"Chef Aitor Arregi grills whole turbot over coals in tiny Getaria — a Michelin-starred World's 50 Best fixture, for once-in-a-lifetime Basque seafood."
Elkano sits in the small Basque fishing village of Getaria, a short drive west of San Sebastián, where chef Aitor Arregi runs a grill founded by his father Pedro Arregi in 1964. Three generations on, it holds a Michelin star in the 2026 guide and a place on The World's 50 Best Restaurants list.
It is the benchmark for Basque fire-and-fish cooking, and a fixture of any serious eating tour of San Sebastián alongside the modernist Arzak and Akelarre.
The signature is whole turbot (rodaballo) grilled over coals on the parrilla and served with reverence for every part of the fish — from delicate fillets to the collagen-rich neck. Elkano also helped popularise kokotxas, the prized throats of cod and hake.
This is uncompromising seafood cooked simply over fire; turbot is priced by weight, so a meal typically lands around €120–160 per person.
The dining room is understated and warm, the focus kept firmly on the grill and the catch rather than design. Service is expert and unhurried, walking diners through the fish and its cuts — a quietly serious room, not a showy one.
A coal-grilled turbot built for two makes Elkano a memorable anniversary destination, and its sense of occasion suits a milestone proposal for serious food lovers.
Not for vegetarians or anyone expecting a long modernist tasting menu — Elkano is about whole fish cooked over coals, priced by weight, and built around the day's catch.
Whole turbot (rodaballo) grilled over coals on the parrilla, served with attention to every part of the fish. Elkano also helped popularise kokotxas, the throats of cod and hake.
Yes — Elkano holds one Michelin star in the 2026 guide and appears on The World's 50 Best Restaurants list. Chef Aitor Arregi leads the kitchen his father founded in 1964.
Turbot is priced by weight, so bills vary, but expect roughly €120–160 per person for a full meal — it is a destination, special-occasion restaurant.
In Getaria, a Basque fishing village about a 30-minute drive west of San Sebastián. Booking well ahead is essential given its small size and global reputation.
Booking direct, well in advance; small dining room.
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Elkano leads our Basque picks for fire-grilled seafood worth the trip to Getaria.
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