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Nov 12 2026
Basque Restaurant Asador Etxebarri Named World's Best Restaurant 2026
Spanish restaurant Asador Etxebarri has finally topped the list of the World’s 50 Best Restaurants, having come in 3rd and 2nd place in the past two editions. Set in the scenic village of Axpe in the Basque Country province of Biscay, the restaurant is the creation of culinary master Chef Bittor Arginzoniz, whose flame-grilled cuisine draws visitors from all over the world.
A total of four Spanish restaurants made the top 50, including Chef Daviz Muñoz’s Madrid-based DiverXO in 9th place, with a further three making the 50-100 list.
An Exceptional Showcase of Spanish Cuisine
Asador Etxebarri lets natural flavors take center stage, taking pride in high-quality, locally-sourced ingredients cooked to perfection over open flames.
Chef Arginzoniz’s custom-made kitchen tools have inspired a generation of chefs, from the adjustable-heat grills that give him complete mastery over his cooking to the pans with tiny laser-made holes that allow the wood smoke to infuse the food. He favors wood over coal, using vinewood for meat, holm-oak for fish and shellfish, and olive branches for vegetables, each of which is sourced from nearby woodland.
The 14-course tasting menu features some of Spain’s finest products. The star of the
show is the chuletón, the restaurant’s signature beef chop. The restaurant uses
Rubia Gallega (Galician Blonde) beef protected under the IGP Vaca Gallega/Buey
Gallego status, which is one-month dry aged and served flame-grilled.
Asador Etxebarri is also renowned for its gambas (shrimp), specifically the Palamós variety found in the deep waters of the Fonera Canyon off the coast of the Costa Brava in Catalonia. These mineral-rich waters give the shrimp a plumpness, uniquely sweet flavor, and tender texture, all of which are complemented by the smoky aromas from Chef Arginzoniz’s wood-fired grill.
Another standout ingredient is guisantes lágrima (‘teardrop’ peas). Also known as green caviar, these peas have an extremely short season and have to be handpicked and eaten on the same day for maximum freshness. They are handpicked from the restaurant's garden, served lightly fried inside the shells of grilled berberechos (cockles), offering a pleasant crisp bite and a deep vegetal flavor.
Other Spanish Entries in the World’s Best List
Barcelona’s Albert Adrià’s Enigma in Barcelona rose five places to #29 on the list. The family-run Basque restaurant Elkano retained its place at #33, while another Barcelona mainstay, Cocina Hermanos Torres came in at #69.
Basque-Japanese fusion restaurant Txispa ranked #80, while Aponiente, housed in a 19th-century former tidal mill in the Andalusian town of El Puerto de Santa María, rounded off the list at #100.
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