Sea bass at Lasarte / Photo courtesy of Lasarte

It’s official! Spain now has its ninth three-Michelin star restaurant, which is none other than Martín Berasategui’s Lasarte. Located in Barcelona and run by chef de cuisine Paolo Casagrande, Lasarte brings both the taste of the Basque Country and three Michelin stars to this cosmopolitan Spanish city.

This achievement was announced at Wednesday’s celebration of the presentation of the 2017 Michelin Guide to Spain and Portugal, a gala event that was held at the Roca brothers’ Mas Marroch country estate.

In addition to Lasarte’s elevation to three Michelin stars, there are plenty of other successes to celebrate. The following five Spanish restaurants received their second Michelin star: DSTAgE in Madrid; l’Escaleta in Cocentaina, Alicante; Annua in San Vicente de la Barquera, Cantabria; Cenador de Amós in Villaverde de Pontones, Cantabria; and BonAmb in Xàbia, Alicante.

Similarly, fifteen new one-Michelin-star designations were given to El Invernadero…