Guía Repsol 2024 awards for Cantabria

Cantabria celebrates a successful edition of the Guía Repsol awards, hosted on the 4th of March in Cartagena, Murcia. The 2024 season has resulted in an impressive 18 “Soles” across 12 restaurants, including one new addition and no losses compared to the 2023 season.

The newest restaurant to be awarded one Sol is Pico Velasco, an innovative new boutique hotel, restaurant and event space, captained in the kitchen by the much loved Ignacio Solana, from the Michelin-starred Solana in Ampuero.

What is the Guía Repsol?

The Guía Repsol was started in 1979 to provide dining options for road travel in Spain and Portugal. Over time it has evolved to become one of the leading restaurant guides on the Iberian peninsula, with annual award ceremonies to introduce new rankings. 

The guide awards three levels of distinction to restaurants in Spain. Its classification is similar to the international Michelin guide Stars system, using “Soles” (Suns) as their taxonomy of choice and ranking from 1 to 3 along the same criteria: One means it’s worth a stop if it’s on your journey, two means it’s worth a detour, and 3 means it’s worth a trip in and of itself.

The guide also provides a “recommended” category, which sits below the 1 Sol level and indicates that said restaurants are considered interesting, as well as a separate “soletes” guide, which lists alternative or less formal establishments like cafeterias, ice cream shops, bars and casual beachfront “chiringuitos”, providing recommendations at all levels and for every wallet.

How is it different from the Michelin Guide?

Although the Guía Repsol is very similar to the Michelin guide, there are some key differences between the two.

While the Michelin guide claims to focus on the quality of the food, the Guía Repsol considers other elements like price, service, and location when choosing their winners. Interestingly, the Guía Repsol employs more reviewers than the Michelin guide, but they combine this work with other jobs and sometimes don’t visit every restaurant that received an award in a given year. Conversely, the Michelin guide is formed of fewer select, full time reviewers who must visit a restaurant a minimum of four times and sometimes up to 10 times before producing their rating. It should also be noted that while the Michelin guide focuses on food, it does of course take aspects of the service and overall experience into consideration when awarding their Stars, especially with higher ratings.

It’s not surprising, then, that the Michelin guide is also considered to be more select, granting fewer awards in Spain than the Guía Repsol. While the Michelin guide is considered too demanding on Spanish restaurants in comparison with other countries, critics say the Guía Repsol is perhaps too inclusive, awarding too many Soles and slow to remove restaurants from the guide over time.

For instance, in 2024, the Guía Repsol encompasses a total of 764 restaurants across Spain that hold either 1, 2 or 3 Soles, with an additional 1453 recommended restaurants available on their website. Of the total, 271 restaurants were new additions to the guide this year, including 98 new Soles across the country. However, the Michelin guide has awarded 1, 2 or 3 Star ratings to only 272 restaurants in Spain.

Guía Repsol awards to Cantabrian Restaurants in 2024

The complete list of establishments in Cantabria with the Repsol seal of approval in 2024 includes the 12 restaurants with Soles, 22 recommended restaurants, and 46 restaurants with Soletes:

3 Soles

1. Cenador de Amos

2 Soles

1. Casona del Judio
2. Solana
3. El Nuevo Molino
4. Cañadío

1 Sol 

1. La Bicicleta
2. El Serbal 
3. Bodega del Riojano
4. La Cartería de Cartes
5. Emma Gastro
6. Ronquillo
7. Pico Velasco (New in 2024)

Recommended

1. Agua Salada  – Santander
2. Asador El Puerto – Castro Urdiales
3. Bodega Cigaleña – Santander
4. Daría – Santander
5. Del Oso – Cosgaya
6. Del Puerto – Santander
7. Deluz – Santander
8. El Baruco de Anero – Ribamontán al Monte
9. El Hostal del Pericote – Piélagos
10. El Ojo del Ábrego – Liérganes
11. El Remedio – Ruiloba
12. El Restaurante de Pilar – Santoña
13. Fuentebro – Fontibre
14. Garbo – Santander
15. Ibidem – Arnuero
16. La Bombi – Santander
17. Laila – Santa Cruz de Bezana
18. Las Piscinas  – Villacarriedo
19. Las Redes – San Vicente de la Barquera
20. La Torre by Marañon – Ribamontán al Mar
21. Pan de Cuco – Ribamontán al Mar
22. Posada del Mar – Santander

Soletes

1. Hostal Remoña – Espinama
2. Casa LaMadrid – Cabezon de Liebana
3. Casa Cayo – Potes
4. Casa Lucas – Los Tojos
5. Mirador de Peña Colsa – Los Tojos
6. La Asturiana – Unquera
7. Casa Canal – Unquera
8. Helados Lopez – Corvera de Toranzo
9. Ruda – Villacarriedo
10. Magnolia Castro – Castro Urdiales
11. Taberna Bar Solana – Ampuero
12. Romy – Bádames
13. La Chata – Isla
14. Mesón Posada termino – Hoznayo
15. Casa Navarro –  Liérganes
16. Casa Enrique – Solares
17. Tienda de Pedro Garcia – Solares
18. La Yerbita – Penagos
19. Mores – Vargas
20. Ciclo – Ruente
21. Casa Segis – Cabezón de la Sal
22. Abacería de la Sal – Cabezón de la Sal
23. Casa Cofiño – Caviedes
24. Boga Boga – San Vicente de la Barquera
25. El Pescador – San Vicente de la Barquera
26. La Ostrería San Vicente – San Vicente de la Barquera
27. El Rayo Verde – San Vicente de la Barquera
28. Bodega Miradorio – Ruiloba
29. El Refugio de Tanos – Torrelavega
30. Bar Torrelavega – Torrelavega
31. El Pasaje de los Nobles – Santillana del Mar
32. La Chilanga – Suances
33. La Dársena – Suances
34. Avril en la Ria – Mogro
35. Burdo Restobar – Liencres
36. La Tucho – Corbán Santander
37. El Desfiladero – Santander
38. Las Terrazas de Carmen – Santander
39. Amarella Cafe & Bistro – Santander
40. Monerris – Santander
41. La Hermosa de Alba – Tetuán Santander
42. Conde Luna – Cueto Santander
43. Chiringuito el Puntal Tricio – Santander
44. Asador el Tronky – Pedreña
45. Enuno – Somo