This new international guide is changing the rules of the game by being the first to evaluate both the dining experience and social and environmental sustainability. The restaurant Âme Barcelona leads the ranking.
More and more gastronomic guides are incorporating sustainability criteria in their evaluations, and one of the most prominent in this field is the 360°Eat Guide, which defines itself as the first guide that ‘looks beyond the plate’. This means that it not only focuses on quality and the dining experience, but also takes into account the sustainability of ingredients and the environmental and social impact of what is served.
‘The industry is facing a major and profound challenge,’ 360°Eat Guide founder and editor-in-chief Pär Bergkvist tells Magazine Horse. ‘The way we judge a restaurant today is woefully outdated. After 120 years, the Michelin Guide still focuses only on taste and presentation.’ That’s why he and his team came up with a new guide together with some of the most influential chefs in the Nordic countries.
One of the dishes at Fishiology, which focuses its menu on fish.
The 360°Eat Guide rewards pioneers and innovators who are leading the way towards more transparent and responsible gastronomy, recognising the work of all actors involved in the supply chain, from farmers and suppliers to co-workers. The compendium is part of a growing social demand for transparency in gastronomy, where consumers demand not only high quality food, but also a respect for sustainable practices.
‘The guide focuses not only on quality and the dining experience, but also takes into account the sustainability of the ingredients and the environmental and social impact of what is served’.
The selected restaurants in Barcelona
The 360°Eat Guide is available in ten different countries, including the UK, Denmark and Germany. In Spain, for the moment, only the city of Barcelona stands out, with a total of 25 restaurants selected. ‘Barcelona is a city with great possibilities,’ says Bergkvist. ‘But we would like to see more knowledge and more responsibility around seafood, less meat on the plate and a greater focus on reducing food waste.
Here are the restaurants in the top seven:
1. Âme Barcelona
Pachi Rodriguez and Joey Attieh champion local and fresh produce in their seasonal menu, underlining their commitment to sustainability and quality. The 360°Eat Guide highlights aspects such as only serving certified seafood and sourcing 80-90% of their ingredients from local suppliers.
Âme Barcelona’s duck, one of its star dishes.
The restaurant also actively involves staff in menu selection and choice of suppliers, offering optional courses for its employees and underlining its dedication to the holistic development of its team. In addition, they hold regular meetings to assess workload and address stress-related issues. It is no wonder that the venue is constantly winning awards for excellence in sustainability and gastronomic quality.
2. Suru Bar
The project of ex-Gresca Sergi Puig, Carlos Morote and Gema López is distinguished by its people-centred approach and strong commitment to a healthy work-life balance. The restaurant also maintains close relationships with farmers and suppliers and operates on a small scale to offer a personalised service.
Suru Bar also adopts innovative practices that reflect its commitment to the environment. These include conserving water, eliminating single-use plastics and repairing broken plates and dishes instead of replacing them with new ones. Not only that: the restaurant manufactures its own napkins and tableware and is exploring the creation of plates from chicken bones. In the future, they also plan to develop their own glasses using recycled glass and ashes.
3. Berbena
Chef Carles Pérez de Rozas continues to captivate diners with a menu that takes the basics to the next level. Berbena distinguishes itself by using quality ingredients that support the circular economy, guaranteeing the freshness and authenticity of its dishes. In addition, they have placed a strong emphasis on the social aspect, making significant changes in employment policies, such as reducing working hours and increasing wages.
Berbena stands out for its extensive wine list and dishes to share.
Since 2021, Berbena has pushed for more dignified work, introducing two shifts, applying an above-average wage scale and opening from Monday to Friday. They also pay suppliers on a daily basis to maintain an ethical relationship, and trainees receive a salary of €630 net per month, which is unheard of in the world of kitchens. ‘In my opinion, you can’t talk about change towards environmental sustainability if you don’t empower workers economically,’ Pérez de Rozas tells Magazine Horse.
4. Palo Verde
Under the slogan ‘charcoal cooking on a stick’, Palo Verde stands out for its rustic and entirely charcoal-grilled cuisine. As Andrés Bluth, who collaborates with chef Ludwig Amiable, explains: ‘We work with the strong intention of minimising waste and residues, with the concept of making full use of raw materials as the basis of our cuisine’. Sustainability and the non-use of plastics and single-use items demonstrate the clear intention to minimise waste in their project.
Mussel toast from the Palo Verde restaurant.
In the gastronomic proposal they preferably use local, organic, ecological, local and seasonal products. In their menu, they also minimise the use of beef and have a careful selection of fish and seafood products. Whenever possible, the team personally visits some food and wine suppliers to ensure the quality, origin and production of the products they consume, as well as to establish a more fluid relationship and a commitment to the values that represent their identity.
5. Bar Noe
Björn Küssner and Mireia Bigorra have created a local bistro that focuses on Catalan ingredients, ensuring freshness and quality in every dish. They use lesser-known parts of animals and fish, demonstrating their ingenuity in the kitchen and promoting a more complete and respectful use of resources.
In addition, they maintain rigorous standards in the selection of farmers and suppliers, building strong relationships with those who share their commitment to quality. The bistro also takes a conscious approach to minimising waste, sharing this responsibility between customers and suppliers. They are currently closed for personal reasons, but have told Magazine Horse that they plan to open imminently.
6. FISHØLOGY
Riccardo Radice and Giulia Gabriele have launched a truly innovative project with FISHØLOGY, a restaurant that offers every diner a complete immersion in the marine environment. From maturation and curing to cured meats, smoked meats, preserves and salted meats, the venue honours culinary traditions while applying ancestral preservation techniques with a modern and creative twist.
Sustainability and a commitment to zero waste are core principles at the venue. They are dedicated exclusively to the use of wild, often unconventional fish and take a rigorous approach to minimising waste. They also work closely with suppliers to encourage sustainable transport methods, ensuring a reduced environmental impact.
7. Brabo
Rafa Panatieri and Jorge Sastre have gained international recognition thanks to their outstanding pizzeria, Sartoria Panatieri. With this new project, they have decided to take an innovative twist to explore the flavours of a modern brabo, focusing on cooking and smoking high quality ingredients.
Brabo is the second project of the Panatieri Brothers, focused on embers and artisan cheeses.
The restaurant is distinguished by its strong relationships with farmers and suppliers, spending considerable time selecting the best ingredients. The cheeses and cured meats are made in-house and the bread, considered one of the best in Barcelona, perfectly complements the dishes. In addition, Brabo prioritises the use of organic ingredients, minimises food waste and offers a seasonal menu.
Other restaurants featured in the selection include Batea, Masa Vins, Macot, Suto, Avenir, Deliri, Direkte and Suculent. You can check out the full list of Barcelona restaurants here.
How the 360°Eat Guide evaluation works
The evaluation of the 360°Eat Guide is carried out in two phases by a jury composed of journalists and food enthusiasts. First, a member of the jury visits and evaluates each establishment, paying particular attention to the quality of the food and drink. The second part focuses on sustainability.
Each restaurant is thus ranked according to two key criteria: gastronomy points and sustainability circles. The points (from 0 to 100) reflect the level of gastronomic excellence experienced during the visit, including presentation, taste, texture and service, among others. One circle indicates a strong commitment in some areas of sustainability, two represents long-term dedication and ambition, and three indicates mastery in all areas of sustainability (seasonality, waste reduction, farmer relations or employee wellbeing).
The jury is composed of journalists and passionate foodies, chaired by Pär Bergkvist, who has been a voter in The World’s 50 Best Restaurants. As Pär Bergkvist, who has been a voter in The World’s 50 Best Restaurants, concludes: ‘Sustainability is not just about what we eat and drink, it’s about people! He adds: ‘The most important thing right now is for restaurants to start taking care of their staff. The industry has a bad reputation and, unfortunately, sometimes it is well deserved. It is getting better, but we need to speed up the process.
