Don’t get us wrong – there is a ton of good food making rounds in the world. That said, an occasional splurge or two at some of the planet’s best restaurants will make for the most unforgettable dining experiences of a lifetime. And luckily, the world’s 50 best restaurants have just been announced for 2018!
Culinary wizards spanning five continents gathered in Bilbao of Spain to award 50 of the best fine dining joints of 2018, and the champion is none other than Italy’s three-Michelin-star Osteria Francescana, headed by chef Massimo Bottura, one of the globe’s most celebrated chefs ever who was featured on Netflix’s Chef’s Table.
The second, third and fourth spots are bagged by Spain’s El Celler de Can Roca in Girona, France’s Mirazur in Menton and New York City’s Eleven Madison Park respectively. In the fifth place, making it the best restaurant in Asia, is Thailand’s Gaggan in Bangkok – Chef Gaggan Anand’s eponymous fine dining restaurant spotlighting traditional Indian food.
Amongst the other Asian restaurants that dominated the list which are a little closer to home include Singapore’s Odette (28th place), Japan’s Den in Tokyo (17th place and the highest climber for 2018), China’s Ultraviolet in Shanghai (24th place) and Thailand’s Nahm in Bangkok (49th place).
World’s 50 best restaurants for 2018
1. Osteria Francescana (Modena, Italy) *best restaurant in Europe*
2. El Celler de Can Roca (Girona, Spain)
3. Mirazur (Menton, France)
4. Eleven Madison Park (New York City) *best restaurant in North America*
5. Gaggan (Bangkok) *best restaurant in Asia*
6. Central (Lima, Peru) *best restaurant in South America*
7. Maido (Lima, Peru)
8. Arpege (Paris, France)
9. Mugaritz (San Sebastian, Spain)
10. Asador Etxebarri (Axpe, Spain)
11. Quintonil (Mexico City, Mexico)
12. Blue Hill at Stone Barns (Pocantico Hills, New York)
13. Pujol (Mexico City, Mexico)
14. Steirereck (Vienna, Austria)
15. White Rabbit (Moscow, Russia)
16. Piazza Duomo (Alba, Italy)
17. Den (Tokyo, Japan) *highest climber*
18. Disfrutar (Barcelona, Spain) *highest new entry*
19. Geranium (Copenhagen)
20. Attica (Melboure, Australia)
21. Alain Ducasse au Plaza Athénée (Paris, France)
22. Narisawa (Tokyo, Japan)
23. Le Calandre (Rubano, Italy)
24. Ultraviolet (Shanghai, China)
25. Cosme (New York City)
26. Le Bernardin (New York City)
27. Boragó (Santiago, Chile)
28. Odette (Singapore) *new entry*
29. Alléno Paris au Pavillon Ledoyen (Paris, France)
30. D.O.M. (São Paulo, Brazil)
31. Arzak (San Sebastian, Spain)
32. Tickets (Barcelona, Spain)
33. The Clove Club (London, UK)
34. Alinea (Chicago)
35. Maaemo (Oslo, Norway) *new entry*
36. Reale (Castel Di Sangro, Italy)
37. Restaurant Tim Raue (Berlin, Germany)
38. Lyle’s (London) *new entry*
39. Astrid y Gastón (Lima, Peru)
40. Septime (Paris, France)
41. Nihonryori RyuGin (Tokyo, Japan)
42. Ledbury (London, UK)
43. Azurmendi (Larrabetzu, Spain) *sustainable restaurant award*
44. Mikla (Istanbul, Turkey) *new entry*
45. Dinner by Heston Blumenthal (London, UK)
46. Saison (San Francisco)
47. Schloss Schauenstein (Fürstenau, Switzlerand) *new entry*
48. Hiša Franko (Kobarid, Slovenia) *new entry*
49. Nahm (Bangkok, Thailand)
50. Test Kitchen (Cape Town, South Africa) *Africa’s best restaurant*
[Source]