Asador Etxebarri's Wood-Fire Mastery Earns Spain's Basque Grill the World's Best Restaurant 2026

A wood-fire grill tucked into a Basque mountain village — not a 50-course sci-fi spectacle or a tasting menu priced like a flight — is now officially the world's best restaurant. Asador Etxebarri in Atxondo, Spain, claimed the No. 1 spot at The 50 Best Restaurants 2026 ceremony on November 4 at the Teatro Municipal de Lima, Peru, moving up from second place last year.

A real honor.— Bittor Arguinzoniz, Chef, Asador Etxebarri

Accepting in Spanish, Arguinzoniz cited as inspiration 'our mothers and grandmothers,' whom he called accomplished cooks, according to CNN. The chef, who grew up near the restaurant, cooks over custom-built grills, matching the characteristics of the wood to whatever is sizzling above the flames — red prawns, beef chops, and, to close, milk ice cream, according to Fine Dining Lovers. The restaurant holds one Michelin star and charges around $337 for its tasting menu, according to Bon Appétit.

The full top five: Gaggan in Bangkok at No. 2 (also named Best Restaurant in Asia), Alchemist in Copenhagen at No. 3, Quintonil in Mexico City at No. 4 (also Best in Latin America), and Wing in Hong Kong at No. 5. Fine Dining Lovers also reported that Etxebarri took home the Best Restaurant in Europe honor.

The ceremony was the first time the global awards were held in Peru and in South America, according to Bon Appétit. It was originally announced for Abu Dhabi, but in June the location was switched to Lima following criticism of Abu Dhabi over human rights violations, according to Bon Appétit. Lima was also a fitting host: last year's winner, Maido, is based there, as is Central, which topped the ranking in 2023. Both now sit on the organization's 'Best of the Best' list — a hall of fame for past No. 1s, who are no longer eligible for subsequent rankings.

For American diners, the news was modest but notable. Atomix, the Korean restaurant in New York City, placed eleventh — the only U.S. restaurant in the top 50 — and took the Best Restaurant in North America title. Park also earned the Chefs' Choice Award; CNN reported that he was praised for offering 'a window into a culture.' SingleThread in Healdsburg, California, appeared at No. 93 on the separately released 51–100 list.

The rest of the top 10 filled in with The Chairman (Hong Kong, No. 6), Kjolle (Lima, No. 7), Kadeau (Copenhagen, No. 8), DiverXO (Madrid, No. 9), and Plénitude (Paris, No. 10). Notable new entries included Tuju in São Paulo at No. 16 — the highest new entry — along with Meet the Bund in Shanghai, Al Gatto Verde in Modena, Masque in Mumbai, and several others.

The list is compiled by the 50 Best Restaurants Academy, a body of more than 1,100 restaurant industry experts drawn from 28 regions around the world — among them food writers, chefs, restaurateurs, and what the organization calls 'well-travelled gourmets.' Voters each put forward 10 restaurants ranked by preference, with a maximum of six from their home region and a minimum of four from elsewhere. At least 25 percent of voters turn over annually. Fine Dining Lovers reports that voters must have dined at every restaurant they nominate within the prior 18 months and are barred from nominating any establishment in which they hold a financial stake. The rankings are a pure tabulation of those votes, according to Eater.

But the methodology drew pointed criticism this year. Ana Roš, chef at three-Michelin-starred Hiša Franko in Slovenia, published a statement explaining why she would not attend the Lima ceremony. Bon Appétit reported that she wrote: 'Success within the ranking has come to depend increasingly on visibility within the system.' In the same interview with Bon Appétit, Roš said restaurants and tourism boards have a fairly clear idea of who the nominally anonymous voters are, and that establishments frequently find themselves under pressure to cover voters' travel, meals, and entertainment in order to climb the rankings. She also wrote: 'When visibility becomes the currency, the ability to promote a restaurant in this system risks becoming as important as the work happening inside it.' Top Chef judge Tom Colicchio was among those who publicly praised her decision, according to Eater. Roš said she still considered any placement on the list 'a fantastic result' — Hiša Franko landed at No. 60 on the 51–100 list — and wished everyone at the ceremony well.

With more rules and a little bit more control, this list can really shine again.— Ana Roš, Chef, Hiša Franko

U.K.-based media company William Reed founded the organization, now known as The 50 (formerly 50 Best), after publishing the first World's 50 Best Restaurants list in Restaurant magazine in 2002, according to Eater. It has since expanded into regional lists covering Latin America, the Middle East and North Africa, Asia, and — launched in fall 2025 — North America. It also ranks bars, hotels, and wineries. According to CNN, Rikki Tidball, who heads up the awards program, opened the gala by saying: 'For the past 25 years, we've celebrated the people and places shaping hospitality.'

Among the special awards, Ferran Adrià received the SevenRooms Icon Award. Al Gatto Verde's Jessica Rosval, based in Modena, earned the Best Female Chef distinction. Thailand-based Dej Kewkacha won Best Pastry Chef. The Best Sommelier Award went to Singapore's Lesley Liu. The Champions of Change Award was presented to the Ghana Food Movement. Chef Hugh Allen's Melbourne restaurant Yiaga claimed the One to Watch Award. The Sustainable Restaurant Award went to Naar, located in Kasauli, India. Tuju in São Paulo received the Art of Hospitality Award. The 50 Best Restaurants Scholarship Award was presented to Doris Lam.

Why it matters — The world's most-watched restaurant ranking just handed its top prize to a one-Michelin-star grill in a Basque village — a result that both reflects and intensifies a debate about whether the list rewards culinary excellence or the ability to court its voters.

Sources differ on Location of Asador Etxebarri: Atxondo, Spain (cnn.com, finedininglovers.com) vs Axpe, Spain (eater.com) vs Between Bilbao and San Sebastián, Basque Country (bonappetit.com, finedininglovers.com)

Reported by eater.com, bonappetit.com, cnn.com, finedininglovers.com