This Monday was held in Barcelona the X Macarfi Gala, one of the most important guides of gastronomic recommendations of the Spanish scene. Among the prizes awarded, two Valencian restaurants have received the “Rookie” award as one of the great revelations of the year: Haku and Bacai.
Pa Macarfi Guide 2025 is divided into autonomous communities and includes annual rankings for each region, as well as numerous lists in which restaurants are classified by province, type of cuisine, location, decoration, service and good for (here the locals eat, good menu, bravas, wine list, for groups and many more).
Based on the ratings of 2,000 ambassadors, the guide presents 360 reviews of the most interesting restaurants, including a Macarfi selection and Macarfi Rookies from each community. In total, there are now more than 4,000 restaurants on the Macarfi website and app.
Haku: Italian-Japanese fusion
Located in the Ensanche district of Valencia, Haku has surprised the critics and gourmets of the Macarfi Guide with its innovative proposal that combines the best of Japanese and Italian cuisine. Under the direction of chef Bo Jimmy Zhu, the restaurant offers an experience focused on tasting menus (Omakase) with dishes such as premium nigiri or handmade pastas.
Haku offers three tasting menus (Omakase), which vary in length and price (€60, €75 and €95).
Bacai: tradition with Artificial Intelligence
Bacai, located in the Malilla neighborhood opposite La Fe hospital, has been recognized for its ability to combine culinary tradition with modern techniques. Chef Julius Bienert leads this project, which stands out for dishes such as ajoblanco templado with shrimp tartar or grilled octopus with revolconas potatoes.
In addition, Bacai has incorporated artificial intelligence to personalize the dining experience, from managing reservations to adapting menus to individual tastes.
The top 15 of the Valencian Community
In addition to two revelations, the guide has chosen its top 15 restaurants in the Valencian Community for 2025:
- Ricard Camarena Restaurant / Quique Dacosta Restaurant (ex aequo).
- La Salita
- Fierro
- Arrels
- Montoro Space
- L’Escaleta
- BonAmb
- Kaido Sushi Bar
- La Finca
- Nozomi Sushi Bar
- Atalaya
- Monastrell
- Karak
- El Poblet