Bernardi House in Benissa, Montoro Space in Alicante, Lula by Aurora Torres, Hogar del Pescador in Los Montesinos, and La Vila Joiosa — four new restaurants in the Alicante region earned their first Repsol Sun, joining the 2023 Repsol Guide. Alongside six other Valencia City establishments (Fierro, Fraula, Nozomi Sushi Bar, Smasha, Señuelo, and Tavella), hundreds of new businesses were added to this prestigious Valencian Community list in 2023. The newest names this year reflect a growing culinary landscape across the region .
Montoro Space, located on Avenida de la Albufereta in Alicante, has become one of the most talked-about new Sun recipients, especially after earning the Revelation Restaurant Award at the Valencian Community Gastronomy Awards. The chef Pablo Montoro, who trained alongside renowned kitchens and with mentors including Martín Berasategui, opened his own restaurant in Alicante in August 2019. Born in 1976 in Elda, Montoro gained early experience serving high-caliber chefs who gathered at Castillo de Santa Bárbara the night before the Soles Repsol premiere. Espacio Montoro offers a natural, artisanal Mediterranean kitchen that embraces global flavors while prioritizing a memorable dining experience across four venues. Since opening, it has rarely had an empty table, a testament to its popularity .
Bernardi House brings Italian gourmet cuisine to a new Benissa location, continuing the lineage of Ferdinando Bernardi, a veteran of Alicante’s fine dining scene. The restaurant, which opened in 2021, follows the chef’s tenure at Orobianco in Calp, where he earned a Michelin star in 2019 and a Repsol Sun in 2020. Bernardi and his team showcase Italian traditions and flavors from Benissa, set in the Marina Alta, surrounded by orchards and olive trees with a Mediterranean backdrop. The concept emphasizes Italian fare crafted from locally sourced products from Alicante. Born in Rimini, Italy, the chef grew up in a family kitchen and led a pizzeria in his youth before pursuing a broader culinary career .
La Casa del Pescador in Vila Joiosa, already recognized as a long-standing institution, is noted for its fiftieth anniversary under the Repsol Guide in 2020. Initially envisioned for sailors, the restaurant is run by the Devesa Santacreu family and has been a cornerstone of Vila Joiosa since 1970. The founders’ daughter, Martha Devesa, contributed to its development for a decade. The menu highlights a strong emphasis on fresh, local ingredients, with a broad range of seafood and rice dishes that are sourced daily from the nearby La Vila market.
Lula by Aurora Torres marks another notable addition in the La Vega Baja region, nestled in a distinctive space within the historic Horseshoe complex in Montesinos. Aurora Torres, often referred to as the Artichoke Queen for her intuitive cooking, blends traditional Vega Baja flavors with contemporary techniques. Lula offers a balanced fusion of avant-garde ideas and culinary heritage, drawing on family wisdom and seasonal ingredients to craft dishes that honor local traditions while embracing modernity.
With these additions, Alicante state adds 28 Repsol Suns. Three restaurants hold three suns each (Quique Dacosta in Dénia, BonAmb in Xàbia, L’Escaleta in Cocentaina); seven hold two suns (Beat in Calp, La Finca in Elche, Monastrell in Alicante, Tula in Xàbia, Casa Pepa in Ondara, Nou Manolín in Alicante, Peix i Brases in Dénia); and 18 enjoy at least one sun, including the four newly named in 2023. This dynamic mix highlights Alicante’s rising star status in the national gastronomic scene .