Michelin-Starred Slow & Low to Close 17 Oct

Beltri Announces Closure After Eight Years

Chef Francesc Beltri has announced the closure of Slow & Low, his one-Michelin-star restaurant in Barcelona’s Sant Antoni neighbourhood, which will cease operations on 17 October 2026. The decision follows a "long period of reflection", Beltri said in a video message posted on Instagram. Opened in 2018 at Comte de Borrell, 119, Slow & Low earned its Michelin star in November 2022, recognised for a creative tasting menu blending Mediterranean cuisine with global influences from Thailand, Mexico, Peru and Southeast Asia.

We’ve built our own style, our own language in cooking, and we’ve learned how to communicate with our guests.

Beltri reflected on the restaurant’s journey, praising his team’s ability to craft a distinct culinary identity. He did not specify the reason for closing but expressed gratitude to staff, suppliers, diners and collaborators.

Legacy of Innovation and Accessibility

Slow & Low stood out for rejecting traditional fine-dining formality. Designed by Sánchez Guisado Arquitectos, the space featured pink walls, green metro tiles and kitchen-facing counters where guests sat at chef level. Diners could eat without cutlery, talk freely, and dress casually, a deliberate break from convention. The menu included reimagined classics like Catalan suquet spiced with wasabi and chili, and Mexican tostadas topped with shrimp tartare and fermented paste. Wine pairings were offered alongside bottles and glasses.

Bar Canyí to Remain Open

Beltri will continue running Bar Canyí, a traditional tapas bar also located in Sant Antoni, which opened in 2024 and was named one of Spain’s top 10 new openings by TheFork awards. He is also developing new projects, though details have not yet been revealed. Nico de la Vega, Beltri’s former collaborator at both Slow & Low and Bar Canyí, left the partnership in 2026 to launch Maíz Maíz, a Mexican restaurant in the same district.

Barcelona’s Shifting Michelin Landscape

Slow & Low’s closure follows other recent losses of starred status in the city. Teatro Kitchen Bar closed in late 2025 just a year after earning its star, to be replaced by a new venture from Paolo Casagrande. Oria, led by Martín Berasategui, shut in October 2025. Despite these closures, Barcelona remains a gastronomic hub. In November 2025, three city restaurants, Enigma, Aleia and Mont Bar, earned second stars, while ABaC, Hermanos Torres, Disfrutar and Lasarte retain their three-star ratings.

Reported by beteve.cat, elperiodico.com, cntraveler.com, guidavera.com, guide.michelin.com, mundodeportivo.com, directoalpaladar.com, elnacional.cat, lavanguardia.com, en.ara.cat, slowandlowbcn.com, lagulateca.com, expansion.com, gastronomistas.com, totbarcelona.cat.