The 50, the culinary prize formerly known as The World’s 50 Best Restaurants, has just announced the world’s best restaurant at its annual gala, held in Lima this very Wednesday, November 5. This year, the award goes to one of the leading favorites, which last year secured second place for the second consecutive year.
What is the best restaurant in the world in 2026?
It’s no surprise to anyone that Spain is one of Europe’s premier gastronomic destinations, and the annual list The World’s 50 Best Restaurants only reinforces this fact. With three mentions in the Best of the Best list, in which all the winners of this prize appear, our country already had the most presence in this hall of fame. The first-place finish of Asador Etxebarri this year seals this well-deserved reputation.
The pioneering cooking style of Bittor Arginzoniz, centered around the embers, is the soul of this grill. The owner-chef of the establishment offers a €300 tasting menu in which each course passes through the flame of wood or charcoal, from the Palamós prawns to smoked-milk ice cream. Since its opening in 1990, the restaurant has been drawing gourmet travelers to Axpe, in Biscay, in search of its legendary grill. Eighteen years after first entering The 50, then still The World’s 50 Best Restaurants, at number 44, the grill finally reaches the top spot.
