Etxebarri, the second best restaurant in the world

In 2025, the prestigious 50 Best Restaurant Awards crowned Etxebarri as the second best restaurant in the world, and its sommelier as the best in the world

In mid-June, The World’s 50 Best Restaurants announced the winners of its annual awards.

Two of the restaurants came to Bizkaia. Bittor Arginzoniz, described by the organisation as “The Basque master of the grill”, and his restaurant Asador Etxebarri were honoured with the title of second best restaurant in the world for the second year running.“Gastronomy lovers travel from all over the world to enjoy the culinary masterpieces of chef Bitor Arginzoniz. Using just a little fire, he transforms simple ingredients such as milk and beef into extraordinary and unforgettable dishes,” 50 Best describes.

They add the following:Arginzoniz, one of the industry’s most beloved chefs, grew up around the corner from the restaurant in a house without electricity or gas, where his mother and grandmother used to cook by the fireplace. Despite winning accolades such as the Chefs’ Choice Award, and consistently being ranked among the top 50 restaurants in the world, he remains humble. Asador Etxebarri has only been off the list once since 2009 and currently holds the title of ‘Best Restaurant in Europe 2025 “.

He is also the paradigm of anti-marketing. Forget about naming: its name could be that of any village tavern. Its Instagram account has only four posts, none of which show any dishes. The dining room could be that of a traditional steakhouse. Its website is a landing page with no carte, no menu, no positive news about the place ( it could be a thousand), with an apology for not being able to serve everyone and links to a waiting list.

The secret lies in the obsession with excellence of the Atxondo fire master. But does that make him a sullen man? Not at all. This writer interviewed Arginzoniz at his home when he was already a star. He was kind and sincere, and after an hour’s conversation, he excused himself to go and feed the buffaloes from which he obtains the milk for his mozzarella. He is the quintessence of kilometre zero, both in terms of his work and his character.

MOHAMED BENABDALLAH, WORLD’S BEST SOMMELIER

The sommelier at Asador Etxebarri was recognised as the best in the world at the same gala. “He plays a key role in ensuring that Bitor Arginzoniz’s extraordinary restaurant remains at the top of the World’s 50 Best Restaurants list after all these years”, says the guide.

Benabdallah, also known as Mo, was born in Algeria in 1984. His family moved to Switzerland when he was 11. He was initiated into the world of wine when he joined the renowned Spanish restaurant Quique Dacosta, in Denia.

Eager to improve, Benabdallah found his home at Mugaritz, and he became head sommelier. He began a new era in his career at the end of 2017 by joining Etxebarri, where he carefully selects exceptional wines to complement the restaurant’s exquisite offerings.

Bear in mind that Bizkaia has not only the world’s best sommelier and the second best restaurant, but also probably the most powerful gastronomic offering per square kilometre on the planet. It’s not just the big names offering dream dishes: even the humblest tavern, whether it’s located on a dock or next to a flock of sheep, will surprise anyone who sits at its table.