With an expanded voting Academy and an increase to 10 votes per person, the 2017 list of The World’s 50 Best Restaurants brings a stronger pool than ever of incredible dining experiences spread across the world. Led by 26 regional chairs, the voting Academy is made up of chefs, restaurateurs, gastronomes and food critics.
This year’s ranking, revealed at an awards ceremony in Melbourne, Australia, showcases restaurants from 22 countries, with six new entries and three new entries from Paris to Tokyo. Check out the list in pictures.
No.50 Hof Van Cleve, Kruishoutem, Belgium
Sprat fish (image: Ekkow Photography)
Peter Goossens' stated mission is to put a smile on the faces of visitors to his beautiful farmhouse in the fields of Flanders. It's a goal he has achieved with great success over 30 happy years spreading the joys of Belgian cuisine.
Riemegemstraat 1, 9770 Kruishoutem
+32 9 383 58 48
https://www.hofvancleve.com/
No.49 Tegui, Buenos Aires, Argentina
Oyster, strawberries and tomato (image: Marcelo Setton)
Placing No.83 then No.68 in the past two editions, Germán Martitegui’s cutting-edge restaurant in Buenos Aires finally steps up to the plate to rank in The World’s 50 Best Restaurants, the first Argentine establishment to feature since Francis Mallmann’s 1884 in 2002.
Costa Rica 5852, C1414BTJ
+54 11 4770 9500
http://www.tegui.com.ar/
No.48 Restaurant Tim Raue, Berlin, Germany
Beef and beetroot (image: ASA Selection)
Tim Raue wanted to be an architect but didn’t have any money to study. He chose to enter the kitchen because it was the most creative option available to him at the time, working for several high-profile hotels before opening his eponymous restaurant in 2010.
Rudi-dutschke-str. 26, 10969 Berlin
+49 30 259 379 30
http://tim-raue.com/en/
No.47 Vendôme, Bergisch Gladbach, Germany
Langoustine
At the vanguard of the new German school of cooking, Joachim Wissler re-imagines his country’s cuisine using international ingredients and techniques.
Althoff Grandhotel Schloss Bensberg, Kadettenstrasse, 51429 Bergisch Gladbach, Cologne
+49 2204 42 1941
http://www.schlossbensberg.com/restaurant-vendome
No.46 L'Astrance, Paris, France
Warm oyster with camembert, beetroot and oxtail
Pascal Barbot spent five years working under Alain Passard at L’Arpège in Paris, but his CV also includes stints cooking in the South Pacific with the French navy and heading up Sydney restaurant Ampersand. His globe-trotting experiences are fully expressed at his small but chic restaurant, which combines modern French cuisine with influences from the Far East.
4 Rue Beethoven, 75116, Paris
+33 1 40 50 84 40
http://www.astrancerestaurant.com/
No.45 Den, Tokyo, Japan
Garden salad (image: Shinichiro Fujii)
Chef Zaiyu Hasegawa pushes the potential of Japanese dining well beyond the boundaries of Kyoto’s centuries-old traditions. While his roots are embedded in classical kaiseki cuisine, he deftly incorporates influences from around the world, presenting his dishes with playfulness and humour.
2-3-18 Jingumae Shibuya-ku, Tokyo
+81 3 6455 5433
http://www.jimbochoden.com/
No.44 Brae, Birregurra, Australia
Parsnip and apple
There’s something undeniably fascinating about discovering an acolyte of the great Andoni Luis Aduriz practicing his arcane art in a place like Birregurra (population 688), a country town 90 minutes from Melbourne where sheep outnumber people, and the presence of a railway station and a post office loom large among the highlights on its Wikipedia profile.
4285 Cape Otway Rd., Birregurra, Victoria
+61 3 5236 2226
https://braerestaurant.com/
No.43 Reale, Castel Di Sangro, Italy
Gel of veal, porcini, black truffle and almonds (image: Brambilla Serrani)
Reale is a truly original restaurant and not just because it's housed in a 16th century monastery with rooms in the mountains of Abruzzo. Niko Romito's cooking philosophy is unique, using innovative techniques to enhance the intrinsic flavours of often unfashionable ingredients from the region.
Piana Santa Liberata 67031, Castel di Sangro
+39 0864 69382
http://www.ristorantereale.it/
No.42 Boragó, Santiago, Chile
Patagonian lamb a la inverse and millefeuille of wild apples
Boragó is the Spanish word for borage: owner-chef Rodolfo Guzman’s interest lies as much in the pastures and woods as much as it does the markets and kitchen.
Av. Nueva Costanera 3467, Vitacura, Santiago
+56 2 2953 8893
http://www.borago.cl/
No.41 Ultraviolet By Paul Pairet, Shanghai, China
Gummies Hibernatus Cola Rocks (image: Scott Wright)
Founded in 2012, Ultraviolet by Paul Pairet is considered by many to be the most avant-garde restaurant experience in the world. Just 10 guests per night experience the ultimate in immersive dining in a secret city location, courtesy of the inimitable French chef-provocateur.
c/o Bund 18, 6/F, 18 Zhongshan Dong Yi Lu, Shanghai 20000
+86 021 6323 9898
http://uvbypp.cc/
No.40 Cosme, New York, USA
Husk meringue and corn mousse (image: Araceli Paz)
The first foray outside Mexico for chef Enrique Olvera, Cosme was a hit with New Yorkers from the moment it opened in 2014. A combination of stunningly plated modern Mexican dishes and a stylish interior with a long bar serving a variety of mezcals have made it a mainstay of Manhattan’s dining scene.
35 E 21st St, New York, NY 10010
+1 212 913 9659
http://cosmenyc.com/
No.39 Relae, Copenhagen, Denmark
Pork from Hindsholm and rye
Set up by two former Noma acolytes, this cool Copenhagen restaurant has won critical acclaim for its no-nonsense approach to fine dining. Deceptively simple dishes that maximise the flavour of just a few ingredients are served in a stripped back dining room by a young, friendly team.
Jægersborggade 41, 2200, København N
+45 3696 6609
http://www.restaurant-relae.dk/en
No.38 Azurmendi, Larrabetzu, Spain
Oyster, tartare and seaweed traces
Far from the straightforward sit-down restaurant experience, at chef Eneko Atxa's Azurmendi the journey starts in the rooftop vegetable garden where guests inspect the home-grown produce before continuing via the kitchen to an indoor greenhouse for a selection of ‘snacks’. Diners are eventually seated in a section of the dining room, flanked by temporary fabric walls projecting different scenes for different courses.
Corredor del Txorierri Salida 25, Larrabetzu, Bizkaia
+34 944 558 866
https://www.azurmendi.biz/
No.37 Saison, San Francisco, USA
Golden nugget
What started as a weekly pop-up in the back of a café seven years ago has evolved into one of the most exclusive restaurants in the world. No expense is spared at Saison, where chef Joshua Skenes’ immaculate attention to detail permeates all aspects of the operation.
178 Townsend St, San Francisco, CA 94107
+1 415 828 7990
http://www.saisonsf.com/
No.36 Dinner By Heston Blumenthal, London, UK
Meat fruit (image: David Griffen Photography)
Where The Fat Duck, Heston Blumenthal’s flagship eatery, is all about playing with emotion, expectation and memory, his London fine-diner run by chef Ashley Palmer-Watts mines a surprisingly rich vein of British culinary history for its inspiration.
Mandarin Oriental Hyde Park, 66 Knightsbridge, London SW1X 7LA
+44 20 7201 3833
http://www.dinnerbyheston.com/
No.35 Septime, Paris, France
Roasted endive, black truffle, black pudding
This is a cool space in a cool street run by cool people with lots of cool customers. The restaurant run by old school friends Bertrand Grébaut and Théo Pourriat also just happens to be the winner of this year’s Sustainable Restaurant Award, sponsored by Silestone.
80 Rue de Charonne, Paris 11
+33 1 4367 3829
http://www.septime-charonne.fr/
No.34 De Librije, Zwolle, Netherlands
Gagel, crayfish, foie gras (image: Thomas Ruhl)
The menu at this influential Dutch restaurant is tailored to suit individual diners' specific tastes. Guests pick four dishes from different colour-coded sections before further plates are added to create a bespoke five-, six- or seven-course menu for each person.
Spinhuisplein 1, 8011 ZZ Zwolle
+31 0 38 421 2083
http://www.librije.com/
No.33 Astrid y Gastón, Lima, Peru
Ceviches at Astrid y Gastón
Gastón Acurio, the architect and cheerleader of the Peruvian culinary movement, came back from retirement to lead the kitchen at Astrid y Gastón, taking over from departing head chef Diego Muñoz. The pioneering restaurant, named after him and his wife Astrid Gutsche, is responsible for helping to transform contemporary Peruvian cuisine to what it is today.
Av. Paz Soldán 290, San Isidro, Lima 27
+511 442 2775
http://www.astridygaston.com/
No.32 Attica, Melbourne, Australia
Whipped emu egg with sugar bag
Lamb, chicken, pork and beef haven’t made major appearances on the menu at Ben Shewry's Attica for some time now, but those interested in the macropod family will be pleased to see not just wallaby blood in the pikelets (think a sort of tea-time version of blini) but also salted raw red kangaroo with native bunya bunya nuts and purple carrot in the signature dish.
74 Glen Eira Rd, Ripponlea, Victoria, 3185
+61 3 9530 0111
http://attica.com.au/#!home
No.31 Alléno Paris au Pavillon Ledoyen, Paris, France
Avocado
One of Paris's oldest and most prestigious restaurants, Pavillon Ledoyen was given a new lease of life when Yannick Alléno took the helm in 2014 and introduced boundary-pushing modern French cuisine. The restaurant is this year’s Highest New Entry, sponsored by Aspire Lifestyles.
8 Avenue Dutuit, 75008 Paris
+33 1 53 05 10 00
http://www.yannick-alleno.com
No.30 Arzak, San Sebastian, Spain
Pistol of chocolate (image: Jose Lopez)
The restaurant situated at the top of a hill in San Sebastian has been in the Arzak family for generations, but it was charismatic Juan Mari who revived the menu to make it what it is today. The venerable chef still oversees the kitchen while his talented daughter Elena runs daily operations.
Av Alcalde Elósegui, 273, 20015 San Donostia-San Sebastián, Guipúzcoa
+34 943 278 465
https://www.arzak.info/index.php
No.29 Le Calandre, Rubano, Italy
Smoked eel risotto
Brothers Massimiliano and Raffaele Alajmo inherited the Paduan restaurant from their parents and have spent the last decade and a half perfecting it to create something very special. Massimiliano’s domain is the kitchen, with older brother Raffaele overseeing Le Calandre’s dining room and heavyweight wine list.
Via Liguria 1, 35030 Sarmeola di Rubano, Padua
+39 049 630303
https://www.alajmo.it/
No.28 Nahm, Bangkok, Thailand
Minced fermented fish
With a reputation for research-driven recipes, chef David Thompson is dedicated to understanding Thai ingredients and techniques and evolves them into masterpieces. Hailing from Australia, with training in classical French cuisine, Thompson visited and fell in love with Thailand in the 1980s and his affection hasn’t waned.
27 South Sathorn Road, Thung Maha Mek, Sathon, Bangkok 10120
+66 2 625 3333
http://www.comohotels.com/metropolitanbangkok/dining/nahm
No.27 The Ledbury, London, UK
Pave chocolate
Originally from Australia, Brett Graham started cooking in his Newcastle (NSW) hometown at the age of 15. His early career highlight was a subsequent three year-stint with Liam Tomlin in Banc, Sydney, where he bagged the Josephine Pignolet Award, granting him a trip to the UK. Graham opened The Ledbury in west London when he was just 25.
127 Ledbury Road, Notting Hill, London W11 2AQ
+44 20 7792 9090
http://www.theledbury.com/
No.26 The Clove Club, London, UK
Trout tart
Formerly a supper club hosted in a London flat by owners Daniel Willis, Johnny Smith and chef Isaac McHale, The Clove Club took its permanent site at Shoreditch Town Hall in 2013 and quickly earned a reputation as one of the capital’s hottest restaurants.
380 Old Street, London EC1V 9LT
+44 020 7729 6496
http://thecloveclub.com/
No.25 Tickets, Barcelona, Spain
One of Albert Adrià's colourful creations
There’s no other tapas bar in the world quite like Tickets. In standard Adrià fashion, the eccentric 90-seat restaurant is converted into a culinary amusement park where Albert Adrià takes tapas to the cutting edge. Five small-plates bars and open kitchens surround the perimeter of the restaurant, each specialising in different preparation methods.
Avinguda Paral·lel 164, Barcelona 08015
+34 932 92 42 53
http://www.elbarriadria.com/ca
No.24 Amber, Hong Kong, China
Miyazaki wagyu beef, strip loin
In the storied world of fine dining, Amber stands out not just for its floor-to-ceiling fleet glass window proffering a panorama of the city. Executive chef Richard Ekkebus is a Dutchman who honed his craft with French culinary legends including Alain Passard and Pierre Gagnaire. At Amber he has developed a contemporary cooking style that puts the spotlight on pristine seasonal produce.
7/F The Landmark Mandarin Oriental, The Landmark, 15 Queen’s Road, Central, Hong Kong
+852 2132 0066
http://www.amberhongkong.com/
No.23 White Rabbit, Moscow, Russia
Crab, carrots, pike caviar and salted egg yolk
Chef Vladimir Mukhin is in the vanguard of a new wave of young Russian culinary talents. Known as much for his use of local, seasonal ingredients as for his charisma, Mukhin is making international waves and recently appeared in the 2017 series of Netflix’s Chef’s Table.
121099, Russia, Moscow, Smolenskaya Square, Building 3, 16th Floor
+7 495 66 33 999
http://www.whiterabbitmoscow.ru/ru/
No.22 Quintonil, Mexico City, Mexico
Cactus ceviche with beetroot and mandarin
Charismatic young chef Jorge Vallejo is a protégée of Pujol’s Enrique Olvera and has developed a fine reputation in Mexico and overseas. He runs operations with his wife Alejandra Flores, who oversees the discreet dining room.
Newton 55, Polanco, Mexico City
+52 55 5280 2680
http://www.quintonil.com/
No.21 Alinea, Chicago, USA
Flavors of Yellow (image: Matthew Gilson)
Alinea is not a restaurant, or at least not in the conventional sense. So say its founders, chef Grant Achatz and restaurateur Nick Kokonas. Instead, it continues to push the boundaries of a meal with dishes that are fun, emotional and provocative and blur the lines between art and food.
1723 North Halsted, Chicago, Illinois 60614
+1 312 867 0110
http://www.alinearestaurant.com/
No.20 Pujol, Mexico City, Mexico
Grilled fish taco, preserved lemon mayo, chile pasilla mixe adobo (image: Araceli Paz)
Celebrity chef-owner Enrique Olvera has taken Mexican food – from street to haute cuisine – and given it his own unique treatment. Using everything from chicatana flying ants to octopus and suckling pig, he brings out all the wonderful flavours of Mexico in fresh and sophisticated ways.
Tennyson 133, Polanco 11550, Mexico City
+52 55 5545 4111
https://www.pujol.com.mx/en/
No.19 Geranium, Copenhagen, Denmark
Razor clams (image: Claes Bech-Poulsen)
Noma may have hogged the headlines but Geranium has given René Redzepi's restaurant a run for its money as the hottest reservation in Copenhagen. Recently awarded three Michelin stars (before it closed in 2017, Noma had two), Rasmus Kofoed's terroir-driven cooking is taking Scandinavian cuisine in exciting new directions.
Per Henrik Lings Allé 4, 8. DK-2100 Copenhagen Ø
+45 6996 0020
http://www.geranium.dk/en/welcome
No.18 Narisawa, Tokyo, Japan
'Vergin'
Yoshihiro Narisawa left home at 19 and spent eight years cutting his teeth in some of Europe’s most venerated kitchens, including those of Joël Robuchon and Paul Bocuse. In 1996, he returned home to Japan and opened La Napoule in Kanagawa Prefecture. Seven years later in 2003, he moved to his current venue in Tokyo’s non-touristy district of Minami Aoyama and formed Les Créations de Narisawa. When the restaurant celebrated its eighth anniversary, it was renamed Narisawa.
Minami Ayoyama 2-6-15, Minato-ku, Tokyo, 107-0062
+81 3 5785 0799
http://narisawa-yoshihiro.com/
No.17 Le Bernardin, New York, USA
Crab shimon
One of the world's premier destinations for seafood lovers, Le Bernardin's menu teems with sparklingly fresh fish and shellfish, used in highly refined dishes.
155 West 51st St, New York, NY 10019
+1 212 554 1515
http://le-bernardin.com/
No.16 D.O.M., São Paulo, Brazil
Pirarucu (Amazonian fish) with açaí berry and pimenta-de-cheiro (aromatic chilli) (image: Wellington Nemeth)
Former punk and DJ Alex Atala ripped up the rule book in true rock 'n' roll style when he set up D.O.M. in 1999, fusing fine dining with wild and wonderful ingredients from the Amazon basin.
Rua Barão de Capanema, 549, Jardins, São Paulo
+55 11 3088 0761
http://domrestaurante.com.br/
No.15 Piazza Duomo, Alba, Italy
Pink risotto and prawns
Sourcing local produce is easy for chef Enrico Crippa thanks to his restaurant's location in the food paradise of Piedmont. Fassona beef, hazelnuts, chestnuts, white truffles and biodynamic produce from the chef's own farm are all used in inventive modern Italian dishes.
Piazza Risorgimento, 4, 12051 Alba
+39 0173 366167
http://www.piazzaduomoalba.it/it/
No.14 Restaurant André, Singapore
Foie gras jelly
Taiwan-born and French-trained chef André Chiang, who speaks French, Japanese, English and Mandarin, charted a high-flying career in Michelin star-decorated restaurants including Pierre Gagnaire, L’Atelier de Joël Robuchon, L’Astrance and Le Jardin des Sens before he set foot in Singapore. Apart from his eponymous restaurant, he is also a co-owner of Bincho and Burnt Ends, both in Singapore, Raw in Taipei and Porte 12 in Paris.
41 Bukit Pasoh Road, Singapore 089855
+65 6534 8880
http://restaurantandre.com/
No.13 Alain Ducasse au Plaza Athénée, Paris, France
Legumes du Chateau de Versailles (image: P Monetta)
Even living legends can move with the times, as shown by Alain Ducasse's decision to completely reinvent his Paris restaurant in 2014. The new approach focuses on healthy, environmentally friendly food with a menu that celebrates fish, vegetables and cereals.
25 Avenue Montaigne, 75008 Paris
+33 1 53 67 65 00
https://www.alainducasse-plazaathenee.com/en
No.12 Arpège, Paris, France
Celeri aux poires fumeees et citron confit (image: DosSantos_Lemone)
Arpège earned three Michelin stars in 1996 and has maintained all three ever since. Chef-owner Alain Passard still cooks at his restaurant almost every day and, despite his success, has not been tempted to open an offshoot.
84 Rue de Varenne, 75007, Paris
+33 1 47 05 09 06
http://www.alain-passard.com/en/
No.11 Blue Hill At Stone Barns, New York, USA
Sea urchin and kabocha (image: Daniel Krieger)
Set inside a beautiful barn on a working farm in upstate New York, Blue Hill at Stone Barns is a destination restaurant. But it’s not just about the stunning setting in Pocantico Hills – what has propelled the restaurant from No.48 to No.11 in The World’s 50 Best Restaurants this year is the simple, delicious, farm-fresh food that is transformed into ground-breaking dishes by talented chef Dan Barber.
630 Bedford Road, Tarrytown, Pocantico Hills, New York 10591
+1 914 366 9600
http://www.bluehillfarm.com/
No.10 Steirereck, Vienna, Austria
Viennese herb liqueur with pineapple and cucumber
It may, on paper, sound fairly traditional – family owned for generations, with a bias towards Austria’s rural Styrian region – but under the guidance of chef Heinz Reitbauer, Steirereck has become a byword for cutting-edge cooking rooted in the Austrian landscape.
Am Heuemarkt 2A/im Stadtpark, A-1030 Vienna
+43 713 31 68
http://steirereck.at/restaurant/
No.9 Mugaritz, San Sebastian, Spain
From bitter to sweet
Andoni Luis Aduriz, simply known as Andoni, is considered by many observers to be the natural heir to the title of Spain’s most pioneering chef after Ferran Adrià.
Aldura Aldea, 20, 20100 Errenteria, Gipuzkoa
+34 943 522 455
https://www.mugaritz.com/
No.8 Maido, Lima, Peru
'Chorito'
Maido, meaning ‘welcome’ in Japanese, is the flagship restaurant of chef Mitsuharu ‘Micha’ Tsumura, serving an inventive tasting menu of Peruvian-Japanese bites alongside à la carte options and a classic sushi counter. In a stylish room decorated with coloured ropes in the formation of the Japanese flag, it’s a popular setting for business dinners and special occasions, as well as for destination diners looking to sample Lima’s best offerings.
399 San Martin Street, Miraflores, Lima
+51 1 444 2568
http://maido.pe/
No.7 Gaggan, Bangkok, Thailand
Butterfly
There’s a reason why Gaggan has been named No.1 in Asia’s 50 Best Restaurants for three consecutive years and it’s all about reinvention and creativity. Chef Gaggan Anand has consistently transformed his tasting menu, developing conversation-starting dishes like the spherified Yoghurt Explosion and creating a dining experience that reflects the warmth of Thai hospitality in Bangkok.
68/1 Soi Langsuan, Ploenchit Road, Lumpini, Bangkok 10330
+66 2 652 1700
http://eatatgaggan.com/
No.6 Asador Etxebarri, Axpe, Spain
Beef chop
The draw of Asador Etxebarri is a combination of skilful barbecuing techniques, the talent of chef Victor Arguinzoniz, the exquisite rural setting, the deeply unpretentious atmosphere of the restaurant and, of course, the food. Oh, the food…
Plaza de San Juan 1, 48291 Atxondo, Bizkaia
+34 946 58 30 42
http://asadoretxebarri.com/
No.5 Central, Lima, Peru
Marine Soil (image: Cesar del Rio)
In its three years as The Best Restaurant in Latin America, Central has been, well, central to Lima’s transformation into one of the globe’s must-visit dining destinations, while chef Virgilio Martínez has led a new generation of Peruvian cooks.
Calle Santa Isabel 376, Miraflores, Lima
+51 1 242 8515
http://centralrestaurante.com.pe/
No.4 Mirazur, Menton, France
Cannelloni crab, avocado, grapefruit (image: Eduardo Torres)
In a stunning location on the French side of the Riviera, just moments from the Italian border, Mirazur is an idyllic spot to enjoy the food of the skilled chef Mauro Colagreco, which takes inspiration from his Argentine-Italian heritage as well as the local French region.
30 Avenue Aristide Briand, 06500 Menton
+33 4 92 41 86 86
http://www.mirazur.fr/
No.3. El Celler De Can Roca, Girona, Spain
Cuttlefish with sake lees and black rice
Twice ranked No.1 in the world, El Celler de Can Roca is located in the medieval city of Girona in Catalunya, northern Spain. A decade ago, the Roca family moved the restaurant just up the road from its original location to its current site – an airy, purpose-built contemporary space complete with a huge kitchen led by Joan Roca, with his brother Jordi the pastry chef and Josep as sommelier.
Calle Can Sunyer 48, 17007 Girona
+34 972 222 157
http://cellercanroca.com/index.htm
No.2. Osteria Francescana, Modena, Italy
Caesar salad in bloom (Paolo Terzi)
Nestled down a cobbled street in peaceful Modena, Osteria Francescana is the gem of Italian gastronomy that rose to the top of The World’s 50 Best Restaurants last year in the hands of talented chef Massimo Bottura. But it could have been very different – in its early days, the restaurant almost closed after conservative locals were resistant to Bottura’s daring approach to cooking.
Via Stella 22, 41121 Modena
+39 059 223912
http://www.osteriafrancescana.it/index.php
No.1. Eleven Madison Park, New York, USA
Celery root in a pig's bladder
It’s the perfect partnership of outstanding hospitality and exquisite food in an iconic setting in New York City that make Eleven Madison Park the No.1 in The World’s 50 Best Restaurants. Co-owners Will Guidara and Daniel Humm have put their lives into breaking down the walls between dining room and kitchen, making sure the customer experience is harmonious from start to finish.
11 Madison Avenue, New York 10010
+1 212 889 0905
http://www.elevenmadisonpark.com/
Now head to our YouTube channel to watch exclusive videos from the awards ceremony and restaurants, and follow us on Instagram, Facebook and Twitter for all the best photos, videos and interviews from the events.
Find out why restaurateurs Will Guidara and Daniel Humm are closing No.1 restaurant Eleven Madison Park in June for a major refurbishment.
