Have you been to one of the world’s best restaurants? This fall, The World’s Best 50 Restaurants, an organization that reflects the diversity of the world’s culinary landscape, did just that, ranked the top 50 restaurants around the globe.
Here’s everything that you need to know about their top 10 picks and how to get your name on the list.
10) The Chairman, Hong Kong, China
Dining at The Chairman is more than just a meal, it’s a historical experience. Featuring traditional Cantonese dishes, some of which date back over 2,000 years, every detail gives a nod to local culture and community. For example, fresh seafood is sourced from local fishermen, every sauce and condiment is created from scratch on-site, and The Chairman even has a local farm in nearby Sheung Shui for meat and eggs.
A quick look at their website and you’ll find that The Chairman believes in using, “The most pristine ingredients, the most befitting culinary skills, and the most appropriate sauces. Preparing every dish with love and care.”
9) Pujol, Mexico City, Mexico
Nestled in the heart of Mexico City, Pujol has been bringing culinary enthusiasts an intriguing and ever-changing menu since 2000. Committed to sharing the magic that is Mexican gastronomy, founder Chef Enrique Olvera and Jesús Durón have a passion for the nation’s unique flavors, cooking techniques, and traditions.
Guests who dine at Pujol can expect fresh options that change seasonally alongside a few signature dishes like Mole Madre, Mole Nuevo - a pair of dipping sauces that have been meticulously prepared (seriously, one is aged to perfection for 2,500 days).
8) Odette, Singapore
Inspired by the beauty of raw ingredients, the influence of Chef Julian’s grandmother Odette can be felt throughout the menu, art, and interior design of this noteworthy establishment. Diners can watch the chefs through a glass-enclosed kitchen as they meticulously craft each modern French dish with care and respect. The Odette team recommends pairing your meal with an accompanying fine wine for ultimate enjoyment.
Fun fact: Odette is located inside Singapore’s National Gallery complex, a public institution and museum dedicated to art and culture.
7) Madio, Lima, Peru
Serving what head chef and owner Mitsuharu “Micha” Tsumura calls Peruvian Nikkei cuisine, Madio specializes in crafting mouth-watering dishes made from Peruvian ingredients prepared using Japanese techniques.
So what exactly does that look like? Madio’s popular 12-course “Nikkei Experience” features a variety of flavors including Paracas scallops paired with green butter beans, beef cheek with a side of tsukemono and jora corn, and a sweet treat for dessert of lucuma ice cream dotted with soy sauce and macambo foam.
6) Frantzén, Stockholm, Sweden
With dishes that are almost too pretty to eat, Frantzén is second to none when it comes to food presentation. Dainty serving sizes are paired with delicate touches like flower petals, carefully placed garnishes, the perfect smattering of sauces, and seasonings that are sprinkled just so.
What’s more, Frantzén offers a unique dining experience where guests are encouraged to explore their surroundings as they’re served a series of dishes while touring the multi-level property.
5) Disfrutar, Barcelona, Spain
English for “enjoy”, Disfrutar is described by The World’s 50 Best as, “a thrilling contemporary experience orchestrated by a talented trio of chefs.” 2021 isn’t the first year that Disfrutar made the Top 50 list, in fact, the restaurant was ranked number 18 a few years ago in 2018.
Disfrutar is all about bringing unexpected combinations and flavors to diners, this is one of the reasons that the staff recommends choosing from the menu without reading the fine details. Examples of past dishes include panchino filled with caviar and sour cream and multi-spherical pesto served with pistachios and eel.
4) Central, Lima, Peru
Central aims to reconnect visitors with each other and with their roots through the power of food. Each unique ingredient represents more than meets the eye, instead, they urge you to connect with Peru’s inimitable landscapes, cultures, traditions, and history. Designed to encapsulate the stories of local people, each dish that Central serves is truly something special.
Central is run by husband-wife team Virgilio Martínez and Pía León who own two other restaurants, Mil and Kjolle.
3) Asador Etxebarri, Atxondo, Spain
Set in the scenic foothills of Atxondo, Spain, Asador Etxebarri wows as diners indulge in top-tier dishes paired with a stunning mountain view. Interestingly, owner and head chef, Victor Arguninzoniz grew up in the very same village that Asador Etxebarri calls home. Arguinzoniz taught himself to cook over an open flame before buying the restaurant from his father and uncle several years later.
Today, Arguinzoniz still uses that very same barbecue technique and every dish served at Asador Etxebarri is cooked over a grill, even dessert. While he uses the same technique that he did as a boy, the grills have evolved as Arguinzoniz personally designed each grill at Asador Etxebarri for an optimized cooking experience. What’s more, the coals Arguinzoniz and his team use are made from a variety of woods like holm oak and vine trunks to help add unique flavors to each dish.
2) Geranium, Copenhagen, Denmark
Situated on the 8th floor of Copenhagen’s Common Gardens, Geranium offers a fabulous view of the surrounding foliage and the city’s historic skyline. An ideal location as, according to their website, the restaurant aims to, “explore the area of tension between the urbane and the natural.”
Geranium offers a stunning 16-course menu that changes seasonally to allow for the freshest ingredients. Take for example the restaurant’s 2021 fall selection Autumn Universe which kicked off with Jerusalem artichoke leaves and pickled walnut, followed by fresh squid paired with smoked lard and potatoes, and finally, quail served with berries, thyme seeds, and pickled pine.
1) Noma, Copenhagen, Denmark
Ranking as number one is Noma, a Copenhagen-based establishment that continues to inspire chefs around the world with its signature New Nordic Cuisine and imaginative tasting menus. Always evolving, Noma has three menus depending upon the time of year - seafood season runs January through June, Veggie season runs throughout the summer, and game and forest hail supreme in the winter.
A meal at Noma is downright exciting because no experience is ever the same. Each ingredient is hand-foraged by the team so you never know what you’re going to get. A few fan-favorites from the past include vegetarian celeriac shawarma, sweet crab meat served atop a flatbread shaped like a crab, and fried cod collar with crème fraiche and caviar.
However, with such notoriety, it comes as no surprise that snagging a table at Noma is no easy task. If you want to experience the culinary magic for yourself be sure to subscribe to the restaurant’s newsletter for regular updates.
You can read about all 50 of the world’s best restaurants here.
About the Author
comments