World's 50 Best Restaurants announced in Singapore

French restaurant Mirazur wins top honours

Cannelloni de crab at Mirazur. Photo: Eduardo Torres

The World's 50 Best Restaurants list for 2019 was announced at a chef-studded ceremony in Singapore on June 25.

Taking plum position at number one is Mirazur from Menton in France. The three Michelin-starred restaurant is famed for its fine French fare.

Italian-Argentine chef Mauro Colagreco’s restaurant is followed by the latest iteration of Copenhagen’s Noma, Asador Etxebarri (Spain), Gaggan (Bangkok) and Geranium (Copenhagen) in the next four places.

Chef Gaggan and an assistant prepare his surprise 'charcoal' dish. Photo: John Brunton

While no restaurants from the Middle East made it to the top 50, Istanbul's Mikla Restaurant, was position 52.

Striving for diversity

The list has often been criticised as being too Eurocentric and male-focused, so diversity is the new mantra adopted by the World’s 50 Best organisation this year. To that end, it has implemented a rule stating that the list will not include any of the previous number-one restaurants, in the hope to create “a more inclusive list in the long-term”.

Since the list debuted in 2002, a rotation of seven restaurants (yes, only seven in 17 years) have claimed top honours. As a result these eateries were not in the running this year: Massimo Bottura’s Osteria Francescana, Modena, Italy; Eleven Madison Park in New York; El Celler De Can Roca in Girona, Spain; Heston Blumenthal’s The Fat Duck in Berkshire in the UK; Thomas Keller’s The French Laundry in California in the US; the original Noma in Copenhagen, Denmark (which has since relocated) and Spain’s elBulli (which is no longer operational).

Instead they are part of a specially created category titled Best of the Best, which has no connection to the World’s 50 Best list.

Restaurants helmed by female chefs, too, are recognised as underserved in the gastronomy list, which this year included Atelier Crenn in San Francisco and Cosme in New York.

Cosme’s chef Daniela Soto-Innes also won the World’s Best Female Chef award, while Jessica Prealpato (from Alain Ducasse au Plaza Athenee, Paris) won the Best Pastry Chef award.

The host for the evening, meanwhile, was Australian journalist Annabel Crabb.

And finally, the ceremony itself, as the list's director William Drew notes in his opening speech, was being held for the first time in Asia. "Our aim is to honour the best restaurants and chefs from all corners of the globe, and discover diversity in food … to showcase great inclusivity and greater respect to all," he said.

Let’s hope 2020 includes more eateries from the culinary powerhouse that the Middle East has become, as well as more female-led restaurants.

Full list of winners

50. Schloss Schauenstein, Switzerland – also the recipient of the Sustainable Restaurant Award

49. Leo, Bogota – first restaurant from Colombia

48. Ultraviolet, Shanghai, China

47. Benu, San Francisco, US – new entry

46. De Librije, Zwolle, he Netherlands

45. Suhring, Bangkok, Thailand – new entry

44. The Test Kitchen, Cape Town, South Africa – also won Best Restaurant in Africa

43. Hoof Van Cleef, Flanders, Belgium

42. Belcanto, Lisbon, Portugal – first new entry from Europe

41. The Chairman, Hong Kong – new entry

40.  Tim Raue, Berlin, Germany

39. Casa del Porco, Sao Paulo, Brazil – new entry

38. Hisa Franko, Kobarid, Slovenia

37. Alinea, Chicago, US

36. Le Bernardin, New York, US

35. Atelier Crenn, San Francisco, US – new entry and female chef

34. Don Julio, Buenos Aires, Argentina – new entry

33. Lyle's, London, UK

32. Nerua, Bilbao, Spain – new entry

31. Le Calandre, Rubano, Italy

30. Elkano, Getaria, Spain

29. Piazza Duomo, Italy

28. Blue Hill at Stone Barns, New York

27. The Clove Club, London

26. Borago, Santiago, Chile

25. Pavillon Ledoyen, France

24. Quintonil, Mexico City

23. Cosme, New York

22. Narisawa, Tokyo, Japan

21. Frantzen, Stockholm, Sweden

20. Tickets, Barcelona, Spain

19. Twins Garden, Moscow, Russia – new entry

18. Odette, Singapore

17. Steirereck, Vienna, Austria

16. Alain Ducasse O Plaza Athenee, Paris, France

15. Septime, Paris

14. Azurmendi, Spain – also won the Highest Climber Award (from position 43 in 2018

13. White Rabbit, Moscow, Russia

12. Pujol, Mexico City – also won the Best Restaurant in North America

11. Den, Tokyo, Japan – also won Art of Hospitality award

10. Maido, Lima, Peru

9. Disfrutar, Barcelona, Spain

8. Arpege, Paris, France

7. Mugaritz, San Sebastian, Spain

6. Central, Lima, Peru – also won Best Restaurant in South America

5. Geranium, Copenhagen, Denmark

4. Gaggan, Bangkok, Thailand – also won Best Restaurant in Asia

3. Asador Etxebarri, Spain

2. Noma, Copenhagen, Denmark

1. Mirazur, Menton, France