WORLD’S 50 BEST
It’s awards season, and one of our favourites is the 50 Best organisation, which announced its 2023 list of the World’s 50 Best Restaurants at a ceremony in Valencia, Spain on June 20. The revered awards take on the enormous task of naming the best restaurants in the entire world. This year Central in Lima, Peru, took the coveted top spot, replacing Copenhagen restaurant Geranium, which was 2022’s winner.
No. 1: Central
Lime, Peru
Virgilio Martínez founded Central in 2008 and Pía León joined him one year later with a mission to create a fine dining experience rooted in Peruvian ingredients and cooking techniques. In 2018, they moved Central to a spacious building in Lima where diners can enjoy a trip through 15 different Peruvian ecosystems, categorised by altitude – from 15 metres under the Pacific Ocean to 4,200 metres up in the Andes.
No.2: Disfrutar
Barcelona, Spain
The collective creation of Chefs Oriol Castro, Eduard Xatruch and Mateu Casañas produces food that surprises and delights in equal measure, using modern techniques and pristine ingredients that challenge traditional preconceptions of fine dining, resulting in one of the world’s most immersive culinary experiences.
No. 3: DiverXO
Madrid, Spain
Chef Dabiz Muñoz enjoys pushing gastronomic boundaries as much as possible and his 12-course menu is a clear demonstration of this. XO tapas of roasted baby octopus with jamón essence start the theatrical journey through the Spanish chef’s creations, which may end with a sweet touch of mochi bonbons with Thai-style dulce de leche and finger lime.
No.4: Asador Etxebarri
Atxondo, Spain
Set in a quiet Basque village surrounded by mountains and greenery somewhere between Bilbao and San Sebastian, Asador Etxebarri is a true destination restaurant where the ingredient is king and the cooking process is led by the grill. Everything is touched by chef and owner Victor Arguinzoniz’s flames, from anchovy on toast to milk ice cream with beetroot.
No.5: Alchemist
Copenhagen, Denmark
When visiting Alchemist, be prepared for a journey unlike anything else you’ve experienced in a restaurant. The theatrical experience is divided into multiple ‘acts’ taking the guests through different locations, types of art and extraordinary craftsmanship, guided by head chef and mastermind Rasmus Munk. Food is more than food here, and this is part of the reason the venue is bestowed the Gin Mare Art of Hospitality Award 2023.
No.6: Maido
Lime, Peru
Ranked as Latin America’s Best for three consecutive years – and a regular on The World’s 50 Best list – Maido is where the Peruvian and Japanese cultural heritages of Mitsuharu ‘Micha’ Tsumura collide on the plate. In Japanese, ‘maido’ means ‘welcome’, a greeting that the team gives to each and every diner entering this Japanese restaurant with Peruvian heart. Mitsuharu ‘Micha’ Tsumura is the chef and tour guide on this trip around the two countries, where he combines techniques from both into Nikkei cuisine.
No.7: Lido 84
Lake Garda, Italy
The cuisine of this inventive Italian restaurant set on a picturesque lake is the result of years of extensive research into local ingredients, old recipe books and international cooking techniques. Riccardo and Giancarlo Camanini give diners the opportunity to experience Italian food in a completely novel way. Lido 84 picked up the World's 50 Best One to Watch Award in 2019.
No. 8: Atomix
New York, USA
To open the front door of this inconspicuous Murray Hill townhouse is to step into an interior design magazine. This 14-seat counter spot on the edge of Koreatown in Manhattan is proving that quality overcomes quantity. Rising 25 spots in The World’s 50 Best Restaurants list, Atomix earns the Villa Massa Highest Climber Award 2023 and becomes The Best Restaurant in North America.
No.9: Quintonil
Mexico City, Mexico
Quintonil is the setting for chef Jorge Vallejo’s boundary-pushing Mexican cuisine and his wife Alejandra Flores’ remarkable hospitality. Focused on fresh, local produce and traditional Mexican flavours and techniques weaved into modern preparations, it is fast becoming a classic. Notable haute cuisine curios include the catch of the day in grasshopper adobo and charred avocado tartare with ant larvae. The chic yet understated front of house is led by Vallejo’s wife Alejandra Flores.
No.10: Table by Bruno Verjus
Paris, France
An open kitchen and a long counter designed like a wave are the setting for Table (pronounced in the French way). An iconic dessert with chocolate, capers and caviar is just one of many original dishes that can be found in this restaurant led by Bruno Verjus, who describes himself as art director and food curator. The eatery receives the trophy for the Highest New Entry 2023, sponsored by Aspire Lifestyles.
And the rest of the best… 11 - 50
11. Trèsind Studio, Dubai
12. A Casa Do Porco, São Paulo
13. Pujol, Mexico City
14. Odette, Singapore
15. Le Du, Bangkok
16. Reale, Castel di Sangro, Italy
17. Gaggan Anand, Bangkok
18. Steirereck, Vienna, Austria
19. Don Julio, Buenos Aires
20. Quique Dacosta, Denia, Spain
21. Den, Tokyo
22. Elkano, Getaria, Spain
23. Kol, London
24. Septime, Paris
25. Belcanto, Lisbon
26. Schloss Schauenstein, Fürstenau, Switzerland
27. Florilège, Tokyo
28. Kjolle, Lima, Peru
29. Boragó, Santiago, Chile
30. Frantzén, Stockholm
31. Mugaritz, San Sebastian, Spain
32. Hiša Franko, Kobarid, Slovenia
33. El Chato, Bogotá, Colombia
34. Uliassi, Senigallia, Italy
35. Ikoyi, London
36. Plénitude, Paris
37. Sézanne, Tokyo
38. The Clove Club, London
39. The Jane, Antwerp, Belgium
40. Restaurant Tim Raue, Berlin
41. Le Calandre, Rubano, Italy
42. Piazza Duomo, Alba, Italy
43. Leo, Bogotá, Colombia
44. Le Bernardin, New York
45. Nobelhart & Schmutzig, Berlin
46. Orfali Bros Bistro, Dubai
47. Mayta, Lima, Peru
48. La Grenouillère, La Madelaine-sous-Montreuil, France
49. Rosetta, Mexico City
50. The Chairman, Hong Kong