Just two UK restaurants make the cut at The World’s 50 Best 2021

It’s important to take The World’s 50 Best Restaurants with a pinch of expensive salt, which we have, so that’s that.

This year’s winner, Noma, will come as no surprise to restaurant fans given it’s won four times already. It was allowed to win again because it closed and reopened in a new location. René Redzepi said after the news was announced: “What an incredible moment for us all in Copenhagen. We are so happy and proud of our team being voted the no.1 restaurant in the world.” It comes after Redzepi finally won three Michelin stars last month.

“Noma has arguably been the most influential restaurants of its generation, setting new standards in terms of research and ingredient sourcing, dish development and presentation,” said William Drew, the awards’ director of content. 

“It has become one of the most sought-after dining destinations by consumers from all over the world and we are delighted to announce it as this year’s No.1. 

“It is also wonderful to see eight new restaurants making their debut as well as two re-entries after one of the most challenging periods the sector has seen. It has been an honour to witness the resilience and community spirit of so many restaurants on The World’s 50 Best Restaurants list and beyond.” 

Noma’s fellow Danish restaurant Geranium took second place. Italy, Spain, France? No. Denmark. It has long been home to progressive, upmarket and experimental cuisine. 

It is a little trifling that just two UK restaurants made the cut in 2021. At a live event in Antwerp on Tuesday night, Isaac McHale’s Shoreditch spot The Clove Club came in at 32, and Lyle’s was listed at 33. Ikoyi got ‘one to watch’ (and placed 87) while Core by Clare Smyth and Dinner by Heston Blumenthal also made the top 100, at 66 and 65 respectively. Brat came in at 78. 

This year’s rankings were compiled by votes cast in January 2020, before Covid had shut most of the world down, and combined with a second string cast in March 2021. The latter votes were done “where possible [to reflect] contemporary, local updates,” Drew told Bloomberg.

As ever, an explanation as to how the list is compiled read: “The annual restaurants list is created from the votes of The World’s 50 Best Restaurants Academy, an influential group of more than 1,000 leaders made up of food writers and critics, chefs, restaurateurs and international culinary experts, with a 50/50 gender balance. 

“To counter the restrictions on international travel and limited dining opportunities of the last year, the 2021 list has been created from a combination of votes cast in January 2020 (which have never been published) and a ‘voting refresh’ which took place in March 2021.”

Lido 84 in Gardone Riviera, Italy, was the ‘highest new entry’ at 15, while The Chairman in Hong Kong received the ‘highest climber award’, rising 31 places to 10. Victor Arguinzoniz of Asador Etxebarri in Atxondo, Spain, was voted by his peers as the winner of the chefs’ choice. 

Last year’s best restaurant, Mirazur in the South of France, has since moved to the ‘hall of fame’, joining the likes of El Bulli and The Fat Duck.  

The World’s 50 Best said: “Those in the elite group of No.1 ranked restaurants have more than proved their worth and will now be forever honoured as iconic dining destinations in the Best of the Best hall of fame. 

“The chefs and restaurateurs who have led their restaurants to the pinnacle of the list have expressed their desire to invest in the future of the sector and ‘give back’ to the food world through new projects and initiatives. The following restaurants have been named No.1 in The World’s 50 Best Restaurants since the list’s inception and were therefore not eligible for voting in 2021 and beyond.”

They are:

• El Bulli (2002, 2006-2009)
• The French Laundry (2003-2004)
• The Fat Duck (2005)
• Noma – original location (2010-2012, 2014)
• El Celler de Can Roca (2013, 2015)
• Osteria Francescana (2016, 2018)
• Eleven Madison Park (2017)
• Mirazur (2019)

Here’s this year’s list in full: 

1

Noma

Copenhagen

Denmark

2

Geranium

Copenhagen

Denmark

3

Asador Etxebarri

Atxondo

Spain

4

Central

Lima

Peru

5

Disfrutar

Barcelona

Spain

6

Frantzén

Stockholm

Sweden

7

Maido

Lima

Peru

8

Odette

Singapore

Singapore

9

Pujol

Mexico City

Mexico

10

The Chairman

Hong Kong

China

11

Den

Tokyo

Japan

12

Steirereck

Vienna

Austria

13

Don Julio

Buenos Aires

Argentina

14

Mugaritz

San Sebastian

Spain

15

Lido 84

Gardone Riviera

Italy

16

Elkano

Getaria

Spain

17

A Casa do Porco

São Paulo

Brazil

18

Piazza Duomo

Alba

Italy

19

Narisawa

Tokyo

Japan

20

Diverxo

Madrid

Spain

21

Hiša Franko

Kobarid

Slovenia

22

Cosme

New York

USA

23

Arpège

Paris

France

24

Septime

Paris

France

25

White Rabbit

Moscow

Russia

26

Le Calandre

Rubano

Italy

27

Quintonil

Mexico City

Mexico

28

Benu

San Francisco

USA

29

Reale

Castel di Sangro

Italy

30

Twins Garden

Moscow

Russia

31

Restaurant Tim Raue

Berlin

Germany

32

The Clove Club

London

UK

33

Lyle’s

London

UK

34

Burnt Ends

Singapore

Singapore

35

Ultraviolet by Paul Pairet

Shanghai

China

36

Hof Van Cleve

Kruishoutem

Belgium

37

SingleThread

Healdsburg

USA

38

Boragó

Santiago

Chile

39

Florilège

Tokyo

Japan

40

Sühring

Bangkok

Thailand

41

Alléno Paris au Pavillon Ledoyen

Paris

France

42

Belcanto

Lisbon

Portugal

43

Atomix

New York

USA

44

Le Bernardin

New York

USA

45

Nobelhart & Schmutzig

Berlin

Germany

46

Leo

Bogotá

Colombia

47

Maaemo

Oslo

Norway

48

Atelier Crenn

San Francisco

USA

49

Azurmendi

Larrabetzu

Spain

50

Wolfgat

Paternoster

South Africa

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