Buenas noches from Valencia! The World’s 50 Best Restaurants 2023 were unveiled in the Spanish city last night, and whilst it was a great evening of big wins for Spain, Bangkok also came out victorious with two new entries on the list. From big wins to sweet surprises, here’s a run-down of the night.
Foodies from around the world watched the unveil of the World’s 50 Best Restaurants 2023 in Valencia this evening, as the top 50 ranking of the prestigious dining list was announced. Following the release of the 51-100 list just a few days ago, the 1-50 ranking completes the top 100 restaurants on the planet this year.
From the glamorous awards ceremony inside Valencia’s City of Arts and Sciences space, over to all the exciting new additions to the list, read on for all the highlights to note from the World’s 50 Best Restaurants this 2023.
The World’s 50 Best Restaurants 2023
The World’s Best Restaurant in 2023 is Peru’s Central
The 21st edition of the annual restaurant ranking ran across 24 territories in five continents this year. There were 12 brand-new entries, including two from Thailand.
The top spot went to Central in Lima, making history as the very first venue in South America to take the culinary crown. It is also the first restaurant in this position to be co-run by a female chef, as Central is famously helmed by husband-and-wife duo Virgilio Martínez and Pía León. Central’s win as the best restaurant in the world follows its win as the best restaurant in Latin American in 2022, a spot it also occupied from 2014-2016.
Central’s win also continues to cement the Peruvian capital as a culinary destination, as Lima also saw three other spots in the top 50 (Maido at no. 6, Kjolle at no. 28, and Mayta at no. 47).
Central is followed by three Spanish venues, with Barcelona’s Disfrutar at no.2, Madrid’s Diverxo at no.3, and the Basque country’s Bittor Arquinzoniz at no.4.
New entries and big Jumps
Whilst it was a great night for Peru, it was also a great night for rising dining destination Dubai, the UK, and France. The U.S. saw only two restaurants in the top 50 ranking this year.
In Asia, it was definitely Bangkok that became one to watch, as we saw two Bangkok restaurants on the list for the very first time. Japan saw 3 entries (Den at no. 21, Florilège at no. 27, and Sézanne at no. 37), and Hong Kong had one entry (The Chariman at no. 50). Singapore too had only one entry, Odette at no.14, which was also voted the Best Restaurant in Asia.
Bangkok restaurants on the World’s 50 Best Restaurants 2023 list
This years marks a very successful year for Bangkok restaurants on the ranking. The Thai capital saw four entries on the 51-100 list, instantly inspiring many Bangkok foodies to make bets on which restaurants would feature on the top 50 list. It wasn’t a tough guess.
Though definitely not unfamiliar faces in the dining scene, Bangkok is represented by newcomers to the World’s 50 Best with Le Du at no. 15, and Gaggan Anand at no. 17. This follows months after Le Du was named Asia’s Best Restaurant, and Gaggan Anand followed in the no.2 slot on that list.
On the 51-100 list, Thailand was represented by Potong (no. 88), Nusara (no. 74), Sühring (no. 72), and Sorn (no. 56). This means that Bangkok is represented by a total of 6 restaurants in the top 100.
Last year, Sorn was the only Thailand restaurant to rank within the top 50, placing at no. 39 in 2022.
Special awards
The special awards at the World’s 50 Best Restaurants 2023 ceremony saw emotions running high.
French chef Julien Royer of Singapore’s beloved Odette restaurant won the Estrella Damn Chefs’ Choice Award. Fyn, located in Cape Town, took home the Flor de Caña Sustainable Restaurant Award 2023.
The Best Female Chef award went to Elena Reygadas of Mexico City’s Rosetta. Meanwhile, the Resy One to Watch award was given to Tatiana in New York.
The full list
The full list for the World’s 50 Best Restaurants 2023 can be found below. A warm congratulations to all winners.
1. Central, Lima
2. Disfrutar, Barcelona
3. Diverxo, Madrid
4. Asador Etxebarri, Atxondo, Spain
5. Alchemist, Copenhagen
6. Maido, Lima
7. Lido 84, Gardone Riviera, Italy
8. Atomix, New York City [Highest Climber]
9. Quintonil, Mexico City
10. Table by Bruno Verjus, Paris [Highest New Entry]
11. Trèsind Studio, Dubai
12. A Casa do Porco, Sao Paulo
13. Pujol, Mexico City
14. Odette, Singapore
15. Le Du, Bangkok
16. Reale, Castel di Sangro, Italy
17. Gaggan Anand, Bangkok
18. Steirereck, Vienna
19. Don Julio, Buenos Aires
20. Quique Dacosta, Dénia, Spain
21. Den, Tokyo
22. Elkano, Getaria, Spain
23. Kol, London
24. Septime, Paris
25. Belcanto, Lisbon
26. Schloss Schauenstein, Furstenau, Switzerland
27. Florilège, Tokyo
28. Kjolle, Lima
29. Boragó, Santiago
30. Frantzén, Stockholm
31. Mugaritz, San Sebastian, Spain
32. Hiša Franko, Kobarid, Slovenia
33. El Chato, Bogota
34. Uliassi, Senigallia, Italy
35. Ikoyi, London
36. Plénitude, Paris
37. Sézanne, Tokyo
38. The Clove Club, London
39. The Jane, Antwerp
40. Restaurant Tim Raue, Berlin
41. Le Calandre, Rubano, Italy
42. Piazza Duomo, Alba, Italy
43. Leo, Bogota
44. Le Bernardin, New York City
45. Nobelhart & Schmutzig, Berlin
46. Orfali Bros Bistro, Dubai
47. Mayta, Lima, Peru
48. La Grenouillėre, La Madeleine-Sous-Montreuil, France
49. Rosetta, Mexico City
50. The Chairman, Hong Kong
About the World’s 50 Best Restaurants
UK-based company William Reed Business Media puts together the World’s 50 Best Restaurants every year since 2002. The rankings are complied by votes from 1080 industry experts, from chefs to gourmands and restauranteurs from 27 regions around the world.
Find out more at 50 Best.
This story first appeared on Prestige Online Thailand.
Lisa Gries
Creative Content Director, Bangkok
Lisa is the Creative Content Director at Lifestyle Asia and Prestige Thailand. When she’s not knees-deep in SEO analysis or editorial calendars, you’ll likely find her in downward-facing dog at the yoga studio, or immersed in conversation at a secret bar in China town. Lisa writes mostly on dining, travel, and pop-culture, and is a huge fan of soup dumplings, Riesling, and power napping — in exactly that order.
Most Popular
