto) and Poda (Montemor-o-Novo).
As for the MICHELIN Green Stars, the distinction recognises initiatives or commitment to sustainable gastronomy. This year’s selection presents a total of 5 establishments, of which two are new: Malhadinha Nova (Albernoa), celebrating “the traditions of the Alentejo through its commitment to a circular economy”, and Ó Balcão(Santarém), which was also recognised this year with its first MICHELIN Star, and “stands out for its work with river fish, maintaining the region’s river balance, and eradicating invasive species”.
Four new restaurants awarded a MICHELIN Star
The MICHELIN Guide Portugal 2024 confirmed the country’s exceptional gastronomic growth with the attribution of four new one-star additions, with the total number of establishments in this category in Portugal now amounting to 31.
The new stars are 2Monkeys, Vitor Matos and Francisco Quintas, located inside the Torel Palace Hotel in Lisbon; Desarma by Octávio Freitas, on the rooftop of The Views Baía do Funchal Hotel in Madeira; Ò Balcão by Rodrigo Castelo in Santarém; and SáLa de João Sá by João Pedro Sá in Lisbon.
Antiqvvm shines bright with two stars
Culminating the evening with the “shiniest” award (so far), Porto’s Antiqvvm restaurant received its second star. Boasting exquisite views of the Douro, Antiqvvm is where chef Vítor Matos brings all his creativity, technical mastery, and culinary background to light. His menu takes gastronomes on a “Tour of the World”, transcending the purely gastronomic because, as he points out himself, through his dishes, he seeks to “promote the values of a cultural, natural, evolutionary, social and artistic cuisine”.
Chef Vítor Matos is the chef who shines the most in this edition; and it is not in vain, since, beside his remarkable work behind the stoves at Antiqvvm, he is experiencing a moment of great culinary fulfilment, with the opening of new businesses, and various collaborations under his gastronomic tutelage (Blind, Hool, 2Monkeys, Salão Nobre, Onze…).
With this new addition to the category and the renewal of the previous restaurants with two Stars, the MICHELIN Guide Portugal 2024 features eight establishments in this category: The Yeatman, Vila Joya, Antiqvvm, Ocean, Alma, Belcanto, Casa de Chá da Boa Nova and Il Galo d’Oro.
Although many anticipated the ultimate Michelin prize, the third-star, would be awarded last night, it did not come. The absence of this award landed flat on the stage where seven chefs stood as their second star was renewed for another year, leaving many hopefuls for 2025.
The constant rise of the Portuguese gastronomic scene
“For several years now, our inspectors have noted, with satisfaction, the constant rise of the Portuguese gastronomic scene. Driven, among others, by young local chefs who have the audacity and courage to launch their own concept and by more established chefs who have long been committed to rewriting the modern face of Portuguese cuisine, this culinary development is simply impressive”, stated Gwendal Poullennec, International Director of the MICHELIN Guides. “Portugal is a land of deep-rooted products and traditions, but it is also a destination where culinary creativity triumphs. With a new two-star restaurant, as well as four new one-star establishments, and many new recommended restaurants across the country, our 2024 selection illustrates this trend at the highest level,” he concluded.
The evening finished with a walking dinner during which guests had the opportunity to taste signature dishes prepared for the occasion by Michelin chefs including Liborio Buonocore and Heinz Beck (Gusto*) Dieter Koschina (Vila Joya**), Hans Neuner (Ocean**), João Oliveira (Vista*), Luís Brito (A Ver Tavira*), Louis Anjos (A-Sud*) and José Lopes (Bon Bon*).
The MICHELIN Guide Portugal selection is available, free of charge, both on the website and on the MICHELIN Guide App (both for IOS and Android). The paper edition will also be available in bookstores soon.
