2011's "Best Restaurant in the World"

Chef René Redzepi of Noma

The annual S. Pellegrino/Restaurant Magazine list of the World’s 50 Best Restaurants was released earlier this week. There are many "best of" lists around, but this particular list is one that the culinary "cognoscenti" pay attention to. That's probably because over 800 big names in the restaurant world weigh in on these choices (read more about how selections are made).

Topping the list in the #1 spot for the second year in a row is Denmark’s Noma, where Chef René Redzepi brings the idea of local sourcing to an entirely different level by serving only foods of the Arctic region (the name Noma stands for nordatlantiski mad, or North Atlantic food). S. Pellegrino's official statement about Noma:

Noma is best known for its fanatical approach to foraging but there is much more to this ground-breaking restaurant than the mere picking of Mother Nature's pocket. It's the entire package, from its ingredient ingenuity to flawless execution, that makes it a beacon of excellence and which leads to an emotive, intense, liberating way of eating, unlike any other. Many have copied chef Rene Redzepi's approach, most have failed. For the best in class, Noma really is the number one place to go.

If you'd lke to know more, you can watch a video about Noma at the end of this post.

The U.S. has 6 restaurants in the top 50, and all but one are in New York City. In order they are: Alinea (#6, Chicago), Per Se (#10, NYC), Daniel (#11, NYC), Le Bernardin (#18, NYC), Eleven Madison Park (#24, NYC), and Momofuku Ssam Bar (#40, NYC). In 2010, eight U.S. restaurants made it into the top 50.

Thomas Keller's Napa Valley (Yountville) restaurant, The French Laundry, was #1 on the list in 2003 and 2004, but has fallen over the years to the position it holds this year, #56. However, this year's #10 position, Per Se, is also a Thomas Keller restaurant.

2011 World's Top 50 Restaurants

1. Noma, Denmark
2. El Celler de Can Roca, Spain
3. Mugaritz, Spain
4. Osteria Francescana, Italy
5. The Fat Duck
6. Alinea, USA
7. D.O.M, Brazil
8. Arzak, Spain
9. Le Chateaubriand, France
10. Per Se, USA
11. Daniel, USA
12. Les Creations de Narisawa
13. L’Astrance, France, (3) +33 (0)1 40 50 84 40
14. L’Atelier de Joël Robuchon, France
15. Hof van Cleve, Belgium
16. Pierre Gagnaire, France
17. Oud Sluis, Netherlands
18. Le Bernardin, USA
19. L’Arpège, France
20. Nihonryori RyuGin, Japan
21. Vendôme, Germany
22. Steirereck, Austria
23. Schloss Schauenstein Switzerland
24. Eleven Madison Park, USA
25. Aqua, Germany
26. Quay, Australia
27. Iggy’s Singapore
28. Combal Zero, Italy
29. Martín Berasategui, Spain
30. Bras, France
31. Biko, Mexico
32. Le Calandre, Italy
33. Cracco, Italy
34. The Ledbury, UK
35. Chez Dominique, Finland
36. Le Quartier Français, South Africa
37. Amber, China
38. Dal Pescatore, Italy
39. Il Canto, Italy
40. Momofuku Ssäm Bar, USA
41. St John, UK
42. Astrid Y Gastón, Peru
43. Hibiscus, UK
44. Maison Troisgros, France
45. Alain Ducasse au Plaza Athénée, France
46. De Librije, Netherlands
47. Restaurant de l’Hotel de Ville, Switzerland
48. Varvary, Russia
49. Pujol, Mexico
50. Asador Etxebarri, Spain

 Photo courtesy of William Reed Business Media 2011.

Video: René Redzepi and the story of Noma (7 minutes)