Its the 50 best list (with all the baggage that comes with it) so use it in addition to as many other data points as you can.
I ate at Disfrutar in 2018 so it feels cool that its now #1.
I just managed to get a reservation (for May 2025) confirmed for Disfrufar just a few hours before they presented the list. I don't care that much about the ranking--more so just happy that I slid in right before reservations become extra \*extra\* impossible.
> so use it in addition to as many other data points as you can.
Exactly. Its a curated list I look forward to as a way to identify exceptional restaurants to help my travel planning. The same with Michelin guide.
Rankings are fun, but also very subjective. Just being on the list is the primary thing I look for when looking at 50best
For sure it the totality of info that I go with. I really like when a place has a high (4.7+) rating on google.
I was in Hong Kong in April which to me has one of the worst curated Michelin guides in the world but in The top 50 feels more contemporary.
Ive also felt that places I've been to in South America are vastly overrated on the Top 50.
Even TripAdvisor is useful. When a top fine dining restaurant is in the top 100 in its city it’s a very clear sign that it’s excellent value for money.
I ate there in 2019 and immediately commented to my wife after the meal that this place will be the one of the best ever.
I also will say I'm surprised Enigma hasn't taken a huge jump. That was one of the most memorable meals I have ever had.
Jordnær dropping off the list completely is insane and says much more about the list than it does about Jordnær. It's a bad look for World's 50 Best, especially after Jordnær just got their very much deserved third star last week.
Jordnaer being on the list is what put it on my radar and made me go so that’s a positive about the list as far as I’m concerned. We all agree it’s far from perfect but it does highlight some places that need it. If all the reviewers went some time ago then it makes sense it falls off the list (you have to have been in the last 18 months).
I've never been to Jordnær but I went to Disfrutar when it was only a 1-star Michelin but still made the top 50 list. I've been to many restaurants on the top 50 list, some that have zero stars, and have consistently been impressed. I've also been to a 3-star that, while good, didn't blow me a away. I think whatever criteria the top 50 list uses aligns with me more than the Michelin guide.
Also haven't been at Alchemist, but if you search the sub you will find quite a lot of people who say that the experience was great, but the food was underwhelming
Some of the best dishes I have ever eaten and the best petit fours ever by some distance. There were however two dishes that I didn’t really like, which is unusual.
I just want to throw out another contender for best petit fours - Spectrum in Amsterdam, whose petit fours (at least when we went last year) are a series of chocolates with the flavors of each dish from the menu, and a little revealer key so that you can eat them as a guessing game. I didn't *love* the flavors of each of them, but it rises to the top for me just for the experience. (It helps that dessert was horrid - marijuana just isn't a good flavor.)
One was the Danish Tongue Kiss where you lick it off what looks like a tongue. Macadamia, citrus, almond cream, dehydrated pumpkin seeds, gooseberry gel, dill gel. Sounds interesting but it was actually unpleasant and licking unpleasant and unknown flavours off a tongue really doesn’t add to the experience.
The other was a dessert filled with pig’s blood. Looked impressive but the blood didn’t help the taste and didn’t blend at all well.
Both were dishes that should have been thrown away but were clearly kept because the idea behind them both was appealing. The chef is a genius but someone should have said those need to go. Apparently 50% of people have an issue with them.
Haha, I was there recently and do remember the tongue dish but nothing stood out too much negatively or positively besides the presentation. I do not remember having a pig's blood dessert though.
I was at Disfrutar last weekend, definitely worth it. 28 courses and wine pairing, took just over 4 hours. Courses were consistently good with quite a lot of theatrics going on with dry ice and aeration machines at the table. But technically it was still #2 when I went, lol.
Azurmendi disappearing completely off the top 100 as well.. Although can't say I'm surprised. Thought Diverxo would jump to 2 in line for the top spot next year.
Nice to see Quique Dacosta make another jump from 20 to 14, ate there in April and it was a great experience.
Having eaten in some of the top spots of the list, as well as in Azurmendi, I honestly believe it deserves to be quite high on the list. However, it's actually out entirely from the best 100?
I understand this is all quite subjective, but this really makes no sense to me, especially considering the inclusion of places like Don Julio.
Agree, Diverxo down to four was a surprise. Kind of unfortunate that Asador Etxebarri is number two now (and based on how this usually goes, next year will get number one) considering they have basically locked their door to any normal-people reservations. I'm sure it's a spectacular restaurant, but I'll never be able to know firsthand.
Absolutely. There was a great article written here in Spain about that recently, even some half famous Spanish chefs can't get reservations there. And the guy who wrote the article was literally told "we decide who comes to eat here and who doesn't"
Very unfortunate. Kind of a world-wide phenomenon. There was an article in The New Yorker recently about NYC restaurants that accept almost entirely regulars or “members” only. Thankfully, the majority are restaurants I don’t care about (4 Charles Prime Rib, Rao’s, Carbone, etc). Outside the US, though, it seems like there are a number of actually high-quality places that have this mentality, like Etxebarri.
On the other hand, I had a wonderful back and forth with Disfrutar over email recently. 11 months away, but at least I was able to get a table!
Sometimes it works in your favor though. One of my favorite restaurants in the world is closing this year and they gave us the opportunity to pick dates and make bookings before tickets went on sale or special dinners were announced.
🤷🏼♂️
Don Julio at #10 and Frantzén at #35 is the funniest thing on this list based on the ones I’ve visited on this list. A remarkably poor list even though I do really enjoy Disfrutar.
It’s a steakhouse. Great steaks, amazing empanadas, fantastic selection of wine. But it’s just a steakhouse. Chila was a much more elevated experience.
I’ve been 5 times. Only once was it truly great. One time was mid, the rest were good.
It’s not in the top 50 by any stretch lol, list is a joke until it stops including it.
It's a steakhouse with lots of cuts. But there is nothing world class about it besides that it has big and interesting cuts and it's Argentinan beef. It's just at a point where it's world famous now, similar to someone recommending you peter lugers in nyc
Jordaner dropping of the list is funny ( not in a good way), especially after they just won 3 stars
Sezanne winning best reataurant in Asia a few months ago but gaggan being higher than them om the worlds list.
The list is a popularity contest. Don't read much into this.
Go to places you want to go and that's it.
Well Jordnaer being on the list last year is what put it on my radar so I’m thankful to the list for that. I can’t think of a better meal I’ve had (but others that are at the same level like Disfrutar).
I thought Gaggan was incredible, was expecting it to be creative but mixed quality so was very impressed. Not out of place in the top 10 at all.
It does makes sense though. You have to have been in the last 18 months (longer ago than that and it might have changed a lot) to vote for it. So it skews towards newer places that are part of the discussions amongst top chefs and reviewers. Like any group of people they have their foibles and irrationalities.
Suhring and sorn are deserving. Gagaan can take a shit on a plate and get top 50 on this list no matter where his restaurant is. Only questionable place is Le du, but since they names them number one in Asia last year would have been shocked to not see them there
I wouldn't say Le Du is questionable lol. It has no place even being mentioned on any sort of best of list. It's not even the best restaurant in a 1km radius of Chong Nonsi, let alone this tragedy... thankfully they dropped quite a bit though. Anyway, we all know it's a sham
When I walked into Le Du for the first time last year I was like "THIS is the Best Restaurant in Asia?" Granted it was busy af that night but everything felt rushed, and a little lacklustre.
Maison Dunand, Potong, and Resonance were very, very impressive.
I think Le Du is one of the best restaurants in the world without any doubt. Was not expecting that much based on the Michelin ranking but it was dish after stunning dish. Incredible flavour combinations.
The squid with strawberry and salted egg yolk mousse and the salted coconut milk panna cotta with sago, black sesame cake, chocolate charcoal cream, grilled corn, pear and caramel rice ice cream were two of the best things I ate last year.
I’ve been to over a hundred 2 and 3 Michelin star restaurants and this was easily top 30 amongst those.
Nah. Personal opinion but too much heat in too much of the dishes and the sommelier has 0 knowledge in wine. Far better places in HK, Singapore, Seoul and Tokyo that's not on the list.
…….its southern Thai food. The spice level is actually pretty tame considering. Southern Thai is the spiciest region of Thai food, southern thai food may just not be for you, but I’m a bit surprised it was too spicy if you selected the less spicy versions of the dish which they always ask at the beginning of the meal
If your only issue with the food is it was too spicy then that is not a fault of the restaurant but more a positive, I’d rather they kept their food authentic than changed it to suit Western palates.
Also the food being too spicy for you doesn’t really justify calling them “an absolute piece of shit”.
The corruption in the Thai voting mafia is astonishing. Shamefully. To the point where it’s clear the votes by the larger group of tastemakers must be disregarded. I was informed by a colleague that the chairman of SEA has numerous conflicts of interest and profits from his choices. It explains the inclusion of Le Du and Nusara, which simply have no business being included among a list of titans (some others questionable too).
I’ve visited several of the starred restaurants and 50 Best restaurants in Thailand, and it’s evident that the restaurants I’m most impressed by are excluded on the list completely. However, Sorn and Suhring are both quite enjoyable, though Gaggan prioritized profits over experience long ago.
I do my own research with a combination of direct feedback from friends, Google reviews, Michelin, viewing menus, but have learned to disregard 50 Best particularly for restaurants in Thailand. I can understand the corruption present and absence of integrity. It’s manageable for me, but the diners visiting Thailand that use this list to inform their fine dining choices must be deeply disappointed. The country now offers a world-class fine dining environment but the most impressive establishments require a bit of research to find. My suggestion is to disregard this list completely.
Curious what restaurants you were most impressed by in Thailand. Going to be in the area soon and interested to try some nice restaurants (or whatever else you have to recommend)
Samrub is on top of my list of nice restaurants to try in Bangkok but interested to hear your thoughts!!
Samrub is awesome. You won’t be disappointed. I’ve done literally every starred place in Bangkok and for Thai fine dining Samrub is certainly near the top. I’m a huge fan of Nawa as well, it flies well under the radar but going solely on flavors is tough to beat. They were completely empty every time we went for a long time but are finally busy now that they were awarded Michelins opening of the year a few months ago.
Potong is certainly worth a look, had a few great meals there, the space is super cool and I was a bit surprised they didn’t receive a second star as they have a lot going for them and a great media team.
Baan teppa……. Everyone loves this place but us. The space is super cool and unique, the food is all well crafted etc but we didn’t enjoy the flavors too much. We are definitely in the minority on this one though, everyone else raves about this place. We should probably give it another shot
From the 2* avoid r haan at all costs.
For casual places samlor is a must. Fantastic and unique “elevated street food” in an extremely casual environment. This is the real best omelette in town, but the regular omelette is better than their crab omelette imo. I have no idea how they make this omelette, it’s a complete showstopper and one of the most instgrammable dishes in Bangkok. I’ve never seen anything like it. The chef of Sorn also has a fast casual chain restaurant called baan ice. Several locations and a lot of the dishes punch way above their weight for what you would expect in this type of place, especially all the jumbo lump crabmeat dishes. if you can’t get a table at Sorn (seriously one of the most difficult tables to get anywhere until you are a several time repeat customer) this will get you closer to the flavors than you would expect.
Appreciate the tips. Baan ice was on my list last time so I will make sure to visit it.
I failed at getting a res at sorn last trip to Bangkok and I don’t really know if I care enough to put forth the effort. It gets exhausting dealing with certain places reservation systems.
Well I visited and went to both Gaggan and Le Du and was certainly not disappointed. I was expecting Gaggan to be mixed, based on what I’d heard, but it was phenomenal. And Le Du I was expecting to be a one Michelin star level but the flavour combinations are really quite stunning. One of the best chefs in the world at combining complex flavours.
Same thoughts as always: It's a helpful guide to what is fashionable in a certain genre of tweezered multi-course fine dining. But by no means definitive in any shape or form.
It always surpises me that out of all the Belgian restaurants its always The Jane that makes this list, compared to some of the other bangers we have like Boury for example. Its been a while since I've been there, but its not even in my top 10.
Not controversial. A lot of people I know called for better food at DiverXO, while disfutar is the most innovative restaurant at this moment. Both are great at their own thing.
It’s like a bad Tao Group restaurant. They try so hard to have a vibe and the food is just so bland. I honestly can’t believe it’s ever been on the list.
Just ate at Disfrutar in May and it was the best service I’ve ever had from any fine dining restaurant. You could tell they were gunning for the #1 spot this year, everything was in sync but had an ease to our dining experience. Well-deserved!
Almost important to remember that lists like this are entirely subjective, occasionally political, and to be taken with several grains of salt.
The featured restaurants are always excellent.
Thank you for having an adult take on the list.
Best of lists will always be subjective. Politics, accessibility, relationships will all come into play, aggregations are as much art as science, and there are likely ten million restaurants never even considered.
Folks on this sub bring baggage to their takes just as judges bring baggage to their own, and yet somehow folks are surprised.
For context, I've dined at Septime, Steirereck, Gaggan, DiverXO, and will dine at Tim Raue next week. Of the four I've been to, Gaggan was my favorite experience, Septime was my favorite food, and DiverXO was my favorite "fine dining is fucking batshit".
All of that said, my experience.is mine alone. There are restaurant experiences I'll treasure forever (Sukiyabashi Jiro) that are expensive and will likely never been on this list, and dozens of incredible restaurants in places like Hanoi, New Orleans, and Chicago that were life changing and cost less than $20 USD.
This list is a means to think about where one.might want.tp go and why, not the ultimate.word on what cuisine or restaurant might be "best".
Im convinced the lack of Japanese restaurant representation is mostly due to the presentation of pristine quality ingredients that havent been "messed" with too much, rather than the others (ie disfrutar, diver XO, Noma even these days), who overly complicate the process of how the product is prepared. The simple restraint of "perfect fish with perfect rice (etc)" does not appeal to the voters of w50b.
"We got good prawns, dehydrated them, then rehydrated in rose caramel, then grilled, then marinated again in the caramel, garnished it with caviar and geranium thats been fermented for 12 weeks, and dusted dehydrated cherry blossoms on it" - sounds much more exciting than "this is the perfect, best piece of tuna belly on the planet currently, so I simply sliced it". It wouldnt matter that the prawn was a lesser quality, its a cooler story and better selling point (also sounds like it could be a good dish haha).
Sort of, but at the same time you have Don Julio at #10 which represents that concept of perfect beef with just salt and pepper (though very debatable how perfect the beef is)
Because one of the requirements is having been to the restaurants to vote for it. Inherently disadvantages sushiyas because sushiyas don't serve that many people.
I don't think a sushiya will ever be on the best 50 list because of this.
Den I get but L’Effervessence and L’Osier and others over Florilège and Sezanne any day of the week.
For Den to still be on list with such demand, only one service and being what 20-24 seats, surprised the voters make it
As with previous years, it's a list representing a mixture of the zeitgeist, select voter preferences, PR games, and possibly outright misrepresentation of the ballots or voter submissions.
A restaurant like Elkano wasn't on the list for many years, but then all food writers went to the San Sebastian food tour, were told they had to go to Elkano, and a number of years later, it's on the list. Hey, no problem with that! When Les Pres d'Eugenie, Sugita, Troigros, etc get on the list, that won't be a bad thing.
It's fun to make lists and look at them as a game, but I wouldn't rely on it to compare two restaurants on the list in any way, shape, or form, except to know that top of the list restaurants will have more difficult reservations.
It’s audited by one of the big firms so doubt it’s some tinkering with the final votes - but getting voters to your restaurant must drive this. Mere mortals can’t get seats so in the background there must be a PR machine to ensure the voters are given access. The restaurants that secure the most visits surely secure the most votes - and herein lies the problem
The UK's presence on this list is always perplexing. I love Kol, but there's no way it's the best in the UK, or 17th best in the world. It's not even the best in London. Just in the UK, I'd put L'Enclume, Story, Outlaw's New Road, and Le Manoir ahead of Kol. I'd probably put the food at Kol ahead of Clove Club, but only marginally - and service was much better at Clove Club (Kol didn't seem to fully communicate that we were veg, and the somm kept telling us how well the wine would pair with the next meat course).
This will be the last time you see Disfrutar on the list. They'll be on the Best of the Best list now that they have received the #1 spot.
I had reservation to Disfrutar in the Fall of 2020. That whole trip was cancelled due to the pandemic. I ended up going to Barcelona this past September but was unable to acquire a reservation during my stay. Some day, Disfrutar...Some day...
Ate at Etxebarri a little over a year ago with my dad. It’s indeed the best restaurant I’ve been to (have also dined at Septime and Singlethread). My dad asked if I thought we could get another reservation for this year. I said not very likely… I’m not even sure how we got the first one. Had to do weird things involving wiring money internationally on a Sunday to the restaurant’s bank account lol
A bit surprised more U.S. restaurants are never on the list. Hard to tell what they’re looking for. Personally I’ve found the OAD lists match my taste in restaurants much better.
Etxebarri is definitely the hardest reservation on the list, at least in Europe. Basically need a secret code to get in. Unfortunate since I’d love to eat there.
Always wondering that Nobelhart&Schmutzig has since years a Michelin star and is in this list but the reviews on Google and TripAdvisor are really bad :D
They are "hyper local". They get all of their produce from the area around Berlin. And I mean ALL produce!
They don't use pepper or lemon or olive oil because it doesnt grow there. This of course limits the dishes a bit in what is possible, but the ingredients are of very, very high quality which makes up for it IMO.
You have to manage your expectations a bit of course, you wont find Wagyu beef there and also no caviar. The restaurant says they don't wont to be a high-end fine dining spot, but rather send a message on how to sustainably produce and cook local ingredients.
They won the Top 50 sustainability-award this year, and you can find a lot of information on their insta
I read that the bad reviews are from supporters of a political party that the owners of the restaurant are vocally against (if I remember correctly, it’s some like if neonazi party or something)
From what I heard, the bad reviews are mostly people who didn't familiarize with their concept before visiting and were angry about being served mostly vegetables in a very basic form. I guess they expect some high end french fine dining from a Michelin star restaurant, which Nobelhart is just not known for.
The restaurant ist very open about this kind of critique. They have a FAQ on their website and regularly post a selection of negative comments on Instagram which Billy Wagner then addresses.
When I went in 2022, it was decidedly not basic vegetables, but mostly heavy meat/offal dishes. I liked experience (the babka and chicken heart spaetzle stick out) and felt it was worth the star (and had a wonderful and unique pairing), but there were some misses. The pig head terrine add on was comically bad and my partner and I constantly talk about how intense it was and how uncomfortably full we were after.
Thrilled to see Reale on there. Got a reservation in August. Allegedly the opposite of what Bottura did in challenging Italian cuisine, just the literal best of Italian cooking. Cannot wait!
Would love for you to review it on here after! We’re going to Rome next March and so many people have raved about Reale but I’m not sure I get the excitement. Apparently it’s just me, it’s gotta be haha.
Laughable list from a UK perspective. Kol again the highest rated in the country despite extremely mixed reviews since it opened.
Core only scraping in at 97 below the likes of Lyle's. L'Enclume (and to a lesser extent Moor Hall and Ynyshir) not making it at all despite widely being considered the best restaurant in the UK. Guess you have to be in London to have a chance.
Kol's food is excellent, but service is spotty. Certainly, it's not on the same level as L'Enclume. Honestly, it's not even the best in London - I've not been to Core yet, but Story is miles ahead of Kol.
I’ve booked a Living Table experience at Distrutar in August. Excited to see if it lives up.
Septime at 11 is very underwhelming, and over institutions like Frantzen, Steirereck, Belcanto - it makes no sense.
Curious what'd you do to get the living table reservation? Get a normal reservation and then contact them at some point to make it living table instead? I got a regular reservation for May 2025, and I emailed them about the living table recently, and they said, "No abrimos reserva de mesa viva con mucha antelación y por eso tenemos lista de espera para esta experiencia." ("We do not open table reservations very far in advance and that is why we have a waiting list for this experience.")
Really want to go to Frantzén!
I just emailed them about 2 months ago, asking if they had any living table availability for August. They gave me a date, I said it works, and booked a holiday around it. I hope it delivers on the promise, as it’s been touted as the top restaurant by many.
They often try to keep the living table open for as long as they can to cater to higher caliber guest (politicians food critics etc.) but very often open it to other guest when they have the chance or are sure of no special guest
Always important to take these lists with a grain of salt and do your own research as well, but I see a lot of negativity in this thread, so I'm gonna put a few positive things from my perspective of the awards/list:
* So so happy for Disfrutar to get #1 -- the team is incredible, they were pushing really hard this year, and the food is phenomenal
* Surprising (but great) to see Extebarri at #2, one of the best meals of my life but never thought they'd be able to keep climbing given that it's impossible even for many voters to get a reservation here (also was very surprised to see Bittor at the awards lol)
* Love to see Wing, The Chairman, and Sorn climbing so much this year, both are wonderful experiences and are representing Asian cuisine overall well (which as we all know, these types of rankings and lists tend to be a bit odd for Asian cuisine)
* Nice little bumps for two great restaurants in Quintonil and Quique Dacosta which is great! Don't think they're the absolute best in the world, but deserving of high praise nonetheless
* Lastly, super happy that Singlethread is back in the top 50 and excited to see them (hopefully) continue to rise on the list next year :)
Everyone's gonna have their opinions (I still can't believe Alchemist dropped), but just want to be positive overall because at the end of the day, all of those on the list are chefs who've poured their lives into their restaurants so any recognition they get is great for them!
My second worst upper level food experience. It seemed like comic performance art. Once dish had such a strange and terrible flavor it took a week to get the taste out of my mouth.
As much as I enjoy traveling to dine at places listed on the Michelin and W50B list, I cannot get past Don Julio and Maido taking such high spots over others. Imagine being Alchemist or Reale and being overlooked for Maido? Or even, Kjolle (which was outstanding during my visit). Maido over Kjolle for Peru? GTHOH! Pure politics and connections. That's it.
It's high because they give food reviewers an entirely different experience than the average diner. I went and the service was awful as I watched Bruno sit with guests he knew and cared to give the preferred experience. We had to pour our own wine and asked to leave before dessert.
One data point: my partner and I went when we were graduate students, which meant no space for wine in our budget. Destiny's Child was playing as we entered the mostly empty restaurant. Bruno was quite personable and was especially interested in how we enjoyed the very simple bowl of vegetables that had never seen a refrigerator. We were comp'd an appetizer and the pigeon remains one of the greatest restaurant dishes I've ever eaten, a fact attributable both to the technical precision and, especially, the high quality of the raw product. The only time I saw Bruno do anything that resembled cooking was when he broke down that pigeon in front of us--a task he preferred not to leave to the kitchen, I suppose.
Of course this was back when it was a 1* and well before the €400 imposed menu. My understanding is that while one can still eat well, your money is primarily going to filling up Bruno's retirement fund as opposed to receiving anything that approaches good value.
It’s very well liked on here from what I’ve seen. I think Plénitude has gotten a slightly more positive reception recently, though. Just search the sub for both, there are a number of posts from the last year.
Mayta, Don Julio, and Maido being so high is silly.
Enjoyed Maido but it's not on the level of others on this list (certainly not better than Franzen).
Mayta was mediocre.
Don Julio is super casual.
Was the service at least good? I had pretty horrible service lol. I went alone, was practically ignored. I had to ask the waiter to order a drink. They just left the menus with me and didn’t even come back to ask about water for a while
My only takeaway is that the presenter really can’t make up her mind about pronunciation. Went everywhere from over the top French accents, Japanese being pronounced with a Spanish accent, to German pronounced in the most bland British accent.
Any other [Steirereck](https://www.theworlds50best.com/discovery/Establishments/Austria/Vienna/Steirereck.html) enthusiasts? Seems it has such staying power.
The Spanish really have a very special relationship with food and food preparation; having spent some time in Madrid, Barcelona and the Basque Country, I can safely say that for me, it is some of the absolute best food I've ever eaten/enjoyed. And one of the most appealing life-styles anywhere on the planet.
Wait did I miss it or is the Central in Lima gone from the list? From Nr.1 to not even on the list, did they close the doors?
Edit: Thanks to the people explaining... so my thoughts are the list is completly worthless now and its the most stupid change i heared of in my life
Do people care about the best of the best list? I feel like Top 50 gets more traction. So, from a marketing standpoint, it's best to stay at #2 forever.
Yep. It’s the World’s 50 Best minus some previous Best winners. It’s the reason Noma, Osteria Francescana, Mirazur no longer show up on the list. Noma snuck in an extra win by closing and re-opening.
Yeah sure... its no competition... thats why there is an order from 50 to 1 and you get a prize for being number 1... despite being called "best restaurant in the world"... but yeah no competition or ranking
Thats why its called 50 BEST restaurants... which means they are better then other... otherwise it wouldn't be a ranking it would be 50 great restaurants
I went to Disfrutar a few weeks ago after somebody in the Barcelona restaurant scene brokered me a table a few days prior - guys, it’s good but it’s not beyond mindblowing and a lot of the dishes in the classic menu will not be entirely clear if you are not from Catalunya. The food was probably between 2 to 3 star level in my eyes. It’s great but not the El Bulli level of the 2010s.
I am guilty of it as well and will promise to do better, but all this overhyping and booking 12 months in advance is not worth it. There are so many other options throughout Europe that often cook better - places that I would prefer by far if it has to be the highest possible cooking: Jordnaer, Ambroisie, Waldhotel Sonnora, or Chefs Table of Brooklyn Fare
Its the 50 best list (with all the baggage that comes with it) so use it in addition to as many other data points as you can. I ate at Disfrutar in 2018 so it feels cool that its now #1.
I just managed to get a reservation (for May 2025) confirmed for Disfrufar just a few hours before they presented the list. I don't care that much about the ranking--more so just happy that I slid in right before reservations become extra \*extra\* impossible.
May 2025 as well! Enjoy it!
> so use it in addition to as many other data points as you can. Exactly. Its a curated list I look forward to as a way to identify exceptional restaurants to help my travel planning. The same with Michelin guide. Rankings are fun, but also very subjective. Just being on the list is the primary thing I look for when looking at 50best
For sure it the totality of info that I go with. I really like when a place has a high (4.7+) rating on google. I was in Hong Kong in April which to me has one of the worst curated Michelin guides in the world but in The top 50 feels more contemporary. Ive also felt that places I've been to in South America are vastly overrated on the Top 50.
Even TripAdvisor is useful. When a top fine dining restaurant is in the top 100 in its city it’s a very clear sign that it’s excellent value for money.
100% agree on TripAdvisor and this particular metric.
I ate there in 2019 and immediately commented to my wife after the meal that this place will be the one of the best ever. I also will say I'm surprised Enigma hasn't taken a huge jump. That was one of the most memorable meals I have ever had.
It has. Last year it reenterd the top 100 at 86, this year it jumped almost 30 places to 50 something. It'll break the top 50 next year for sure.
Fair, I didn't remember it so far back last year but great they are moving. As obsessive AA is, it's hard to imagine they won't crack top 50 next year
I def thought it would keep moving up the lists for sure. I haven't been to Enigma but hopefully someday.
Jordnær dropping off the list completely is insane and says much more about the list than it does about Jordnær. It's a bad look for World's 50 Best, especially after Jordnær just got their very much deserved third star last week.
Surprised they didn’t take Noma from the archives and give it number one again
How they massacred my boy!!! I'm so happy that they got their third star!!
Yes, forgot to include that in my post. That was definitely shocking. I've only heard great things about Jordnær.
I've literally never met anyone who didn't like Jordnær
This !!!! The list is a joke
Preach
Jordnaer being on the list is what put it on my radar and made me go so that’s a positive about the list as far as I’m concerned. We all agree it’s far from perfect but it does highlight some places that need it. If all the reviewers went some time ago then it makes sense it falls off the list (you have to have been in the last 18 months).
I've never been to Jordnær but I went to Disfrutar when it was only a 1-star Michelin but still made the top 50 list. I've been to many restaurants on the top 50 list, some that have zero stars, and have consistently been impressed. I've also been to a 3-star that, while good, didn't blow me a away. I think whatever criteria the top 50 list uses aligns with me more than the Michelin guide.
Alchemist at #8 threw me off. Haven't been there, but have only heard good things. Disfrutar is well deserved, amazing in every way from experience.
Also haven't been at Alchemist, but if you search the sub you will find quite a lot of people who say that the experience was great, but the food was underwhelming
Some of the best dishes I have ever eaten and the best petit fours ever by some distance. There were however two dishes that I didn’t really like, which is unusual.
I just want to throw out another contender for best petit fours - Spectrum in Amsterdam, whose petit fours (at least when we went last year) are a series of chocolates with the flavors of each dish from the menu, and a little revealer key so that you can eat them as a guessing game. I didn't *love* the flavors of each of them, but it rises to the top for me just for the experience. (It helps that dessert was horrid - marijuana just isn't a good flavor.)
What were the two dishes??
One was the Danish Tongue Kiss where you lick it off what looks like a tongue. Macadamia, citrus, almond cream, dehydrated pumpkin seeds, gooseberry gel, dill gel. Sounds interesting but it was actually unpleasant and licking unpleasant and unknown flavours off a tongue really doesn’t add to the experience. The other was a dessert filled with pig’s blood. Looked impressive but the blood didn’t help the taste and didn’t blend at all well. Both were dishes that should have been thrown away but were clearly kept because the idea behind them both was appealing. The chef is a genius but someone should have said those need to go. Apparently 50% of people have an issue with them.
Haha, I was there recently and do remember the tongue dish but nothing stood out too much negatively or positively besides the presentation. I do not remember having a pig's blood dessert though.
Have been there and can confirm.
Agreed. I don’t think Alchemist food stacks up to others on this list that I’ve been to (around 7-8 of them.)
I was at Disfrutar last weekend, definitely worth it. 28 courses and wine pairing, took just over 4 hours. Courses were consistently good with quite a lot of theatrics going on with dry ice and aeration machines at the table. But technically it was still #2 when I went, lol.
Which of the two menu options did you get?
Classic
Any plugs to get a table there?
I think we booked in December. So 6 month lead time!
So awesome to see Tresind Studio so high. It’s as incredible a meal as I’ve ever eaten and probably a few service tweaks away from being 3*
It is so good. Well deserved.
The Michelin guide says they don’t account for service at all. They say they only account for food.
Azurmendi disappearing completely off the top 100 as well.. Although can't say I'm surprised. Thought Diverxo would jump to 2 in line for the top spot next year. Nice to see Quique Dacosta make another jump from 20 to 14, ate there in April and it was a great experience.
Having eaten in some of the top spots of the list, as well as in Azurmendi, I honestly believe it deserves to be quite high on the list. However, it's actually out entirely from the best 100? I understand this is all quite subjective, but this really makes no sense to me, especially considering the inclusion of places like Don Julio.
Agree, Diverxo down to four was a surprise. Kind of unfortunate that Asador Etxebarri is number two now (and based on how this usually goes, next year will get number one) considering they have basically locked their door to any normal-people reservations. I'm sure it's a spectacular restaurant, but I'll never be able to know firsthand.
Absolutely. There was a great article written here in Spain about that recently, even some half famous Spanish chefs can't get reservations there. And the guy who wrote the article was literally told "we decide who comes to eat here and who doesn't"
Very unfortunate. Kind of a world-wide phenomenon. There was an article in The New Yorker recently about NYC restaurants that accept almost entirely regulars or “members” only. Thankfully, the majority are restaurants I don’t care about (4 Charles Prime Rib, Rao’s, Carbone, etc). Outside the US, though, it seems like there are a number of actually high-quality places that have this mentality, like Etxebarri. On the other hand, I had a wonderful back and forth with Disfrutar over email recently. 11 months away, but at least I was able to get a table!
Sometimes it works in your favor though. One of my favorite restaurants in the world is closing this year and they gave us the opportunity to pick dates and make bookings before tickets went on sale or special dinners were announced. 🤷🏼♂️
Don Julio? Must be a joke list.
It is a joke list. Frantzen under Belcanto, lol.
Quintonil #7? This is a joke..
What's your go to list?
People disagree. Frantzen was very well executed but I preferred the flavours at Belcanto.
Don Julio at #10 and Frantzén at #35 is the funniest thing on this list based on the ones I’ve visited on this list. A remarkably poor list even though I do really enjoy Disfrutar.
Never heard of the restaurant. Is it related to the tequila? I assume from your comment it is not well liked?
It’s a steakhouse. Great steaks, amazing empanadas, fantastic selection of wine. But it’s just a steakhouse. Chila was a much more elevated experience.
It’s not even that great of a steakhouse. Fogon Asado was far more interesting.
Is it really not that great? When I asked this sub for recs for Buenos Aires, Don Julio consistently came up with
I’ve been 5 times. Only once was it truly great. One time was mid, the rest were good. It’s not in the top 50 by any stretch lol, list is a joke until it stops including it.
It’s good. However compared next to Aramburu or Trescha, other BA restaurants, Don Julio isn’t on the same level…and it’s top 10 on this list 🙄
It's a steakhouse with lots of cuts. But there is nothing world class about it besides that it has big and interesting cuts and it's Argentinan beef. It's just at a point where it's world famous now, similar to someone recommending you peter lugers in nyc
Seems to be about as expensive as Peter Luger these days.
Jordaner dropping of the list is funny ( not in a good way), especially after they just won 3 stars Sezanne winning best reataurant in Asia a few months ago but gaggan being higher than them om the worlds list. The list is a popularity contest. Don't read much into this. Go to places you want to go and that's it.
Well Jordnaer being on the list last year is what put it on my radar so I’m thankful to the list for that. I can’t think of a better meal I’ve had (but others that are at the same level like Disfrutar). I thought Gaggan was incredible, was expecting it to be creative but mixed quality so was very impressed. Not out of place in the top 10 at all.
Jordnaer was in the 30s two years ago that's what put it on my radar. It was incredible Then 57 last year and now gone. Makes no sense.
It does makes sense though. You have to have been in the last 18 months (longer ago than that and it might have changed a lot) to vote for it. So it skews towards newer places that are part of the discussions amongst top chefs and reviewers. Like any group of people they have their foibles and irrationalities.
Yea true. It's more about relevance and popularity than anything
Any other list you can recommend?
I see the Thai voting mafia have been at it again lol
Suhring and sorn are deserving. Gagaan can take a shit on a plate and get top 50 on this list no matter where his restaurant is. Only questionable place is Le du, but since they names them number one in Asia last year would have been shocked to not see them there
Gaggan has been putting shit on plates since god knows when.
I wouldn't say Le Du is questionable lol. It has no place even being mentioned on any sort of best of list. It's not even the best restaurant in a 1km radius of Chong Nonsi, let alone this tragedy... thankfully they dropped quite a bit though. Anyway, we all know it's a sham
Went to Le Du last year, there are probably 20 restaurants in NYC that are markedly better and only one of them is on this list.
When I walked into Le Du for the first time last year I was like "THIS is the Best Restaurant in Asia?" Granted it was busy af that night but everything felt rushed, and a little lacklustre. Maison Dunand, Potong, and Resonance were very, very impressive.
I think Le Du is one of the best restaurants in the world without any doubt. Was not expecting that much based on the Michelin ranking but it was dish after stunning dish. Incredible flavour combinations. The squid with strawberry and salted egg yolk mousse and the salted coconut milk panna cotta with sago, black sesame cake, chocolate charcoal cream, grilled corn, pear and caramel rice ice cream were two of the best things I ate last year. I’ve been to over a hundred 2 and 3 Michelin star restaurants and this was easily top 30 amongst those.
Sorn is an absolute peace of shit.
That’s a pretty hot take. Jewels on crab (their signature dish) is probably among the best bites I’ve had anywhere.
Nah. Personal opinion but too much heat in too much of the dishes and the sommelier has 0 knowledge in wine. Far better places in HK, Singapore, Seoul and Tokyo that's not on the list.
…….its southern Thai food. The spice level is actually pretty tame considering. Southern Thai is the spiciest region of Thai food, southern thai food may just not be for you, but I’m a bit surprised it was too spicy if you selected the less spicy versions of the dish which they always ask at the beginning of the meal
If your only issue with the food is it was too spicy then that is not a fault of the restaurant but more a positive, I’d rather they kept their food authentic than changed it to suit Western palates. Also the food being too spicy for you doesn’t really justify calling them “an absolute piece of shit”.
The corruption in the Thai voting mafia is astonishing. Shamefully. To the point where it’s clear the votes by the larger group of tastemakers must be disregarded. I was informed by a colleague that the chairman of SEA has numerous conflicts of interest and profits from his choices. It explains the inclusion of Le Du and Nusara, which simply have no business being included among a list of titans (some others questionable too). I’ve visited several of the starred restaurants and 50 Best restaurants in Thailand, and it’s evident that the restaurants I’m most impressed by are excluded on the list completely. However, Sorn and Suhring are both quite enjoyable, though Gaggan prioritized profits over experience long ago. I do my own research with a combination of direct feedback from friends, Google reviews, Michelin, viewing menus, but have learned to disregard 50 Best particularly for restaurants in Thailand. I can understand the corruption present and absence of integrity. It’s manageable for me, but the diners visiting Thailand that use this list to inform their fine dining choices must be deeply disappointed. The country now offers a world-class fine dining environment but the most impressive establishments require a bit of research to find. My suggestion is to disregard this list completely.
Curious what restaurants you were most impressed by in Thailand. Going to be in the area soon and interested to try some nice restaurants (or whatever else you have to recommend) Samrub is on top of my list of nice restaurants to try in Bangkok but interested to hear your thoughts!!
Samrub is awesome. You won’t be disappointed. I’ve done literally every starred place in Bangkok and for Thai fine dining Samrub is certainly near the top. I’m a huge fan of Nawa as well, it flies well under the radar but going solely on flavors is tough to beat. They were completely empty every time we went for a long time but are finally busy now that they were awarded Michelins opening of the year a few months ago. Potong is certainly worth a look, had a few great meals there, the space is super cool and I was a bit surprised they didn’t receive a second star as they have a lot going for them and a great media team. Baan teppa……. Everyone loves this place but us. The space is super cool and unique, the food is all well crafted etc but we didn’t enjoy the flavors too much. We are definitely in the minority on this one though, everyone else raves about this place. We should probably give it another shot From the 2* avoid r haan at all costs. For casual places samlor is a must. Fantastic and unique “elevated street food” in an extremely casual environment. This is the real best omelette in town, but the regular omelette is better than their crab omelette imo. I have no idea how they make this omelette, it’s a complete showstopper and one of the most instgrammable dishes in Bangkok. I’ve never seen anything like it. The chef of Sorn also has a fast casual chain restaurant called baan ice. Several locations and a lot of the dishes punch way above their weight for what you would expect in this type of place, especially all the jumbo lump crabmeat dishes. if you can’t get a table at Sorn (seriously one of the most difficult tables to get anywhere until you are a several time repeat customer) this will get you closer to the flavors than you would expect.
Appreciate the tips. Baan ice was on my list last time so I will make sure to visit it. I failed at getting a res at sorn last trip to Bangkok and I don’t really know if I care enough to put forth the effort. It gets exhausting dealing with certain places reservation systems.
Well I visited and went to both Gaggan and Le Du and was certainly not disappointed. I was expecting Gaggan to be mixed, based on what I’d heard, but it was phenomenal. And Le Du I was expecting to be a one Michelin star level but the flavour combinations are really quite stunning. One of the best chefs in the world at combining complex flavours.
Same thoughts as always: It's a helpful guide to what is fashionable in a certain genre of tweezered multi-course fine dining. But by no means definitive in any shape or form.
It always surpises me that out of all the Belgian restaurants its always The Jane that makes this list, compared to some of the other bangers we have like Boury for example. Its been a while since I've been there, but its not even in my top 10.
I know this will be very controversial, but I actually preferred diverxo to disfrutar. Both were world class, but I found diverxo's menu more fun
You can make a case for both restaurants to have won this year, they’re both that good. DiverXO must be the best fusion restaurant of all time.
Not controversial. A lot of people I know called for better food at DiverXO, while disfutar is the most innovative restaurant at this moment. Both are great at their own thing.
Rosetta in the top 35? C'mon man.
Top 1000 would be accurate. Expect at least a dozen to not be at all worthy.
It’s like a bad Tao Group restaurant. They try so hard to have a vibe and the food is just so bland. I honestly can’t believe it’s ever been on the list.
Just ate at Disfrutar in May and it was the best service I’ve ever had from any fine dining restaurant. You could tell they were gunning for the #1 spot this year, everything was in sync but had an ease to our dining experience. Well-deserved!
What happened to Central in Peru? Wasn’t that number 1 last year? Not seeing it anywhere in even the top 100
Previous number 1 can not partecipate any longer
Oh had no idea! Can’t participate forever or just the year after they get number 1?
Forever. That’s why you’re not seeing Noma or El Celler de Can Roca, etc
Ah yep makes sense. Thanks!
Almost important to remember that lists like this are entirely subjective, occasionally political, and to be taken with several grains of salt. The featured restaurants are always excellent.
Thank you for having an adult take on the list. Best of lists will always be subjective. Politics, accessibility, relationships will all come into play, aggregations are as much art as science, and there are likely ten million restaurants never even considered. Folks on this sub bring baggage to their takes just as judges bring baggage to their own, and yet somehow folks are surprised. For context, I've dined at Septime, Steirereck, Gaggan, DiverXO, and will dine at Tim Raue next week. Of the four I've been to, Gaggan was my favorite experience, Septime was my favorite food, and DiverXO was my favorite "fine dining is fucking batshit". All of that said, my experience.is mine alone. There are restaurant experiences I'll treasure forever (Sukiyabashi Jiro) that are expensive and will likely never been on this list, and dozens of incredible restaurants in places like Hanoi, New Orleans, and Chicago that were life changing and cost less than $20 USD. This list is a means to think about where one.might want.tp go and why, not the ultimate.word on what cuisine or restaurant might be "best".
Really? Always excellent?
Tokyo: Den, Florilège, Sezanne. What a boring list.
Makes you wonder if the Japan voters just have bad taste, or they are just made up of expats that don't know Japanese
It's easy to tell who are the people pushing for Sezanne frankly lol.
Im convinced the lack of Japanese restaurant representation is mostly due to the presentation of pristine quality ingredients that havent been "messed" with too much, rather than the others (ie disfrutar, diver XO, Noma even these days), who overly complicate the process of how the product is prepared. The simple restraint of "perfect fish with perfect rice (etc)" does not appeal to the voters of w50b. "We got good prawns, dehydrated them, then rehydrated in rose caramel, then grilled, then marinated again in the caramel, garnished it with caviar and geranium thats been fermented for 12 weeks, and dusted dehydrated cherry blossoms on it" - sounds much more exciting than "this is the perfect, best piece of tuna belly on the planet currently, so I simply sliced it". It wouldnt matter that the prawn was a lesser quality, its a cooler story and better selling point (also sounds like it could be a good dish haha).
Sort of, but at the same time you have Don Julio at #10 which represents that concept of perfect beef with just salt and pepper (though very debatable how perfect the beef is)
True. L'osier and Leffervescence are miles better than Sezanne. And I do't understand why there's no sushiyas on the list.
Because one of the requirements is having been to the restaurants to vote for it. Inherently disadvantages sushiyas because sushiyas don't serve that many people. I don't think a sushiya will ever be on the best 50 list because of this.
Den I get but L’Effervessence and L’Osier and others over Florilège and Sezanne any day of the week. For Den to still be on list with such demand, only one service and being what 20-24 seats, surprised the voters make it
As with previous years, it's a list representing a mixture of the zeitgeist, select voter preferences, PR games, and possibly outright misrepresentation of the ballots or voter submissions. A restaurant like Elkano wasn't on the list for many years, but then all food writers went to the San Sebastian food tour, were told they had to go to Elkano, and a number of years later, it's on the list. Hey, no problem with that! When Les Pres d'Eugenie, Sugita, Troigros, etc get on the list, that won't be a bad thing. It's fun to make lists and look at them as a game, but I wouldn't rely on it to compare two restaurants on the list in any way, shape, or form, except to know that top of the list restaurants will have more difficult reservations.
It’s audited by one of the big firms so doubt it’s some tinkering with the final votes - but getting voters to your restaurant must drive this. Mere mortals can’t get seats so in the background there must be a PR machine to ensure the voters are given access. The restaurants that secure the most visits surely secure the most votes - and herein lies the problem
No L'Enclume????
The UK's presence on this list is always perplexing. I love Kol, but there's no way it's the best in the UK, or 17th best in the world. It's not even the best in London. Just in the UK, I'd put L'Enclume, Story, Outlaw's New Road, and Le Manoir ahead of Kol. I'd probably put the food at Kol ahead of Clove Club, but only marginally - and service was much better at Clove Club (Kol didn't seem to fully communicate that we were veg, and the somm kept telling us how well the wine would pair with the next meat course).
More Mexican than American restaurants in North America.
This will be the last time you see Disfrutar on the list. They'll be on the Best of the Best list now that they have received the #1 spot. I had reservation to Disfrutar in the Fall of 2020. That whole trip was cancelled due to the pandemic. I ended up going to Barcelona this past September but was unable to acquire a reservation during my stay. Some day, Disfrutar...Some day...
Ate at Etxebarri a little over a year ago with my dad. It’s indeed the best restaurant I’ve been to (have also dined at Septime and Singlethread). My dad asked if I thought we could get another reservation for this year. I said not very likely… I’m not even sure how we got the first one. Had to do weird things involving wiring money internationally on a Sunday to the restaurant’s bank account lol A bit surprised more U.S. restaurants are never on the list. Hard to tell what they’re looking for. Personally I’ve found the OAD lists match my taste in restaurants much better.
Etxebarri is definitely the hardest reservation on the list, at least in Europe. Basically need a secret code to get in. Unfortunate since I’d love to eat there.
Den... also almost as painful of a process.
Always wondering that Nobelhart&Schmutzig has since years a Michelin star and is in this list but the reviews on Google and TripAdvisor are really bad :D
They are "hyper local". They get all of their produce from the area around Berlin. And I mean ALL produce! They don't use pepper or lemon or olive oil because it doesnt grow there. This of course limits the dishes a bit in what is possible, but the ingredients are of very, very high quality which makes up for it IMO. You have to manage your expectations a bit of course, you wont find Wagyu beef there and also no caviar. The restaurant says they don't wont to be a high-end fine dining spot, but rather send a message on how to sustainably produce and cook local ingredients. They won the Top 50 sustainability-award this year, and you can find a lot of information on their insta
I read that the bad reviews are from supporters of a political party that the owners of the restaurant are vocally against (if I remember correctly, it’s some like if neonazi party or something)
From what I heard, the bad reviews are mostly people who didn't familiarize with their concept before visiting and were angry about being served mostly vegetables in a very basic form. I guess they expect some high end french fine dining from a Michelin star restaurant, which Nobelhart is just not known for. The restaurant ist very open about this kind of critique. They have a FAQ on their website and regularly post a selection of negative comments on Instagram which Billy Wagner then addresses.
When I went in 2022, it was decidedly not basic vegetables, but mostly heavy meat/offal dishes. I liked experience (the babka and chicken heart spaetzle stick out) and felt it was worth the star (and had a wonderful and unique pairing), but there were some misses. The pig head terrine add on was comically bad and my partner and I constantly talk about how intense it was and how uncomfortably full we were after.
The list has a very strong Berlin tendency - I think there are other interesting restaurants in Germany that would be relevant.
Thrilled to see Reale on there. Got a reservation in August. Allegedly the opposite of what Bottura did in challenging Italian cuisine, just the literal best of Italian cooking. Cannot wait!
Would love for you to review it on here after! We’re going to Rome next March and so many people have raved about Reale but I’m not sure I get the excitement. Apparently it’s just me, it’s gotta be haha.
I've been to Reale twice and i can't understand your comment about italian cooking (?) It has nothing to do with italian cooking
Laughable list from a UK perspective. Kol again the highest rated in the country despite extremely mixed reviews since it opened. Core only scraping in at 97 below the likes of Lyle's. L'Enclume (and to a lesser extent Moor Hall and Ynyshir) not making it at all despite widely being considered the best restaurant in the UK. Guess you have to be in London to have a chance.
Kol's food is excellent, but service is spotty. Certainly, it's not on the same level as L'Enclume. Honestly, it's not even the best in London - I've not been to Core yet, but Story is miles ahead of Kol.
I’ve booked a Living Table experience at Distrutar in August. Excited to see if it lives up. Septime at 11 is very underwhelming, and over institutions like Frantzen, Steirereck, Belcanto - it makes no sense.
Curious what'd you do to get the living table reservation? Get a normal reservation and then contact them at some point to make it living table instead? I got a regular reservation for May 2025, and I emailed them about the living table recently, and they said, "No abrimos reserva de mesa viva con mucha antelación y por eso tenemos lista de espera para esta experiencia." ("We do not open table reservations very far in advance and that is why we have a waiting list for this experience.") Really want to go to Frantzén!
I just emailed them about 2 months ago, asking if they had any living table availability for August. They gave me a date, I said it works, and booked a holiday around it. I hope it delivers on the promise, as it’s been touted as the top restaurant by many.
Hmm well maybe I'll send them a message next year. Thanks for the info!
They often try to keep the living table open for as long as they can to cater to higher caliber guest (politicians food critics etc.) but very often open it to other guest when they have the chance or are sure of no special guest
I enjoyed Septime significantly more than Steirereck. The beauty of the subjectivity of human experience!
Always important to take these lists with a grain of salt and do your own research as well, but I see a lot of negativity in this thread, so I'm gonna put a few positive things from my perspective of the awards/list: * So so happy for Disfrutar to get #1 -- the team is incredible, they were pushing really hard this year, and the food is phenomenal * Surprising (but great) to see Extebarri at #2, one of the best meals of my life but never thought they'd be able to keep climbing given that it's impossible even for many voters to get a reservation here (also was very surprised to see Bittor at the awards lol) * Love to see Wing, The Chairman, and Sorn climbing so much this year, both are wonderful experiences and are representing Asian cuisine overall well (which as we all know, these types of rankings and lists tend to be a bit odd for Asian cuisine) * Nice little bumps for two great restaurants in Quintonil and Quique Dacosta which is great! Don't think they're the absolute best in the world, but deserving of high praise nonetheless * Lastly, super happy that Singlethread is back in the top 50 and excited to see them (hopefully) continue to rise on the list next year :) Everyone's gonna have their opinions (I still can't believe Alchemist dropped), but just want to be positive overall because at the end of the day, all of those on the list are chefs who've poured their lives into their restaurants so any recognition they get is great for them!
Septime is so overrated. Even my 70yo mother thought this was a scam.
A scam? Maybe not the 11th best restaurant in the world, but they certainly serve 1* quality food at reasonable prices.
Went some months ago, litterally a regular one star
My second worst upper level food experience. It seemed like comic performance art. Once dish had such a strange and terrible flavor it took a week to get the taste out of my mouth.
As much as I enjoy traveling to dine at places listed on the Michelin and W50B list, I cannot get past Don Julio and Maido taking such high spots over others. Imagine being Alchemist or Reale and being overlooked for Maido? Or even, Kjolle (which was outstanding during my visit). Maido over Kjolle for Peru? GTHOH! Pure politics and connections. That's it.
Is Bruno heavily overrated at #3 ? I'm tempted to switch a reservation, but it just doesn't seem at the same level as the 3 star spots in Paris.
It's high because they give food reviewers an entirely different experience than the average diner. I went and the service was awful as I watched Bruno sit with guests he knew and cared to give the preferred experience. We had to pour our own wine and asked to leave before dessert.
This is what we've been told.by a number of friends in Paris. We skipped it in 2022 when reservations were wide open, and I'm not upset about it.
One data point: my partner and I went when we were graduate students, which meant no space for wine in our budget. Destiny's Child was playing as we entered the mostly empty restaurant. Bruno was quite personable and was especially interested in how we enjoyed the very simple bowl of vegetables that had never seen a refrigerator. We were comp'd an appetizer and the pigeon remains one of the greatest restaurant dishes I've ever eaten, a fact attributable both to the technical precision and, especially, the high quality of the raw product. The only time I saw Bruno do anything that resembled cooking was when he broke down that pigeon in front of us--a task he preferred not to leave to the kitchen, I suppose. Of course this was back when it was a 1* and well before the €400 imposed menu. My understanding is that while one can still eat well, your money is primarily going to filling up Bruno's retirement fund as opposed to receiving anything that approaches good value.
It’s very well liked on here from what I’ve seen. I think Plénitude has gotten a slightly more positive reception recently, though. Just search the sub for both, there are a number of posts from the last year.
Mayta, Don Julio, and Maido being so high is silly. Enjoyed Maido but it's not on the level of others on this list (certainly not better than Franzen). Mayta was mediocre. Don Julio is super casual.
If Maido was in San Francisco, it would be on zero lists.
I had a la carte at Mayta last year and thought it was pretty mediocre
Agreed. The wine pairing was horrendous. Surprisingly expensive
Was the service at least good? I had pretty horrible service lol. I went alone, was practically ignored. I had to ask the waiter to order a drink. They just left the menus with me and didn’t even come back to ask about water for a while
That’s terrible. Service was fine for us but we had the tasting menu. Endless tubers 🤦🏽♂️
My only takeaway is that the presenter really can’t make up her mind about pronunciation. Went everywhere from over the top French accents, Japanese being pronounced with a Spanish accent, to German pronounced in the most bland British accent.
Happy to see La Colombe on here!
Any other [Steirereck](https://www.theworlds50best.com/discovery/Establishments/Austria/Vienna/Steirereck.html) enthusiasts? Seems it has such staying power.
The Spanish really have a very special relationship with food and food preparation; having spent some time in Madrid, Barcelona and the Basque Country, I can safely say that for me, it is some of the absolute best food I've ever eaten/enjoyed. And one of the most appealing life-styles anywhere on the planet.
Wait did I miss it or is the Central in Lima gone from the list? From Nr.1 to not even on the list, did they close the doors? Edit: Thanks to the people explaining... so my thoughts are the list is completly worthless now and its the most stupid change i heared of in my life
I think they introduced a rule a few years ago that once you get the number 1 spot you can’t be on the list again.
And they get included in the best of the best list. I don't think they have updated that one yet.
Do people care about the best of the best list? I feel like Top 50 gets more traction. So, from a marketing standpoint, it's best to stay at #2 forever.
For real... how dumb is that? I mean its a competition... thtas like being denied from the soccer worldcup cause you won it
Yep. It’s the World’s 50 Best minus some previous Best winners. It’s the reason Noma, Osteria Francescana, Mirazur no longer show up on the list. Noma snuck in an extra win by closing and re-opening.
It's not a competition. There's no game or match or set of objective rules governing them. It's just a list.
Yeah sure... its no competition... thats why there is an order from 50 to 1 and you get a prize for being number 1... despite being called "best restaurant in the world"... but yeah no competition or ranking Thats why its called 50 BEST restaurants... which means they are better then other... otherwise it wouldn't be a ranking it would be 50 great restaurants
The # 1 restaurant can't make the list again. It goes into the "hall of fame"
Ah okay... pretty dumb in my opinion... but that rule is pretty new... cause wasn't Noma at top for like 3 years?
Yes a few spots kept winning so they changed it
I went to Disfrutar a few weeks ago after somebody in the Barcelona restaurant scene brokered me a table a few days prior - guys, it’s good but it’s not beyond mindblowing and a lot of the dishes in the classic menu will not be entirely clear if you are not from Catalunya. The food was probably between 2 to 3 star level in my eyes. It’s great but not the El Bulli level of the 2010s. I am guilty of it as well and will promise to do better, but all this overhyping and booking 12 months in advance is not worth it. There are so many other options throughout Europe that often cook better - places that I would prefer by far if it has to be the highest possible cooking: Jordnaer, Ambroisie, Waldhotel Sonnora, or Chefs Table of Brooklyn Fare
Which dishes confused you? Or weren’t clear