The top 50 of The World’s 50 Best Restaurants 2022 were revealed in a glittering ceremony at London’s Old Billingsgate on the bank of River Thames on 18 July.
Copenhagen-based restaurant Geranium was named the world’s best restaurant and consequently, the best restaurant in Europe.
Run by Rasmus Kofoed and Søren Ledet, Geranium was the runner-up in 2021. It is the second Danish restaurant in as many years to top the list. The 2021 list was topped by Noma, which, too, is based in Copenhagen and has won the coveted honour five times.
“Rasmus Kofoed, Søren Ledet and their team have created an unforgettable dining experience, taking seasonal cooking to superlative heights and delivering precise, beautiful and elegant food that combines art and flavour alongside a ground-breaking drinks programme,” said William Drew, director of content for The World’s 50 Best Restaurants.
Geranium was followed by Central in Lima at No.2 and Disfrutar in Barcelona at No.3. Central is the first South American restaurant to enter the top three on the World’s 50 Best Restaurants list.
The top 50 names include restaurants from 24 territories in five continents across the world. Among them are 12 new entries and two re-entries.
The event was hosted by actor Stanley Tucci and marked the 20th-anniversary celebration of 50 Best.
World’s 50 Best Restaurants: Winners of special awards
Ranked 12th overall, Uliassi in Senigallia, a small port town on Italy’s Adriatic coast, won the highest new entry award.
New entrant Fyn was named the Best Restaurant in Africa. The restaurant, which is located in South Africa’s Cape Town, stood at 37th place overall.
Den, the Tokyo-based restaurant, which topped the list of Asia’s 50 Best Restaurants 2022, was named the Best Restaurant in Asia. Overall, Den finished in 20th place.
Pujol in Mexico City, which was No.5 on the list, won the Best Restaurant in North America honour.
Other award winners were 33rd placed Atomix in New York and 17th placed Nobelhart & Schmutzig in Berlin. While Atomix took home the Art of Hospitality Award, Nobelhart & Schmutzig was adjudged the winner of the Highest Climber Award for gaining 28 places from its position on the 2021 list.
Among the special awards of the night was the Sustainable Restaurant Award, which was won by Aponiente in El Puerto de Santa Maria, a small Spanish town in the Bay of Cádiz.
There were three prominent awards for individuals. René Frank of Coda, Berlin, won the World’s Best Pastry Chef Award while Josep Roca, the sommelier of El Celler de Can Roca, bagged the inaugural World’s Best Sommelier Award. Jorge Vallejo of Quintonil in Mexico City won the Chefs’ Choice Award.
Pre-announced special awardees included Champions of Change winners: Dieuveil Malonga, Koh Seng Choon and duo Olia Hercules and Alissa Timoshkina.
While the World’s Best Female Chef Award went to Leonor Espinosa, the Icon Award was won by social entrepreneur Wawira Njiru.
Put your hands together for this year’s winner of the Icon Award! Wawira Njiru is a #Kenyan social entrepreneur using the power of food to enhance education. #Worlds50Best #Feedingthefuture @wawiranjiru pic.twitter.com/aFjcitiYQL
— The World’s 50 Best (@TheWorlds50Best) July 18, 2022
AM par Alexandre Mazzia, a restaurant in Marseille, France, was the winner of the One To Watch Award.
The best of Asia on the list
Seven Asian restaurants were among The World’s 50 Best Restaurants 2022.
These include the highest-placed Den at No.20, followed by The Chairman, Hong Kong (No.24), Florilège, Tokyo (No.30), and Odette, Singapore (No.36).
New entries Sorn in Bangkok (No.39) and La Cime, Osaka (No.41) were followed by Narisawa, Tokyo (No.45) to complete the Asian restaurants on the top 50 list.
The World’s 50 Best Restaurants 2022: 1—50
No.50 —
SingleThread
Location: Healdsburg
No.49 —
Ikoyi
Location: London
No.48 —
Leo
Location: Bogotá
No.47 —
Oteque
Location: Rio de Janeiro
No.46 —
Belcanto
Location: Lisbon
No.45 —
Narisawa
Location: Tokyo
No.44 —
Le Bernardin
Location: New York
No.43 —
Boragó
Location: Santiago
No.42 —
Quique Dacosta
Location: Denia
No.41 —
La Cime
Location: Osaka
No.40 —
Schloss Schauenstein
Location: Fürstenau
No.39 —
Sorn
Location: Bangkok
No.38 —
Jordnær
Location: Copenhagen
No.37 —
Fyn
Location: Cape Town
No.36 —
Odette
Location: Singapore
No.35 —
The Clove Club
Location: London
No.34 —
Hiša Franko
Location: Kobarid
No.33 —
Atomix
Location: New York
No.32 —
Mayta
Location: Lima
No.31 —
Arpège
Location: Paris
No.30 —
Florilège
Location: Tokyo
No.29 —
St. Hubertus
Location: San Cassiano
No.28 —
Le Clarence
Location: Paris
No.25 —
Frantzén
Location: Stockholm
No.24 —
The Chairman
Location: Hong Kong
No.27 —
Hof Van Cleve
Location: Kruishoutem
No.26 —
Restaurant Tim Raue
Location: Berlin
No.23 —
The Jane
Location: Antwerp
No.22 —
Septime
Location: Paris
No.21 —
Mugaritz
Location: San Sebastian
No.20 —
Den
Location: Tokyo
No.19 —
Piazza Duomo
Location: Alba
No.18 —
Alchemist
Location: Copenhagen
No.17 —
Nobelhart & Schmutzig
Location: Berlin
No.16 —
Elkano
Location: Getaria
No.15 —
Reale
Location: Castel di Sangro
No.14 —
Don Julio
Location: Buenos Aires
No.13 —
Steirereck
Location: Vienna
No.12 —
Uliassi
Location: Senigallia
No.11 —
Maido
Location: Lima
No.10 —
Le Calandre
Location: Rubano
No.9 —
Quintonil
Location: Mexico City
No.8 —
Lido 84
Location: Gardone Riviera
No.7 —
A Casa do Porco
Location: São Paulo
No.6 —
Asador Etxebarri
Location: Atxondo
No.5 —
Pujol
Location: Mexico City
No.4 —
Diverxo
Location: Madrid
No.3 —
Disfrutar
Location: Barcelona
No.2 —
Central
Location: Lima
No.1 —
Geranium
Location: Copenhagen
(Main and Featured images: Restaurant Geranium/@restaurantgeranium/Facebook)