 Restaurant magazine revealed its annual "World's 50 Best Restaurants" list on Monday at an awards ceremony in London's Guildhall. This year marked the tenth year for the countdown. Audience members rose to their feet as René Redzepi and his interpretation of Nordic cuisine at Noma in Copenhagen, Denmark, made a culinary hat-trick, staying in the No. 1 spot for three years in a row. "Being on the list means that you made a mark within gastronomy," Redzepi said. The much-anticipated list is compiled by the World's 50 Best Restaurants Academy - a panel of more than 800 of the world's gastronomic glitterati, including celebrated chefs, food critics, restaurateurs and other influential leaders in the restaurant industry. "It's a very good window into what's happening in the world of gastronomy. It's a snapshot of the moment," said chef Heston Blumenthal. Blumenthal operates two restaurants, The Fat Duck (No. 13) and Dinner by Heston Blumenthal (the highest new entry at No. 9), on this year's list. The Fat Duck topped the list in 2005. Thomas Keller, the 2012 S.Pellegrino Lifetime Achievement Award Winner, earned two spots on the list this year with Per Se at No. 6 and The French Laundry at No. 43. Six other restaurants from the United States were also crowned this year: Alinea in Chicago, Illinois; Daniel, Le Bernardin, Momofuku Ssäm Bar and Eleven Madison Park in New York; and Manresa in Los Gatos, California. These are the world's 50 best restaurants: 1) Noma (Copenhagen, Denmark) 2) El Celler de Can Roca (Girona, Spain) 3) Mugaritz (Errenteria, Spain) 4) D.O.M. (São Paulo, Brazil) 5) Osteria Francescana (Modena, Italy) 6) Per Se (New York) 7) Alinea (Chicago, Illinois) 8) Arzak (San Sebastián, Spain) 9) Dinner by Heston Blumenthal (London, England) 10) Eleven Madison Park (New York) 11) Steirereck (Vienna, Austria) 12) L'Atelier Saint-Germain de Joël Robuchon (Paris, France) 13) The Fat Duck (Bray, England) 14) The Ledbury (London, England) 15) Le Chateaubriand (Paris, France) 16) L'Arpege (Paris, France) 17) Pierre Gagnaire (Paris, France) 18) L'Astrance (Paris, France) 19) Le Bernardin (New York) 20) Frantzén/Lindeberg (Stockholm, Sweden) 21) Oud Sluis (Sluis, Netherlands) 22) Aqua (Wolfsburg, Germany) 23) Vendôme (Bergisch Gladbach, Germany) 24) Mirazur (Menton, France) 25) Daniel (New York) 26) Iggy's (Singapore) 27) Narisawa (Tokyo, Japan) 28) Nihonryori RyuGin (Tokyo, Japan) 29) Quay Restaurant (Sydney, Australia) 30) Schloss Schauenstein (Fürstenau, Switzerland) 31) Asador Etxebarri (Atxondo-Bizkaia, Spain) 32) Le Calandre (Rubano, Italy) 33) De Librije (Zwolle, Netherlands) 34) Fäviken Magasinet (Järpen, Sweden) 35) Astrid y Gastón (Lima, Perú) 36) Pujol (Mexico City, Mexico) 37) Momofuku Ssäm Bar (New York) 38) Biko (Mexico City, Mexico) 39) Waku Ghin (Singapore) 40) Quique Dacosta (Denia, Spain) 41) Mathias Dahlgren (Stockholm, Sweden) 42) Hof van Cleve (Kruishoutem, Belgium) 43) The French Laundry (Yountville, California) 44) Amber (Hong Kong, China) 45) Vila Joya (Albufeira, Portugal) 46) Il Canto (Siena, Italy) 47) Bras (Laguiole, France) 48) Manresa (Los Gatos, California) 49) Geranium (Copenhagen, Denmark) 50) Nahm (Bangkok, Thailand) |
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What?? Some of my favorites are not on the list!!! Bummer. Yet still, kudos to these chefs and restos! Hope one day mine would land on this list too!
Anyway, I'm actually a chef in our local community, and our restaurant just recently branched out. Problem is, I'm having a hard time managing inventories and recipes! Can you guys give me an advice on this? Thank you in advance!
I think the list is supposed to celebrate those restaurant pushing the envelope, regarding techniques, capturing essence of local flavors, the methods in which flavors are made and perceived. It is not about "food" or being fed. I can appreciate what they are trying to do. If I went to one of those places I would compare it more to an experience of going to a theatre production, or an art show. For being fed, I much prefer maximizing my value by going to local restaurants with dedicated chefs preparing the foods they love in an authentic fashion. I just can't bring myself to spend $100+ pp on a meal, when I know can have all sorts of amazing restaurant experiences in the range of 10-50 a person.
This could be a helpful if you are having a hard time in choosing a Restaurant where you are going to eat.
Candice Anderson
PPC SEO
Hmmm...4 U.S. restaurants in the top 50 restaurants in the world and they are all in NY? Hmmm? This is probably and extremely useful and unbiased top 50 list. Yes?
This is totally biased! I've been to all these countries many many times, and sure, there are great restaurants....but some of the best food I've had in the WORLD was in Greece and in Buenos Aires....how could there be NOTHING from these countries as well? LOL High society....
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Not one Canadian restaurant made in to the worlds top 50...........
Vancouver, Montreal, Toronto, Nothing........... ............ yikes
Obviously, the judges have never heard of Canadian Bacon. A true shame on them in the gastronomic World.
The correct title should be "World's 50 expensive restaurants". Seriously, $200+ for dinner? It could feed a family of 4 for 2 months in Third world countries. These restaurants are for 1% and unfortunately not for me :(
Seriously people, these are the restaurants that, if you love gourmet food, you would hope to visit someday. Not your neighborhood restaurant that you go to every week or even every month. These restaurants serve the foods that you would find in the book '1001 Foods You Must Taste Before You Die.'
As I peruse through the menus on a select few of these "best" restaurants, I found one common denominator.... WHAT IS THIS STUFF? Seriously, one of the determining factors should be that at least 1/8 of the world's progressive population should be able to recognize the food on the menu.
Why? Why would a gourmet restaurant be judged on how well or poorly the man on the street would recognize the menu items?
And, I am checking out some of the menus. I am hitting one or two items per menu I don't know what they are. If you aren't interested in food, why would you care which restaurants are rated as best in the world, by people who know food in detail? If you are interested in food, you should recognise most or all of what is on the menu. Fine dining is not about familiar food done in familiar ways, over and over.
NO SOUTHERN FOODS!!!!!! They've missed a whole way of life, check out Louisiana & Texas, Georgia, S. Carolina......they're missing the really good comforting stuff.....
These restaurants are expensive and for those who can afford it. Obviously, the rich can afford these on a regular basis...for the rest of us, these are special occasion only.
But don't knock them til you try it....
The very best restaurant is the one you like the best. These lists really are meaningless. Most people will NEVER visit these places..
I agree. How do they know these are the best? Did the judges eat in every restaurant in the world?
I once ate at a restaurant in Barcelona that was listed as a michelan (sic) 3 star restaurant. Squid in it's own ink for about $55. That was 20 years ago, probably double now. I asked the waiter how do I know it's ink is really it's own? He stared at me like a bullfighter looking at a bull. The food was horrible.
you are a hospitality nightmare!!
you haave not idea the kind of s...t you eat in usa restaurants.
Nothing in Texas? Well, the rest of the world doesn't know what they are missing!
The best food is the stuff you make at home. Get some cook books and have some fun. Once you get the swing of it, all restaurants will be bad. The best food I've ever had was made in my kitchen. It took a decade of practice but it was worth it. Anyone can do it.
Maybe compared to Applebee's, but you obviously haven't had the pleasure to eat a world renown chef's creation.
Yeah. I looked at the menu of # 1 restaurant. The 10 course meal has raw sliced vegetables. You obviously need to eat there to feel good about yourself.
You are so right. And most of them serve water. That stuff falls out of the sky, it's not special. Not to mention, bread. I see bread on those menus, and I can get wonder bread right around the corner.
JT is a shame I only have two tums cus i want to give you 10 tums up for your coment, Culinary arts are not for everyone. only for those who get it.
Bogus list! Where's T.G.I. Friday's???
Same place as Applebee's, Chili's & Rude Tuesday's: different list.
The best place I've ever eaten was on a street corner in Taipei. I'm fully aware that is not everyone's idea of heavenly food. To each their own.
These lists are just the gastronomic manifestation of the all-too familiar (and hilarious) pseudo-intellectual delusion that is the hallmark of modern-day liberals. But as always, reality sits in direct opposition to liberal fantasy... there are literally tens of thousands of small hole-in-the-wall type restaurants in the small towns of the world, each of which prepares food that is far, far superior to anything concocted by the bastions of pretentious self-glorification that buy their way onto this type of list.
All the liberals I know prefer to eat at local hole in the walls only. Did someone teach you that "liberal" is a dirty word, so you just use it to put down anyone that offends you?
The consistent and predictable ignorance, stupidity and SELF-DELUSION of American liberals provides all the evidence I would ever need to justify my statements.
Oh, the irony of such statements. Physician heal thyself.
Congratulations, you've proved your I.Q to this list.
Jesus was a liberal.
So, Will, you've eaten at all the restaurants on the list and know for a fact that these hole-in-the-wall places are better? That's quite a feat. (On the other hand, if you're just some nutjob conservative looking for any excuse to insult liberals, then you really need a life, dude. Seriously.)
Well I suppose we all have our issues that are worth getting angry for...mine are a bit different.
Tastebuds, not one's political preferences usually dominate when picking the best food. Can't you wackos keep you're hatred out of anything?
Don't forget to leave comments over on the sports stories blaming liberals for the teams that lost. oh, and thunderstorms predicted around here, probably liberals at work there too.
Most of the conservatives I know like their food cooked well done, on charcoal with the flames high. Their favorite spice is salt, and their favorite vegetable is BBQ sauce. Some of them like taters, but french fries are made from taters, and well, you know, french, so, taters are a guilty pleasure. I do know one or two conservatives with better taste in food, but, guess what they tend to eat in fine dining establishments I can rarely afford, like the ones on this list.
Get a grip. It's a restaurant article. Put your political obsession aside for a bit and enjoy the food. Or if you are just here to complain that applebees isn't on the list, do that.
This list is pure bull. I was in Copenhagen and met people coming out of NoNo. The name alone should be your clue!`The number one restaurant serves raw vegetables on a bed of dirt and grass. Cows at least are served grains! The top fancy joints serve pig fat and grease over everything and the snobs lap it up like pigs. Small portions and inflated prices to match the inflated egos! Avoid ANY place on the list and just eat raw cholesterol for the same effect and safe a thousand bucks!
The majority of the components in these menus in these so called "top 50" made me vomit. Pig cheek, goose liver, duck powder, goats curd, black pudding (aka blood), calf tail?? When cleaning the animal, those are the things you throw out, just nasty.
Amen. We met people coming out of NoNo and they were laughing at the crap they were served and mad at the $300 bucks a head they spent. This is pure snob appeal and lack of reality. ie Why are the Kardashians a tv hit? the dumb obedient public let others decide hat is popular!
Recipe for getting on this list:
1. "Repurpose" some old, brick warehouse in a shady part of town using materials from demolished 18th century New England churches.
2. Hire a hip, young chef, preferably with lots of tattitude (attitude + tattoos).
3. Serve miniscule portions containing samples of foam infused with something pretentious and a good amount of locally sourced nonsense and foraged field greens (i.e. weeds).
4. Overprice everthing.
Greg,
Hilarious. But you forgot one of the most important ingredients.
You need a name so ridiculously pretentious that it's hard to tell whether it's a restaurant. Something like: "Fork + Plate" or "Barley Swine"
I wonder how much it costs to have old church bricks shipped from the US to spain? And why would they use new bricks from the US when they can get much older ones locally? In europe, an 18th century church is considered fairly new. Go visit spain and you can stay in a hotel where the restrooms haven't been cleaned since the 18th century.
I don't see any restaurants from mainland China or India on the list. Isn't it amazing that according to this list about 3 billion of the world's population cannot have a restaurant deserving to be on this list. I have been to India. That country has some of the best hospitality in the world. I have not been to China, but I am sure culinary skills perfected over thousands of years of history, probably produce the best food and hospitality in both countries. The title of this list should be "Worlds 50 best restaurants where we got to eat for free."
You would be surprised to find out how these "best of" lists are concocted, I've been to a few of them and they they are truly excellent. However, the judges are unable to visit every restaurant in the world so the list is arbitrary.
In order to be listed as a "Best" restaurant, an owner must submit a request to be in the running for a fee to Restaurant magazine, once the restaurant is "awarded" a position in teh best of they are encouraged to "take out an ad" in Restaurant magzine to "let everyone know" how "good" they are.
It's half scam, half reality.
Total scam. I have been to the two in NY, as I lived there for 33 years. Not even close to my own top 20. This is all about restaurant snobbery, and not about what actualy tastes good.
Doesn't surprise me. This list should be called the 50 most pretentious restaurants in the world.
Obviously, you folks have never heard of the Double-Down.....
In Vegas? Heck yeah! A tankard of your finest Ass Juice, good sir.
OMG! My favorite local restaurant is not on this list! Why did they not call me and ask MY opinion!!! My day, and by extension my life are now forever ruined!
Here. Calm yourself with a nice Filet-o-Fish sandwich.
why didn't olive garden make the list???? mystery to me.
no mention of China ... nothing about Chile and Argentina ... The criteria for selection must be narrowed to north European cultural taste.
China is on the list.
Chile and Argentina? Been to both and none of their food really stands out. Brazil (#4 in the list) has better meats and specialty dishes. Peru (#35) has some of the richest varieties of food in the world. Mexico (#36 & #38) is a world-wide staple. These people live and breath food and rate it as such.
Peruvian cuisine is overrated and if you missed the way these lists are concocted look it up, it's smoke and mirrors my friend
Uhm. . . China is on the list -_-
As are Japan, Singapore, and Thailand.
Hard to believe a bottle of domestic microbrew at Per Se costs more than the 6-pack itself. 0_0 Twelve friggin' dollars!
Is it actually hard to believe though at such a place? Even several local "normal" restaurants regularly charge $7-$9 for a craft beer that isn't particularly special or high ABV.
That is the case at many restaurants. Doesn't matter how expensive they are, the markup on beverages is amazing. Five cents worth of soda sells for $2. A bottle of liquor that costs $35 for a fifth sells for $15 a shot. And you often pay the price of a six pack for a single beer. At those prices the drinks are pretty reasonable, compared to the food. Pay the same thing for a beer as you would at any local steakhouse, but the actual food costs 3-10 times as much.
No Red Lobster or Ruby Tuesday???
No McDonald's, either. What a list.
This is one of those meaningless lists.. more like Miss World contestants and we know that they do not represent most beautiful or the best among us.. like politics all food is local and cultural.. take that list and shove it...
Take your laptop and shove it!
...and you call yourself a world traveler... I bet you did not leave your farm house..
Way to stereotype farmers.
And you madam must be a true heifer. Size 50 I bet? Go back to your pot of mac and cheese!
I have only been to a few high end restaurants in my life, usually at the expense of someone else. At first I was impressed at the quality and uniqueness of the food and how the service treated you like royalty, and I'm sure that many people have come to enjoy this and expect it out of every place they attend, and I'm cool with that, to each his own. After a more visits, I couldn't get over just how much of a production the meal is. It seemed like I was in a theater being entertained I once had breakfast at a small Kansas cafe where the husband and wife ran the entire place by themselves. They had pictures of their kids displayed and photographs of local schools they support and sponsor. They were genuinely friendly people and weren't putting on a show for my entertainment. They simply took pride in the food they made (which was delicious) and enjoyed getting to know me. Best restaurant meal I've ever had. I know it sounds backwards and simplistic, but I think we overlook the smallest and simplest things in life.
I agree with you all the way, simplicity is beauty. Humble, clean and down to earth type of a restaurant, food is good, eating like you're in your own dining table sorrounded with your love ones. It's great. I had been to so many fancy restaurant but the atmosphere is different than the Mom Pop's. Let's just support our humble reliable family restaurant.
I'm genuinely bewildered by these types of comments. I mean, I love the mom & pop greasy spoon as much as anybody. But, to use an analogy, sometimes youtube isn't enough and I want the Hollywood blockbuster.
Hey Bobby, Can you mention the name of the Kansas Cafe. I am just curious!
It was a good ten years ago (at least), but I'm pretty sure it was called Neighbor's Cafe in McPherson.
Not that I've ever been anywhere high end, I choose not to bother, but I'd venture to guess that I'd take the local diner over that snobbery any day.
I don't have to taste the grapes to know that they are probably sour.
Why take the time to knock it, when you haven't tried it?
Congratulations Noma! Great to see a restaurant getting ahead using local produce and cultural spices.
Speaking of Outstanding, humble restaurants using only local products grown without chemicals or hormones. If your in Springfield Mo. Drop by the Farmer's Gastropub. All the veggies, meats, breads, and even the wines and liqueurs are 100% natural. As far as international honor's The London telegraph somehow discovered the Farmer's gastropub hidden in Downtown Springfield Mo. and voted it #2 in the world. If you've spent 50.00 in this restaurant / bar, You've had a very good time. No, I don't work there or own it. It's just really good.
This list should really be called "Our 50 favorite restaurants" so the rest of us can pay it the attention that it truly deserves.
None.
The price of the food has little to do with the taste and more about its reputation. Best Mexican ever is a "hole in the wall" Tamale house #3 in Austin Texas. Cheap, family owned and the always fresh. Resturants in the neighborhoods are also worth the time like The Blackthorn in St.Louis for great pizza and Cafe Everest for AMAZING Indian/Napalese food. None of thses places are expensive and all serve their food with great care. Eat locally owned and keep the money in your community and eat well too. Seems pretty simple.
well said.. all food is local and cultural...
Amen. Tamale house is guilty pleasure. I love it, will never admit where I get it. Now that I've hit the station in life when I can afford to eat anywhere in town, I've gotten tired of every good or once good restaurant catering to skinny-jeaned twenty somethings who come in loud groups of ten or more and who think foam on their food is worth $75 a plate. I would rather stick with honest tasty dive food any day or cook at home.
One of the silliest articles I have read–to think that you can put all 8 million restaurants in the world on a linear scale and that differences in any part of that list are meaningful. And the people they quote in the article saying how meaningful the list is are all on the list! How self-serving is that?!
They didn't put all the world's restaurants on a linear scale. They picked 50 that in their professional opinion were the world's best. Their list will look different than your list or my list. I don't think anybody claims that there is a scientific or objective method here.
Get a grip, people. This is a list of 50 restaurants out of thousands of cities in the world in hundreds of countries. They honestly cannot include everybody's favourite hole-in-the-wall restaurant in everybody's home town. I'm impressed with people's ability to take a list generated for general interest and entertainment and be personally offended by it
The people who created this list are among the world's foremost food experts and you better believe they are smart, informed, and extremely talented. They're not saying that this is the only food that tastes good. Surely they would acknowledge that dive restaurants, food carts, etc also are capable of producing excellent flavours. However, they were tasked with the job of narrowing down all the restaurants in the world into a list of 50, which is no easy task.
Please do your selves a favour and stop taking yourself so seriously, take a deep breathe, and appreciate the list for what it is. A subjective list that makes no claims of being complete, comprehensive, or exhaustive.
You think the people taking themselves too seriously are the ones who are commenting?
Yes. People who scan the list, see that their favourite hole-in-the-wall is not represented out of the millions of restaurants in the world, and see it as a personal slight. Not everything is about you; sometimes a list just a list. People create "best of" lists in just about every category you can think of seemingly every week.
Not everyone is having that particular negative response, but it seems perfectly valid to me. What kinds of comments are you hoping to see instead?
Hold up...it seems valid to you that some people are offended that their personal favourite hometown restaurant is not represented on a list that represents an infinitesimally small fraction of the total restaurants in the world?
I think I'm done talking to you now.
David's comment FTW
How about world's 50 best restaurants for under $500 a meal in 2013? Better yet for under $200 a meal?
Better yet, quality to cost ratio? People who think any of these restaurants are worth eating at must have lost any sense of perspective.
I'd like to see that list :)
I've eaten at #37, Momofuku Ssam. Walked in wearing jeans, had a beer with dinner, felt perfectly comfortable. Honestly, I'm a bit surprised to see it on this list, but the food was outstanding. Maybe you just are making a snap judgment about these restaurants without knowing anything about them.
Quality to cost? Oh that's easy. Government cheese. You can't beat it, for quality to cost. Would I eat it? No. But you get a lot at very low cost.
Why on earth would you want to make such a list? Government cheese is even better if you buy a ten pound bag of baking potatos and put your government cheese on a potato. I stretched many dollars with big bags or potatos in college. And you can get free salt to put on it, just by going to a fast food place and asking for it. Great value for money. And flavor? Let me tell you. It tastes like a potato, with semi melted, semi-plastic cheeese colored stuff on it. You can't get ten pounds of bland beige food for less.
They forgot "The Triple Nickel", another name for Jdizzle's kitchen. The pan-fried cat fish is out of this universe. Think I ate about 10 pounds of it last night. I use seasoned stir-fry oil, good flavor and doesn't smoke at high heat unlike olive oil, which I usually use for cooking.
Sounds delicious. Next time use avocado oil for high temperature cooking, it works much better than olive.
Interesting! I don't like avocados, but it doesn't mean I won't try using the oil. Thanks. Didn't even knew it existed outside of shampoos and conditioners.
Just for fun I visited the noma website. It states that you MUST spend a minimum of 2500DKK...that's $4474 US dollars :/ Alinea's is a bargain at that price !!
I ment 25000DKK
That's the minimum price to reserve the "Staff Room" for a private party up to 15 people.
The menu, with VAT included is $268. Wine pairing is $169 or non-alcoholic is $98, but neither is mandatory. Not cheap, but it is likely a once in a lifetime thing. If a person could get Super Bowl tickets for that, it could seem like a bargain.
Lol, thats for reserving a spot for 9-15 people. Still not exactly cheap though:)
Try reading for comprehension. I know it's difficult, when you really want to be outraged, but put in the effort. You will find it well worth it.
I can fly to NY roundtrip and get a room for less $$$$ than what it would cost me to dime at Per Se AND I live in the continental USA. I would love to give it a shot, but I have no plans to take out a home loan to do so.
Per Se isn't that expensive. It isn't cheap but looking at the menu fixed price for a 5 or so course meal + service is $300.
$40 or so for entrees. Not cheap not take out a second mortgage level either. All of these places aren't every day dining. they are meant to be experiences for special occasions. Go to pro sports or a concert and you'll be paying the same levels for your evening.
Tijuana Flats for the win!
I don't discount the list of top restaurants but in my experience, the best restaurants are the ones ran by unpretentious ppl. I had tasted mexican cuisine from 'expensive' restaurants and was not too impressed about it until a friend brought me to this small mexican place where i fully appreciated authentic mexican cuisine and I was hooked. Their double tacos only cost 1.48 dollars and it was soooo good, I kept dreaming about it even after I left California. My friend told me that when you go to an ethnic restaurant, make sure that you see majority of the same ethnic group patronizing the place or it wouldn't be the real thing. Like in that restaurant, I was the only Asian there and my friend was the only blonde. Everyone was Mexican. :D
Glad to see French Laundry on here, but I'm shocked that there's nothing from New Orleans, Chicago or especially Las Vegas.
7) Alinea (Chicago, Illinois} ????
Reading isn't everyone's forte.
The fact that New Orleans, one of the single greatest food cities in the world, gets no nod for any one of its wonderful establishments proves this list to be fraudulent.
Right on!!!
Agreed! and not only that, but the fact that northern european places make the list (the top at that too!) is crazy! Since when is northern europe known for its cuisine!?!?! What happened to mid-east, south europe, north african cuisine?!?!
I'm not going to dispute what was included, although I agree with some of my fellow posters that these are more places to be seen than places to enjoy a good meal. But how ON EARTH could any list of the world's top restaurants not include a single one from New Orleans?!!
And not 1 restaurant in Japan or China? really? For some reason people love these rank lists, but they are always very subjective and don't really mdean anything.
Huh? I count two in Japan and one in China. Plus two in Singapore and one in Thailand. However, we are perhaps in agreement that this list is overly Western. I count 38 restaurants in either Europe or the U.S., leaving just 12 for the rest of the world. But of course it's a list created by a specific magazine with a specific readership, so that's fine. But really the list should be called "50 Favorite Restaurants of Western Food Snobs."
You should've probably read the list.
27) Narisawa (Tokyo, Japan)
28) Nihonryori RyuGin (Tokyo, Japan)
and 44 is from China.
Nothing on this list is good. These places all serve basically the same over priced meals that look about the size of quarters that while may have great flavor, are not food. These are all jokes. Where is the BarbQ... if you expect me to belive that these taste testers no good food, then a place that serves Good smoked meat would be on here.
Any top restaurant list that doesn't have Bern's in it is a sham. Sorry, but it's true. Bern's always makes it into top 10's but the group in this list is comprised of mostly business class people who do not live here. And we all know the cool thing these days is to exclude America as much as possible in anything. Sure, we kinda caused that ourselves. But it still makes the list ineffective. Some of those places out of New York are terrible, but since they are in New York they get a nod. Look for other top lists, don't go by this one. Although I will say their #1 pick is definitely deserving.
Mmmm, Bern's ... wild truffled mushrooms and an Okinawan sweet potato with ginger / macadamia nut butter accompanying a 2-inch thick, aged filet, rare, cold center with a medium crust. Mmmm, Bern's.
http://www.bernssteakhouse.com/
http://www.bernssteakhouse.com/Portals/0/Documents/BSH%20Menu.pdf
Why?
I was looking for Bern's on this list and couldn't believe it wasn't there. Taking my wife there for anniversary in a couple of weeks.
Bern's Steakhouse in Tampa? The single most overrated steakhouse in America. Everyone in Tampa thinks it is the greatest steak in the world but let's be real – we are talking about a group of uneducated hillbillies that are comparing Bern's to the Outback – which is the only other steakhouse they have eaten at in their lives. I would consider try eating outside of a 30 mile radius of your double wide before you throw Bern's into the top ten in the world.
What's the matter, Matty? A hillbilly mess up your mis en place one time? And Tampa seems to be good enough in the winter for all you Yankees who can't stand the weather or the bad attitudes on the East Coast. We kind of look at you guys like our wintertime ATM since you pretty much throw your money at anything that is even half way pretentious, like Bern's. My only disappointment is how far down on the list French Laundry has fallen. Not up to their usual high standards last time I visited, but to be expected after a good, long run. And Keller's attention to the place seems to have wandered with his other interests.
Everyone on this comment list is ignorant. Go eat a Big Mac, you uncultured swine.
Another 1% 'er heard from....
No, we just prefer to do different things with our money. With all the money I could spend on these meals, I'd rather setup a scholarship fund. Go eat a silver spoon.
Being in L.A., I've eaten at quite a few of these "Art" restaurants at my company's expense (this was back in the good old days before the crash of 2007).
After one elegant dinner with our Western regional VP of our company, I headed to the nearest In-N-Out Burger for real food (I was still starved). I'm a big guy and eating tiny little plates of beautiful food that looked like spectacular hors' d oerves did not fill me up. I
Imagine my surprise when I ran into the same VP and his entourage there. We all shared a good laugh and bonded over a Double-Double!
I could really give a horses @$$ about this list.
Our pasta this evening is a squid ravioli in a lemon grass broth...
Great story.
Balls. I'm wondering who they paid to get on the list.
Me. Or maybe their supply vendors. You know, the ones that didn't win the lowest bidder contest.
Where is India?.There are many restaurants in my Country.
yep and what about other countries eg in Africa middle east etc. Dont people survive there and have a healthy life. The arrogance from ignorance of the western people is still reflected through their media unfortunately
No one wants to eat goat and rice from unwashed hands, and served on filthy dishes.
yeh no one wants to eat filthy oil processed food laden with fat and industral chemicals.
The organisers of last night's awards have announced a new award for Asia's 50 Best Restaurant, which will be inaugurated in Singapore in Feb. 2013.
http://www.theworlds50best.com/asia/
Bakura in the Taj hotel in Deli is one of the best in the world.
Was that the hotel a bunch of people were gunned down? Where was that? I am too lazy to research it.
That was Mumbai (Bombay), and not Delhi.
yeah and then you got diarrhea immediately afterwards...
These fancy expensive restaurants are made with people who placed their hands on the final dish, after being cooked, and arrange the food, most often with their hands and not using utensils, in order to get a desired look. Many times the chefs are not wearing disposable gloves. Who knows what is happening in the kitchen behind closed doors. The chefs could be pushing their hair back while sweating, picking their noses, tasting the food on and off, etc. The best food is Chinese; the food is cooked, intense heat kills all the bacteria, and the food is dumped on to the plate with a hot spatula, and nobody touches the food except you. This is cleanest method. Forget what you heard about dirty Chinese restaurants. When the final product is served onto your table, you can be rest assured that the food is not touched or caressed by many different fingers.
Youre obviously entirely oblivious to hygiene standards. Bacteria becomes a problem because of storing at wrong temperature or not cooking enough. Atleast in Denmark your fridge and freezer have to be correct down to 1C and recorded 6 times a day, and cleaned EVERY day. Chefs work with handheld thermometers. Hopefully they dont use latex gloves, chefs especially at these restaurants will wash their hands hundreds of times a day. Would be such a waste for each chef to go through 100 pairs every shift. Also they have to wear hats, and tasting is obviously with a spoon, which you throw in wash after every taste. Anyone getting sick at one of these restaurants, even once it would ruin the restaurants entire imagine. But still enjoy your spatula food, sounds tasty. But i dont know where you came up with that chinese all serve with a hot spatula. I wonder where this tradition came from, and what they do with 70% of their dishes like dim dum, which u cant serve with a spatula.
Often times I think about the same thing when I go out (any restaurant) with my husband, and after much thoughts I realize that the best place to eat is home. I don't care what anyone says, chances are someone touched their nose or scratched their b@lls before they touched your food, or what about utensils or dirty plates..? Think about it….
LMAO! At a salad bar once, I watched some chick scratch her *rhymes with scratch*, wipe her nose, then, with the same hand, point at a bunch of salad items under the shield. I put my plate down, got a refund on the salad bar and bought a burger to go instead.
B@lls indeed.
Buffets have to be the most disgusting places. I'll stay home, thank you.
have you tried Barrio Fiesta Resto in Manila? You'll surely love to include it in your list. TY
Have you tried Chik-fil-a? Change your life.
Having been to a few of these due to having to entertain in my sales job, I must say that not a single place on this list – IMHO – can match the flavors, innovation and sheer delight of finding the next small, family-run Thai, Indian, Turkish, Spanish, Korean or Italian hole-in-the-wall gem...
I guess these lists are like the political polls – different lists will have different restaurants on them. For instance, one of the chefs constantly in the running for the James Beard award is Frank Stitt from Highland Bar and Grill and Botegga's here in Birmingham.
Highlands.....YUM!
Bar B Que Tonight at Clifton Karachi is the best.
i bet they serve pork there..
Pork is Forbidden in Islam, so there is no pork
Always thought that sucked for Muslims. More swine for me, though!
What about Asia?? These lists are incredibly Eurocentric. Basically useless if you want to get an accurate snapshot of the really good foods throughout the world.
How about choosing the best restaurants based on region? That might be more useful.
6 of the 50 restaurants on the list are in Asia, so to say that Asia is not represented is simply not true. Also South-America climbed higher on the list this year than North-America did, and includes restaurants from Brazil, Peru and several in Mexico. Africa had a restaurant on the list in the past, but it didn't make it this year. Neither did Martin Berasategui, who is considered among the top chefs in Spain. So the moral of the story is that just because "your country" or "your region" or indeed "your local joint" didn't make the list, it just means that while those places are surely good/great, there are other places that (right now) are considered better. Restaurant menus change all the time, and so do people's focus. Like a past winner said, this is a "snapshot" of what's going on right now in the culinary world. The list tends to reward innovation and inventiveness (things we have not seen before), so it's not about giving you "grub on the plate" – it's about serving you the best food the world has to offer, as far as taste, plating and presentation. And yes, the portions are often small. But when you're having 10 or 20 course tasting menus, that's really quite alright. You're not going to go home hungry!
Sure. Racoon's rectum on a stick would make the list next year since it's never been eaten before and hence is considered innovation. Innovation, the most misused word of the last 25 years.
Gee, I wonder why I have never heard of any of these places. I don't thin Anthony Bordan has recommended any of these. Obviously these are overpriced unique places that I for one am making a point to never visit after looking at their menus. These are some hopped up food critics choice who has been influenced by a free meal.
Having eaten at 1), 2), 6), 7), 10), 13), 14), 15), 16), 17), 19) (ok, I'll stop there) in the past year alone (and at my own expense even), I can tell you that you are definitely wrong about these being "hopped up food critics choice" kind of places. For instance, the 5-course menu at Le Chateaubriand costs €55, which is a great value. As far as your comment about Bourdain, he is best friends with the chef at Le Bernardin so that he has not recommended any of these places is also not true. That you haven't heard of any of these places just means you're not informed about haute cuisine. Nothing wrong with that, but to diss what you don't know or have any foundation to speak about, is kind of ... well, ignorant.
LOOK!! I know sooo much about Haute Cuisine, look at meeee! I'm sooo cool! I know sooo much about food that all these mortals don't! I'm so special!
I have to agree... The foods on these menus seem just awful. "Cuisine" is just a word made up so that restaurants can sell overpriced food and people who fancy themselves high class can feel legitimize their narcissism. How pretentious.
Sorry Ken, but Art is Art and Food is Food.
I too have eaten at "world class" restaurants here in L.A. and I have to say, I'll take a small mom and pop diner or In-N-Out (a legendary West Coast chain) over any snobby, over-rated place run by a a pretentious chef who "feels the need to express himself through his food".
In and out makes a great burger, and very nice fries, but it doesn't comapre to the top restaurants I have eaten at in atlanta and DC. Maybe your problem is an LA thing? Your complaint sounds like it matches a specific trendy trend. If you don't like little tiny portions served on big white plates, with more artsy sauce drizzled on the plate than on the food, don't eat at those places. Plenty of other options, and they aren't all applebees.
Well you must make a very good income to eat at these places. The latest price at Alinea is $220 and I have heard of some nights it being in excess of $400. Food Network featured Ashatz on a few shows. I don't doubt that he can make a good tasting meal; but when presentation and uniqueness is the prime objective I begin to wonder about the value of it. Besdes I have eaten at top restaurants (not in this lists top tier but on top lists) and overall I don't find real value in the food. The experience and the ambiance of the place may be more of what you are paying for; but when it comes to good tasting food, it's amazing what you can find in that bottom of the barrel hole-in- the-wall.
Ken, it sounds like you get around. If you have the chance, try Langdon Hall in Cambridge, ON Canada. Was # 88 in the world last year, and you won't have to travel too far. Great chef in Jonathan Gushue
the taco bell here is pretty good, too
Taco Bell – I had to fly out to El Paso with a government employee a few years ago, and was looking forward to some great Tex-Mex (I grew up out there). Anyway, the government guy was on per diem and insisted that we eat lunch at Taco Bell. What a waste of an opportunity!
And you didn't have the pants to say No.. so shut up... I too am on a "perdiem" but never force anyone to eat where I want.
Total shame, even the Taco Cabana or Taco Tote would have abeen a nice. Plus the whole dang town is so cheap to eat at.
I think the Olive Garden here in Birmingham is pretty darn good.
We need Golden Corral in Bama
No, you don't. Nobody needs Golden Corral.
Yes. We do.
Not all of us are fat cows. Sometimes some us like to burn one and gorge ourselves in a buffet that isn't a Chinese buffet or "Grandma's Home Cooking" buffet. I'm looking at you, Country Buffet.
The best restaurants, in my view, are the food streets of Lahore, Pakistan. Nothing comes close from the Top 50. I can a have 7course meal for $30 and leave fully satisfied and with a full belly.
And you get the excitement of possibly being blown up by a bomb from your dumb brothers
LOL.. that was gooodddd.. LOL...
Food not art.
I guarantee any of you that any small deli in the heart of South America, Africa, and Asia would be 10x as good as any of those 50 restaurants.
Even a kebab sandwich sounds more interesting than half those restaurants menus up there, sheesh.
NOTHING MORE than over-priced restaurant with small portions.
My dad love to bring us in to this kind of places for my mom birthday or during their anniversary, it is just a place for snobs to flaunt their money and trust me the food is not all that great.
My restaurant ranking will be very different from this least, BUT....HEY, "TO EACH HIS OWN."
**my restaurant list will be very different from this list"**
Let me guess.. your dad abused you as a child?
Cow, you're not being very nice. Please remove your comment.....
Let me guess.. your dad abused you as a child?
List means absolutely nothing.
So apparently eating outside of New York is not allowed...
I don't care how good the food tastes; there's something about paying an immense amount of money for food that strikes me as over indulgent or gluttonous. I prefer smallish ethnic restaurants where you pay a modest amount for good food.
I'd rather eat out once a year and have a fabulous meal, than eat out 3-5 times a week and have crap. Unless you've ever been to one of these places, you really can't imagine what it's like. Lots of food is great but there is no reason to bash these fine establishments if you've never been there.
No Texas steak or BBQ places? Philistines...Sure, go and pay $300 for small pieces of crap or go an pay $20 ($25 with a few beers) and get some great food and good times without eating offal!
Exactly!
I see that selection was via... a panel of more than 800 of the world's gastronomic glitterati, including celebrated chefs, food critics, restaurateurs and other influential leaders in the restaurant industry.
Got it. I doubt their combined opinion adds up to cup of pinto beans. Moving on.....
Give me some baby back ribs marinated in a spice rub and a cold beer or a rib-eye steak with pork & beans!
That's REAL FOOD!!!, Not the artsy-fartsy glorified hors'd oeurves these "top chefs" serve.
The average person of course might be able to afford an appetizer from any of these places
The judges and lot of people get confused between food and art. They are not the same, people.
So I'm guessing there are no good restaurant in the entire African continent that can make the list
When I think of Africa only slavery and animals for the zoo comes to mind. Has there ever been anything good out of Africa that has caused any world changes?
So the food from these restaurants has caused "world changes"? You moron.
Umm... human kind.
wow, educate yourself, please. Only human civilization, has come from the cradle of Africa.
That's sound very ignorant of you. Have you ever heard of minerals, and other matals, precious metals such as Gold and Diamonds from the southern part of Africa, oil and Gas from the northern and western part of Africa. Dates from Tunisia and I can go and write a books on so many things that come from Africa. There are more natural resources from the African continent that any other continents. Perhaps if you are unfortunate to have a diamond ring on your fingers, that piece of material most likely would have come from AFRICA. Have a nice life.
Just not to forget. The origin of man come from Africa. I suggest that you stop wasting your time writing nonsense and spend your precious time doing some research on the African continent.
How about People?
Hmmm...Not even a crumb from Las Vegas anymore? Has Vegas become just a watering hole for the celebrity chefs to grown their 'brand' as Bourdain suggested years ago in his TV program? I'm thinking go for Wynn buffet next time in Vegas...LOL
I dont know who these "glitterati" judges are but every one in the world knows Asia has the best food and the fact that this list has more European restaurants indicate that these judges are not in touch with reality.
AMazing list. I always say it to my friends, "Spain has the best cuisine in the world." Wish they were more Spanish restaurants in the USA we I can eat the healthy and delicious Mediterranean dishes.
Spanish food? Yuck!! The dirty tripe and intestines and coagulated blood is good? What other food do you eat? Warthog's rectum with poop on it? You're disgusting!
Oh, look! A troll!
Take it down a notch Varun.
Clearly you know nothing about Spanish cuisine then!.
@ Ken @ Sashi, I was just messing with Marta since she made some very rude comments about Africa. Spanish cuisine is one of my favorites and I've had some of the best food in San Sabastian.
I guess they had dinner that my mother cooked.
guess atlanta's not that hot
Meh. I'd rather listen to what James Beard's list has to say. James Beard seems to focus more on what really makes a world class restaurant and worries less on pandering to the snobbish elite.
Not so. James Beard has all of these wonderful dinners that people come to pay money for, only to have the restaurants that produce them pay for all of their ingredients, and staff needed to complete the meal. The james beard area is essentially great paid for advertising where list seems to be of restaurants standing on their own without needing to travel somwhere else to showcase what they do.
Thats not to say that awards from the foundation are invalid, but the promotions the group gives are paid for in some part by the recieving restaruants.
this list is absurd, not one place to eat in Louisiana? r-e-t-a-r-t-e-d
Spelled retarded correctly, and then perhaps your opinion regarding fine cuisine will be respected.
That misspelling was intentional. Retarted is an insult about overcooking baked goods.
Have you read some of the menus for these places? Surely they jest. Noma is the most absurd.
have you ever been????? no? really? ok then .... shut up!
I don't need to go eat at Noma to find out how a boiled carrot tastes like you idiot!
Cheryl – only absurd if you don't understand the concept: local produce! The menu makes total sense!!!
No thanks, I'd rather the bottom 50. I'm sure the food is good, I've no doubts, but I'd rather be someplace a bit more accessible.
Absolutely. To eat in one means no money to eat anything the rest of the month.
I didn't see Benu in San Fran. run by chef Cori Lee. It is amazing, has Mich. stars already and for what it is, is still resonably priced. Having dined at the French Laundry, and Per Se, I can fully attest that restaurant should make the list. Thats just my opinion though, congrats to the big town chefs.
What no Salt Lick in Driftwood, Tx?!?! I'm half serious...
I agree. Also there seems that there are no decent restaurants in Australia, NZ, Argentina, Russia and many other places where I can ensure you that are as good or better than many of the restaurants listed here.
I'm sure all the places you mentioned have wonderful restaurants, probably hundreds of them. But we're talking about the top 50 IN THE WORLD!! Do you have any idea how hard that must be to attain and retain?
Salt Lick is awesome, but Lockhart, TX has even better Bbq.
Well done to Rene Redzepi and all the chefs in the top 50.
Not only does this annual list result in intense competition, which is great for diners worldwide, but local suppliers of fresh produce are given a huge boost, along with the local tourist industries, e.g. Copenhagen & Girona (top two restaurants) are both beautiful cities to visit.
Oh brother, what are you doing...? Do you think they care about your opinion..?
If they didn't care, there wouldn't be a comments section after the article, genius. I'll bet they even care about your negative diatribe (that means bitter and abusive speech or piece of writing).
Amen, Chris.