Dilip Kuner
THE changing of the guard in Spain’s culinary landscape may be starting, with some of its culinary heavyweights slipping on the global stage while others move up.
The first big name to disappear from the 2025 World’s 50 Best Restaurants list is 2024’s winner, Disfrutar, Barcelona’s experimental flavour palace.
It is not named in the extended top 100 list.
But don’t panic – the eatery hasn’t gone downhill. Instead, it’s been bumped into the so-called ‘Best of the Best’ Hall of Fame – a retirement home for former top dogs.
It’s a rule that past winners are excluded to give everyone else a chance. Disfrutar is still packing out tables with its 30-course feasts and edible illusions, as is fellow hall of famer and former winner Celler de Can Roca.
But for others, the fall was real.
Quique Dacosta, ranked 14th last year, has slipped out of the Best 50, down to number 65.
Still, some Spanish restaurants are holding their ground. Asador Etxebarri in the Basque countryside clings onto its number two slot, still making smoke and fire look sexy.
Madrid’s flamboyant DiverXO remains at number four, as chef Dabiz Muñoz continues to blend art, chaos and foie gras in equal measure.
Meanwhile, Elkano climbed from 28 to 24 with its legendary grilled fish, and Enigma – under the control of Albert Adria (brother to legendary El Bulli chef Ferran) – cracked the top 50 at number 34 for the first time.
Further down the ladder, in the Top 100’s lower half, it’s a story of new blood and slow fades. Barcelona’s Cocina Hermanos Torres makes its debut at 78, and Txispa – a name to watch – entered at 85.
Longtime favourites Aponiente and Mugaritz are still hanging on at 84 and 87, though both have slid down the ranks.
But not everyone made it. Azurmendi, once a darling of Basque fine dining, and Valencia’s Ricard Camarena have completely disappeared from the list. A tough blow for two restaurants that just last year were celebrated among the world’s elite.
Fewer top spots, yes – but also a new wave of talent elbowing its way to the front. As Disfrutar takes its throne in the Hall of Fame, the pressure’s on for the next generation to keep Spain in the global spotlight. – and maybe claim the number one position again next year.
Here are the Spanish restaurants on the list, which was topped by Maido from Lima in Peru…
Asador Etxebarri (Atxondo) – #2 in 2025
Set in a Basque farmhouse, Victor Arguinzoniz’s restaurant uses wood-fired grilling to elevate simple ingredients into world-class dishes. Famous for its grilled prawns, smoked butter, and reverence for fire and smoke.
DiverXO (Madrid) – #4 in 2025
Chef Dabiz Muñoz’s surrealist, boundary-pushing restaurant blends global influences with Spanish roots in a flamboyant, multi-sensory tasting menu. Dishes often feature sculptural plating and wild contrasts of flavour and texture.
Elkano (Getaria) – #24 in 2025
A seafood temple in the Basque Country renowned for its mastery of whole fish grilled over charcoal. Family-run, it’s especially famous for turbot and showcases the purity of the local product.
Enigma (Barcelona) – #34 in 2025
Created by Albert Adria, Enigma returned to fine dining with a bold, theatrical experience. Combines avant-garde technique and immersive design, often pushing the envelope of taste, scent, and presentation.
Quique Dacosta (Denia) – # 65 in 2025
An opulent, artistic tasting menu rooted in Mediterranean landscapes. Dacosta’s modernist cooking emphasises beauty and creativity, with strong seasonal and local themes.
Cocina Hermanos Torres (Barcelona) – #78 in 2025
Run by twin brothers Javier and Sergio Torres, this innovative Michelin three-star restaurant merges high gastronomy with open-kitchen intimacy. Known for its seasonal, ingredient-driven menus and theatrical elegance.
Aponiente (El Puerto de Santa María) – #84 in 2025
Chef Angel Leon’s visionary restaurant focuses on the ocean and sustainability. Known as ‘the chef of the sea’, Leon uses obscure marine ingredients – from plankton to fish byproducts – in stunning, conceptual tasting menus.
Txispa (Axpe) – #85 in 2025
A new addition to the list, Txispa blends traditional Basque techniques with modern creativity. Its wood-fired approach nods to Etxebarri, but with a distinct identity and growing buzz in the culinary scene.
Mugaritz (Errenteria) – #87 in 2025
Andoni Luis Aduriz’s experimental institution known for philosophical dining and boundary-breaking dishes. Often challenges notions of texture and taste. Once a top-10 fixture, it remains a thought leader in modern cuisine.
And off the list…
Disfrutar (Barcelona) – Former #1, now in Best of the Best Hall of Fame
A wildly inventive fine-dining experience founded by three el Bulli alumni. Known for playful, high-tech tasting menus with 25–30 courses featuring molecular gastronomy, optical illusions, and theatrical presentations. Won World’s Best Restaurant in 2024.
Azurmendi (Larrabetzu) – #81 in 2024, dropped off in 2025
Chef Eneko Atxa’s eco-conscious fine-dining concept focuses on sustainability and Basque tradition. Guests begin in a greenhouse and move through a multi-sensory journey of land, culture, and technique.
Ricard Camarena (Valencia) – #96 in 2024, dropped off in 2025
Celebrated for its clean, seasonal Valencian cuisine with a vegetable-forward ethos. Known for delicate technique, flavor purity, and a serene dining space in a former factory.
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