it's an annual list put out by Restaurant magazine. the order of the list is seemingly random; sometimes it makes perfect sense, others it does not. i'm sure it's designed to create controversy and get people talking about it.

surprisingly, i've eaten at quite a few of these places (so they must be doing something right! )

a decent list if you know how to navigate around it:
World's 50 Best Restaurants

my reviews of places found on the list

#1 - El Bulli (the safe pick, but he is a genius) - near Barcelona
chuckeats.com Blog » El Bulli (Roses, Spain) - The Mad Scientist

#2 - Fat Duck (another safe pick, also a genius) - near London
chuckeats.com Blog » Fat Duck (Maidenhead, UK) - Master of Production

#3 - Pierre Gagnaire (served me the best meal of my life) - Paris
chuckeats.com Blog » Pierre Gagnaire (Paris) - Best Meal of My Life
chuckeats.com Blog » Pierre Gagnaire (Paris) - Truffles and Value (with pics)

#4 - Mugaritz (too high, but a unique talent) - near San Sebastian, Spain
chuckeats.com Blog » Mugartiz (Errenteria, Spain) - A Beautiful Meal

#5 - French Laundry (too high, but safe) - Bay Area
chuckeats.com Blog » French Laundry (Yountville, CA) - Calculated Cuisine

#7 - Bras (probably too low, one of the greats) - near nowhere
chuckeats.com Blog » Michel Bras (Laguiole, France) - Near Perfection

#8 - Arzak (too high) - San Sebastian, Spain
chuckeats.com Blog » Arzak (San Sebastian, Spain) - Can the Daughter be King?

#11 - L'Astrance (all the rage in paris, it's lost on me) - Paris
chuckeats.com Blog » L’Astrance (Paris) - Second Chances for Three Stars

#17 - Jean Georges (probably perfectly placed) - NYC
chuckeats.com Blog » Jean Georges (NYC) - Bombastic Fantastic

#18 - Alain Ducasse au Plaza Athénée (antiquated dining) - Paris
chuckeats.com Blog » Alain Ducasse (Paris) - Time for a New King

#20 - Le Bernardin (too variable to be on this list) - NYC
chuckeats.com Blog » Le Bernardin (NY) - A Michelin One Star Meal

#25 - Troisgros (many people say it's the best in the world, not my experience) - Roanne, France
chuckeats.com Blog » Troisgros (Roanne, France) - Jeckyll & Hyde

#26 - El Celler de Can Roca (perfectly placed) - near Barcelona
chuckeats.com Blog » Can Roca (Girona, Spain) - The Master Revealed

#30 - Nobu London (doesn't belong in a list of the world's top 3000 restaurants) - London
chuckeats.com Blog » Nobu (London, UK) - This is Fish?

#44 - Asador Etxebarri (a surprising addition, certainly worthwhile) - near San Sebastian, Spain
chuckeats.com Blog » Etxebarri (Axpe, Spain) - Legendary Expectations

#45 - Les Ambassadeurs (excellent ingredients) - Paris
chuckeats.com Blog » Les Ambassadeurs (Paris) - The Best Truffles for Last

#46 - L'Arpege (a huge injustice, should be top 5) - Paris
chuckeats.com Blog » L’Arpege (Paris) - Purity of Flavor


A few egregious omissions:
- El Poblet (Denia, Spain) - deserves to be in the Top 10
chuckeats.com Blog » El Poblet (Denia, Spain) - A Midsummer Night’s Dream

- Manresa (Los Gatos, CA) - best restaurant in the US
chuckeats.com Blog » Manresa (Los Gatos, CA) - The Spoils of Winter

- Ledoyen (Paris) - one of the top 5 in paris
chuckeats.com Blog » Ledoyen (Paris) - The Harmony of Modernism

- Urasawa (LA) - the 2nd best restaurant in the US, sometimes first, depending on my mood
chuckeats.com Blog » Urasawa (LA) - Better than Ever with Real Kobe

- And anything that might be in Japan




- chuck

 

I was emailed that link yesterday, was wondering if you were going to comment.

Hope all is well mate,

Josh.

 

not many comments but i did see a fair amount of traffic to my blog so i assume people find this entertaining/useful/etc.

turns out this list is a Top 100, not 50. so here are my thoughts on spots 51-100 for the places i've been:

#54 - Masa (NYC) - my best sushi meal ever, i'd rank this much higher
chuckeats.com Blog » Masa (NYC) - My Best Sushi Meal

#63 - WD-50 (NYC) - about right, crazy experimental with some hits and more misses, worth the adventure once a year
chuckeats.com Blog » WD-50 (NY) - Mad Scientist

#66 - El Poblet (Denia, Spain) - i'd put this in the Top 5 - hugely under-rated
chuckeats.com Blog » El Poblet (Denia, Spain) - A Midsummer Night’s Dream

#73 - L'Arnsbourgh (France)
i haven't eaten here but, based on pictures i've seen, it could make the Top 10. this will be a must-do for me next year.

#82 - Pic (Valence, France) - probably too generous, not a very good experience here
chuckeats.com Blog » Pic (Valence, France) - The Empress Has No Clothes

#84 - Ledoyen (Paris) - hugely under-rated, would easily make it into Top 15, if not Top 10.
chuckeats.com Blog » Ledoyen (Paris) - The Harmony of Modernism

#85 - L'Atelier de Joel Robuchon (NYC) - about right, good and competent, but nothing special
chuckeats.com Blog » L’Atelier de Joel Robuchon (NYC) - Midtown Michelin Meal

#86 - La Maison de Bricourt (France)
i haven't eaten here but it's hugely under-rated; this should fall into the Top 20, if not higher. rumored to be one of the top seafood restaurants in the world. i'm going in July.


- chuck

 

I havn't eaten at any of the top 50 restaurants, better start planning some stops when I go abroad next time
Please keep on adding reviews and thoughts Carendt, I think everyone likes to read about your advice and thoughts on the different places.

 

if i only lived in Europe...

 

if I only lived in California, wanna trade bro?

 

Hey Chuck. I love this kind of stuff so please continue to post. I am a serious amateur compared to you so I kind of just spectate, but you have definitely influenced a few of my reservations.

 

Hey Chuck. I'm still waiting for your review of Sino's. Not the food but the ambience! Where does that rank?

 

I need to dine more frequently, I've one been to Louis XV which is in Monte carlo.

 

Chuck, don't know if you know, but I love your blog. I've yet to dine at anything close to any of those restaurants but your blog allows me too hah.