El Xato

The story

El Xato: Michelin-Starred Mediterranean Restaurant in La Nucia, Spain

A century of flavour in La Nucia

El Xato has been part of the Cano family since 1915. Over more than a hundred years, they have learned, grown, and built a restaurant that feels like an extension of the home — warm, unhurried, and devoted to the table. Today, the kitchen is led by Cristina Figueira, whose cooking earned the restaurant a Michelin star for high quality. That recognition is woven into every plate, but the approach remains grounded in the ingredients and traditions of the region.

Contemporary Mediterranean cooking

The menu is a conversation between innovation and roots. Dishes are built around seasonal produce, with the team’s philosophy summed up simply: “We provoke sensations where the raw material is the protagonist.” The result is a contemporary Mediterranean cuisine that respects the past while looking forward.

The Menú Tentaciones offers six aperitifs, four starters, a choice of fish or meat main, and dessert — a complete tour of the kitchen’s range. For a deeper experience, the Menú Centenario expands to six aperitifs, six starters, a fish course, a meat course, and two desserts. Both menus are served per full table and can be paired with wines selected by Francisco, who matches each dish with the best local and international bottles. Arroces (rice dishes) are a specialty at lunch, served for a minimum of two people.

A restaurant with eight tables

The dining room is intentionally small — just eight tables — so that every guest receives the attention that the cooking deserves. The atmosphere is one of calm and generosity, where a long lunch or dinner feels like a pause from the outside world. The team describes it as “a good service, a good kitchen, and a long after-dinner conversation where time stands still.”

Beyond the dining room

El Xato also runs a catering service for weddings, corporate events, and private celebrations across the province of Alicante. Their event division, Xato Events, works with selected venues to bring the same philosophy — creative, traditional, and transgressive cooking — to any location. The restaurant’s Michelin star and reputation for excellence have made it a trusted name for celebrations of all kinds.

A family affair

Cristina Figueira is the face of the kitchen, but the restaurant is a family project. The Cano family’s dedication has been recognised not only by Michelin but also by the Repsol Guide, El Tenedor, and TripAdvisor. Yet the real measure of success, they say, is the friendships made over a century of service.