‘World’s best’ Spanish restaurant that created controversial edible foam to reopen as a tourist attraction
SPAIN’S El Bulli restaurant was renowned as one of the best restaurants in the world before it closed in 2011.
Run under the guidance of superstar chef Ferran Adrià, it first opened in 1964 and was credited with “transforming the dining experience”.
While open, the dining hotspot in Costa Brava had a regular star-studded guestlist including Rosamund Pike and Heather Graham.
It earned itself three Michelin stars and the name of “World’s Best Restaurant” a record five times – and was the very first to be given the title.
Having as many as two million reservation requests a year, only 8,000 were able to dine there per season.
With it’s famous 34-course dinners, some of it’s iconic dishes included lobster gazpacho, savoury tomato ice and caramelised quail’s egg.
It was also the first to create the edible foam, which was revolutionary at the time but since been declared “passe” by experts.
However, it shut shop at the peak of its success in 2011 with Adrià announcing that the restaurant had achieved what it had set out to do, and should close while on top.
Now, nearly 12 years after its closure, the famous eatery will re-emerge in the same spot but as a museum called El Bulli 1846.
The number 1846 does not refer to the year it was opened, but is the total dishes that were created during its operational years.
Paying tribute to its impact on the world of food, the El Bulli 1846 museum will swing open its doors for the first time in spring 2024, promising to preserve the original restaurant’s innovative spirit.
The 43,000-square-foot space boasts wax and plastic models of all 1846 dishes, along with various exhibits including notebooks, photographs and records of the restaurant’s history.
The El Bulli 1846 museum will be open from June to September next year and will include both indoor and outdoor areas for visitors to explore.
Self-guided tours will take an average of 2.5 hours to complete and visitors have the option of a multimedia guide.
Guests can explore the museum’s four main sections, including the former restaurant space.
However, be sure to take snacks with you in case you get peckish as El Bulli 1846 doesn’t have a café or restaurant on site.
Tickets will soon be available to book online via the museum’s official website for the 2024 season, starting from €20.50.
Those interested in visiting can leave their emails to be contacted when they go on sale.
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