Last year There wasn't even room for a needle in La Paloma to celebrate the tenth anniversary of the Macarfi GuideThis year, in its eleventh edition, the Barcelona-based guide has managed to cover the entire Iberian Peninsula and presented its results at the Círculo de Bellas Artes in Madrid, in the presence of more than 200 chefs. What began as a group of friends recommending restaurants to each other now has a robust network of ambassadors (more than 2,000) with a keen eye for identifying places worth visiting. Thus, while they do compile a list of the best restaurants in each autonomous community, they also create a... rookies, of which there are signs of promise. And this is where there may be more surprises and discoveries. Let's begin, then, with the new developments that the guide has detected in Catalan territory.

Like the best circus acts, Catalan theater has taken an even greater leap this year than last. The upward trend in audience numbers continues. It already registered record figures in 2024But by 2025 it has gone even higher, consolidating and surpassing the figure of more than three million viewers and simultaneously increasing revenue. Adding to the year's good news is the opening of a new theater in Barcelona, The Factory, and the birth of a new cycle of theater, Autumn Flashwhich has brought world-class productions to the Catalan capital. The 2025 program featured ambitious shows with well-told and well-performed stories by major companies (what a joy to see so many talented people on stage!), as well as monologues and small-format shows full of depth, featuring actors at their peak. Our theater experts have selected the 10 best shows that graced the program (and the five most important international productions of the year).

The world of haute cuisine is measured by various lists and rankings. One of them is the Best Chef Awards, where there's always a Catalan presence. The nearly 1,000 voters decided how to distribute the one, two, and three knives, as well as the individual awards. At a gala held Thursday night in Milan, there were two entries in the one- and two-knife categories, proving that Catalan cuisine can be captured by influencers. First, Jordi Vilà: he and his restaurant Alkimia were recognized with two knives. And that means at least 40% of voters considered him. Last year, Vilà had one, so he's moved up a category.