“One cannot think well, love well, sleep well, if one has not dined well,” English author Virginia Woolf once famously observed.
There may be no better place to test that idea than one of the world’s finest restaurants, where exceptional cooking, striking surroundings and unforgettable service often come with a substantial bill.
The world’s 50 best restaurants have been revealed in the prestigious annual ranking, offering a global guide to the most exciting destinations in gastronomy.
From a Spanish kitchen renowned for its mastery of live-fire cooking to highly theatrical restaurants in Bangkok and Copenhagen, the 2026 list is packed with remarkable dining experiences – including one venue with an extraordinary hidden cheese cave.
Britain, however, has comparatively little representation, with only one London restaurant securing a place in the top 50.
Other major culinary centres featured include Hong Kong, New York, Paris and Bangkok.
Read on for the complete list and a taste of what diners can expect at each destination. Bon appétit!
1. Asador Etxebarri, Atxondo
Asador Etxebarri in Atxondo claims the top spot
Asador Etxebarri in Atxondo has been crowned the world’s best restaurant for 2026.
Tucked away in the tranquil Basque village of Axpe, the understated restaurant is where chef-owner Victor Arguinzoniz and his team share his lifelong devotion to cooking over fire.
The unforgettable 14-course tasting menu lets exceptional ingredients lead the way, transforming simple produce into sophisticated dishes through the precise craft of the grill.
2. Gaggan, Bangkok
Bangkok’s Gaggan takes the silver medal in second place
Following Asador Etxebarri is Gaggan, a restaurant that gives Indian cuisine fresh energy through modernist techniques.
“Music, colours and creativity combine on the menu, which is anchored in progressive Indian cuisine, with French, Thai and Japanese influences,” says The 50.
The restaurant is famous for its theatrical approach, including emoji-based menus that encourage guests to eat with their hands – and sometimes even lick the plate.
3. Alchemist, Copenhagen
Alchemist in Copenhagen takes the bronze medal
This experimental restaurant-theatre occupies an unassuming industrial estate in Copenhagen’s Refshaleøen, but its plain exterior gives little away.
Inside, diners are encouraged to expect the unexpected. “There are no courses, only ‘impressions’ – 50 of them, in fact – divided into several ‘acts’ that take guests through different locations, types of art and extraordinary craftsmanship over a multiple-hour, multi-sensory odyssey,” says The 50.
Each creation is intended to provoke thought, even when the experience becomes deeply challenging.
4. Quintonil, Mexico City
Quintonil in Mexico City reaches fourth place with its distinctive cuisine
Quintonil in Mexico City ranks fourth and was also named the best restaurant in Latin America in 2026.
The menu combines familiar Mexican flavours with inventive techniques. Dishes include roasted duck with coconut manchamanteles mole, a fruit-and-chilli sauce, and ice cream made with honey from stingless melipona bees.
The restaurant’s bright, airy dining room is decorated with local art.
Hong Kong’s Wing is ranked the fifth-best restaurant in the world
Hong Kong’s Wing is a so-called “boundary-less” Chinese fine-dining restaurant.
The menu features dishes such as dry-aged crispy Cantonese chicken, perfected over more than 80 trials; sugarcane-smoked pigeon; and braised sea cucumber wrapped in a puffed spring roll resembling pork belly, according to 50 Best.
To finish, diners can choose from the restaurant’s distinctive fruit trolley, which showcases premium mangoes, guavas and other tropical produce.
6. The Chairman, Hong Kong
Hong Kong’s The Chairman is next on the list
One of Asia’s leading culinary destinations, The Chairman pairs classic Chinese cooking with creations such as golden crystal eggs served with chilli oyster.
Its Cantonese cuisine is inventive without relying on spectacle, keeping the spotlight firmly on the food.
The restaurant has collected numerous accolades over the years, including the title of best restaurant in Asia.
7. Kjolle, Lima
Lima’s Kjolle joins the ranking after opening eight years ago
Kjolle’s colourful dishes are designed to be as visually striking as they are enjoyable to eat.
Highlights from the tasting menu include scallops and sea urchin with Brazil nuts, as well as beef rib served with corn.
The interiors are equally thoughtful, with the layout and decoration drawing on Peruvian craft traditions.
8. Kadeau, Copenhagen
Kadeau in Copenhagen holds eighth place
Kadeau in Copenhagen seeks a close connection with the surrounding landscape through foraging and fermentation.
“The team has a deep respect for nature and for craft, and it shows in every detail. It’s the kind of place where you feel the rhythm of the seasons, not just taste it,” Bas van Kranen, a top chef at Amsterdam’s Restaurant Flore, previously said.
The intimate dining room combines Scandinavian design with soothing Japanese influences.
9. DiverXO, Madrid
Dabiz Muñoz’s DiverXO in Madrid is ranked ninth
DiverXO in Madrid is among the most inventive restaurants in the ranking. Its menu describes “a journey through the hedonistic, greedy and creative world of Dabiz Muñoz” and an avant-garde style in which anything is possible.
The three-Michelin-starred Spanish chef is praised by the Michelin Guide for his groundbreaking approach to cooking.
The restaurant made headlines in 2023 when Muñoz said he was considering adding a dish based on fish semen to the menu.
10. Plénitude, Paris
Plénitude in Paris completes the top 10
Plénitude, housed within the LVMH-owned luxury hotel Cheval Blanc Paris, captures the elegance of contemporary Parisian dining.
“The choreography of the meal, orchestrated by restaurant director Alexandre Larvoir and his young team, is dynamic,” says The 50.
The experience begins with a visit to the cellar, followed by one course in the kitchen and another in a hidden cheese cave.
It is a combination of theatrical presentation and exceptional cooking.
11. Atomix, New York
Atomix in New York ranks 11th
Atomix is the only New York restaurant in the ranking, earning its place with outstanding Korean cuisine.
Chef Junghyun Park also won the Estrella Damm Chefs’ Choice Award.
Voted for by fellow chefs, the award recognises Park’s work advancing Korean fine dining and his influence on contemporary gastronomy around the world.
12. Sorn, Bangkok
Sorn in Bangkok is one of the list’s most vibrant restaurants
A new generation of Thai fine dining is reworking the city’s celebrated street-food traditions, while new dining districts are adding energy with ambitious restaurants, bars and cafés.
Among the standouts is Sorn, the first restaurant in Thailand to receive three Michelin stars.
Tables are in extremely high demand, while the service is widely regarded as impeccable.
13. Mérito, Lima
Mérito in Lima claims 13th place
Mérito brings together Peruvian and Venezuelan flavours at an intimate restaurant in Lima’s fashionable Barranco neighbourhood.
The food is paired with specially created cocktails, including Cinnamon Spice and Coconut Anise.
A signature Peruvian chocolate rock provides an elegant finish to the meal.
14. Sühring, Bangkok
Bangkok’s Sühring is ranked 14th
Run by German twins in Bangkok, Sühring combines a distinctly German identity with international influences.
Guests pass through a lush garden before arriving at a 1970s villa, where warm wood, white tablecloths and framed artwork create a welcoming atmosphere.
The peaceful setting feels far removed from Bangkok’s busy streets, with tables overlooking either the kitchen or the glass-roofed Wintergarten atrium.
15. Odette, Singapore
Singapore’s elegant Odette takes 15th place
Odette in Singapore showcases modern French cuisine under chef Julien Royer, who has led the restaurant since 2015.
“The menu changes with the seasons, with previous dishes including Japanese tilefish served with a saffron-infused sand carrot purée and sweet Bouchot mussels from Mont-Saint-Michel, cooked in the classic marinière style,” says The 50.
The wine list is as impressive as the food, offering well-known bottles alongside lesser-known discoveries.
16. Tuju, São Paulo
Tuju in São Paulo ranks 16th among the world’s best restaurants
Tuju, led by executive chef Ivan Ralston, is both 16th in the ranking and the recipient of the Highest New Entry Award.
The restaurant occupies a bright building with a vertical garden, placing nature and thoughtful hospitality at the heart of the experience.
Its 12-course menu changes with the seasons, with each course named after a Brazilian weather period: Humidity, Rain, Wind and Drought.
17. Mingles, Seoul
Mingles in Seoul combines Korean cooking with sleek modern design
Since opening in 2014, Mingles has established itself as a leading destination for Korean cuisine, focusing on local ingredients and contemporary flavours.
Guests are introduced to the produce before the meal, with a display that highlights the origins of the ingredients they are about to eat.
Past dishes have included barbecued hanwoo beef with Jerusalem artichoke, as well as meat and fish paired with traditional fermented sauces and vinegars.
18. Nusara, Bangkok
Nusara in Bangkok takes 18th place
Nusara began as a small dining room for just 10 guests, but its popularity quickly surged and led to a move into larger premises.
Chef Thitid “Ton” Tassanakajohn draws on family recipes and cookbooks from the royal kitchens of King Rama V, who ruled Thailand from 1868 to 1910, according to The 50.
Recommended dishes include multicoloured swimming crab curry, Thai wagyu and a Thai tea ice cream sandwich.
19. Jan, Munich
Jan is Munich’s sole entry in the top restaurant ranking
One of Germany’s most celebrated chefs, Jan Hartwig founded his Munich restaurant to present the country’s cuisine in a refined setting.
The tasting menus feature dishes including foie gras mousse tartlets, Sea Urchin Louise and pike dumpling with Frankfurt green sauce.
“Jan Hartwig masterfully combines innovation and creativity with a deep respect for his German roots, resulting in dishes that are both memorable and beautifully executed,” one guest wrote.
20. Piazza Duomo, Alba
Piazza Duomo in Alba is known for its elegant pink interiors
Piazza Duomo brings together food and wine in Alba. Chef Enrico Crippa founded the restaurant in 2005 with the Ceretto winemaking family.
Many of its dishes are rooted in local stories and traditions.
One example is a snail dish that pays tribute to the area’s snail-rearing heritage while making the most of seasonal ingredients.
21. Meet the Bund, Shanghai
Meet the Bund in Shanghai features striking artistic interiors
Meet the Bund occupies a prime position in Shanghai, with windows overlooking the waterfront and interiors inspired by timeless Chinese design.
Top 50 describes Fujianese cuisine as being “characterised by pristine seafood dishes and umami-rich soups and stews”. One of China’s eight great culinary traditions, it dates back 5,000 years and balances delicate flavours, restraint and precise knife work.
The restaurant is situated on the 56th floor of Shanghai’s Raffles City tower.
22. Boragó, Santiago
Boragó in Santiago ranks 22nd on The 50’s list
Chilean ingredients take centre stage at Boragó in Santiago, where the kitchen embraces experimentation.
Sustainability is also central to the restaurant’s work. It won the Sustainable Restaurant Award at Latin America’s 50 Best Restaurants in 2018 and at The World’s 50 Best Restaurants in 2021.
“Everything about the meal was incredible – from the food, to the wine pairing, to the service, to the full tour of the kitchen and test kitchen,” one guest wrote.
“Boragó is a beautiful collision of art, passion, and culinary excellence. This is the best meal I have ever had!”
23. Vyn, Skillinge
Vyn in Skillinge occupies 23rd place
Vyn in Sweden serves seasonal food inspired by Scandinavian traditions and the local flora and fauna.
“Guided by the seasons, the menu reflects the coastal setting, with dishes such as warm king crab, butter-poached langoustine and Swedish favourite Kalix löjrom, or vendace roe, among past highlights,” says 50 Best.
“A true five-star experience. I highly recommend you sleep at the hotel and arrive early enough to enjoy a cocktail in the garden. The decor of the restaurant is very well done and the view is extraordinary,” one diner said.
24. Al Gatto Verde, Modena
Al Gatto Verde in Modena takes 24th place
Jessica Rosval, head chef at Al Gatto Verde, has won the Best Female Chef Award, sponsored by Lexus.
Based at Massimo Bottura’s Casa Maria Luigia in Modena, Rosval is recognised for her distinctive wood-fired cooking.
She is also known for her work on sustainability and social advocacy through Roots, the social enterprise restaurant she co-founded to empower migrant women with professional culinary training.
25. Lasai, Rio de Janeiro
Lasai in Rio de Janeiro completes the top 25
Lasai in Rio de Janeiro ranks 25th, offering a vegetable-led dining experience in Brazil.
Rikki Tidball, managing director of events for The 50, said: “The 50 Best Restaurants 2026 celebrates the highest calibre of hospitality on a global scale.
“Celebrating gastronomic excellence and the remarkable talent shaping the global culinary landscape, this year’s ranking welcomes 11 new entries to the 1-50 list, showcasing the breadth of talent, diversity and creativity shaping the global hospitality landscape.”
