Michelin

While northern Spain may not attract as many tourists as it’s resort-packed neighbours in the south, one city is attracting a whole new set of visitors looking to try some of the best food the country has to offer

For many people, the best bit about going abroad is eating and drinking your way through a new place, trying all the local dishes and bringing home your favourite recipes.

While millions of foodies may head to tourist hot spots of Rome, Barcelona or Paris to eat their weight in pasta, tapas or pastries, one hidden gem has actually gained the title of Europe’s culinary paradise.

Nestled on the coast of Northern Spain, and just a few miles from the French border, is the small port and fishing city of San Sebastian. Lining the turquoise ocean of the Bay of Biscay, it made its living from catching fish, and is now making its fortune cooking it.

The Basque city has the highest proportion of Michelin Star restaurants of anywhere else in the world. Despite a population of just 180,000, the city is home to 12 Michelin-starred restaurants, including three highly coveted three-star restaurants and three two-star restaurants.

While getting a table at the prestigious Arzak, Akelare, and Martin Berasategui may be easier said than done – and out of many of our budgets – the foodie culture is something that has seeped down to the streets.

The city’s picturesque Iberian streets are lined with pintxos bars (pronounced pEEn-chos), delightful little watering holes filled with locals that serve you bite-sized pieces of bread served with local meats, cheeses, fish and anything else the chef fancies, perfect when paired with a cold beer or glass of sangria.

An evening can easily be spent hopping from bar to bar, tucking into the delicious bites, with the odd slice of tortilla or other tapas classics, before finishing it off with a famed slice of Basque cheesecake.

But for those wanting something much more filling, the region is home to what has been described as the “best steak in the world”.

On a trip to the city, Isaac Rodgers from the Steak Society went on a hunt around the city to try to find the best Txuleton steak around.

The Txuleton steak is a regional delicacy that is served from much older cows than you’d normally find – usually about 18 years old – from the specific Rubio Gallegia breed.

Having eaten so much steak, he gained 4.5 pounds on his trip, Isaac concluded his favourite came from Gandarias Jatetxea.

He wrote: “This wasn’t my first visit to Gandarias. I discovered Gandarias after searching for Steakhouses back in 2014 and was thrilled by a very reasonably priced and delicious melt-in-the-mouth steak. I’ve been wanting to go back ever since.

“We ordered Octopus and a 1.1kg ‘Old aged T-Bone steak’, a delicious new take on surf and turf, I suppose.

“The steak was unexpectedly tender as well as being quite beefy (but not as much as expected). The steak closest to the bone was also the most tasty. Given the cut of steak and the breed of cow, there were copious amounts of fat. Combining some of the chunks of fat with the beef created an insanely pleasurable taste.”

Flights from the UK to San Sebastian are relatively expensive and infrequent, but budget flights from the UK to nearby Bilbao can cost as little as £21, with similar costing flights available to Biarritz in France, requiring just a short hop over the border.

It’s no surprise that this stunning village has been given quite a few accolades

Holidaying on British soil has become increasingly popular in recent years, and it’s easy to see why.

Our coastline is dotted with charming fishing villages that are among the most beautiful in the world, and one in particular stands out as a must-see destination that’s well worth the journey.

Cornwall has unsurprisingly become a hotspot for staycations, with its sparkling turquoise waters, pristine golden beaches and scenic harbours making visitors feel as if they’ve been whisked away to a far more exotic location.

Nestled in the western corners of Cornwall, just 12 miles from the bustling hub of St Ives, lies the enchanting village of Mousehole, which is no stranger to praise.

The community first gained fame after being hailed as “the loveliest village in England” by Welsh poet and author Dylan Thomas following his honeymoon visit there, according to the Express, reports Cornwall Live.

More recently, it featured in Conde Nast Traveller’s list of the best seaside spots in England for 2025, where it was described as “one of the county’s most picturesque fishing villages” and an ideal place to “escape the hustle and bustle of city life”.

The community boasts a picturesque harbour, breathtaking coastal panoramas and stands as a paradise for culinary enthusiasts – housing not one but two venues that have captured Michelin’s attention. The delightful village is decorated with enchanting whitewashed homes that border its slender, twisting cobbled lanes.

An abundance of craft boutiques and intimate tea rooms greet tourists, whilst the pristine waters invite those yearning for a peaceful kayaking excursion. And what superior method exists to restore vitality than indulging in a classic Cornish cream tea?

Visit Cornwall explained: “Mousehole is considered one of Cornwall’s prettiest fishing villages, with two small sandy beaches inside its harbour quays, only accessible at low tide, and a long pebble beach running east toward Penlee Point.

“For keen swimmers, there’s the Mousehole Rock Pool; a natural tidal pool and the perfect spot for a wild sea swim and a chance to spot seals out in the bay.

“There’s an assortment of car parks in and around the harbour, free parking on the road coming into the village, and a good bus service from Penzance.”

On TripAdvisor, the village has received glowing testimonials, with one five-star review saying declaring: ” A beautiful place to enjoy the local food, scenery and history. We visited several villages/cities in Cornwall prior to visiting this location so the expectations were high, spending the day here didn’t disappoint.”

Another visitor, in search of peace and quiet, said: “We really enjoyed our visit to Mousehole harbour, watching the boats go and out. Very relaxing, with plenty of place to sit down.”

Aughton is a tiny village in Lancashire, which has become the UK’s Michelin Star capital after a fifth was awarded to Moor Hall in the latest Michelin Guide

Aughton, a quaint village straddling the border of Lancashire and Merseyside, may appear to be your typical English hamlet. With its tree-lined avenues, grand homes and expansive countryside, it’s an idyllic spot for peaceful Sunday walks away from the hustle and bustle of city life.

Not only is it home to a university and a popular bi-weekly market, but Aughton also serves as the picturesque backdrop for Chorley-born chef Mark Birchall’s acclaimed Moor Hall restaurant. In 2017, just months after opening, Moor Hall bagged its first Michelin star, swiftly followed by another in 2018.

The Barn at Moor Hall, a more laid-back sister establishment, was also bestowed with a star that same year. In 2023, the area’s prestige was further elevated when So-Lo on Town Green Lane received a fourth star.

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And just this week, the village celebrated an extraordinary fifth Michelin Star, with Moor Hall receiving the honour for the third time.

This is an astounding achievement given the size of the village, equating to roughly one star for every 1,600 inhabitants, outshining even Tokyo, which prides itself on having more of these culinary awards than any other city worldwide, reports the Express.

While this might surprise many, Mark Birchall himself remains steadfast in his belief in Aughton’s unique charm. Speaking to LancsLive, he revealed his long-standing ambition to open a restaurant amidst the abundant resources of his home county.

Mark, hailing from Lancashire, was always passionate about opening a restaurant in his home county. He stated: “We’re surrounded by amazing producers, farmers, growers. If there’s anything we can’t grow, we’ll start on the doorstep and work our way out.”

The emotional moment unfolded as Mark was named the exclusive new recipient of the coveted Three Star honour during Monday night’s dazzling Michelin Guide Awards Ceremony.

Overwhelmed with joy at receiving the Three Stars, Mark expressed his astonishment with an expletive-laden exclamation: “F***ing hell!”.

Reflecting on his aspirations, Mark shared: “I think you kind of dream about these things,” and added, “You kind of almost act it out in your mind of how you will be, but the emotion is incredible.”

Recalling the elation of his first star in 2017, he conveyed how phenomenal this new accolade felt, saying: “We got our first star in 2017 and that feeling is incredible, but this is one of the best feelings ever, this really has destroyed it. Mega, amazing.”

Mark credited his success to a strong team ethos, elaborating: “A good team. The core team have been with me from the start, I’ve got a great core. We look after our guests, really try to make them feel special and focus around that and the quality of the food. We’ve got amazing surroundings. The support of my business partners, this is eight years and it’s incredible.”

Michelin inspectors heaped praise on chef Mark Birchall after their visit, stating: “At Moor Hall, chef Mark Birchall and his team have continued to hone their craft and have now achieved new levels of excellence. The ingredients, many from the kitchen garden, are outstanding; the chefs’ culinary technique is hugely impressive; and the judgement of flavours, of when to prioritise simplicity and when to add complexity, is exemplary.

“The inspectors particularly enjoyed the classically based turbot cooked in brown butter, with seasonal kuri squash and Mylor prawns.”

Hidden away inside a Grade-II* listed edifice from the 13th century, Moor Hall is where heritage meets modern gourmet prowess.

Since Andy and Tracey Bell commandeered the establishment back in 2015, they’ve reimagined it with a generous multi-million-pound refurbishment. With nearly eight years under his belt, Mark presides over a menu informed by a ‘farm-to-fork’ ideology, extolling Croftpak Nurseries’ tomatoes, strawbs from nearby farms, and the highly esteemed Mrs Kirkham’s Lancashire Cheese.

Occupying his current station as head honcho in the kitchen, Mark has previously sharpened his knives as the lead chef at the triple-starred L’Enclume in Cumbria, where he developed an acute appreciation for the calibre of local provisions.

“It’s just amazing,” he enthused. “I mean, Kirkham’s is world class, it’s unbelievable. We’re really, really fortunate, we’re on the edge of the Lake District which has fantastic meat. There’s brilliant beef and lamb up there.”

Moor Hall, now flaunting three Michelin stars, redefines dining with its dedication to sourcing extraordinary and sometimes surprising produce. Notably, within a mere stone’s throw from the restaurant, local grower Molyneux produces kale—an unusual crop for Lancashire but one that’s highly valued worldwide.

“It’s all about using the best ingredients or products that we can buy and turn it into something special,” he proclaimed. “And making those products shine.”

With its West Lancashire setting, Moor Hall promises more than premier produce; the location also offers guests an intersection of urban access and rural allure that Mark belts as “incredible” for both visitors and regional farmers.

He asserts: “The surrounding ancient agricultural landscape of West Lancashire we call home offers some of the most picturesque scenery in the country.

“When I set out on my Moor Hall journey with business partners Andy and Tracey Bell, we shared a vision to bring together the very best surroundings with an unrivalled dining experience. I truly believe that in the short space of time since we opened our doors, we have delivered just that.

“The stars, rosettes and accolades are indeed incredible achievements, and I will always strive to make things better. This said, it is the comfort and enjoyment of our guests that is the ultimate focus of everything we do here. It’s about making people want to come back. We want them to feel like they don’t want to leave, and they do so already planning their return visit.”

The UK’s three-Michelin-star restaurants.