Asador Etxebarri, a grill in a tiny Basque village, is named the world's best restaurant
The 50 Best Restaurants 2026, announced in Lima on 4 November, put Víctor Arguinzoniz's Asador Etxebarri in Axpe (Atxondo, Basque Country) at No.1. It cooks almost everything over wood fire and was No.2 in 2025. The list is a vote by more than 1,100 chefs, critics and industry experts, not an objective measure of quality. The 50 Best has shared its images with us.
In Axpe, a quiet village in the Basque municipality of Atxondo, Víctor Arguinzoniz cooks almost everything over a wood fire. Since the night of 4 November, his Asador Etxebarri has been No.1 on The 50 Best Restaurants 2026.
The list was revealed at the Teatro Municipal in Lima. Etxebarri, which came second in 2025, succeeds Maido, the Lima restaurant that won last year. Gaggan (Bangkok) and Alchemist (Copenhagen) follow.
The setting of Asador Etxebarri in Axpe, Atxondo. Photo: The 50 Best Restaurants.
Fourteen courses and a grill
According to The 50 Best, the chef-owner has perfected wood-fired Basque cooking. The 14-course tasting menu is built on simple, high-quality produce that goes over the embers, such as Palamós prawns. The dining room is simple, and the team welcomes guests without fuss.
Palamós prawns, one of the dishes at Asador Etxebarri. Photo: The 50 Best Restaurants.
Víctor Arguinzoniz, chef and owner of Asador Etxebarri. Photo: The 50 Best Restaurants.
Latin America’s strong showing
Etxebarri also takes the title of Best Restaurant in Europe. Latin America has 11 restaurants on the list. Quintonil in Mexico City is No.4 and the region’s best, and Lima has three: Kjolle (No.7), Mérito (No.13) and Mayta (No.45). Spain also has Diverxo (Madrid) at No.9 and Enigma (Barcelona) at No.29.
The teams on the 2026 list, on stage at the Teatro Municipal in Lima. Photo: Jack Cooper / The 50 Best Restaurants.
How the winner is chosen
The caveat is the method. The list comes from the votes of The 50 Best Academy: more than 1,100 restaurant-industry experts across 28 regions, with a 50/50 gender split and at least a quarter renewed every year. Deloitte oversees the vote. It is recognition from the industry, not an objective score, and every list has its critics.
Rikki Tidball, Director of Events at The 50, praised the team’s dedication to turning simple, high-quality ingredients into sophisticated dishes. As a No.1, Asador Etxebarri now joins the Best of the Best hall of fame and can no longer be voted for.
