As reported by Gazeta.Ru, the World's 50 Best Restaurants award was recently presented in Melbourne. High-end restaurants from Italy, Denmark, the USA, Peru, and other countries strive to make this prestigious list every year. The "Oscar for restaurants" is determined by a jury of 972 people – leaders of the international restaurant industry: gastronomic critics, chefs, and restaurateurs. They name seven best restaurants in priority order.
The choice is limited by only a few conditions: at least three of the seven restaurants must be located outside the expert's home country, and the expert must have personally visited each of the named restaurants within the last 18 months. Additionally, the expert cannot nominate a restaurant that they own personally or that belongs to their friends or relatives.
Last year's winner, Osteria Francescana, led by the extravagant Massimo Bottura, came in second, while the elegant restaurant of the Roca brothers, El Celler de Can Roca, declared the best in 2015, is now in third place. And there is nothing unexpected about this: despite annual reshuffles, the list remains more or less stable.
Despite changing fashion, when trendsetters become either residents of Mediterranean countries, Scandinavians, or chefs from Latin America, there are several places in the world that are a must-visit for those who appreciate the taste of fresh products and the chef's imagination. Reservations at such restaurants should be made a year in advance.
TOKYO, JAPAN
Tokyo has more Michelin-starred restaurants than any other city. Moreover, there are establishments for every budget: from restaurants with exquisite cuisine and panoramic views from a skyscraper to atmospheric Japanese-style pubs where food is washed down with beer and sake, focusing on high-quality seasonal ingredients.
This year, Narisawa restaurant ranked 18th on the list of the world's best restaurants. The restaurant's cuisine combines classic French techniques with the best Japanese ingredients. According to chef Yoshihiro Narisawa, he managed to select the best European styles, adding a pinch of his own imagination, resulting in magnificent dishes.
SAN SEBASTIAN, SPAIN
The small Basque city is the birthplace of two of the world's best restaurants. This year, the local establishment Mugaritz took ninth place on the ranking. Chef Andoni Luis Aduriz calls his dishes works of art: indeed, he uses wild flowers and various plants to prepare his dishes. Spices play a key role in the preparation, perfectly conveying the flavor of the Basque Country.
In thirtieth place on the list is the restaurant Arzak, located on a hilltop: it is run by Juan-Mari Arzak and his daughter Elena, one of the world's most famous female chefs. The menu includes tasting sets and signature dishes such as eggs with red pepper, mushrooms, and sea bass.
San Sebastian is especially attractive to foodies also because prices in the city are quite low – both for traditional rustic snacks and haute cuisine dishes.
LIMA, PERU
Lima's geographical location (the city is on the Pacific coast) has made it one of the centers of gastronomic tourism for seafood lovers. Oddly enough, alongside fresh fish and delicacies, many establishments widely feature Chinese and Japanese cuisines. So fans of spicy food will not be bored here either. Some chefs manage to mix Asian exoticism with premium South American products.
This year, the ranking includes three local restaurants – in fifth, eighth, and thirtieth place. Maido is famous for its fusion cuisine and small portions, Astrid y Gastón for its pre-set menu, and to find Central, you will have to spend some time, as the restaurant has no sign.
BUENOS AIRES, ARGENTINA
Everyone knows that Argentina is famous for its meat and wine. But such national dishes as empanadas (pies with meat, chicken, ham and cheese, herbs, vegetables), dulce de leche (caramelized condensed milk), and sweet potato are not even heard of by people not particularly advanced in gastronomy.
This year, the local restaurant Tegui took 49th place. The establishment is very atmospheric: in a dark dining room hidden behind a graffiti-covered wall, the chef works in an open kitchen. The menu offers three to four main courses. Signature dishes include grilled potatoes, Argentine tenderloin, and Brazilian farofa, a cassava flour side dish.
LONDON, UK
The capital of the UK is famous for its young talents. Some experts even believe that within a few years, London will become a leader in innovation. Already now, the ethnic diversity of cuisines represented in this city allows you to feel like you are anywhere in the world, from India to Russia. Unsurprisingly, there are as many as three restaurants on the list of the world's best: Dinner by Heston Blumenthal, The Ledbury, and The Clove Club.
NEW YORK, USA
Such a variety of restaurants with different world cuisines, flavor palettes, and pricing policies, apart from New York, seems to exist nowhere else. Here you can find everything: from street food and all kinds of fast food options to premium establishments preferred by politicians and Hollywood stars. Unsurprisingly, for the second year in a row, New York is in the top three on the list of the 50 best restaurants in the world.
Eleven Madison Park, which rose from third to first place this year, is famous for American and European haute cuisine. A special pride of the establishment is its gluten-free dishes: for this, the restaurant is loved by fans of healthy eating and glutenophobes.