The World’s 50 Best Restaurant Awards for 2019 were held last night at the Marina Bay Sands Hotel in Singapore, with French restaurant Mirazur taking the number one spot. Denmark’s Noma and Spain’s Asador Etxebarri took second and third place respectively.
The illustrious international restaurant awards were deemed more exciting than usual as previous winners are no longer eligible for the top spot; rather they are relegated to the ‘all-time greats’ category. This meant that The Fat Duck near London, New York’s Eleven Madison Park, California’s The French Laundry and last year’s winner, Osteria Francescana from Modena in Italy, were excluded from the competition.
While the ruling made room for a new top dog, South Africans can be proud that The Test Kitchen, Chef Luke Dale-Robert’s Cape Town fine-dining restaurant, placed 44th and was named as the Best Restaurant in Africa. This is the fifth time this restaurant has made the top 50.
Luke Dale Roberts heads on stage as The Test Kitchen in Cape Town, #SouthAfrica is The Best Restaurant in Africa 2019! #CapeTown #SouthAfrica #Worlds50Best pic.twitter.com/oymcavrSaz
— The World’s 50 Best (@TheWorlds50Best) June 25, 2019
‘Since its inception in 2010 I’ve always wanted to feature on the list, it really has become an excellent reflection of who is making waves in the international food arena,’ says Luke, who placed at 50th in 2018, 22nd in 2016, 28th in 2015, and 48th in 2014 – the only chef ever in Africa to have his restaurant feature four times.
While it will be exceptionally tricky to get a booking at any of these, here is the list of this year’s top 50 restaurants:
The world’s 50 best restaurants
1. Mirazur (Menton, France)
2. Noma (Copenhagen, Denmark) *Highest-ever new entry*
3. Asador Etxebarri (Axpe, Spain)
4. Gaggan (Bangkok) *best restaurant in Asia*
5. Geranium (Copenhagen, Denmark)
6. Central (Lima, Peru) *best restaurant in South America*
7. Mugaritz (San Sebastian, Spain)
8. Arpege (Paris, France) Alain Passard’s place
9. Disfrutar (Barcelona, Spain) *last year’s highest new entry*
10. Maido (Lima, Peru)
11. Den (Tokyo, Japan) *Art of Hospitality Award*
12. Pujol (Mexico City, Mexico) *Best Restaurant in North America*
13. White Rabbit (Moscow, Russia)
14. Azurmendi (Larrabetzu, Spain) *Highest Climber Award*
15. Septime (Paris, France)
16. Alain Ducasse au Plaza Athénée (Paris, France)
17. Steirereck (Vienna, Austria)
18. Odette (Singapore)
19. Twins Garden (Moscow, Russia) *new entry*
20. Tickets (Barcelona, Spain)
21. Frantzén (Stockholm, Sweden)
22. Narisawa (Tokyo, Japan)
23. Cosme (New York City)
24. Quintonil (Mexico City, Mexico)
25. Alléno Paris au Pavillon Ledoyen (Paris, France)
26. Boragó (Santiago, Chile)
27. The Clove Club (London, UK)
28. Blue Hill at Stone Barns (Pocantico Hills, New York)
29. Piazza Duomo (Alba, Italy)
30. Elkano (Getaria, Spain)
31. Le Calandre (Rubano, Italy)
32. Nerua (Bilbao, Spain)
33. Lyle’s (London, UK)
34. Don Julio (Buenos Aires, Argentina)
5. Atelier Crenn (San Francisco)
36. Le Bernardin (New York City)
37. Alinea (Chicago)
38. Hiša Franko (Kobarid, Slovenia)
39. A Casa do Porco (São Paulo, Brazil)
40. Restaurant Tim Raue (Berlin, Germany)
41. The Chairman (Hong Kong, China)
42. Belcanto (Lisbon, Portugal)
43. Hof van Cleve (Kruishoutem, Belgium)
44. Test Kitchen (Cape Town, South Africa) *Best restaurant in Africa*
45. Sühring (Bangkok, Thailand)
46. De Librije (Zwolle, Netherlands)
47. Benu (San Francisco)
48. Ultraviolet (Shanghai, China)
49. Leo (Bogotá, Colombia)
50. Schloss Schauenstein (Fürstenau, Switzerland)
Image: Supplied
