Menu to Taste

Txispa

Innovative · Atxondo · Michelin One Star · Chef Tetsuro Maeda

One-Michelin-starred Basque-Japanese restaurant in a 400-year-old renovated farmhouse in Axpe, Atxondo — steps from Asador Etxebarri. Chef Tetsuro Maeda (6 years as sous chef under Victor Arguinzoniz) asks: 'What would a Japanese person have done 4 centuries ago in this place?' The result: Japanese fermentation and kaiseki techniques fused with Basque fire-cooking, open grill, and produce from Txispa's own garden. World's 50 Best #85 in 2025.

Axpe, Atxondo, Bizkaia, Spain, Atxondo

  • Michelin 2025
  • Michelin 2024
  • Other 2024
  • #85 World's 50 Best Restaurants 2025

Menu

Dishes

  • Tables (6)
  • Crispy Rice with Tuna — Sushi nigiri-style crispy rice topped with tuna — Chef Maeda's Japanese identity expressed through Basque fire technique.
  • Baby Beans — Garden baby beans — grown in Txispa's own garden — grilled briefly and served with exceptional umami-rich seasoning.
  • Aged Txuleta T-Bone Steak — Basque aged txuleta T-bone steak over the open charcoal grill — the heartbeat of Basque cooking expressed by a Japanese chef.
  • Prawns with Sake — Seasonal prawns marinated with sake and grilled over the open fire — favorably compared to Etxebarri's famous Palamós prawns by critics.
  • Longfinned Beryx with Chard, Peas & Pak Choi — Deep-water longfinned beryx (kinmedai) grilled over the farmhouse fire with chard, peas, and pak choi from the kitchen garden.
  • Japanese-Style Cow's Tongue — Basque cow's tongue prepared with Japanese curing and braising technique — transforming a Basque offal tradition through an Edo-period lens.
  • Oyster with Goat's Milk Butter — Fresh Basque oyster finished with cultured goat's milk butter — a bridge between Basque coastal tradition and Japanese dairy fermentation technique.

Wines

  • Individual wine by the glass is around (21)

Tasting Menu

  • Basque-Japanese Tasting Menu (275) — 9-course tasting menu — €275/person, ~4 hours. Begins with aperitif and snacks in the open kitchen with Chef Maeda. Japanese kaiseki structure meets Basque fire-cooking in a 400-year-old farmhouse.

The Experience

A minimalist and intimate room in a historic setting and set in the countryside. The meal is structured around a tasting menu and a wine pairing.

  • Atmosphere: Minimalist, Intimate
  • Format: Tasting menu, Wine pairing
  • Setting: Historic, Countryside / estate

Phone: +34 946 58 30 11

€€€€

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