The Repsol Guide has announced its new 'Soletes de Navidad' (Christmas Suns) for 2025, featuring nine establishments from Mallorca among the honourees. These awards, which recognise venues offering "appealing, reliable and affordable" gastronomic proposals, have introduced a notable innovation this year by acknowledging religious congregations, including the Santa Magdalena Convent in Palma, celebrated for its centuries-old recipes crafted by hand. With this fresh batch of recognitions, the Balearics have gained a total of 14 new awards, bringing the archipelago's overall count to 205 distinguished establishments.
In Inca, the Sant Francesc bakery stands out among the Mallorcan establishments recognised this year. Selva’s Forn Can Felip has also been highlighted for the quality of its traditional baked goods, while in Esporles, Desportiu has earned a distinction for its welcoming atmosphere and food offering. Most of the awards, however, are concentrated in Palma, with six venues recognised: La Sang, Forn i Pastisseria Reina María Cristina, Quina Creu, Lluís Pérez Pastisser, the Santa Magdalena Convent, and Barquillos Galindo.
These venues are notable for offering gastronomic proposals specifically designed for Christmas celebrations, from artisanal pastries to spaces for family or friends' gatherings. The inclusion of the Santa Magdalena Convent among the award winners represents the main novelty of this edition. This religious congregation keeps centuries-old recipes alive, transmitted from generation to generation among the sisters, producing pastry products following artisanal methods that preserve Mallorcan culinary tradition.
Recognition across the Balearics
In addition to the nine Mallorcan establishments, the Repsol Guide has distinguished four venues in Ibiza and one in Menorca. In Ibiza town, 'Ciento80' and 'Bella Napoli' have been honoured, while in Santa Eulària des Riu, 'Celler Can Pere' receives recognition, and in Sant Josep de Sa Talaia, 'Cas Costas' is acknowledged. All these venues are characterised by offering quality gastronomic proposals that take on special relevance during the Christmas season. As for Menorca, the only recognised establishment was 'Sandra', located in Mahón. This venue thus joins the list of Balearic gastronomic spaces that the Repsol Guide especially recommends for celebrations and gatherings during the Christmas holidays.
What are the Repsol Guide 'Soletes'?
The 'Soletes' constitute a distinctive seal created by the Repsol Guide to recognise establishments that stand out for their quality, good atmosphere and reasonable prices. Unlike other recognitions such as the Repsol Suns, which focus on haute cuisine, the Soletes reward charming, more accessible and everyday places that nonetheless maintain a high level of excellence in their offerings. In the specific case of the 'Christmas Soletes', these are establishments that take on a special character during the festivities, either for their typical seasonal products or for creating environments conducive to the family and social celebrations characteristic of this time of year.
The Guide thus seeks to offer recommendations for all festive moments: from hot chocolate with churros after a stroll through the Christmas lights to company dinners or family gatherings. Since its launch, this initiative has been gaining prestige and recognition among consumers and industry professionals. Currently, and after this thirteenth edition, the Repsol Guide has more than 5,000 establishments distinguished with the yellow badge throughout Spain, covering various categories such as cafes, bars, restaurants, wine shops, ice cream parlours and terraces.
All establishments distinguished with 'Christmas Soletes' can be consulted through the Repsol Guide mobile app, which makes it easy to locate recommended places. This tool is particularly useful during the festive period extending from Constitution Day to Epiphany, when many people seek special gastronomic options. The app facilitates the search for establishments by location, category and type of cuisine, offering detailed information about each venue and its gastronomic proposal. In this way, users can discover new places with the Solete seal both in their usual area and during their holiday travels.