How is the FINEST score calculated?

The score is a weighted composite: Critics 60%, Public 25%, Club 15%. When a layer has no data, its weight is redistributed pro-rata to the active layers.

What sources make up the Critics layer?

The Critics layer is split: 40% from guides (Michelin, Repsol, 50 Best, OAD, La Liste) and 60% from tracked critic panel reviews.

Can a restaurant pay to improve its score?

No. FINEST is strictly independent. No restaurant, agency, or sponsor influences scores. FINEST pays its own visits.

How often is the ranking updated?

Scores are recalculated weekly, published every Monday at 09:00 CET.

What is the minimum score to appear in FINEST?

A restaurant must have at least one critic review and a calculated score of 65 or above to appear in the FINEST catalog.

METHODOLOGY

How the FINEST score works

A transparent, traceable formula for ranking Spanish restaurants independently.

The formula

The FINEST score is a weighted composite of three independent signal layers:

60% Critics

25% Public

15% Club

Score simulator

Critics (weight 60%)80

Public (weight 25%)75

Club (weight 15%)85

Calculated FINEST score79.5

Layer 1: Critics (60%)

The critics layer is itself split into two sub-layers: 40% from guide distinctions (Michelin, Repsol, 50 Best, OAD, La Liste) and 60% from tracked critic panel reviews.

Guide distinctions are converted to a 0–100 scale using a published conversion table. 3-Michelin-star restaurants receive a guide score of 95; 2 stars = 88; 1 star = 80; Bib Gourmand = 75.

The critic panel consists of active food journalists and critics publishing in Spanish and international media. Reviews are scraped weekly. Sentiment is normalised on the same 0–100 scale.

Critics are mandatory. A restaurant with no critic reviews receives no FINEST score.

Layer 2: Public (25%)

Public scores are aggregated from Google Maps (35%), TheFork (30%), TripAdvisor (20%), and FINEST user ratings (15%). A minimum review count is required per source before it contributes.

If a restaurant has no public reviews (uncommon for restaurants in the FINEST universe), its weight is redistributed to the critics layer.

Layer 3: Club FINEST (15%)

Club FINEST members who have verified visits can submit ratings. Tier weights apply: Founder (1.0) > Contributor (0.85) > Insider (0.8) > Connoisseur (0.5) > Member (0.2).

Null-layer redistribution

When a layer has no data, its weight is redistributed pro-rata. A restaurant without Club reviews but with Critics + Public data uses: Critics 70.6%, Public 29.4%.

Independence policy

FINEST is editorially and financially independent. No restaurant, PR firm, or advertiser influences rankings. FINEST pays for all visits.

Frequently asked questions

How is the FINEST score calculated?: The score is a weighted composite: Critics 60%, Public 25%, Club 15%. When a layer has no data, its weight is redistributed pro-rata to the active layers.
What sources make up the Critics layer?: The Critics layer is split: 40% from guides (Michelin, Repsol, 50 Best, OAD, La Liste) and 60% from tracked critic panel reviews.
Can a restaurant pay to improve its score?: No. FINEST is strictly independent. No restaurant, agency, or sponsor influences scores. FINEST pays its own visits.
How often is the ranking updated?: Scores are recalculated weekly, published every Monday at 09:00 CET.
What is the minimum score to appear in FINEST?: A restaurant must have at least one critic review and a calculated score of 65 or above to appear in the FINEST catalog.