The world’s best restaurant for 2026 is not in Paris, Tokyo or New York. Instead, it is tucked away in Spain’s Basque Country, where a chef’s obsession with fire has earned him the highest honor in global gastronomy.
At a ceremony in Lima, Peru, Asador Etxebarri was named the world’s best restaurant, topping a prestigious ranking that celebrates the most exceptional dining experiences across the globe.
Why Asador Etxebarri Is the World’s Best Restaurant in 2026
Located in the picturesque Atxondo Valley, Asador Etxebarri has become a culinary destination thanks to chef Bittor Arguinzoniz’s extraordinary mastery of grilling.
From delicate seafood to desserts, almost everything is cooked over custom-designed charcoal grills. His philosophy is refreshingly simple: exceptional ingredients, precise techniques and the transformative power of fire.
Accepting the award, Arguinzoniz paid tribute to the women who inspired his cooking, celebrating the traditions of home kitchens rather than extravagant fine-dining theatrics.
The World’s 10 Best Restaurants for 2026
The ranking, determined by more than 1,100 international culinary experts, highlights an increasingly diverse gastronomic landscape.
Bangkok’s Gaggan takes second place, followed by Copenhagen’s Alchemist in third. Mexico City’s Quintonil ranks fourth, while Hong Kong’s Wing completes the top five.
The Chairman in Hong Kong follows at No. 6, with Lima’s Kjolle seventh and Copenhagen’s Kadeau eighth.
These restaurants showcase everything from experimental Indian cuisine to immersive dining experiences and contemporary interpretations of regional traditions.
The Only American Restaurant in the Top 50
Despite America’s celebrated dining scene, New York’s Atomix is the only US restaurant to make the top 50, ranking 11th.
Known for its sophisticated Korean tasting menus, Atomix also earned the title of Best Restaurant in North America.
Chef Junghyun Park received the Chefs’ Choice Award, reinforcing the restaurant’s reputation as one of the most exciting culinary destinations in the United States.
The 50 Best Restaurants 2026 List
- Asador Etxebarri (Atxondo, Spain)
- Gaggan (Bangkok, Thailand)
- Alchemist (Copenhagen, Denmark)
- Quintonil (Mexico City, Mexico)
- Wing (Hong Kong)
- The Chairman (Hong Kong)
- Kjolle (Lima, Peru)
- Kadeau (Copenhagen, Denmark)
- Diverxo (Madrid, Spain)
- Plénitude (Paris, France)
- Atomix (New York, US)
- Sorn (Bangkok, Thailand)
- Mérito (Lima, Peru)
- Suhring (Bangkok, Thailand)
- Odette (Singapore)
- Tuju (São Paulo, Brazil)
- Mingles (Seoul, South Korea)
- Nusara (Bangkok, Thailand)
- Jan (Munich, Germany)
- Piazza Duomo (Alba, Italy)
- Meet the Bund (Shanghai, China)
- Boragó (Santiago, Chile)
- Vyn (Skillinge, Sweden)
- Al Gatto Verde (Modena, Italy)
- Lasai (Rio de Janeiro, Brazil)
- Masque (Mumbai, India)
- Reale (Castel di Sangro, Italy)
- Trèsind Studio (Dubai, UAE)
- Enigma (Barcelona, Spain)
- Steirereck (Vienna, Austria)
- Celele (Cartagena, Colombia)
- Potong (Bangkok, Thailand)
- Elkano (Getaria, Spain)
- Le Coquillage (Saint-Méloir-des-Ondes, France)
- La Colombe (Cape Town, South Africa)
- Ru Yuan (Hangzhou, China)
- Nuema (Quito, Ecuador)
- Atelier Moessmer Norbert Niederkofler (Brunico, Italy)
- Schloss Schauenstein (Fürstenau, Switzerland)
- Jordnær (Copenhagen, Denmark)
- Onjium (Seoul, South Korea)
- Bozar (Brussels, Belgium)
- Le Calandre (Rubano, Italy)
- Don Julio (Buenos Aires, Argentina)
- Mayta (Lima, Peru)
- El Chato (Bogotá, Colombia)
- Le Louis XV – Alain Ducasse (Monte Carlo, Monaco)
- Ikoyi (London, England)
- Naar (Kasauli, India)
- Saint Peter (Sydney, Australia)
