The Bib Gourmand Award 2026: History, Winners and How to Experience It with THE SUN PLACES. Because the Bib Gourmand Award is not just a friendly icon: it is a statement of intent about good dining at a fair price.
What will you find here? The history of the Bib Gourmand Award, the restaurants that have achieved it this year in Seville, Cádiz, Marbella, Barcelona, Madrid and Costa Brava, what it represents for the Guide, for the winners and for THE SUN PLACES, and how you can enjoy unique experiences around the Bib Gourmand Award by staying in our Luxury Apartments. Let's begin.
📜History and Origin of the Bib Gourmand Award
To understand the Bib Gourmand Award you need to travel back to 1997, although its essence was born much earlier. The Michelin Guide, created in 1900 to help drivers, always wanted to recommend restaurants for all budgets. As early as 1955 there was a section dedicated to "good dining at a moderate price". But it was in 1997 when the Bib Gourmand Award took its definitive form: that of the Bibendum mascot (Michelin's logo) licking its lips.
The Bib Gourmand Award was born with a clear objective: to highlight those restaurants that offer an excellent value for money, with complete menus (excluding drinks) that do not exceed a threshold set by the guide. It is not a star, but in many ways it is almost as coveted. While the Michelin Star rewards innovation and the most avant-garde technique, the Bib Gourmand Award rewards honesty, well-executed tradition and local produce.
Today, the Bib Gourmand Award is one of the most useful distinctions for travellers seeking memorable experiences without breaking the bank.
🏆The Michelin Gala 2026: Where and When the Bib Gourmand Award was Presented
The grand ceremony that highlighted the Bib Gourmand Award and the rest of the awards of the Michelin Guide Spain 2026 was held on Tuesday 25 November 2025 at a spectacular venue: the SOHRLIN Andalusia Space in Málaga, a creative space driven by actor Antonio Banderas. The gala was hosted by Jesús Vázquez and the subsequent dinner was prepared by two Málaga restaurants with two Michelin Stars: Bardal (Ronda) and Skina (Marbella).
At that gala, the 204 restaurants that maintain or debut the Bib Gourmand Award in Spain were announced, 29 of them new additions. This is the highest figure in history, demonstrating the vitality of affordable, quality gastronomy in our country.
📍List of Winners of the Bib Gourmand Award 2026 by Area
These are the restaurants that have achieved or renewed the Bib Gourmand Award in the cities that interest you most. Take note because they are must-stop places.
Seville
- Balbuena y Huertas (Triana): New addition for 2026. Contemporary cuisine in a light-filled space with a terrace. The Bib Gourmand Award recognises its careful informality and warm service.
- Lalola de Javi Abascal (Centre): Reinterpretation of popular Andalusian cuisine. The Bib Gourmand Award rewards its creativity and diligent treatment.
- Az-Zait (Santa Cruz): Andalusian cuisine with excellent treatment of vegetables and fish.
Cádiz
- Almanaque Casa de Comidas (Cádiz): Paradise for natural wine and local cuisine. The Bib Gourmand Award highlights its commitment to local produce.
- Código de Barra (Cádiz): Explosion of flavours and careful wine selection.
- El Espejo (Sanlúcar de Barrameda): Home cooking that elevates Cádiz gastronomy.
- La Taberna de El Campero (Zahara de los Atunes): The mecca of almadraba red tuna. The Bib Gourmand Award endorses it as essential.
- Additionally, La Marmita (Cádiz) and Casa Paco (Chipiona) also boast the Bib Gourmand Award.
Marbella
- Skina: It has two Michelin Stars, but in Marbella there are also several "Recommended" establishments that aspired to the Bib Gourmand Award.
- Areia, Casa Eladio and TA-KUMI Marbella appear as high-quality establishments, although the Bib Gourmand in the province is more concentrated in Cádiz and Seville. At THE SUN PLACES we advise you on where to eat with guarantees.
Barcelona
Barcelona is the city with the most new additions to the Bib Gourmand Award in 2026. The six new Catalan awardees are:
- Bardeni-Caldeni (Barcelona)
- Pinea (Ayora, Valencia – although geographically not Catalonia, it is included in the list of new features for the territory)
- L'Hostal de Ca l'Esquel·ler (La Vall de Bianya)
Madrid
The Community of Madrid has also seen its list of restaurants with the Bib Gourmand Award grow. The new additions for 2026 are:
- In-Pulso (Madrid): Author's cuisine at an attractive price.
- La Barra de la Tasquería (Madrid): High-end offal cuisine, unique in its style.
- Malabar Bistró Nómada (Becerril de la Sierra): To escape the city.
- Additionally, Manifesto 13, Bambú and Eximio renew their Bib Gourmand Award.
Costa Brava
On the Costa Brava, the Bib Gourmand Award is maintained by charming traditional establishments:
- La Cort del Mos (Palamós)
- L'Askata (Port de la Selva)
All of them are perfect for a rural or coastal luxury getaway.
💡What Does the Bib Gourmand Award Represent for Each One?
The Bib Gourmand Award is not just a sticker on a door. It has a deep and different meaning depending on who looks at it.
For the Michelin Guide
- The Bib Gourmand Award represents the democratisation of excellence. It is the guide's way of saying: "you don't need to spend 200 euros to eat wonderfully". It is also a tool to promote traditional cuisine, local produce and hospitality without artifice. While the Star is the dream, the Bib Gourmand Award is the well-lived day-to-day.
For the Winning Restaurants
- Receiving the Bib Gourmand Award is recognition of years of silent effort. It does not force a change of business model (as a Star might), but it attracts customers, generates local pride and places the establishment on the national gastronomic map. For many chefs, the Bib Gourmand Award is the most desired prize because it allows them to remain authentic, informal and affordable.
For The Sun Places
- And here comes the best part. For THE SUN PLACES, the Bib Gourmand Award is the perfect complement to intelligent luxury. Our clients seek authentic experiences, and knowing that ten minutes from their Luxury Apartment in Seville (or in Barcelona, Marbella, Madrid or Costa Brava) there is a restaurant with the Bib Gourmand Award gives them confidence and added value.
- Furthermore, it allows us to create gastronomic routes, valuable content for our blog and differentiate ourselves from other luxury accommodations that only recommend expensive and cold places.
The Bib Gourmand Award and THE SUN PLACES share a philosophy: the best is not always the most expensive, but the most authentic and well-made.
🦞The Sun Places Experiences to Enjoy the Bib Gourmand Award in Each Area
We want you to experience the Bib Gourmand Award first-hand. That is why we have designed exclusive experiences for each destination, combining good dining with the luxury and comfort of our apartments.
🌆 Seville
- Reservation at KINU Seville (first Sol Repsol 2026) as a prelude to success.
🏖️ Cádiz
- Seafront accommodation with views of the Atlantic.
🛥️ Marbella
- Dinner at Skina (2 Michelin Stars) or at the recommended establishments with the Bib Gourmand Award in the province.
🏙️ Barcelona
- Private yacht trip along the Costa Brava.
- Helicopter flight over Barcelona and Montserrat.
- Dinner at Bardeni-Caldeni, Glug or Oníric, the city's new Bib Gourmand winners.
🥘 Madrid
- Shopping on the Golden Mile (Salamanca District) and dinner at La Barra de la Tasquería, which holds the Bib Gourmand Award 2026.
🏞️ Costa Brava
- Dalí Route through Figueres and medieval villages.
- Dinner at Hostal Sa Tuna or La Cort del Mos, both with the Bib Gourmand Award.
🎯Conclusion: The Bib Gourmand Award, an Ally of Luxury with Soul
The Bib Gourmand Award is much more than a distinction. It is a life philosophy for those of us who believe that eating well should not be a privilege. And at THE SUN PLACES we feel deeply aligned with that philosophy. That is why, when you book your Luxury Apartment in Seville, Luxury Apartments in Barcelona, Luxury Apartments in Marbella, Luxury Apartments in Madrid, Luxury Apartments in Cádiz or Luxury Accommodations on the Costa Brava, we will give you all the keys to enjoy the Bib Gourmand Award to the fullest.
Because luxury is not at odds with fried fish at a fair price, nor with a neighbourhood tavern with a star (Bibendum's). On the contrary: the Bib Gourmand Award and THE SUN PLACES are the perfect combination for the traveller seeking unforgettable, authentic and down-to-earth experiences.
📞 Contact THE SUN PLACES. We will help you design your gastronomic route around The Bib Gourmand Award 2026.