Home > Private Tours > Asador Etxebarri Day Trip
Asador Etxebarri, in the village of Axpe in the Basque hills of Bizkaia, was named The World’s Best Restaurant 2026 at The 50 Best Restaurants awards, formerly known as the World’s 50 Best. The Basque Way organizes a private day trip to Axpe in a premium vehicle with an English-speaking local driver-guide, from Bilbao, San Sebastián or Biarritz, and our team uses its local contacts to try to secure a table for you.
Tables are extremely limited and we cannot guarantee one. When Etxebarri is full, we arrange a restaurant of comparable quality in the same area.
Updated November 2026. Written by Etienne Lecuivre, founder of The Basque Way, a local guide and licensed private transport operator based in Biarritz.
The entrance of Asador Etxebarri in Axpe, Bizkaia.
About Asador Etxebarri
Asador Etxebarri is a restaurant built around live-fire grilling, in the village of Axpe, in the Atxondo valley in Bizkaia. On 4 November 2026 it was named The World’s Best Restaurant 2026 by The 50 Best Restaurants, the new name of the World’s 50 Best Restaurants, at the ceremony held in Lima. Demand for tables is very high. I am Etienne Lecuivre, founder of The Basque Way, a private guiding and travel planning company based in Biarritz, and this page answers the practical questions travelers ask before planning a visit, and explains how our private day trip works.
How to Book a Table at Asador Etxebarri
The restaurant’s own process is a request through the booking system on its official website. Confirmation usually arrives by email, often within about a week, and all diners prepay; the amount is shown on the restaurant’s website. The contact form is not meant for reservations.
Availability is very limited, especially since the award. As a local company, we work with a private concierge in San Sebastián who knows the restaurant team, and we use these local contacts to try to find a table for our travelers. We cannot guarantee a table, and we tell you honestly if there is none for your dates.
Getting to Axpe from Bilbao, San Sebastián and Biarritz
Axpe is in the hills of Bizkaia, and a car is the only practical way to get there. From Bilbao the drive takes about 45 to 60 minutes. From San Sebastián allow about one hour. From Biarritz it takes about 1 hour 40. We collect you at your hotel in a premium private vehicle, so nobody has to drive, park or find the way. From Biarritz this is a full day, and many travelers prefer to combine it with a night in San Sebastián or Bilbao.
Stone farmhouse and mountain in the Atxondo valley, near Axpe.
What Your Etxebarri Day Looks Like
1. You send us your dates, the number of guests and your departure city: Bilbao, San Sebastián or Biarritz.
2. We contact our local network about a table for your date and send you a written quote.
3. On the day, we pick you up at your hotel and drive you to Axpe with your English-speaking local driver-guide.
4. You have lunch at Asador Etxebarri, which serves lunch only.
5. We drive you back to your hotel.
A table at a traditional Asador, with the Atxondo valley in view.
Practical Information Before You Go
- Lunch only, with seatings at 12:30 or 13:00
- Closed Monday and Tuesday, from December 24 to January 10 and for all of August (check the restaurant’s website for exact dates)
- Parties of 2 to 6 guests
- Prepayment required for all diners
- No vegetarian or vegan menu
- Children recommended from age 12
- No pets, except guide dogs
- Car access only
If Etxebarri Has No Table: Txispa and Other Options
Txispa, in the same village of Axpe, holds a Michelin star and ranked 85th on the World’s 50 Best Restaurants list in 2025. Its cuisine is Basque-Japanese, led by chef Tetsuro Maeda, and it serves lunch from Wednesday to Sunday. Same village, a different personality.
Axpe village below the mountain.
We also know other restaurants of comparable quality that are far less known and less touristy, and we propose them when Etxebarri is full on your date, so the day in the Basque hills still happens.
What Is Included and What Is Not
Included in the private day trip:
- Premium private transportation
- Local English-speaking driver-guide
- Parking and toll fees
- Pick-up and drop-off at the location of your choice
- Local insider recommendations
- Help with the table request
Not included:
- The restaurant meal and personal expenses
- Flights and hotels
Pricing
The price of an Etxebarri day depends on the day, your departure city (Bilbao, San Sebastián or Biarritz), the number of guests and the vehicle needed, so we quote each trip in writing. The restaurant’s prepayment is separate and set by the restaurant on its website. Send us your dates, group size and departure city, and we reply with a written quote, usually within 24 hours.
Best Time to Go
Plan around the closing dates: the restaurant is closed on Mondays and Tuesdays, from December 24 to January 10 and for all of August. My favorite periods in the Basque Country are April to June and September to October, with mild weather and quieter streets. Since the award, I recommend writing to us as early as possible, as far ahead of your dates as you can.
The mountains above Axpe, in the Basque hills of Bizkaia.
Why Travelers Book With The Basque Way
- Registered with Atout France (IM064260008)
- Licensed private driver activity (DREAL licence 2025/75/0001425)
- Financial guarantee with Groupama and professional liability insurance with Hiscox
- Based at 8 Boulevard Augusta, 64200 Biarritz
- Phone: +33 7 83 89 67 92
Continue Planning Your Basque Country Trip
Frequently Asked Questions
Where is Asador Etxebarri and how far is it from Bilbao, San Sebastián and Biarritz?
Asador Etxebarri is in Axpe, a village in the Atxondo valley in Bizkaia. By car it is about 45 to 60 minutes from Bilbao, about one hour from San Sebastián and about 1 hour 40 from Biarritz. Allow extra time for traffic.
How do I book a table at Asador Etxebarri?
Through the request form or booking system on the restaurant’s official website. Confirmation usually arrives by email within about a week, and all diners prepay. Tables are very limited, so The Basque Way also uses local contacts to try to secure a table for its travelers.
Can The Basque Way guarantee a table at Etxebarri?
No. Availability is very limited and we cannot guarantee a table. We use our local contacts to try to find one, we tell you honestly if there is none for your dates, and we then propose a restaurant of comparable quality in the same area.
What award did Asador Etxebarri win?
It was named The World’s Best Restaurant 2026 by The 50 Best Restaurants, formerly the World’s 50 Best Restaurants, at the ceremony held in Lima on 4 November 2026.
When is Asador Etxebarri open?
Lunch only, with seatings at 12:30 or 13:00. The restaurant is closed on Mondays and Tuesdays, from December 24 to January 10 and for all of August. Check the restaurant’s official website for exact dates.
How many guests can sit at a table, and is there a vegetarian menu?
Parties are limited to 2 to 6 guests. There is no vegetarian or vegan menu. Children are recommended from age 12, and pets are not allowed, except guide dogs.
Can I get to Asador Etxebarri without a car?
A car is the only practical way to reach Axpe. Our private day trip includes a premium vehicle and an English-speaking local driver-guide, so nobody has to drive or park.
Can I do Etxebarri as a day trip from San Sebastián or Biarritz?
Yes. We organize it from Bilbao, San Sebastián or Biarritz. From Biarritz it is a full day, so many travelers combine it with a night in San Sebastián or Bilbao.
What if Etxebarri has no table on my date?
We propose restaurants of comparable quality that are less known and less touristy. One example is Txispa, in the same village of Axpe, which holds a Michelin star and serves Basque-Japanese cuisine from Wednesday to Sunday at lunch.
How much does an Etxebarri day trip cost?
The price depends on the day, your departure city, the number of guests and the vehicle needed, so we quote each trip in writing. The restaurant’s prepayment is separate and set by the restaurant on its website.
Request Your Asador Etxebarri Day Trip
Tell me your dates, how many of you are traveling and your departure city: Bilbao, San Sebastián or Biarritz. I will check what is possible and send you a written quote.
Looking forward to hearing from you.
Etienne, Founder, The Basque Way, +33 7 83 89 67 92