Restaurant Magazine announced today the list of the S.Pellegrino World's 50 Best Restaurants.
It is no surprise that El Bulli is in the #1 slot for the third year in a row. Americanos will be happy to know eight restaurants here made the list: French Laundry, Per Se, Jean-Geroges, Le Bernardin, Alinea, Chez Panisse, charlie Trotter's and Daniel.
Click through for the complete list and official press release.
Restaurant Magazine announces the list of The S.Pellegrino World’s 50 Best Restaurants 2008
El Bulli Number 1
For the third year in a row Ferran Adrià has topped a world-wide poll of industry experts. Similarly stalwart are Heston Blumenthal’s The Fat Duck in second place and Pierre Gagnaire’s eponymous Parisian restaurant, third.
Chefs’ Choice Mugaritz attains its highest ever position, finding itself at number 4 this year. Mugaritz first charted in 2006 at an impressive 10th place. Last year it climbed to 7th position. This year shows its reputation is increasing internationally and now Andoni Luis Aduriz is clearly snapping at the heels of the three culinary legends ahead of him.
36 year old Aduriz is just one of the young chefs who has gained the respect of his former masters. Another is Grant Achatz of Alinea who at 33 was not only the highest new entry last year but has risen 15 places to 21st position.
Highest new entry Vendome has Joachim Wissler at its formidable helm. Considered Germany’s foremost culinary pioneer, Wissler appears on the list alongside fellow countrymen Hans Haas of Tantris and Harald Wohlfahrt of Die Schwarzwaldstube.
The other new, hallowed, restaurant is Asador Etxebarri in Spain owned by chef Victor Arguinzoniz. In complete contrast to the high tech gadget loving maestros that dominate the top of the chart, this self-taught chef has elevated cooking over an open flame to new heights. He calls it “primitive cooking”.
Perennially popular (it has appeared on the past 6 lists) Fergus Henderson’s St John, is this year’s highest climber and the must-visit restaurant for the “50 Best” chefs attending the event. Last year Sydney chef Tetsuya, Thomas Keller of the French Laundry and Per Se and Fulvio Pierangelini of Gambero Rosso were amongst those who heartily tucked into a “chefs only” feast of boiled ham, whole carrots and doughnuts.
The restaurant tipped to break through into the top 50 in 2009 is the Parisian neo-bistro Le Chateaubriand owned by young Basque chef Inaki Aizpitarte. Is it something in the water that makes the Basque region such fertile culinary ground?
Perhaps the Lake District will be the next culinary spawning ground,for it is on the southern edge of this picturesque English region that Simon Rogan’s contemporary restaurant L’enclume, winner of the 2008 Readers’ Choice award, can be found.
A restaurant’s ranking on the S.Pellegrino World’s 50 Best Restaurants list is decided purely on the votes of a large panel of well respected international judges collectively called The Nespresso World’s 50 Best Restaurants Academy. The Academy comprises just fewer than 700 chefs, restaurateurs, food writers and restaurant critics, 200 of whom are voting for the first time.
Regional Recommendations 2008
In a separate poll, the Nespresso World’s 50 Best Restaurants Academy was asked to name their regional recommendations. Each judge belongs to one of 23 regions. None of these gastronomic hot tips appears in either the 1 – 50 or 51 – 100 list.
The list of S.Pellegrino World’s 50 Best Restaurants follows. The restaurants ranking 51 – 100 are also available.
1 El Bulli SPAIN
+34 972 150457 www.elbulli.com
2 The Fat Duck UK
+44 (0)1628 580 333 www.fatduck.co.uk
3 Pierre Gagnaire FRANCE
+33 (0)1 5836 1250 www.pierre-gagnaire.com
4 Mugaritz SPAIN
+34 943 522 455 www.mugaritz.com
5 The French Laundry USA
+1 707 944 2380 www.frenchlaundry.com
6 Per Se USA
+1 212 823 9335 www.perseny.com
7 Bras FRANCE
+33 (0)5 65 51 18 20 www.michel-bras.com
8 Arzak SPAIN
+34 943 278465 www.arzak.es
9 Tetsuya’s AUSTRALIA
+61 2 9267 2900 www.tetsuyas.com
10 Noma DENMARK
+45 3296 3297 www.noma.dk
11 L’Astrance FRANCE
+33 (0)1 40 50 84 40
12 Gambero Rosso ITALY
+39 (0)5 6570 1021 www.gamberorosso.it
13 Restaurant Gordon Ramsay UK
+44 (0)20 7352 4441 www.gordonramsay.com
14 L’Atelier de Joël Robuchon, Paris FRANCE
+33 (0)1 42 22 56 56 www.joel-robuchon.com
15 Le Louis XV MONACO
+377 98 068864 www.alain-ducasse.com
16 St John UK
+44 (0)20 7251 0848 www.stjohnrestaurant.co.uk
17 Jean Georges USA
+212 299 3900 www.jean-georges.com
18 Alain Ducasse au Plaza Athénée FRANCE
+33 (0)1 53 67 65 00 www.alain-ducasse.com
19 Hakkasan UK
+ 44 (0)20 7927 7000
20 Le Bernardin USA
+1 212 554 1515 www.le-bernardin.com
21 Alinea USA
+1 312 8670110 www.alinearestaurant.com
22 Le Gavroche UK
+44 (0)20 7408 0881 www.le-gavroche.co.uk
23 Dal Pescatore ITALY
+39 (0)37 6723001 www.dalpescatore.com
24 Le Cinq FRANCE
+33 (0)1 4952 7000 www.fourseasons.com/paris
25 Troisgros FRANCE
+33 (0)4 7771 6697 www.troisgros.fr
26 El Celler de Can Roca SPAIN
+34 972 222 157 www.cellercanroca.com
27 Restaurant de l’Hôtel de Ville SWITZERLAND
+41 21 634 0505 www.philippe-rochat.ch
28 Hof Van Cleve BELGIUM
+32 (0)9 3835 848 www.hofvancleve.com
29 Martin Berasategui SPAIN
+34 943 366 471 www.martinberasategui.com
30 Nobu London UK
+44 (0)20 7447 4747 www.noburestaurants.com
31 Can Fabes SPAIN
+34 938 672 851 www.canfabes.com
32 Enoteca Pinchiorri ITALY
+39 (0)55 242757 www.enotecapinchiorri.com
33 Restaurant le Meurice FRANCE
+33 (0)1 4458 1010 www.lemeurice.com
34 Vendôme GERMANY
+49 (0)2204 420 www.schlossbensberg.com
35 Die Schwarzwaldstube GERMANY
+49 (0)7442 492665 www.traube-tonbach.de
36 Le Calandre ITALY
+39 (0)49 630303 www.calandre.com
37 Chez Panisse USA
+1 510 548 5525 www.chezpanisse.com
38 Charlie Trotter’s USA
+1 773 2486228 www.charlietrotters.com
39 Chez Dominique FINLAND
+358 (0)9 612 7393 www.chezdominique.fi
40 D.O.M. BRAZIL
+55 11 30880761 www.domrestaurante.com.br
41 Daniel USA
+1 212 288 0033 www.danielnyc.com
42 Oud Sluis NETHERLANDS
+31 (0)117 461269 www.oudsluis.nl
43 Ristorante Cracco ITALY
+39 (0)2 876774
44 Asador Etxebarri SPAIN
+34 94 6583042 www.asadoretxebarri.com
45 Les Ambassadeurs FRANCE
+33 (0)1 4471 1616 www.crillon.com
46 L’Arpege FRANCE
+33 (0)1 4705 0906 www.alain-passard.com
47 Tantris GERMANY
+49 (0)89 36 19 59 0 www.tantris.de
48 Oaxen Skärgårdskrog SWEDEN
+46 (0)8 5515 3105 www.oaxenkrog.se
49 Rockpool (fish) AUSTRALIA
+612 9 2521 888 www.rockpoolsydney.com
50 Le Quartier Francais SOUTH AFRICA
+27 21 876 2151 www.lequartier.co.za
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