The World’s 50 Best Restaurants 2019: Results Announced at Marina Bay Sands Singapore

PUBLISHED June 25th, 2019 11:32 pm | UPDATED February 9th, 2020 05:36 pm

In celebration of the 120^thanniversary of title sponsor S.Pellegrino’s, the extended list of this year’s World’s 50 Best Restaurants has gone up from 100 to 120. That isn’t the only change either; in September 2018, director Héléne Pietrini declared that the voting academy will be gender balanced. And this January, it was announced that any restaurant that has earned the title of best restaurant in the world will be ineligible for voting from 2019 onwards. These restaurants, including last year’s No. 1 Osteria Francescana, are moved to a Hall of Fame-like collective named “Best of the Best”.

Haute French restaurant Mirazur in Menton is 2019’s best restaurant in the world after spending the last couple of years lurking in the top five. Runner up Noma is eligible for voting again as it sports a new location and a different concept, and is the Highest New Entry this year, followed by the legendary grill of Asador Etxebarri in Spain. Though we’re saying goodbye to Gaggan soon, it’s the best restaurant in Asia yet again at No. 4, and Copenhagen’s Geranium rounds up the top five.

Contrary to the rankings of Asia’s 50 Best Restaurants, Singapore’s Odette came in at no. 18 while Burnt Ends rang in on the extended list at no. 59. Cantonese fine dining restaurant The Chairman in Hong Kong made its debut on the list at no. 41, ahead of fellow restaurants on Asia’s 50 Best list Ultraviolet by Paul Pairet in Shanghai and Tokyo’s Florilege. Den (No. 11) also in Tokyo is testament to the Japanese culture we know and love by clinching the Art of Hospitality Award. We’re quite disappointed that European-Taiwanese restaurant Mume (No. 7 on Asia’s 50 Best Restaurants) is out of the list altogether.

Not all the wins were expected, with new entries making up around 20% of the list this year. Notable mentions include Twin Gardens, Moscow, Russia (No. 19), Belcanto, Lisbon, Portugal (No. 42), and Benu, San Francisco, USA (No. 47).

Some restaurants that didn’t make it to the Top 5 have plenty to rejoice as well. The Highest Climber Award was presented to Azurmendi (No. 14), from Larrabetzu, Spain, who moved up a whopping 29 spots from last year. Schloss Schauenstein, Switzerland snags the Sustainable Restaurant Award, with the highest score of 50 in the history of the reputable award.

Another laudable moment is Lido 84, Italy (No. 78), which was crowned the Miele One To Watch Award. Overlooking Lake Garda, this intimate restaurant serves up innovation crafted from local ingredients.

This year also saw the youngest winner of the World’s Best Female Chef Award in Daniela Soto-Innes of Cosme and Atla in New York. Born in Mexico city, it’s no wonder she’s known for transforming Mexican cuisine in the USA. The 28-year old is the protégé of Enrique Olvera, owner and head chef of Pujol in Mexico City.

And now, here’s the full list of the World’s 50 Best Restaurants:

1. Mirazur, Menton, France
2. Noma, Copenhagen, Denmark (Highest New Entry)
3. Asador Etxebarri, Atxondo, Spain
4. Gaggan, Bangkok, Thailand
5. Geranium, Copenhagen, Denmark
6. Central, Lima, Peru (Best in South America)
7. Mugaritz, SAN Sebastian, Spain
8. Arpège, Paris, France
9. Disfrutar, Barcelona, Spain
10. Maido, Lima, Peru
11. Den, Tokyo, Japan (Art of Hospitality Award)
12. Pujol, Mexico City (Best in North America)
13. White Rabbit, Moscow, Russia
14. Azurmendi, Larrabetzu, Spain (Highest Climber)
15. Septime, Paris, France
16. Alain Ducasse au Plaza Athenee, Paris, France
17. Steireck, Vienna, Austria
18. Odette, Singapore
19. Twin Gardens, Moscow, Russia (new entry)
20. Tickets, Barcelona, Spain
21. Frantzén, Stockholm, Sweden
22. Narisawa, Tokyo, Japan (retains spot)
23. Cosme, New York, USA
24. Quitonil, New York, USA
25. Alléno Paris au Pavillon Ledoyen, Paris, France
26. Boragó, Santiago, Chile
27. The Clove Club, London, UK
28. Blue Hill at Stone Barns, New York, USA
29. Piazza Duomo, Alba, Italy
30. Elkano, Getaria, Spain
31. Le Calandre, Rubano, Italy
32. Nerua, Bilbao, Spain (new entry)
33. Lyle, London, UK
34. Don Julio, Buenos Aires, Argentina (new entry)
35. Atelier Crenn, San Francisco, USA (new entry)
36. Le Bernadin, New York, USA
37. Alinea, Chicago, USA
38. Hiša Franko, Kobaird, Slovenia
39. Al Casa do Porco, São Paulo, Brazil (new entry)
40. Restaurant Tim Raue, Berlin, Germany
41. The Chairman, Hong Kong, China (new entry)
42. Belcanto, Lisbon, Portugal (new entry)
43. Hof Van Cleve, Kruishoutem, Belgium
44. The Test Kitchen, Cape Town, South Africa (Best in Africa)
45. Sühring, Bangkok Thailand (new entry)
46. De Librije, Swiller, Netherlands
47. Benu, San Francisco, USA (new entry)
48. Ultraviolet by Paul Pairet, China
49. Leo, Bogotá, Columbia (new entry, first from country to make the list)
50. Schloss Schauenstein, Switzerland (Sustainable Restaurant Award)

The World’s 50 Best Restaurants Academy consists of over 1,000 industry leaders – chefs and restaurateurs, food writers, well-travelled gourmets – across the world, and members vote for 10 restaurants based on their dining experience over the last 18 months. A minimum of four votes must go to restaurants located outside their home region.