Asador Etxebarri

Review Highlights

Asador Etxebarri is a flame-grill restaurant in the village of Axpe in Spain's Basque Country, run by self-taught chef Bittor Arguinzoniz — a man who grew up without electricity and learned to cook everything over open fire. Ranked among the world's top two restaurants, it operates a 14-course tasting menu at €280 per person built entirely around the grill and the finest seasonal ingredients. Alexander visited with his daughter, choosing the tasting menu and pairing it with a 1957 Vega Sicilia Único at €2,300 — spending €2,860 in total for two.

• ·Chorizo amuse-bouche — house-made from Joselito Presa and Secreto with chorizo pepper paste, stuffed into natural skin and cured for weeks; "very tasty as a starter"
• ·Grilled anchovy — fresh, in-season anchovy marinated and grilled; "simple, tasty and fresh — high-quality ingredients, perfectly prepared"
• ·Buffalo mozzarella — made each morning from the chef's own herd, served with basil oil; a signature Etxebarri classic showcasing his refusal to compromise on ingredients
• ·Palamos prawn — sourced from the protected northwest Mediterranean fishery, widely regarded as the best prawn in the world; "high-quality prawn, perfectly cooked" — served with the head for sucking the concentrated juices
• ·Tear-drop peas (guisantes lágrima) — grilled and served in their own juice; picked only at dawn, costing upwards of €200/kg; "extremely fresh and vibrant"
• ·Txuletón steak — aged beef with a simple green salad; "supreme cut, perfect sear, gorgeous flavour" — though Alexander stops short of calling it the best in the world: "I don't think there is such a thing"
• ·Grilled milk ice cream with beet juice — "so good, I ask for another one — the combination of beetroot and ice cream was amazing"

Alexander's verdict: a good restaurant carrying a weight of hype it never asked for and doesn't entirely deserve. The ingredient quality is exceptional and the grilling is precise — but the service is minimal, the setting modest, and at €300 per person he believes other restaurants offer more for the price. "To dine here is pricey, and for 300 euros there are other places that provide better service and a few more bells and whistles." A destination for those seeking perfectly executed, single-technique dishes — but not, in his view, the best restaurant in the world.

About

Asador Etxebarri is a renowned grill restaurant in the Basque village of Axpe, led by self-taught chef Bittor Arguinzoniz. Working with custom-built grills he designed himself, Arguinzoniz applies fire to everything from seafood and vegetables to dessert, sourcing ingredients of exceptional provenance — including produce from his own buffalo herd. The restaurant has held a position in the World's 50 Best Restaurants for years and is widely cited as the world's greatest grill restaurant.