There are tens of thousands of fine dining restaurants around the world. How do you determine which of them are the best restaurants in the world? Well, all of the world’s top chefs, restaurant industry experts, food critics, and renowned gourmets gather every year to determine the top 50 best restaurants of the year.
Top 10 best restaurants in the world
In June, this year, the same group of people came together in the Spanish port city of Bilbao to pick the 50 best food joints of 2018 from around the globe. Here are the top 10 of them. Unsurprisingly, the list is dominated by European restaurants but all five continents were represented.
10- Asador Etxebarri AXPE, SPAIN
Noted Chef Victor Arguinzoniz is known for creating “explosive flavor from seemingly simple ingredients.” Asador Etxebarri is known for its Spanish wood-fired barbecue. Despite its popularity, the joint has a simple an “unpretentious” stone-adorned dining room.
9- Mugaritz, San Sebastian, Spain
Another Spanish restaurant has found its way into the world’s best. And it totally deserves the ranking. If you want a creative dining experience from one of the world’s best chefs, Mugaritz is the place to go. Chef Andoni Luis Aduriz has a knack for surprising his customers with unique creations.
8- Arpege, Paris, France
Chef Alain Passard has been near the top of his game for decades with three Michelin stars. Arpege was a meat institution until 2001, when Passard announced that it would become a 100% vegetarian restaurant. The fresh vegetables arrive daily from Alain Passard’s own farms. However, the restaurant has started serving meat in smaller quantities in recent years.
7- Maido, Lima, Peru
Maido was named the best restaurant in Latin America in 2017. This place is where chef Mitsuharu ‘Micha’ Tsumura creates and serves mouth-watering Japanese-Peruvian fusion delicacies. The restaurant emphasizes on sea food.
6- Central, Lima, Peru
Central was named the best restaurant in South America this year. Chefs Virgilio Martínez and Pía León traveled all across Peru for several years and used obscure ingredients to create their menu. Some of the most popular items on the menu are Extreme Stems and the Land of Corn.
5- Gaggan, Bangkok, Thailand
Gaggan is the first ever Asian restaurant to break into top five of the world’s best restaurants. It has also been the best Asian restaurant for four years in a row. It serves progressive Indian cuisine. Chef Gaggan Anand often throws away his entire menu and creates a new one from scratch. Gaggan has announced that he would shut down the restaurant in 2020, just ten years after opening it.
4- Eleven Madison Park, New York, USA
Eleven Madison Park was named the best restaurant in the world last year. Helmed by chef Daniel Humm, this restaurant’s plating has a minimalist, almost Nordic aesthetic. Eleven Madison Park was shut down temporarily for renovation. It reopened in October last year. Dining here is going to cost you upward of $300.
3- Mirazur, Menton, France
Mirazur jumped one spot from last year to occupy the third place this year. The restaurant not only offers a panoramic view overlooking the Mediterranean Sea but also has delicately flavored dishes. Much of the produce used here comes from chef Mauro Colagreco’s own backyard farm. The menu is rich in both vegetables and seafood.
2- El Celler de Can Roca, Girona, Spain
It was named the best restaurant in the world in 2015. The restaurant is run by three immensely talented brothers – Joan Roca, Jordi Roca, and Josef Roca. They learned the art of cooking from their parents. El Celler de Can Roca offers the “perfect pairing of food, dessert and wine.”
1- Osteria Francescana, Modena, Italy
Osteria Francescana has been named the world’s best restaurant once again, regaining the title they held in 2016. Chef Massimo Bottura dazzles his customers with innovative versions of classic Italian recipes. Most of his dishes also tell a story. For instance, he serves lacquered eel with saba and polenta to represent the corn and apples the eel would come across on its way to the Po river.
Being among the world’s best restaurants is a matter of pride and prestige. Getting reservations at these restaurants is incredibly difficult. Most of them allow bookings weeks or months in advance, and reservations are filled within minutes. So, if you are a big foodie who wants to tick all the above top 10 boxes, you need to get reservations well in advance.
