Elite Traveler Summer 2021

INSPIRE 20TH ANNIVERSARY GUIDE TO RESPONSIBLE LUXURY

Restaurants When it comes to fine dining, we are spoiled. Across the world, extraordinary chefs are flexing their muscles in the kitchen, and with each new menu comes a host of encapsulating sensory experiences — after all, gastronomy is now about far more than just taste. From nouvelle French cuisine served at Restaurant Guy Savoy in Paris, to the molecular gastronomy leaving Heston Blumenthal’s kitchen at The Fat Duck in England, fine dining is a multifaceted world, with something to appeal to each and every diner. Each year, Elite Traveler turns to its trusted readers to crown what are, in their collective opinion, the best restaurants in the world. For many years, the top spots were dominated by three restaurants: Alinea, Azurmendi and Eleven Madison Park. But in 2019 a new name leapt from ninth position to occupy the top spot — despite the fact that it first opened 66 years ago, Restaurant de l’Hôtel de Ville continues to amaze its guests. However, for the first time in modern history, last year presented a challenge that impacted every single restaurant in the world, with global lockdowns forcing shutters to close and doors to lock. Restaurants responded to the new normal by offering all-new at-home menus, which is a concept that was mostly alien to the world of fine dining. With most restaurants shut down for much of last year, Elite Traveler has paused its Top 100 Restaurants surveys; instead, we are celebrating the industry’s remarkable resilience by shining a spotlight on the restaurants that have, over the 10 years of running the competition, won the accolade of Best Restaurant in the World, as voted for by our readers.

2017: AZURMENDI Found in the Spanish town of Larrabetzu just outside Bilbao, chef Eneko Atxa’s flagship restaurant Azurmendi celebrates the big, bold flavors of its home country in a refined and strikingly modern way. Although it first opened in 2005, it wasn’t until 2012 that the newly imagined gastronomic space was revealed, catapulting Azurmendi into a new era of excellence. Built using recycled materials and noninvasive methods with a reliance on renewable energy, Azurmendi proudly claimed to be the first sustainable restaurant in the Iberian Peninsula region — a title that was of utmost importance to Atxa, who believes that it is a human responsibility to act only in a way that cares for the environment. Atxa and his team also have a firm focus on local, seasonal ingredients; what can’t be sourced on-site is supplied by trusted local suppliers who share the restaurant’s ethos. And Azurmendi’s environmental efforts have been widely recognized: In addition to its three Michelin stars, it was also awarded the newly created Michelin Green Star, which recognizes sustainable gastronomy, in 2020. Atxa has lovingly developed Azurmendi’s culinary offering to serve as an immersive foray into his philosophy. Each reservation is accompanied by an intimate tour through the restaurant’s adjoining gardens and greenhouse, as well as a visit to the open kitchen where guests can meet the chefs (at each stop a correlating amuse-bouche is served). Chef Atxa very clearly wants each of his guests to understand why his restaurant operates as it does, not just taste his food from afar. Set menu from $300 per person. Contact info@azurmendi.biz, +34 944 558 359, azurmendi.restaurant.com

by Kim Ayling