Cooking over an open flame is one of the oldest and most authentic ways to prepare food, enhancing flavors with fire, smoke, and intense heat. While modern kitchens rely on precision tools and technology, some of the best restaurants in the world still embrace open-fire cooking, turning it into an art form. From rustic wood-fired grills to sophisticated live-fire kitchens, these restaurants have perfected the craft of cooking with flame.
One of the most celebrated open-fire restaurants is Asador Etxebarri in Spain’s Basque Country. Chef Victor Arguinzoniz has built an entire culinary experience around fire, using different types of wood to enhance flavors. Every dish, from smoked butter to fire-grilled chorizo and perfectly charred seafood, is cooked over a custom-built grill. The restaurant’s signature aged beef ribeye, seared over an open flame, is a must-try for any meat lover.
In Argentina, Don Julio in Buenos Aires is a legendary steakhouse that masters the art of asado, Argentina’s traditional barbecue. Using only premium grass-fed beef, the chefs grill cuts like ojo de bife (ribeye) and entraña (skirt steak) over a parrilla, an iron grill fueled by wood and charcoal. The smoky aroma and perfectly charred crust make this one of the world’s best places to enjoy flame-cooked meat.
For a more contemporary take on live-fire cooking, Firedoor in Sydney, Australia, uses no gas or electricity—just pure fire. Chef Lennox Hastie tailors each dish to the unique properties of different woods, creating an ever-evolving menu. Standout dishes include whole grilled fish, ember-roasted pumpkin, and 200-day dry-aged beef, all kissed by smoke and flame.
In the United States, Gwen Butcher Shop & Restaurant in Los Angeles, led by Chef Curtis Stone, combines fine dining with traditional open-flame cooking. The restaurant’s centerpiece is a massive, wood-fired hearth where they prepare everything from charred lamb chops to smoked bone marrow and wood-roasted vegetables. The smoky, fire-infused flavors make every dish a bold and memorable experience.
For those who love seafood, Leña Brava in Chicago takes open-fire cooking to the next level by using wood fire to cook Mexican coastal cuisine. The menu features wood-grilled octopus, ember-roasted oysters, and whole fish cooked over an open flame, capturing the essence of live-fire cooking in every bite.
Whether it’s perfectly grilled steaks, smoky seafood, or wood-roasted vegetables, these restaurants prove that fire is more than just a cooking method—it’s an experience. With flames enhancing every dish, open-fire cooking remains one of the most flavorful and primal ways to enjoy food.