Lunch at Michelin Star Restaurants along the Camino: Pilgrim-friendly Attire Tips

[Tigger]

I would love to try a Michelin Star restaurant (or 2) for lunch along the camino. There are numerous posts listings the locations. Like many pilgrims, I will be carrying all of my attire in my pack and do not wish to be the ugly American. How do the Chefs and locals feel about pilgrims in "sports" attire arriving for lunch? It sounds rather rude.

 

[MinaKamina]

Clean blue trousers, crisp white T-shirt and a tie. When in doubt, call them beforehand.

¡Buen provecho!

 

[Tincatinker]

Clean blue trousers, crisp white T-shirt and a tie. When in doubt, call them beforehand.

¡Buen provecho!

Ok, so that’s covered what the wait staff are wearing….

For the OP, if you’re aiming for lunch you’ll have had the time to plan where and when. You’ll have booked sufficiently far in advance to be confident of a table. All you’ll need is clean clothes and mud free footwear. If in doubt about the suitability of your T-shirt just pin an €200 note to it

 

[Tigger]

Thank You ! Yes, of course I shall inquire when calling for a reservation. Perhaps if I forewarn that I am a pilgrim they will select a nice corner table out of the way for me.

 

[urbanmamma]

My husband is a foodie, and we have now eaten at several Michelin on the Frances and the Norte. We love the added experiences, mostly great, with a few that were not worth it. We almost always go for lunch since dinner is too late to walk the next day. When we had lunch in Leon at Cocinandos, they had a special menu based on the Camino for the Jacobean year, with dishes celebrating the cuisine on the different routes. It was one of the more memorable meals. During our lunch, there were two other perigrinos in boots, shorts, and tee shirts right from the journey with no stop to clean up first. They were welcomed warmly. For our choice of wardrobe to arrive in the various nicer restaurants, I wear a simple black wool& dress that is really simple and looks neat even though it can also be a casual dress that is light merino wool with my sandals. My husband wears darker Columbia pants and a nice white Columbia shirt. It's all items we wear on walking days but looks tidy enough. I think there are a lot of fun options on the Camino and these restaurant stops are a welcome break from another slice of tortilla ;-)
Buen Camino and Bon Appetit
Mary

 

[Steven Dwyer]

As long as your clothes are clean, you shouldn’t have a problem. I have eaten at a number of Michelin starred restaurants in my travels and have never been wearing anything better than a pair of Levi’s. I usually travel with at least one shirt with a collar, but never carry anything dressy.

I just did a quick look at the Camino Frances from St. Jean to Santiago and there are 10 one star restaurants and amazingly a Michelin two star near Zubiri Along the Camino. I would suggest you also look at the Michelin Bib Gourmand restaurants, which are described as “good quality, good value cooking” and have always led me to a good meal.

 

[Rick of Rick and Peg]

You might get away with a trick I saw a pall bearer do at a funeral in Carrion de Condes; wear a t-shirt with a tuxedo print.

 

[BillW]

I walked Le Puy to Santiago this fall. A met a close friend on the Le Puy route, and when we reached SJPDP, we decided to celebrate our half way point with lunch at Les Pyrénées (a one-star Michelin restaurant). As you would expect, the meal was wonderful and the price was about 10 times that of a standard pilgrim meal. I'm not sure I'd go back, but it was a fun and memorable meal. It was the last meal I got to share a meal with my friend since our Camino schedules differed from that point on, so that made the lunch especially memorable for me.

As for clothing... I wore my trail runners, my khaki convertible pants and a long sleeve tee shirt. Our lodging wasn't ready yet, so we had our backpacks with us. They just had us store them in the back while we ate. Clearly, they were used to having pilgrim guests, and they treated us like royalty.

 

[Tigger]

Thank You All for the kind and informative responses! I'm looking forward to my first Camino!

 

[SabsP]

I would love to try a Michelin Star restaurant (or 2) for lunch along the camino. There are numerous posts listings the locations. Like many pilgrims, I will be carrying all of my attire in my pack and do not wish to be the ugly American. How do the Chefs and locals feel about pilgrims in "sports" attire arriving for lunch? It sounds rather rude.

If you do continue to Finisterre , do stop at Casa Barqueiro in Negreira.
A Bib Gourmand restaurant and really worthwile in terms of price/quality.
They have a more stylish comedor in the back but you can also sit in front ( a more informal setting ).

Casa Barqueiro – Negreira - a MICHELIN Guide Restaurant

Casa Barqueiro – a Bib Gourmand: good quality, good value cooking restaurant in the 2024 MICHELIN Guide España. The MICHELIN inspectors’ point of view, information on prices, types of cuisine and opening hours on the MICHELIN Guide's official website

guide.michelin.com

https://onosomenu.es/#/cartaFinal/DLnoXyFUgUuAG0nsndwVfg

 

[Sirage]

If in doubt about the suitability of your T-shirt just pin an €200 note to it

After I walked a Norté (~2016), I took a train to Almansa (8 hrs or so) for a post-walk relaxation in this city where there were 3 restaurants with Michelin Stars, and also a bar which one of the said restaurants also operated. I stayed a week, the eating was most enjoyable as the fine restaurants also lifted the food elsewhere. Most of my lunches were in that bar.

At the time €200 would cover 2 or 3 long lunches in these restaurants.

Almansa is on a Camino although I preferred another route plus a train ride.

PS: it is where I developed the habit of having chilled red-wine with breakfast (@Spanish time), something which I still do occasionally.

 

[peregrina2000]

I took a train to Almansa (8 hrs or so) for a post-walk relaxation in this city where there were 3 restaurants with Michelin Stars,

This town is on the Ruta de la Lana, where I will be walking this year. I think there is now only one restaurant with stars (Maralba, with two stars). Mesón de Pincelín is highly rated by Michelin but no stars. I am not a foodie so will not be heading there, but it just goes to show that excellence can pop up anywhere!

 

[LotusEatersTravel]

We have visited some fantastic Michelin restaurants on different Camino routes. Agree with others, as long as your clothes are clean and you look fairly presentable, most restaurants are relaxed and welcoming.

We've written a short guide to Michelin restaurants on the Camino here for anyone on the lookout!

11 Best Michelin Star Restaurants on the Camino de Santiago

Are you walking the Camino and looking for a celebratory dinner? Here's our guide to Michelin star restaurants on the Camino de Santiago.

lotuseaters.travel

 

[Karl Oz]

And

Clean blue trousers, crisp white T-shirt and a tie. When in doubt, call them beforehand.

¡Buen provecho!

We have visited some fantastic Michelin restaurants on different Camino routes. Agree with others, as long as your clothes are clean and you look fairly presentable, most restaurants are relaxed and welcoming.

We've written a short guide to Michelin restaurants on the Camino here for anyone on the lookout!

11 Best Michelin Star Restaurants on the Camino de Santiago

Are you walking the Camino and looking for a celebratory dinner? Here's our guide to Michelin star restaurants on the Camino de Santiago.

lotuseaters.travel

And freshly shined shoes please!

 

[GerardT]

On Camino Frances - in Burgos - Restuarante Sergi Vidal. One of the best meals I have ever eaten, and I have eaten at some incredible restaurants.

In Santo Domingo - Los Caballeros
In Fromista - Los Palmeros

At all these places I wore fairly clean all blue hiking pants, a clean solid color tee-shirt, and sort of clean hiking shoes. I was clean, though sometimes unshaved. People I was with dressed similarly. Had no complaints or comments. We seemed to be well received, especially when the check came. They were happy and we were happy.