The best restaurant in the world this year is Asador Etxebarri, an eatery in Atxondo, Spain, that’s nestled in the Basque region and which has become a revered destination restaurant known for a revelatory grilling technique.
That’s according to The 50, which announced its global list of The 50 Best Restaurants 2026 at an awards ceremony Wednesday night in Lima, Peru.
In remarks given in Spanish after winning, Chef Bittor Arguinzoniz said the prize was “a real honor,” and he cited as inspiration “our mothers and grandmothers,” who, he said, were accomplished cooks.
Coming in at No. 2, according to The 50, was Gaggan, located in Bangkok.
Formerly known as 50 Best, the company bestows awards for the best restaurants across the globe. The list is compiled based on the votes of the 50 Best Restaurants Academy, which is comprised of more than 1,100 international restaurant industry experts, representing 28 regions around the world. The panel of experts includes food writers and chefs.
In addition to restaurants, The 50 also ranks the top bars, hotels and vineyards in the world.
The third best restaurant in the world for 2026 was Alchemist, in Copenhagen, Denmark, which was cited for “extraordinary craftsmanship” and where diners should be “prepared for a meal unlike anywhere else.”
Courtesy Alchemist via CNN Newsource
Alchemist is widely considered one of the world’s most unusual restaurants. This famous eyeball seafood dish is called “1984.”
Rounding out the top five were Quintonil in Mexico City, Mexico, which placed fourth, and Wing in Hong Kong, at No. 5, cited for taking pride in its Chinese heritage and offering diners the “untold stories of Chinese culinary history.”
Quintonil was also named the Best Restaurant in Latin America.
For anyone interested in fine dining, the awards are akin to the film industry’s Academy Awards (and included almost as much fanfare).
Restaurants are eligible for the top prize only once from The 50. Winners are then entered into a separate “Best of the Best” program.
The top American entry on the 2026 list was Atomix in New York City, which placed eleventh. The Korean restaurant was named the Best Restaurant in North America, while Chef Junghyun Park was honored with the Chef’s Choice Award and praised for providing a “window into a culture.”
Last year, the ceremony was held in Turin, Italy, where Lima’s Maido won the top prize.
The 50 is one of several organizations that rank high-end restaurants. Other groups include Michelin and LaListe.
Courtesy Asador Etxebarri via CNN Newsource
Located in Spain’s Basque region, Asador Etxebarri offers flame-grilled meats and seafood.
The top 50
The academy says it aims to spotlight not just fine dining but cuisine that’s truly innovative. Last year’s winner Maido, for example, was a Peruvian restaurant run by Mitsuharu ‘Micha’ Tsumura, who is a descendant of Japanese immigrants to Peru and uses Japanese cooking techniques.
Four out of the five top restaurants in the ranking last year were in Spanish-speaking countries, but other restaurants honored included Piazza Duomo in Alba, Italy, and Steirereck in Vienna, Austria.
This year, the top five included restaurants in Asia, North America and Europe.
“For the past 25 years, we’ve celebrated the people and places shaping hospitality,” said Rikki Tidball, who heads up the awards program at The 50, in remarks that kicked off the gala event.
The 50 Best Restaurants 2026Asador Etxebarri (Atxondo, Spain)Gaggan (Bangkok)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, U.S.)Sorn (Bangkok, Thailand)Mérito (Lima, Peru)Sühring (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)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)Ikoyi (London, England)Naar (Kasauli, India)Saint Peter (Sydney, Australia)
Dining and Cooking