Asador Etxebarri in Atxondo, Spain, has been named The World’s Best Restaurant 2026 at the annual The World’s 50 Best Restaurants awards, held at Teatro Municipal de Lima, Peru, on 4 November. The restaurant takes the No.1 position from last year’s winner, Maido in Lima, which now joins the Best of the Best hall of fame.

The 2026 ranking features restaurants from 28 territories across six continents, with 11 new entries and five re-entries. Asia is represented by 14 restaurants, including venues in Bangkok, Hong Kong, Singapore, Seoul, Shanghai, Hangzhou, Mumbai, and Kasauli.

Asador Etxebarri, led by chef-owner Victor Arguinzoniz, moves up from No.2 in the 2025 ranking. Located in the Basque village of Axpe, the restaurant is known for its wood-fire cooking, with a 14-course tasting menu built around high-quality ingredients and the kitchen’s approach to grilling.

Following Asador Etxebarri at No.1, Gaggan in Bangkok takes No.2, while Alchemist in Copenhagen ranks No.3.

Gaggan Named The Best Restaurant in Asia

Bangkok’s Gaggan, led by chef Gaggan Anand, is named The Best Restaurant in Asia. The restaurant is recognised for its contemporary interpretation of Indian cuisine, drawing influences from Japan, France, Thailand, and other culinary traditions.

Bangkok has four restaurants in the ranking, with Sorn at No.12, Sühring at No.14, Nusara at No.18, and Potong at No.32.

In Hong Kong, Wing leads at No.5, followed by The Chairman at No.6. Led by chef-owner Vicky Cheng, Wing is known for its modern Chinese cooking, combining global ingredients with French culinary techniques.

Singapore’s Odette ranks No.15, recognised for its modern French cuisine, seasonal ingredients, and Asian influences. In Seoul, Mingles takes No.17, while Onjium makes its debut at No.41.

The ranking also welcomes new entries from across Asia, including Meet the Bund in Shanghai at No.21, Masque in Mumbai at No.26, Ru Yuan in Hangzhou at No.36, and Naar in Kasauli at No.49.

11 New Entries and Five Re-Entries

Beyond the Asian restaurants, this year’s list includes 11 establishments making their debut in the top 50. These are Tuju in São Paulo at No.16, Meet the Bund at No.21, Al Gatto Verde in Modena at No.24, Masque at No.26, Le Coquillage in Saint-Méloir-des-Ondes at No.34, Ru Yuan at No.36, Nuema in Quito at No.37, Onjium at No.41, Bozar in Brussels at No.42, Naar at No.49, and Saint Peter in Sydney at No.50.

Five restaurants also returned to the ranking this year. They are La Colombe in Cape Town at No.35, Schloss Schauenstein in Fürstenau at No.39, Jordnær in Copenhagen at No.40, El Chato in Bogotá at No.46, and Le Louis XV – Alain Ducasse in Monte Carlo at No.47.

The regional titles were also announced as part of the ceremony. Asador Etxebarri was named The Best Restaurant in Europe, while Gaggan received The Best Restaurant in Asia. Other regional winners include Quintonil in Mexico City for Latin America, Atomix in New York for North America, Trèsind Studio in Dubai for the Middle East, La Colombe for Africa, and Saint Peter for Oceania.

Special Awards Recognise Chefs and Industry Figures

Several individual awards were also presented during the ceremony. Dej Kewkacha of Bangkok received the Best Pastry Chef Award, sponsored by Sosa. A self-taught pâtissier, Kewkacha is recognised for incorporating local flavours into fine-dining dessert courses.

The Best Sommelier Award, sponsored by Vik, went to Lesley Liu, head sommelier at Odette in Singapore. Liu is recognised for her wine-pairing skills and work mentoring peers, as well as her advocacy for women in the wine industry.

Meanwhile, Junghyun “JP” Park of Atomix in New York received the Estrella Damm Chefs’ Choice Award, which is voted for by fellow chefs. The award recognises his work in developing Korean fine dining.

The Sustainable Restaurant Award went to Naar in Kasauli, India. The restaurant was recognised for sourcing ingredients from the Himalayan region and adapting its menu to the mountain range’s six distinct seasons. Its sustainability practices also include finding uses for kitchen scraps and applying traditional Himalayan food-preservation methods.

Other awards included the Highest New Entry Award for Tuju in São Paulo, while Kadeau in Copenhagen received the Highest Climber Award after moving up 33 places to No.8. Jessica Rosval, head chef of Al Gatto Verde, received the Best Female Chef Award for her wood-fired cooking and work supporting migrant women through Roots, a social enterprise restaurant she co-founded.

The SevenRooms Icon Award was presented to Ferran Adrià, the chef-restaurateur behind El Bulli, in recognition of his contribution to culinary research and education through the El Bulli Foundation.

How the 50 Best Restaurants Ranking Is Decided

The World’s 50 Best Restaurants ranking is determined by votes from its international Academy, which comprises more than 1,100 restaurant industry experts. The Academy is divided into 28 regions and maintains a 50-50 gender balance, with at least 25% of its membership refreshed each year.

The voting process is overseen with the support of Deloitte, the organisation’s official independent adjudication partner, to help protect the integrity of the results.

Restaurants that have previously topped the ranking are no longer eligible for subsequent editions and become part of the Best of the Best hall of fame. This year, Maido joins the group following its No.1 position in 2025.