The World’s 50 Best Restaurants – 2016 awards

For the first time ever an Italian restaurant has claimed top spot of Best Restaurant in the World in the annual The World’s 50 Best Restaurants. Chef Massimo Bottura won the coveted award for Modena’s Osteria Francescana. Quirky dishes such as “eel swimming up the Po river” and “tribute to Thelonius Monk” managed to knock previous best restaurant El Celler de Can Roca in Spain off the top spot.

Bottura’s creations are heavily influenced by art and music (particularly Jazz) and three elegant rooms that make up the dining space are adorned with high-quality, contemporary artworks. This remains very much a  luxurious fine dining  establishment, but recalibrated for the current era. Bottura also founded ‘Food for Soul’ – a non-profit project earlier this year in a bid to fight hunger and food wastage.

With regards the British contingent, Heston Blumenthal’s Dinner plunged from a prestigious top 10 position (No 7) to No 45 but Brett Graham’s The Ledbury in Notting Hill remains firmly in the Top 20. The resplendent and grand The Clove Club EC1, came in at a very respectable No 26.

The award ceremony was held in New York, also for the first time. The selection is based on the votes submitted by a group of over 1,000 highly influential food experts, writers, chefs and restaurateurs who comprise The Diners Club® World’s 50 Best Restaurants Academy.

Here now is the current list:

#1. Osteria Francescana, Modena, Italy
Chef: Massimo Bottura
Last year’s rank: 2

2. El Celler de Can Roca, Girona, Spain
Chef: Joan Roca

3. Eleven Madison Park, New York City
Chef: Daniel Humm
Last year’s rank: 5

4. Central, Lima
Chef: Virgilio Martinez and Pia Leon
Last year’s rank: 4

5. Noma, Copenhagen
Chef: René Redzepi
Last year’s rank: 2

6. Mirazur, Menton, France
Chef: Mauro Colagreco
Last year’s rank: 11

7. Mugaritz, Errenteria, Spain
Chef: Andoni Luis Aduriz
Last year’s rank: 6

8. Narisawa, Tokyo
Chef: Yoshihiro Narisawa
Last year’s rank: 8

9. Steirereck, Vienna, Austria
Last year’s rank: 15

10. Asador Etxebarri, Axpe, Spain
Last year’s rank: 13

11. D.O.M., Sao Paolo.

12. Quintonil, Mexico City.

13. Maido, Lima, Peru.

14. The Ledbury, London.

15. Alinea, Chicago.

16. Azurmendi, Larrabetzu, Spain.

17. Piazza Duomo, Alba Italy.

18. White Rabbit, Moscow.

19. L’arpege, Paris.

20. Amber, Hong Kong.

21. Arzak, San Sebastian, Spain.

22. Test Kitchen, Cape Town South Africa.

23. Gaggan, Bankgok, Thailand.

24. Le Bernardin, New York City.

25. Pujol, Mexico City. 

26. The Clove Club, London.

27. Saison, San Francisco.

28. Geranium, Copenhagen.

29. Tickets, Barcelona.

30. Astrid y Gaston, Lima, Peru.

31. RyuGin, Tokyo.

32. Restaurant Andre, Singapore.

33. Attica, Melbourne, Australia.

34. Restaurant Tim Raue, Berlin.

35. Vendome, Bergisch Gladbach, Germany.

36. Borago, Santiago, Chile.

37. Nahm, Bangkok.

38. De Librije, Zwolle, the Netherlands.

39. Le Calandre, Italy.

40. Relae, Copenhagen.

41. Faviken, Sweden.

42. Ultraviolet, Shanghai.

43. Biko, Mexico City.

44. Estela, New York.

45. Dinner by Heston Blumenthal, London.

46. Combal.Zero, Rivoli, Italy.

47. Schloss Schauenstein, Austria.

48. Blue Hill at Stone Barns, Pocatino Hills, New York.

49. QuiQue Dacosta, Denia, Spain.

50. Septime, Paris.

 

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