World's Top 50 Restaurants

BrianH

BrianH

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The world's top fifty places to eat have been chosen by a panel of more than six hundred chefs, food critics and restaurateurs, who considered culinary excellence, service and the overall dining experience. Fourteen are in England - more than the USA and France. I have been fortunate enough to have eaten at six of the restaurants on the list.

Top 50 places to eat

1 The Fat Duck Bray, Berkshire

2 El Bulli Montjoi, Spain

3 The French Laundry Yountville, California

4 Tetsuya's Sydney

5 Gordon Ramsay London

6 Pierre Gagnaire Paris

7 Per Se New York

8 Tom Aikens London

9 Jean Georges New York

10 St John London

11 Michel Bras Laguiole, France

12 Le Louis XV Monte Carlo

13 Chez Panisse Berkeley, California

14 Charlie Trotter Chicago

15 Gramercy Tavern New York

16 Guy Savoy Paris

17 Restaurant Alain Ducasse Paris

18 The Gallery at Sketch London

19 The Waterside Inn Bray, Berkshire

20 Nobu London

21 Restaurante Arzak San Sebastián, Spain

22 El Raco de Can Fabes San Celoni, Spain

23 Checcino dal 1887 Rome

24 Le Meurice Paris

25 L'Hotel de Ville Crissier, Switzerland

26 L'Arpège Paris

27 Angela Hartnett at the Connaught London

28 Le Manoir aux Quat' Saisons Oxford

29 Le Cinq Paris

30 Hakkasan London

31 Cal Pep Barcelona

32 Masa New York

33 Flower Drum Melbourne

34 WD50 New York

35 Le Quartier Francais Franschhoek, South Africa

36 Spice Market New York

37 Auberge de l'Ill Illhaeusern, Alsace

38 Manresa California

39 Restaurant Dieter Muller Begisch Gladbach, Germany

40 La Maison Troisgros Roanne, France

41 The Wolseley London

42 Rockpool Sydney

43 Yauatcha London

44 The Ivy London

45 Gambero Rosso San Vincenzo, Italy

46 The Cliff St James, Barbados

47 Le Gavroche London

48 Enoteca Pinchiorri Florence

49 Felix Hong Kong

50 La Tupina Bordeaux
 
Sorry, these might all be fabulous restaurants but I can't take this list seriously. It claims to be a list of the world's best but no restaurants in Belgium or Lyon are included, never mind that it's obviously restricted to French and New World cuisine.

Did all 600 members of the panel have to eat at each restaurant? That would have restricted the number of establishments asking to be considered. :lol:
 
The Riverside Brasserie at Bray is also very good and a lot cheaper.

But unfortunately Lee Dixon now owns it.
 
Originally posted by BrianH@Apr 19 2005, 02:45 PM
I have been fortunate enough to have eaten at six of the restaurants on the list.
Click to expand...
How many of them have barred you?
 
Grey, I agree about Belgium. There are more Michelin starred restaurants per head of the population in Brussels than there are in Paris.

Homer, Restaurant magazine commissions a worldwide survey from the "experts" every year.
 
Yes, it's a bit limited to say the least - and how much of it goes on hype?

Saying that, I haven't eaten at any of the restaurants mentioned.

Best for me would have to be Dubh Prais on Edinburgh's Royal Mile. Tiny little place, like someone's front room - only about 8 tables - but the food is top class.
 
I have eaten at four

Felix, Cal Pep , Gavroche and the Ivy

Felix is an amazing restaurant style wise at the top of the Peninsula Hotel in HK with stunning views form the loos . The food does not deserve to be in such a list

I was gobsmacked to see Cal Pep in there . It is a tapas bar I have recommended it before on here but although it is expensive in Spanish terms it is not in English restaurant terms - some of the very best seafood I have ever had - it is prepared and cooked in front of you as you sit at a chrome counter . Have to queue for ages .


Gavroche - an old fashioned French restaurant with very attentive service . The set lunch is a brilliant deal .

Ivy - great to go to but I went in the mid 90s two or three times before it became impossible . Food is fine but it is a joke to say it is worthy of being in the top 100 let alone 50
 
I would never eat in a vastly overpriced restaurants just so that I can tell people I have been there - like so many people probably do. That said, I was taken as a guest to The Fat Duck in Bray and it was probably one of the worst meals I have ever eaten. Thank goodness someone else was paying. It was absolute rubbish. The restaurant was tiny, the service was poor, the wine was horrendously expensive and as for serving up a dish for a vegetarian with a Cock's comb on it was totally bewildering. :blink:
 
Originally posted by Kathy@Apr 19 2005, 09:56 PM
I would never eat in a vastly overpriced restaurants just so that I can tell people I have been there - like so many people probably do.
Click to expand...
Some of us do it Kathy because we like good food and as a natural part of life. I thought it worthy of mention that I had been fortunate enough to have visited some of the restaurants in the list. I am sorry that you seem to have perceived this as boasting - it certainly wasn't.

I don't do boasting, but I'm sure I could think of some subjects about which to boast if you really wanted me to.
 
Done The Ivy - can't remember much about it. Sorry to see Big Fatso's Slurp 'n' Burp ain't mentioned, though.
 
I remember our little party giggling a lot on exit, somehow not fitting into one taxi and having those really silly discussions about who's going in which, etc., when another was hailed. I suspect many wonderful meals have been consigned to recall oblivion thanks to la Belle!
 
I haven't been to any, and would have no great ambition so to do. The sort of restaurant I imagine I would most like is Rick Stein's. Someone passionate about simply cooking the best ingredients.

The fussiness associated with gaining Michelin stars offers no value to me. I would always look for a red M rather than a Michelin star.
 
Well, at least you specified a red one...

mcdonalds-arch-250x200.gif
 
:huh:

I think Michelin abandoned the red M a few years ago in favour of a Bib Gourmand - Good value for a basic meal under €30, or something like that - I imagine it's much the same as before.
 
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