To eat well, sometimes you don't have to go far. This is highlighted by the famous digital magazine Viajar in one of its latest articles. According to their publication, just a few minutes from Álava and set in a dreamlike natural landscape, near Mount Anboto, there is an elite restaurant.
Specifically, in the neighborhood of Axpe, in the municipality of Atxondo (Bizkaia), there is a top-tier restaurant that offers an authentic gastronomic experience: Asador Etxebarri.
To understand the success of this restaurant, it's important to remember that it is one of the best in the world in its specialty. In fact, in 2024 and 2025, it has made it into the top three positions of the famous The World's 50 Best Restaurants list, thanks to its service and quality. Furthermore, this grill house boasts a Michelin star and three Repsol Suns, proof of its excellent work in the kitchen. And not only that: last year, it was crowned the best in Europe during the gala held at the Lingotto Fiere Congress Palace in Turin.
“"All its cuisine revolves around carefully selected wood."
However, to taste its dishes, there are waiting lists of up to several months, and its tasting menu costs 280 euros per person, excluding drinks and with advance payment. Therefore, it is an essential culinary destination for lovers of fine dining.
The essence of Asador Etxebarri's cuisine lies in pushing the limits of grilling. The person in charge of the restaurant has spent decades refining a unique method, designing ovens and tools with a clear objective: to master the embers to achieve the ideal texture and flavor of the food. They prioritize intense meats and fish, vine wood for seafood, apple wood for certain dishes, or even citrus woods.
Asador Etxebarri features a pulley system to manipulate the grills with surgical precision, measuring heat intensity in real-time. It is noteworthy that, compared to others, this one only uses live wood. In its kitchen, even products considered difficult to grill have a solution, as, depending on the type of food, specific containers have been designed and techniques developed to adapt the cooking to the needs of the moment.
All of this is set within a privileged natural environment, perfect for exploring the Atxondo valley, hiking in Urkiola Natural Park, or visiting charming nearby villages.
