Sardinia is left empty-handed . No new stars shine in the gastronomic firmament of the Island. A total of thirty-six stars were assigned today by the Michelin Guide for 2025 in the setting of the Teatro Comunale Pavarotti-Freni with Giorgia Surina in the role of presenter: a new three-star, which brings the number of three-star restaurants on the peninsula to 14, 2 new two-star restaurants and 33 restaurants with a Michelin Star. In total, today the selection of restaurants in the Michelin Guide Italy includes 393 Starred restaurants, two less than last year .

However, no star has arrived for Sardinian restaurants, now orphaned also by the closure of Dal Corsaro by Stefano Deidda in Cagliari and Somu in Baja Sardinia by Salvatore Camedda . A constellation in formation of four remains, with “Fradis Minoris” of Pula (Francesco Stara), “ConFusion” of Porto Cervo (Italo Bassi), “Il Fuoco Sacro” of San Pantaleo (Luigi Bergeretto) and “Gusto by Sadler” of San Teodoro (Claudio Sadler), who keep the star close to their chest and pinned on their jacket. The only mention 'for Sardinia is the Michelin Service Award, which went to Vanessa Melis, of Sardinian origins, of Pascucci al Porticciolo in Fiumicino.

The disappointment was huge : many in the past few days have tried to make a list of possible candidates for the Rossa and some have hoped for some new entries, from Cagliari to Alghero, passing through the Costa Smeralda . This year, however, the inspectors have betrayed expectations, choosing not to reward any new establishments. The criteria for the assignment are always the same, despite the fact that there is always a lot of mystery about the Guide. Quality of the products, cooking technique, personality of the chef, balance of flavors and consistency in preparation: these are the details that make the difference and allow restaurants to obtain the prestigious "macarons", as the stars are called by those in the sector. Stars that for this 2025 have a greater weight, given that the guide is celebrating an important milestone today, that of 70 years of presence in Italy.

Many people think that entering the Red is a matter of mere vanity, but the reality is that this also has its economic weight . According to a recent study on the so-called "Taste Tourism" carried out by Massimo Feruzzi's Jfc a few weeks ago, Italian starred restaurants hosted approximately 2.4 million customers in 2023, generating a direct impact on employment equal to 6,546 workers and an economic impact on the territory estimated at 438 million euros in 2023, with a projection of 498 million for 2024 (for the Island equal to €5,112,269.56) . Impact that includes guest expenses for accommodation, trade and local services, with an average indirect value per restaurant of approximately €805,000 for one star, 2.4 million for two stars and 6.5 million for three stars. In short, the presence of starred restaurants significantly increases the brand value of the destination, attracting both national and international tourists . The value is proportional to the number of stars and the fame of the chef. After all, for a 3-star restaurant the definition is that it is “worth the trip”, which generates a circular economy value well beyond the earnings of the simple activity. A missed train this year for Sardinia that however pushes us to look beyond, to focus more on the sector and hope for 2026.

© Riproduzione riservata