The World’s 50 Best Restaurants – Have You Been?

As travelers, we often have the opportunity to eat at some pretty amazing places. As a foodie, I find myself trying to visit new, unique and highly rated restaurants around the world. Each year, a list of the world’s top 50 restaurants is published by The World’s 50 Best Restaurants

50 best

This year a friend pointed out that one of the restaurants we ate at in Thailand was rated #32 in the world. That got me thinking, how many of the top 50 restaurants have I been to? Out of the 50 listed below, I have had the opportunity to eat at 9. Some of them well worth the visit, others….a bit overrated.

As with any list, I wonder how some of these are selected and why others aren’t rated as highly. Out of the 9 top 50 restaurants I’ve visited, none are my favorite restaurants I’ve ever eaten at.

How many of these have you visited? Are any your top-rated or favorites?

No.1
EL CELLER DE CAN ROCA – GIRONA, SPAIN

No.2
NOMA – COPENHAGEN, DENMARK

No.3
OSTERIA FRANCESCANA – MODENA, ITALY

No.4
MUGARITZ – SAN SEBÁSTIAN, SPAIN

No.5 – ELEVEN MADISON PARK – NEW YORK, USA
I ate at Eleven Madison Park last year. It was delicious. I can understand why it’s on the list.

No.6
D.O.M – SÃO PAULO, BRAZIL

No.7
DINNER BY HESTON BLUMENTHAL, LONDON, ENGLAND
I joined a colleague at Dinner in 2011. It’s a very, very high-priced experience, but a great treat. Be prepared to shell out a small fortune for some amazing food.

No.8
ARZAK – SAN SEBÁSTIAN, SPAIN

No.9
STEIRERECK – VIENNA, AUSTRIA

No.10
VENDÔME – BERGISCH GLADBACH, GERMANY

No.11
PER SE – NEW YORK, USA
It only took me about a year to get reservations – but man, was it worth it. Per Se lives up to its reputation. Again, not a cheap meal – in fact, very expensive – but an experience like non-other.

per se

No.12
FRANTZÉN / LINDEBERG – STOCKHOLM, SWEDEN

No.13
THE LEDBURY – LONDON, ENGLAND

No.14
ASTRID Y GASTON – LIMA, PERU

No.15
ALINEA- CHICAGO, USA

No.16
L’ARPÈGE – PARIS, FRANCE

No.17
PUJOL – MEXICO CITY, MEXICO

No.18
LE CHATEAUBRIAND – PARIS, FRANCE

No.19
LE BERNARDIN – NEW YORK, USA
Le Bernadin is probably one of my all time favorite meals. I’ve been one time and it was unreal. If you have the opportunity, I highly recommend you go.

No.20
NARISAWA – TOKYO, JAPAN

No.21
ATTICA – MELBOURNE, AUSTRALIA

No.22
NIHNRYORI RYUGIN – TOKYO, JAPAN

No.23
L’ASTRANCE – PARIS, FRANCE

No.24
L’ATELIER SAINT-GERMAIN DE JOËL ROBUCHON – PARIS FRANCE

No.25
HOF VAN CLEVE KRUISHOUTEM, BELGIUM

No.26
QUIQUE DACOSTA – DENIA, SPAIN

No.27
LE CALANDRE – RUBANO, ITALY

No.28
MIRAZUR – MENTON, FRANCE

No.29
DANIEL – NEW YORK, USA

No.30
AQUA – WOLFSBURG, GERMANY

No.31
BIKO – MEXICO CITY, MEXICO

No.32
NAHM – BANGKOK, THAILAND
I have been to Nahm two times. Both times I was underwhelmed with the experience. The service is exceptional, but the food is not what you’d expect from a top 50 restaurant. Additionally, I’ve been his restaurants in Australia and I think the food is better there!

SONY DSC

No.33
THE FAT DUCK – BRAY, ENGLAND
I will be there next week – I’ll update my post following the visit

No.34
FÄVIKEN – JÄRPEN, SWEDEN

No.35
OUD SLUIS – SLUIS, NETHERLANDS

No.36
AMBER – HONG KONG, CHINA

No.37
VILLA JOYA – ALBUFEIRA, PORTUGAL

No.38
RESTAURANT ANDRE – SINGAPORE
I went to restaurant Andre, and blogged about it, this past December. It was good, and the food was very creative, but the prices were outrageous.

No.39
8½ OTTO E MEZZO BOMBANA – HONG KONG, CHINA

No.40
COMBAL.ZERO – RIVOLI, ITALY

No.41
PIAZZA DUOMO – ALBA, ITALY

No.42
SCHLOSS SCHAUENSTEIN – FÜRSTENAU, SWITZERLAND

No.43
MR & MRS BUND – SHANGHAI, CHINA

No.44
ASADOR ETXEBARRI – ATXONDO, SPAIN

No.45
GERANIUM – COPENHAGEN, DENMARK

No.46
MANI – SÃO PAULO, BRAZIL

No.47
THE FRENCH LAUNDRY – YOUNTVILLE, USA
The French Laundry is a great restaurant – it certainly deserves to be on the list of top 50 and in my mind, should be a lot higher – certainly above Nahm.

No.48
QUAY – SYDNEY, AUSTRALIA
I visited Quay in December 2011. My expectations were very high and yet I was not as impressed as I thought I’d be. The food was very good, but the service was terrible.

No.49
SEPTIME – PARIS, FRANCE

No.50
CENTRAL – LIMA, PERU

7 Comments on "The World’s 50 Best Restaurants – Have You Been?"

  1. And I bet most..if not allthese restaurants come with a huge check at the end of your meal. Expensive does not always mean great food and service. 😉

  2. @Nordicgal – yep as I noted below each of the restaurants I’ve been to…they were very pricey!

  3. Agree that French Laundry should be much higher on the list – best (and most expensive) meal of my life! I’m surprised there’s that much of a gap between it at Per Se (and that Per Se is ranked higher for that matter)

  4. Mugaritz served me the most disgusting meal I have ever eaten in my life. When we tried to give them honest feedback about the food, they weren’t hearing it. I have PTSD just thinking about it. I couldn’t eat the next day.

    My favorite restaurant, Alinea, is on the list. I also loved Arzak and French Laundry

  5. Been to Steirereck for a very memorable New Year’s Eve dinner! One of the best meals of my life – with wine and service outstanding as well. Kind of surprised it is so high on the list with one one Michellin star – but certainly worthy of being there.

  6. Lufthansa Flyer | May 1, 2013 at 8:35 am |

    Ledbury was/is fantastic

  7. The Mystery Traveler | May 4, 2013 at 2:42 am |

    @Wolfgang

    Glad to hear the comment about Steirereck, as I’m going later on this year. I’ve heard mostly good to great things about it, but it doesn’t seem all that expensive to some others on the list.

    Thinking about going to Alinea as well if I do make it to Chicago during the summer.

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