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These are the 50 best restaurants in the world
Noma founder René Redzepi (second from right) is celebrated for his Nordic cuisine.
The gourmet Oscar goes to: Copenhagen! Experts have chosen the best restaurants in the world at the "World's Best". Here is an overview of all 50 top addresses for a culinary trip.
The gourmet Oscars ("Oscars of the fine dining world") ennoble the Danish capital twice in 2021: first and second place of the "50 best restaurants in the world" go to restaurants in Copenhagen!
The award by British media company William Reed Business Media had to be cancelled in 2020 due to the Corona pandemic. Now that most restaurants have reopened, restaurant critics around the world were once again enjoying themselves.
More than 1000 experts evaluated the starred kitchens in 26 regions, each with its own voting panel, according to strict criteria. According to the organisers, the selection of the testers and their judgements were independently reviewed by the consulting firm Deloitte. The list of all 50 best restaurants can be found further down in the article - first you will learn more about the three winners.
1st place: Unusual forest cuisine at Noma (Denmark)
According to the new World's Best ranking, the best restaurant in the world is Noma in Copenhagen. Chef René Redzepi has thus won the coveted title for the fifth time after 2010, 2011, 2012 and 2014!
The best restaurant in the world: Noma in Copenhagen has made it to first place for the fifth time.
The three-star restaurant in the Christianshavn district is celebrated by top chefs for its modern and innovative Nordic cuisine. There are only three menus to choose from each year. In spring the chefs serve seafood, in summer vegetable variations and in winter special unusual forest menus.
Past seasons have included vegetarian celeriac kebab, a duck dish of legs, brains and heart served with claw, feather and beak, and sweet crabmeat served on a crab-shaped flatbread.
The innovative cuisine impressed the judges again this year. First place!
Chef Redzepi gave free rein to his joy at the award ceremony in Antwerp: "If the pandemic has taught us anything, it is how fragile our dreams can be, how incredibly demanding and difficult this industry can be," he said. "I want to acknowledge all the restaurants and industry people who have been fighting to survive. It feels a little strange to stand on this stage and know that so many people are still struggling."
Place 2: Sea specialities at Geranium (Denmark).
Second place goes to Geranium - the restaurant is only about five kilometres from Noma as the crow flies. Three-star chef Rasmus Kofoed is known for his penchant for exceptional seafood and has won several awards.
Currently, for example, quail with thyme seeds, berries and pickled pine cones are served at Geranium. The jury praised the "stunning dishes" that "make the most of colour, empty space and precise volume of ingredients" and create "a synergy between taste, aesthetics and a sense of flow".
3rd place: Grill Art at Asador Etxebarri in Atxondo (Spain).
Third place goes to the kitchen of the Asador Etxebarri restaurant in Atxondo, about 40 kilometres southeast of Bilbao in the Basque Country. The chef Victor Arguinzoniz, who has already won several awards, is famous for his grilling skills.
The Basque designed the six grills and grill pans himself. The charcoal for them is made daily in a kiln from selected woods, for example holm oak for fish and vine trunks for meat.
Arguinzoniz conjures up homemade chorizo sausage, anchovies, buffalo cheese, prawns and tender beef chops on his grills, for example.
All other restaurants on the 2021 Best of list
The winners of the "50 Best Restaurants in the World" are distributed as follows:
1st place: Noma (Copenhagen, Denmark)
2nd place: Geranium (Copenhagen, Denmark)
3rd place: Asador Etxebarri (Atxondo, Spain)
4th place: Central (Lima, Peru) | Best Restaurant in South America
5th place: Disfrutar (Barcelona, Spain)
6th place: Frantzén (Stockholm, Sweden)
7th place: Maido (Lima, Peru)
8th place: Odette (Singapore) | Best Restaurant in Asia
9th place: Pujol (Mexico City, Mexico) | Best Restaurant in North America
10th place: The Chairman (Hong Kong) | Highest climber
11th place: Den (Tokyo, Japan)
12th place: Steirereck (Vienna, Austria) | Special Award for Hospitality
13th place: Don Julio (Buenos Aires, Argentina)
14th place: Mugaritz (San Sebastian, Spain)
15th place: Lido 84 (Gardone Riviera, Italy) | Highest Newcomer
16th place: Elkano (Getaria, Spain)
17th place: A Casa do Porco (São Paulo, Brazil)
18th place: Piazza Duomo (Alba, Italy)
19th place: Narisawa (Tokyo, Japan)
20th place: DiverXO (Madrid, Spain)
21st place: Hiša Franko (Kobarid, Slovenia)
22nd place: Cosme (New York City)
23rd place: Arpège (Paris, France)
24th place: Septime (Paris, France)
25th place: White Rabbit (Moscow, Russia)
26th place: Le Calandre (Rubano, Italy)
27th place: Quintonil (Mexico City, Mexico)
28th place: Benu (San Francisco, California)
29th place: Reale (Castel di Sangro, Italy)
30th place: Twins Garden (Moscow, Russia)
31st place: Restaurant Tim Raue (Berlin, Germany)
32nd place: The Clove Club (London, United Kingdom)
33rd place: Lyle's (London, United Kingdom)
34th place: Burnt Ends (Singapore)
35th place: Ultraviolet (Shanghai, China)
36th place: Hof van Cleve (Kruishoutem, Belgium)
37th place: SingleThread (Healdsburg, California)
38th place: Boragó (Santiago, Chile) | Special Award for Sustainability
39th place: Florilege (Tokyo, Japan)
40th place: Sühring (Bangkok, Thailand)
41st place: Alléno Paris au Pavillon Ledoyen (Paris, France)
42nd place: Belcanto (Lisbon, Portugal)
43rd place: Atomix (New York City)
44th place: Le Bernardin (New York City)
45th place: Nobelhart & Schmutzig (Berlin, Germany)
46th place: Leo (Bogotá, Colombia)
47th place: Maaemo (Oslo, Norway)
48th place: Atelier Crenn (San Francisco, California)
49th place: Azurmendi (Larrabetzu, Spain)
50th place: Wolfgat (Paternoster, South Africa) | Best Resturant in Africa
Editorial note: This article first appeared in October 2021. We have updated it.