Asador Etxebarri ranks No. 1 in The World's 50 Best Restaurants 2026

Asador Etxebarri, led by chef Bittor Arginzoniz, has been named No. 1 in The World's 50 Best Restaurants 2026. The award highlights a culinary philosophy that has made fire, glowing embers and absolute respect for ingredients its defining characteristics.

Located in Axpe, in the Atxondo valley, Biscay, in the Basque Country, Etxebarri is one of the most distinctive restaurants in international fine dining. Far from major cities and more conventional gastronomic destinations, it has built its reputation around an apparently simple approach supported by an extraordinary understanding of cooking techniques.

Bittor Arginzoniz, master of the embers

Bittor Arginzoniz's career is closely linked to the pursuit of perfection in cooking over fire. His philosophy begins with an essential idea: ingredients must take centre stage, while technique should help express their qualities without disguising them.

At Etxebarri, the grill is not simply a tool for cooking meat. It is the centre of a cuisine that applies mastery of the embers to fish, seafood, vegetables and other ingredients, with a precision that has earned the admiration of chefs and gastronomes around the world.

Controlling the intensity of the fire, the distance between the embers and the food, and cooking times are fundamental elements of an approach designed to preserve original textures and flavours.

Excellence in ingredients

One of Etxebarri's defining characteristics is its commitment to exceptionally high-quality ingredients. Arginzoniz's cuisine does not need an accumulation of ingredients or excessively elaborate presentations to express its personality.

Its strength lies in selecting outstanding produce and transforming it through fire without losing its essence.

This philosophy reflects one of the major principles of contemporary gastronomy: restoring the importance of flavour, seasonality and the origin of food.

A lesson for Mediterranean gastronomy

Etxebarri's example also offers an interesting perspective for places such as Menorca, where traditional cuisine has maintained a close relationship with seafood, meat, seasonal vegetables and straightforward cooking methods.

The Basque restaurant's international reputation demonstrates that gastronomic innovation does not always involve radically transforming ingredients. It can also mean perfecting traditional techniques to achieve extraordinary results.

Etxebarri represents fine dining that does not abandon its roots, but instead makes them the foundation of its identity.

FOODIES ON MENORCA FACT SHEET

Restaurant: Asador Etxebarri

Chef: Bittor Arginzoniz

Location: Axpe, Atxondo, Biscay, Basque Country, Spain

Speciality: wood-fire cooking and outstanding ingredients

Award: No. 1 in The World's 50 Best Restaurants 2026

Culinary philosophy: ingredients first, mastery of fire and precision cooking

Web oficial: https://asadoretxebarri.com/