Three restaurants in Japan, six in the U.S., seven in Spain, and more to add on your travel Eat List.
The World’s 50 Best Restaurants have just been announced.
William Drew, Group Editor of The World’s 50 Best Restaurants, said: “We applaud all those involved in this list of inspiring restaurants, which is constantly redrawing and reflecting the global gastronomic map."
Number One on this year’s list is Massimo Bottura’s Osteria Francescana which previously held the same position back in 2016. The three-Michelin-star restaurant based in Modena, Italy dethroned 2017’s Eleven Madison Park.
The awarding was held at Palacio Euskalduna in Bilbao, Spain. Bottura and his partner Lara Gilmore accepted the award on behalf of their staff. “This is something we all built together,” Bottura said. “I'm not going to disappoint you. I’m going to use these spotlights for all of us to show the world that chefs in 2018 are much more than the sum of their recipes. We can have a very loud voice of change if we stay together.”
Osteria Francescana was joined in the top three by Spain’s El Celler de Can Roca at number two and France’s Restaurant Mirazur at number three. This year, the list includes restaurants from over 23 countries worldwide. Spain had the highest number of ranking restaurants at seven, starting with El Celler de Can Roca, Mugaritz, and Asador Etxebarri. USA and France followed with six and five restaurants respectively.
Eleven Madison Park remains the Best in North America while Thailand’s Gaggan placed at number five as the Best in Asia. Barcelona’s Disfrutar, which received the Miele One To Watch Award in 2017, was given the 2018 Highest New Entry Award after debuting at number 18. While Den in Tokyo, Japan was recognized with the 2018 Highest Climber Award for jumping from number 45 to number 17 in just one year.
Cédric Grolet, head pastry chef at Le Meurice in Paris, received The World’s Best Pastry Chef Award. The French sensation began his career with renowned pâtisserie company Fauchon. He then moved to Restaurant le Meurice Alain Ducasse in 2011 as sous-chef. Grolet was promoted as pastry chef while simultaneously winning several accolades and publishing his own book to eventually heading Le Meurice’s Pastry Boutique.
“It is an honour to win an award which gives me a platform to shine a light on the incredible creativity of pastry chefs the world over. I have been inspired by many innovative chefs in my career and especially by the pâtisserie tradition of my home country of France. I always seek to create moments of togetherness, menus which produce lasting memories and introduce diners to our world. After all, that is what we, as chefs, seek to do every day,” Grolet said.
In addition to the ranking, restaurants were also given recognition through awards such as Highest Climber, Highest New Entry, Art of Hospitality, Sustainable Restaurant Award, and more.
Take a look at the complete list of the World’s 50 Best Restaurants below:
1. Osteria Francescana in Modena, Italy (Best in Europe/Best in World)
2. El Celler de Can Roca in Girona, Spain
3. Mirazur in Menton, France
4. Eleven Madison Park in New York City (Best in North America)
5. Gaggan in Bangkok (Best in Asia)
6. Central in Lima, Peru (Best in South America)
7. Maido in Lima, Peru
8. Arpege in Paris, France
9. Mugaritz in San Sebastian, Spain
10. Asador Etxebarri in Axpe, Spain
11. Quintonil in Mexico City, Mexico
12. Blue Hill at Stone Barns in Pocantico Hills, New York
13. Pujol in Mexico City, Mexico
14. Steirereck in Vienna, Austria
15. White Rabbit in Moscow, Russia
16. Piazza Duomo in Alba, Italy
17. Den in Tokyo, Japan (Highest Climber)
18. Disfrutar in Barcelona, Spain (Highest New Entry)
19. Geranium in Copenhagen (Art of Hospitality)
20. Attica in Melbourne, Australia (Best in Australasia)
21. Alain Ducasse au Plaza Athénée in Paris, France
22. Narisawa in Tokyo, Japan
23. Le Calandre in Rubano, Italy
24. Ultraviolet in Shanghai, China
25. Cosme in New York City
26. Le Bernardin in New York City
27. Boragó in Santiago, Chile
28. Odette in Singapore (New Entry)
29. Alléno Paris au Pavillon Ledoyen in Paris, France
30. D.O.M. in São Paulo, Brazil
31. Arzak in San Sebastian, Spain
32. Tickets in Barcelona, Spain
33. The Clove Club in London, UK
34. Alinea in Chicago
35. Maaemo in Oslo, Norway (New Entry)
36. Reale in Castel Di Sangro, Italy
37. Restaurant Tim Raue in Berlin, Germany
38. Lyle's in London (New Entry)
39. Astrid y Gastón in Lima, Peru
40. Septime in Paris, France
41. Nihonryori RyuGin in Tokyo, Japan (Re-Entry)
42. Ledbury in London, UK
43. Azurmendi in Larrabetzu, Spain (Sustainable Restaurant Award)
44. Mikla in Istanbul, Turkey (New Entry)
45. Dinner by Heston Blumenthal in London, UK
46. Saison in San Francisco
47. Schloss Schauenstein in Fürstenau, Switzlerand (Re-Entry)
48. Hiša Franko in Kobarid, Slovenia (New Entry)
49. Nahm in Bangkok, Thailand
50. Test Kitchen in Cape Town, South Africa (Re-Entry/Best in Africa)