1 El Bulli Spain World's Best Restaurant
2 The Fat Duck UK
3 Pierre Gagnaire France
4 The French Laundry USA Best in the Americas
5 Tetsuya's Australia Best in Australasia
6 Bras France
7 Mugaritz Spain
8 Le Louis XV Monaco
9 Per Se USA
10 Arzak Spain
11 El Celler de Can Roca Spain
12 Gambero Rosso Italy
13 L'Atelier de Joël Robuchon France
14 Hof van Cleve Belgium
15 Noma Denmark Highest Climber
16 Le Calandre Italy
17 Nobu London UK
18 Jean Georges USA
19 Hakkasan UK
20 Alain Ducasse au Plaza Athénée France
21 L'Astrance France
22 Can Fabes Spain
23 L'Ambroisie France
24 Restaurant Gordon Ramsay UK
25 Troisgros France
26 Le Bernardin USA
27 Martin Berasategui Spain
28 Le Gavroche UK
29 Le Cinq France
30 Charlie Trotter's USA
31 Dal Pescatore Italy
32 Daniel USA
33 Rockpool Australia
34 St John UK
35 Chez Dominique Finland
36 Alinea USA Highest New Entry
37 Bukhara India Best in Asia
38 DOM Brazil
39 Oaxen Skärgårdskrog Sweden
40 Chez Panisse USA
41 Enoteca Pinchiorri Italy
42 Cracco Peck Italy
43 L'Arpège France
44 River Café UK
45 Oud Sluis Netherlands
46 Combal Zero Italy
47 Le Quartier Français South Africa Best in Mid East & Africa
48 Taillevent France
49 Bocuse France
50 Les Ambassadeurs France

http://www.theworlds50best.com/2007_list.html

Wonder if you need to serve the products of the sponsors mentioned to be considered for this list.I have had lunch at the French Laundry it was nice but I've had better at local restaurants,maybe I caught them on a bad day.

Number of those places I probably could afford: 0.

Wonder if you need to serve the products of the sponsors mentioned to be considered for this list.I have had lunch at the French Laundry it was nice but I've had better at local restaurants,maybe I caught them on a bad day.

It is interesting that the UK, not generally known for their good food, has as many or more restaurants (8) on the list as any country, with the exception of France. Also interesting that they can't count. As you read down, they claim that the U.S. has seven on the list. I was able to count 8.

These lists are always fun, but rather silly. I much like Tetsuya's, but #5 in the world? And Rockpool is fine, but I can think of a half dozen better restaurants in the US mid-atlantic that are superior (and not on the list). And then there are the restaurants on here based solely on past reputation and little else...

[QUOTE=ILuvParis;7643786]It is interesting that the UK, not generally known for their good food......QUOTE]

No, it's just that people keep reverting to type and saying this! :mad:

Saying that England doesn't have good food is like saying that the only food available in the US is the Burger - both utterly a myth, both you will still hear from people too lazy to discover the truth, and both, IMO insulting.

The UK, in the last 15-20 years, (not the last 1-2 years) has seen an explosion in the number of highly rated restaurants not only in London but outside the capital and well into the countryside. We have also seen a significant increase in the media coverage of high quality cooking in the UK. Even the humble British Pub is starting to change - yes the pies, and fish n Chips can be easily found - but we are seeing, on almost a daily basis, old fashioned pubs closing and reopening with an emphasis on good food, some even go so far to call them selves "gastro pubs".

Yes, our home grown wine still isn't up to much, but then again there is always our beer!

[QUOTE=ILuvParis;7643786]It is interesting that the UK, not generally known for their good food......QUOTE]

No, it's just that people keep reverting to type and saying this! :mad:

Saying that England doesn't have good food is like saying that the only food available in the US is the Burger - both utterly a myth, both you will still hear from people too lazy to discover the truth, and both, IMO insulting.

The UK, in the last 15-20 years, (not the last 1-2 years) has seen an explosion in the number of highly rated restaurants not only in London but outside the capital and well into the countryside. We have also seen a significant increase in the media coverage of high quality cooking in the UK. Even the humble British Pub is starting to change - yes the pies, and fish n Chips can be easily found - but we are seeing, on almost a daily basis, old fashioned pubs closing and reopening with an emphasis on good food, some even go so far to call them selves "gastro pubs".

Yes, our home grown wine still isn't up to much, but then again there is always our beer!

What I said was that the UK isn't "generally known for their good food," which doesn't differ substantially with what you said.

No Swiss restaurant mentioned, uh?

Guess they are just expensive and not very innovative.

I've only eaten at 4 of them. Clearly time to up the count. Though I have eaten at a great number of the second tier reataurants by the same chefs.

4 The French Laundry USA Best in the Americas
5 Tetsuya's Australia Best in Australasia


IMHO these two are the most over-rated restaurants in the world. While The French Laundry might have possibly the worlds greatest food, it is let down each time I visit by appalling customer services.

Tetsuya's is the opposite - mediocre food and fantastic customer service.

Good restaurants, yes
Worth visiting, yes
Best in the world, no.

When this list came out last year it was a bit of a laugher. They have cleaned it up a bit but it still is a pretty tough list to put together, or accept for that matter. I have eaten at 8 of the places on the list. I dont think their order is too crazy but I dont completely agree with it. I would not for instance, place St. John ahead of L'Arpege and Chez Panisse. In fact, I wouldnt place Daniel ahead of them either. I also prefer LeBernardin and L'Arpege to Jean Georges. I would on the other hand, probably place Gagnaire at the top of the ones I had been to as much as I have a soft spot in my heart for Taillevant.

Then there is the whole French Laundry/Per Se thing that I just keep telling myself Im going to have to break down and try one of them but I can never bring myself to do it........

I'm surprised there aren't any cheesesteak joints from Philly on that list.






:D

Lots of French restaurants, we had friend visit there a few months ago, 3 restaurants in a row refused them service because they were U.S.

Lots of French restaurants, we had friend visit there a few months ago, 3 restaurants in a row refused them service because they were U.S.

I simply dont believe this.

I havent been to France since last fall, but I was there at that time. As were lots of other Americans at the meeting I was at. And I have been there a number of other times and I have never had this happen and havent heard of it happening. Moreover, I have been to several of the ones on this list in France. Taillevent on each visit, and I have been there a fair number of times, has had better service than any other restaurant I have been to. Pierre Gagnaire has also had outstanding service on the multiple times I have been there. I should also add that my wife and I were in Taillevent in the first week of September 2001. A week or so after September 11 we received in the mail a hand written note from the owner saying that he noticed a New York address on the reservation we just had and that he hoped we and our loved ones were safe.

Oh and the reason there are lots of French restaurants is that they tend to be real good. Several of the ones in the US are also French.

Lots of French restaurants, we had friend visit there a few months ago, 3 restaurants in a row refused them service because they were U.S.

Are you sure you didn't dream that conversation?

Are you sure you didn't dream that conversation?

I've never had any problems getting served in a restaurant in France. And, I have a very heavy American accent. :)

Perhaps it would be best to not wear shorts and sandals when you want to eat at a fancy place in France? @:-)

Perhaps it would be best to not wear shorts and sandals when you want to eat at a fancy place in France? @:-)

And not to order Frites de Liberte :p

I've never had any problems getting served in a restaurant in France. And, I have a very heavy American accent. :)


Yeah, me too. Heavily American accented English! :D

I simply don't believe the poster (or his friend) unless there were some extraordinary circumstances.

I need to check it out, time for a Parisian food run!

I'm oh for fifty.

I think I'll live. :)

I'm wondering why In-n-Out isn't on the list.

Bueller?

IMHO these two are the most over-rated restaurants in the world. While The French Laundry might have possibly the worlds greatest food, it is let down each time I visit by appalling customer services.

Tetsuya's is the opposite - mediocre food and fantastic customer service.

Good restaurants, yes
Worth visiting, yes
Best in the world, no.

I had dinner at the French Laundry last night, and the service was extraordinarily good. I'm still not convinced it was worth 3x the price of Gary Danko or one of the other top SF restaurants, but it was very, very, very good and the service was certainly excellent.


Bob

I've never had any problems getting served in a restaurant in France. And, I have a very heavy American accent. :)


I love the scene in A Good Year (http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0401445/) where Fanny says ""OK. But remember, if you get any complaints, the customer is ALWAYS wrong!" ". That's France to a tea.

I love the scene in A Good Year (http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0401445/) where Fanny says ""OK. But remember, if you get any complaints, the customer is ALWAYS wrong!" ". That's France to a tea.

I remember thinking that it was nothing like the France that I have experienced - it really made me cringe. I felt like I was watching a cartoon.

No restaurant in Japan makes the top 50 .... hmmm.

No restaurant in Japan makes the top 50 .... hmmm.[/QUOTE]

I was thinking the same thing and what about Hong Kong, Bangkok, Singapore, and the rest of Asia?

I am 14 of 50 for this list.... but I am surprised more by the omissions, like Gary Danko in San Francisco, Gramercy Park Tavern or Gotham Bar & Grill (among MANY others) in NYC, or even Fat Duck and Waterside Inn in Bray......

or Susur in Toronto; Bishops in Vancouver (or Tojo's or Lumiere)

Nobu in London?? I still think Nobu in NYC is still better......

Paul Bocuse over Guy Savoy? no German candidates??

Still, an interesting compilation......

Bocuse is definitey overrated.

No restaurant in Japan makes the top 50 .... hmmm.

I was thinking the same thing and what about Hong Kong, Bangkok, Singapore, and the rest of Asia?

Well - Singapore gets three in the next fifty. And Hong Kong one. India gets one in the top 50 and some more in the next 50.

But nothing in Japan.

The Financial Times had an article on this where they write most Asian recipients of the questionnaire did not participate in the vote. Might be because of language issues or maybe the magazine is simply unknown in Asia.

The Financial Times had an article on this where they write most Asian recipients of the questionnaire did not participate in the vote. Might be because of language issues or maybe the magazine is simply unknown in Asia.

AH... naruhodo.
Now that would really explain the "english speaking" bias that I was sensing in this list. (Yes, I know France, Italy and Spain aren't English speaking - but I felt that there were a disporportionate number of restaurants in English speaking countries in this list).

Link to the FT online article: http://www.ft.com/cms/s/6525cdee-f4b4-11db-b748-000b5df10621.html

I am 14 of 50 for this list.... but I am surprised more by the omissions, like Gary Danko in San Francisco, Gramercy Park Tavern or Gotham Bar & Grill (among MANY others) in NYC, or even Fat Duck and Waterside Inn in Bray......

or Susur in Toronto; Bishops in Vancouver (or Tojo's or Lumiere)

Nobu in London?? I still think Nobu in NYC is still better......

Paul Bocuse over Guy Savoy? no German candidates??

Still, an interesting compilation......

I have to agree although this list is better by a wide margin than last years in my opinion. By the way, Fat Duck is there, all the way at number 2. One thing this list does, for better or for worse, is elevate a certain flashy modern type of restaurant relative to more traditional ones which those voting might be a but jaded by. Too much emphasis on novelty I guess is another way to put it.