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As this year comes to an end, I’ve reflected on all the wonderful meals I’ve had. From a one-Michelin-starred restaurant led by a female sushi chef in Los Angeles to a campy three-Michelin-star experience on the outskirts of Bilbao to the world’s best pizzas in Naples, I feel so grateful for such culinary experiences.
This wasn’t an easy choice, but if I had to choose only one meal this year it would be Elkano. My family and I visited this restaurant as part of our culinary trip in Northern Spain in August, which included Bilbao and San Sebastián, in addition to Biarritz and Saint-Jean-de-Luz in the South of France!
In the food lover’s paradise of the Basque Country, amid the rugged shorelines and green wonderland shrouded in clouds, lies Getaria. This small charming fishing town is known for being the birthplace of the haute powerhouse, Cristóbal Balenciaga, as well as the birthplace of the Basque Country’s own wine, txakoli.
However, Getaria’s identity is intrinsically tied to navigator Juan Sebastián Elcano, whose legacy lives on in the heart of town with a carved stone statue. Elcano, born in Getaria in the late 15th century, was the first Spaniard to complete the first circumnavigation of the earth.
Today, Elcano’s legacy lives on in Getaria’s most famous restaurant, Elkano, founded by Pedro Arregui in 1964.
Pedro (1941-2014) became a pioneer in Getaria for mastering the craft of cooking turbot on an open fire with zero alterations to the fish, including the skin to preserve its natural flavors. As you meander through the steep cobblestone alleys of Getaria, restaurants spill out onto the bustling streets, where parrilleros grill whole fish over live coals. The smell wafting through the air is intoxicating.
There is no shortage of fish restaurants in Getaria, but with one Michelin star and a spot at number 25 on “The World’s 50 Best Restaurants” list this year, Elkano has become a haven for seafood lovers who travel from all over the world to experience the primitive reverence for the catch.
Today, Pedro’s son Aitor carries on his father’s legacy by merging sea, flame, and, as they state on their website, “extreme minimalism”. At Elkano, everything boils down to the quality and sustainability of the catch. For this, the fish is stripped of any fancy accompaniments that could distract from its role as the main star – honoring this ancient fishermen’s cooking technique.
Unfortunately, it’s becoming harder to find newer generations continuing their family legacy. To combat this loss, in 2019, Aitor—alongside other parrilleros, fishermen, and civic leaders—created the Maritime Culinary Association of Getaria.
Before we walked into the restaurant, a middle-aged man in a white apron and rubber boots showed us the crates of turbot. “Which one would you like?” he asked us as he showed us the fresh catch of the day. We were lucky enough to go to Elkano with distant family friends who knew Aitor very well and had been to Elkano many times, so we pretty much got what they told us to.
Elkano’s homage to fishermen is such that even the no-frills space resembles the interior of a ship!
This turbot embodies the mastery of grilled cooking at Elkano. With its gelatinous skin and firm yet tender texture, every bite was layered with smoke, a light touch of salt and a deep, oceanic flavor. Even when I lived in Spain before moving to the US, baked turbot was one of my favorite things to eat — but never would I have ever imagined that a grilled turbot could be this magnificent. The turbot is expertly filleted tableside using a light hand with a spoon and a fork. It’s served in different cuts, showcasing the anatomy of the turbot and its nuanced flavors. Some parts were fatter, others were leaner. Then, we proceeded to devour the remnants of turbot on the big plate — including the charred fins, which had a wonderful rustic depth. Eating with our hands was highly encouraged!
The kokotxas (hake cheeks) are considered a delicacy. Known for its mild yet incredibly rich flavor and smooth, gelatinous texture, kokotxas are slow-cooked with pan flips so that their rich collagen emulsifies with the oil. Elkano presents the kokotxas in three different cooking techniques: a la brasa (grilled), rebozadas (battered) and al pil pil, a traditional Basque sauce made of bacalao (cod), garlic and olive oil. Sublime in its simplicity and jam-packed with flavor in every bite, my favorite was the grilled kokotxa in the middle. It was so good my dad almost shed a tear.
Salpicón de bogavante. Glistening lobster meat finished with a vinaigrette sauce made of onions, tomatoes and garlic. Here, the zesty and sharp vinaigrette did all the heavy lifting. Given the caliber of the lobster, I would have preferred for it to shine a little bit more flavor-wise. Nonetheless, this was another standout.
We had other small appetizers, but those were the three main stars. Throughout the meal, Aitor was seen heading the team and filleting fish at different tables.
A few cons
Maybe it’s because we were a party of seven, but we had to wait a LOT between courses.
Desserts were good but not mind-blowing. I ordered natillas and we finished with petit fours. This included financiers — a fluffy, French almond cake with a moist interior and very crispy edges — and chocolate truffles.
Although Elkano has been featured on the world’s most prestigious lists, the no-frills atmosphere and high seating capacity suggest otherwise. As opposed to other fine-dining restaurants that sweep up leftovers between courses, the cleanup at Elkano was very minimal, and so was our interaction with the servers. The noise level was also loud. Prior to going there, I was expecting a more intimate and quieter setting.
Despite these minor inconveniences, dining at Elkano gave me a deeper appreciation for fish and a reverence for the dwindling art of traditional cooking. With its simple yet punchy, produce-driven sauces, rich maritime heritage, deep-rooted family history and consistent culinary excellence after 61 years, Elkano is my top meal of 2025. If you’re a fish lover and you’re in Spain, I can’t recommend it enough!
Although Elkano ranked lower in 2025, it held the 16th spot on the “World’s 50 Best Restaurants” list in 2024. Whatever the number is, being featured on this list year after year is a huge accomplishment!
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After your meal, don’t forget to go to El Ratón de Getaria for a hike and enjoy the evergreen, idyllic coastal views. 🍀💚🍃
