Nine restaurants claim the title of world’s best, La Liste says

The results aren’t surprising; for the most part, the list reads like a compendium of the most famous restaurants in cities worldwide.

When world’s best restaurant lists are announced, there’s usually one winner. Not so for La Liste, which has just awarded the top spot to nine restaurants this year using an algorithm.

The No. 1 honorees are: Le Bernardin in the US; SingleThread in the US; L’Enclume in the United Kingdom; Cheval Blanc by Peter Knogl, in Switzerland; La Vague d’Or in France; Guy Savoy in France; Schwarzwaldstube in Germany; Matsukawa in Japan; and Lung King Heen in Hong Kong. They each got a ranking of 99.5.

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“It feels significant to be representing British culinary talent on this global stage,” says Simon Rogan, chef-owner of L’Enclume in the UK’s Lake District, which has retained its No. 1 spot from last year, along with five other dining rooms.

The nine-year-old La Liste’s approach differs from other rankings. Rather than rely on anonymous judges, as Michelin famously does, or individual voters, as the World’s 50 Best opts for, the Paris-based company aggregates around 1,100 sources, including a synthesis of reviews from newspapers, magazines, guidebooks, and blogs. It then uses an algorithm to compile its rankings of 1,000 dining rooms across 79 countries.  ( Their app lists 35,000 restaurants from 200 countries.) Its founders argue this is a more objective way of measuring top rankings.

The results aren’t surprising; for the most part, the list reads like a compendium of the most famous restaurants in cities worldwide. They’re the ones that get written about the most, like the students voted most popular in a yearbook.

But La Liste finds other ways to use its data, including recognising a country for its burgeoning culinary scene. This year, it’s England. For established British chefs, this might feel like a backhanded complement, but Joerg Zipprick, co-founder and editor in chief, says it’s based on long-term growth. The UK’s trajectory broadly over the past 20-30 years, “reveals a remarkable transformation,” he says.

Clare Smyth agrees. “We have seen a tremendous gastronomical growth over the past decade all over the country,” she says. Her London-based  restaurant Core by Clare Smyth is one of 28 sharing the No. 5 ranking this year.

Zipprick says La Liste also uses its data to identify long term trends. One is a growing disconnect between what fine diners want and what chefs appear to focus on. That complaint has been rattling around for years and data from La Liste is now able to confirm it. In response, La Liste has debuted a “Show to Table” category, recognizing places that prioritize guest experience. Winners include the Paris cabaret Bœuf sur le toit from the MOMA Group; and immersive gastro-theater spot Krasota in Dubai.

Yet challenges persist. “The past year has witnessed an unprecedented wave of closures. This transformation is clearly visible in our Top 1000,” Zipprick says, about restaurants that have dropped off the list, like Tetsuya in Sydney and Pollen Street Social in London, for reasons like soaring rents, Covid-era debts coming due and the rising costs of ingredients and labor.

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The good news, while some icons falter, others are redefining the space in what’s been “the most varied dining scene in history,” according to Zipprick. The ever-expanding world of gastronomy has led to global destinations like Kazakhstan emerging on the fine-dining map.

15 Other Restaurants That Are Top Ranked in Their Country

Australia: ​​Vue de Monde
Belgium: Boury
Denmark: Geranium
Italy: Atelier Moessmer Norbert Niederkofler
Mexico: Quintonil
Monaco: Le Louis XV by Alain Ducasse
The Netherlands: De Librije
Peru: Maido
Portugal: Ocean
Singapore: Odette
South Korea (tie): Mingles; and La Yeon
Spain: Martín Berasategui
Sweden: Frantzén
Thailand: ​​Baan Tepa Culinary Space

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