Marqués de Riscal

The story

Marqués de Riscal: Michelin-Recognized Modern Cuisine in Elciego, Logroño

A Culinary Landmark in La Rioja

Since 2006, the Marqués de Riscal Gastronomic Restaurant in Elciego has been a destination for those seeking modern cuisine with a deep sense of place. Set within the iconic hotel designed by Frank Gehry, the restaurant’s dining room is as striking as the plates that emerge from the kitchen. Under the culinary leadership of renowned chef Francis Paniego, the restaurant has earned a Michelin recommendation, a recognition that speaks to its commitment to innovation and excellence.

The Chef and His Team

Francis Paniego, born in Ezcaray in 1968, is the fifth generation of a family devoted to gastronomy. His restaurant El Portal de Echaurren in Ezcaray holds two Michelin stars, and at Marqués de Riscal he brings that same mastery of traditional Riojan flavours, filtered through a contemporary lens. The daily kitchen team is led by executive chef Adrián Marín, who trained under Paniego and now oversees the tasting menus. Together with sommelier Marta Saenz—a specialist in Rioja wines who has been at the hotel since 2006—they create a seamless experience that pairs food and wine with precision.

The Tasting Menus

The restaurant offers two tasting menus, both designed to showcase seasonal ingredients from the surrounding region. The Torrea Menu (€185 per person) is a journey through local produce, featuring dishes such as pea with marrow, scampi in walnut pil-pil, roasted hake loin with green pepper velvet, and lamb with its spiral. The Chirel Menu (€220 per person) expands the experience with additional courses, including grilled artichoke with café Paris sauce, confit scallop and caviar over black corn sauce, and a playful dessert of mantecado ice cream wrapped in pork cracklings. Each menu begins with a series of Basque-inspired pintxos and appetisers, and ends with petits fours.

The cooking is rooted in a personal way of working with what the land and season offer—a philosophy that turns each meal into a reflection of La Rioja itself. Whether you choose the Torrea or the Chirel, the meal is a steady, elegant progression of flavours, supported by a wine list that draws heavily on the region’s finest bottles.