Restaurant in Tiny Spanish Town Named No. 1 in the World

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(Photo by PIERRE BOUSSEL / AFP)

For those looking to spend a night out at a top restaurant, the finest dining experience in the world can be found in a tiny village in Spain’s Basque region.

That’s according to The World’s 50 Best Restaurants, with CNBC reporting the organization announced the results of its 2026 top-50 list on Wednesday, November 4 in Lima, Peru.

Asador Etxebarri is No. 1

Listed as the No. 1 restaurant in the world is Asador Etxebarri, led by chef Bittor Arguinzoniz.

The restaurant is situated in the small village of Axpe, about an hour’s drive from San Sebastián, boastingf a population of approximately 1,300.

Under the leadership of Chef Arguinzoniz, the restaurant celebrates Basque cuisine, and features such specialties as a charred beef chop, fresh mozzarella (from the chef’s own buffalo) and chorizo sausage. chorizo.

Described as the “platonic ideal of a destination restaurant,” the organization notes that foodies from throughout the world journey to Asador Etxebarri to sample the chef’s “culinary masterpieces,” adding, “With the help of a little fire, he transforms simple ingredients like milk and beef into extraordinary and unforgettable dishes.”

Adds the site: “In a small kitchen filled with custom-made grills designed by the chef, Arguinzoniz prepares a series of elegant dishes where the ingredient is king.”

According to The World’s 50 Best Restaurants, the cuisine revels in its own simplicity. “There is no molecular gastronomy, deconstruction or haute cuisine here, as the chef prefers to let the natural flavours of the high-quality produce take center stage,” the group adds.

The theme of the food is fire. “Everything on the menu is touched by the grill, from the anchovy on toast to the milk ice cream with beetroot that ends the meal,” notes the organization. “Take, for instance, a succulent red Palamós prawn simply grilled and served on its own, or fresh mozzarella from the chef’s buffalo served with a juicy tomato slice.”

The Top Five

Beyond the top spot, the top five restaurants on this year’s list includes Bangkok’s Gaggan. Landing in the No. 2 spot, the restaurant is renowned for Chef Gaggan Anand’s melding of Indian cuisine with French, Thai and Japanese influences.

Taking No. 3 is Alchemist in Copenhagen. Arguably the most unique restaurant on the list, diners aren’t presented with courses, but 50 different “impressions,” which are divided into several “acts” that bring diners “through different locations, types of art and extraordinary craftsmanship over a multiple-hour, multi-sensory odyssey.”

At No. 4 is Mexico City’s Quintonil, where chef Jorge Vallejo creates “boundary-pushing Mexican cuisine” that weaves together “fresh, local ingredients and traditional Mexican flavours and techniques into modern preparations.”

Fifth place was captured by Wing, an innovative Hong Kong eatery where chef-owner Vicky Cheng delivers “an homage to the eight great Chinese cuisines, respecting tradition while offering a no-rules contemporary interpretation.”

The complete list of the top 50 can be found here.