Orobianco, the renowned restaurant in Calpe, has been awarded its first Sol Repsol, solidifying its position at the top of the gastronomic scene. This accolade adds to its recent Michelin Star, achieved last year, highlighting the culinary excellence under the direction of chef Paolo Casagrande and his team. This new milestone underscores Orobianco’s impeccable trajectory and its contribution as a benchmark of Italian haute cuisine in the Valencian Community.
Andrea Drago y Paolo Casagrande con el Sol Repsol 2024. Fuente: Sofía Moro y Alfredo Cáliz
Andrea Drago, head chef under the direction of Paolo Casagrande, accepted the award at Monday’s gala held in Cartagena, Region of Murcia. The national guide’s distinction complements the Michelin Star, earned at the end of last year, propelling the restaurant to the pinnacle of gastronomy.
Orobianco has ascended swiftly in the culinary cosmos. If late last year the Calpe restaurant secured its first Michelin Star, this time it reaches for the daytime firmament as the Repsol Guide has bestowed upon it its first Sol. Following the path set in 2023 by Italian chef Paolo Casagrande, the establishment continues to soar to the heights of gastronomy. Thus, Andrea Drago, head chef, was tasked with receiving the award during the Repsol Guide 2024 gala held on Monday at the El Batel Auditorium in Cartagena, Region of Murcia.
Orobianco has been recognized for its trajectory and its work, positioning itself as one of the greatest references of Italian haute cuisine practiced on this side of the Mediterranean, more specifically in the environment of the Valencian Community, where the pantry is immense. In the words of Orobianco’s gastronomic director, the three Michelin-starred chef Paolo Casagrande, “it’s an award that sheds even more light on this great project because in just over a year, we have achieved much more than we could have imagined, thanks to a fantastic team, young but very experienced, and a unique and privileged space atop Calpe.”
With this distribution of Suns, the Repsol Guide once again turns its gaze to the Valencian Community. In addition to Orobianco, five other restaurants debut with a Sun: La Farola (Altura), Flama (Valencia), Origen-Gastronomía Sostenible (Carcaixent), La Masía de Chencho (Elche), and Cisoria (Villena). Meanwhile, with 2 Suns from the Repsol Guide, there’s Atalaya in Alcossebre. Finally, the new 3 Suns recipient is Begoña Rodrigo (La Salita). With these additions, the Valencian Community boasts 60 award-winning restaurants: 40 with one Sun, 15 with two Suns, and 5 with three Suns. This underscores the high level of the area but also everything that is yet to come. “We are very grateful to Repsol for recognizing our effort because it fills us with pride and gives us the strength to move forward,” expressed Drago, who leads Orobianco and was accompanied during the gala by Nicolò Mantovani, the sous-chef.
Now that Orobianco touches the sky with its fingers, it’s time to look back. The restaurant opened its doors in 2015 and, after a period of reflection that began in 2022 when the space closed for the updating of its facilities and the renovation of its culinary offerings, Orobianco returned stronger. And this time, it did so hand in hand with chef Paolo Casagrande, who continued to bet on culinary excellence, respect for the Mediterranean pantry, and the Italian spirit.
This is how the space shone again, achieving the Star at the end of last year and “achieving a dream that we didn’t expect to reach so soon,” as highlighted by the Orobianco team at the time. Because two more women make up the main lineup: Inês Correia, in charge of the dining room, and Inna Skriabina, in the management and ownership of the space. The accolades they already had are completed with one of the most powerful stars: the Sol Repsol, which represents “those establishments that you would recommend to a friend and that you’re already thinking of returning to many times,” as specified by the guide. It also takes into account “the quality of the product,” “the coherent offer,” and “the attentive service.”
Undoubtedly, Orobianco is a unique restaurant, and that has to do with its strong Italian imprint but also its high standards of excellence in cuisine and service. For some time now, it has only offered three menu options: the 4-Course Menu (available on weekdays, and only at lunchtime), the Orobianco Menu, and the Tasting Menu. All of them are supplied from the Mediterranean pantry, given the location of the establishment, atop the hills of Calpe – which is why they deploy an informal concept on the rooftop during the summer months. With a unique and quality recipe book, the view merges with the horizon and the palate with the other shore. A shore that neither Paolo nor Andrea lose sight of.
Their origins are what they are, after all. Known as “the cook of emotions,” Paolo Casagrande hails from the northern region of Veneto, although much of his training has taken place in Spain under Martín Berasategui. In fact, he has been based in Barcelona since 2012, where he leads the Lasarte restaurant, with three Michelin Stars. In the case of Calpe, he has entrusted the kitchen to Andrea Drago, from Lake Como, who joined the Barcelona Lasarte in 2013 and knows all its dishes perfectly. This speaks volumes about the immense trust that exists between them and has led them to conquer new horizons, and even firmaments.
From some time now, at Orobianco, the sun and the stars shine brighter. They practice high-altitude gastronomy in every sense. And although they are now closer to the sky than to the ground, they are very clear that the next firmament is always within reach.
Explore more about this exceptional restaurant in our exclusive guide, Costas Exclusive, where you’ll find the finest gastronomic havens on the Costa Blanca. Immerse yourself in an unparalleled culinary experience as you discover the most exquisite corners of this charming coastal region.
Orobianco Ristorante di Calpe
Adress: Urb. Colina del Sol, 49-A, Calpe, Alicante, España
Phone: 96 680 66 61
Email: reservas@orobianco.es
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/orobiancoristorantedicalpe
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/orobiancoristorantedicalpe/
