Ibaya wins Sol Repsol after 10-year hiatus for Andorra, plus seven new entries in Restaurants Guia Repsol,

Andorra's restaurants have re-entered the Repsol Guide 2026 after a 10-year absence, with Ibaya earning a Sol Repsol award and seven others joining the Restaurants Guia Repsol category. The honours were announced at a gala in Tarragona on Thursday, where Ibaya chef Jordi Grau accepted the Sol for his restaurant at the Sport Hotel Hermitage in Soldeu.

Ibaya, guided by three-Sol Repsol chef Francis Paniego of El Portal de Echaurren in Ezcaray, builds on its Michelin star from December 2021 for the 2022 guide. Grau called the award "supergratificant," saying it provides "a lot of strength to keep doing the work." Launched in 2019, the project has forged its own identity through a young team influenced by the high-mountain setting. The menu spans the four seasons, mountain survival techniques like traditional preservation, and modern takes on Andorran heritage, capturing "the surroundings, history, and customs" in a often harsh natural landscape. It offers two tasting menus: "Un passeig per Andorra" at €190, featuring local staples such as foal, truita, sausages, and trinxat; and "Un passeig per la Vall d'Incles" at €165. Most guests are tourists in the Canillo parish location, though locals visit, and Grau said such awards amplify Andorra's culinary profile while supporting training and strategy initiatives.

The seven Restaurants Guia Repsol newcomers are El Beç in Escaldes-Engordany's Clot d'Emprivat, Can Manel by Carles Flinch, El Celler d’en Toni, Koy by Hideki Matsuhisa, Diamant supervised by Nandu Jubany, Eric Marty with French-accented Mediterranean fare, and Jou la Borda, praised for its cuisine, wine selection, setting, and views.

At El Beç, chef Rodrigo Martínez described the listing as "brutal," following a 2025 Michelin recommendation after three inspector visits the prior year. The recognition has increased awareness and footfall. Its nine-dish tasting menu with desserts costs €71, drawing on local ingredients to reflect the chef's career.

Organisers spotlighted Andorra alongside Portugal at the gala, aiming to expand the Principality's footprint in coming editions. This supports Andorra Turisme's gastronomic plan from last year, focused on training, promotion, and guide collaborations. Digital tools and social media from outlets like Repsol continue boosting reservations and Andorra's high-mountain dining reputation.