With international travel picking back up, gourmands have understandably been waiting for the annual Worldโs 50 Best Restaurants rankings to be released for 2022. And without further ado, here it is โ gifting us a nicely curated hitlist of haute and hybrid cuisine for those who want to zone in on only the best dining experiences from New York City to London and beyond. As always, the Worldโs Best Restaurants list names and ranks the greatest menus from regular culinary hotspots like Copenhagen, San Sebastian, Lima, and Tokyo. And in 2022, it appears thereโs a new โbest restaurant in the world,โ with Geranium in Copenhagen moving up a spot to unseat last yearโs winner, Noma (also from Copenhagen).
As this yearโs front-runner and last yearโs runner-up, Geranium is consistently described as โseasonality personified,โ positioned in the cityโs National Football Stadium with a tight grip on Scandinavian food and fine wines. Helmed by chef Rasmus Kofoed, Geranium is Copenhagenโs only restaurant aside from Noma to hold the coveted three-Michelin-star rating and recently announced it would be ditching meat from the menu to focus exclusively on seafood and vegetables.
And although Noma has slipped from #1, it should be noted that former winners are no longer eligible to win again. That isnโt to say Geranium moved up to the top spot by default, but itโs interesting to see Worldโs 50 Best introduce this policy. After all, Noma has taken the top spot no less than five times (2010, 2011, 2012, 2014 and 2021). Rene Redzepiโs iconic restaurant is now featured in a โbest of the bestโ category alongside past winners like Franceโs highly-sought Mirazur.
This yearโs runner-up status goes to list-regular Central in Lima, with the Top Three rounded out by Barcelonaโs Disfrutar. No Australian restaurants have managed to sneak into the Top 50, although only one made the 51-100 list, which was released a few weeks ago and notably features the debut from Melbourneโs Gimlet at no. 84.
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The results of the Worldโs 50 Best Restaurants were announced during a ceremony in London at the top of this week, which was hosted by actor and epicurean Stanley Tucci.
Browsing the list, you might notice that two of last yearโs entries, White Rabbit and Twins Garden have dropped off completely. Thatโs because both restaurants โ which came in at no. 25 and no. 30, respectively โ are located in Moscow and, at least for this year, Worldโs 50 Best made the decision to bar any restaurants in Russia from eligibility, for obvious reasons.
Spain and Italy are the two countries that absolutely dominated the list this year. Spain is represented six times, with the countryโs top entry being Diverxo in Madrid at no, 4, while Italy also clocks in with six total entries, the highest being Lido 84 in Gardone Riviera at no. 8. Interestingly, Europe and South America make up the overwhelming majority of the Top 20. Asia is only represented once, scrapping in with Tokyoโs Den placed at no. 20, ahead of Hong Kongโs The Chairman at no. 24.
The United States doesnโt ever appear in the Top 30 this year, with the countryโs highest entry just missing out with New York Cityโs Atomix coming in at no. 33. Of course, the cityโs famous Eleven Madison Park hasnโt fallen out of favour after being a list-regular for just about every year. The former number one also slides into the aforementioned โbest of the bestโ category alongside Noma and Mirazur.
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Heading overseas this year? A lot of these restaurants are completely booked out with only wait-list availability, but that doesnโt mean you shouldnโt keep trying to score a reservation at some of the best restaurantโs in the world right now.
Weโve included the full 1-50 list below, followed by the 51-100 spots so you take a look at the full long list and decide which of these culinary powerhouses youโll be inhaling this year.
The Worldโs 50 Best Restaurants [2022]
- Geranium, Copenhagen
- Central, Lima
- Disfrutar, Barcelona, Spain
- Diverxo, Madrid, Spain
- Pujol, Mexico City
- Asador Etxebarri, Atxondo, Spain
- A Casa do Porco, Sao Paulo
- Lido 84, Gardone Riviera, Italy
- Quintonil, Mexico City
- Le Calandre, Rubano, Italy
- Maido, Lima
- Uliassi, Senigallia, Italy
- Steirereck, Vienna
- Don Julio, Buenos Aires
- Reale, Castel di Sangro, Italy
- Elkano, Getaria, Spain
- Nobelhart & Schmutzig, Berlin
- Alchemist, Copenhagen
- Piazza Duomo, Alba, Italy
- Den, Tokyo [Highest Entry In Asia]
- Mugaritz, San Sebastian, Spain
- Septime, Paris
- The Jane, Antwerp
- The Chairman, Hong Kong
- Frantzรฉn, Stockholm
- Restaurant Tim Raue, Berlin
- Hof Van Cleve, Kruishoutem, Germany
- Le Clarence, Paris
- St. Hubertus, San Cassiano, Italy
- Florilรจge, Tokyo
- Arpรจge, Paris
- Mayta, Lima
- Atomix, New York City [Highest Entry in US]
- Hisa Franko, Kobarid, Slovenia
- The Clove Club, London
- Odette, Singapore
- Fyn, Cape Town
- Jordnรฆr, Copenhagen
- Sorn, Bangkok
- Schloss Schauenstein, Furstenau, Switzerland
- La Cime, Osaka
- Quique Dacosta, Dรฉnia, Spain
- Boragรณ, Santiago
- Le Bernardin, New York City
- Narisawa, Tokyo
- Belcanto, Lisbon
- Oteque, Rio de Janiero
- Leo, Bogota
- Ikoyi, London
- Single Thread, Healdsburg, CA
The Worldโs 50 Best Restaurants (51 โ 100) [2022]
51. Alcalde, Guadalajara
52. Sud 777, Mexico City
53. D.O.M., Sรฃo Paulo
54. Lyleโs, London
55. Azurmendi, Larrabetzu
56. La Colombe, Cape Town
57. Trรจsind Studio, Dubai
58. Allรฉno Paris au Pavillon Ledoyen, Paris
59. Sazenka, Tokyo
60. Rosetta, Mexico City
61. La Grenouillรจre, La MadelaineโsousโMontreuil
62. Ernst, Berlin
63. Chefโs Table at Brooklyn Fare, New York
64. Fu He Hui, Shanghai
65. Le Du, Bangkok
66. Sรผhring, Bangkok
67. Evvai, Sรฃo Paulo
68. Kjolle, Lima
69. Cosme, New York
70. Zรฉn, Singapore
71. Mingles, Seoul
72. Atelier Crenn, San Francisco
73. Kol, London
74. Blue Hill at Stone Barns, Pocantico Hills
75. Samrub Samrub Thai, Bangkok
76. Neighborhood, Hong Kong
77. Table by Bruno Verjus, Paris
78. Lasai, Rio de Janeiro
79. Estela, New York
80. AM par Alexandre Mazzia, Marseille
81. Brat, London
82. Sรฉzanne, Tokyo
83. El Chato, Bogotรก
84. Gimlet at Cavendish House, Melbourne
85. Raan Jay Fai, Bangkok
86. Mikla, Istanbul
87. Orfali Bros Bistro, Dubai
88. Mishiguene, Buenos Aires
89. Mรกximo Bistrot, Mexico City
90. Wolfgat, Paternoster
91. Oriole, Chicago
92. Indian Accent, New Delhi
93. Hertog Jan at Botanic Sanctuary, Antwerp
94. Burnt Ends, Singapore
95. Meta, Singapore
96. Manรญ, Sรฃo Paulo
97. Benu, San Francisco
98. Tantris, Munich
99. Flocons de Sel, Megรจve
100. Wing, Hong Kong
On the domestic side, be sure to check out our lists for the best new restaurants in Sydney, Melbourne, and Brisbane.