A Restaurant Triumphs on the Global Stage

Last night, an extravagant gala unfolded at the prestigious Marina Bay Sands Hotel in Singapore, where the highly anticipated World’s 50 Best Restaurant Awards for 2019 took place. As the evening unfolded, the culinary world held its collective breath, and a French dining establishment named Mirazur was crowned the champion, securing the coveted number one spot. Second place went to Denmark’s renowned Noma, while Spain’s Asador Etxebarri claimed a respectable third place.

This year’s edition of the esteemed international restaurant awards ceremony was particularly thrilling due to an important change in the rules. Past victors, who had previously basked in the glory of being crowned the world’s best, were now restricted to an exclusive category called the ‘all-time greats.’ Hence, legendary venues such as The Fat Duck near London, Eleven Madison Park in New York, The French Laundry in California, and last year’s winner, Osteria Francescana from Modena, Italy, were inelegible to compete for the top spot.

Guess what? South Africans have a special reason to be proud! The Test Kitchen, the fancy restaurant in Cape Town owned by Chef Luke Dale-Robert, has just been named the Best Restaurant in Africa and placed 44th in an international list of the top 50 restaurants. Can you believe it?

This is actually the fifth time that The Test Kitchen has made it to the top 50. In previous years, it ranked 48th in 2014, 28th in 2015, 22nd in 2016, and 50th in 2018. No other chef in Africa has ever achieved this feat!

It’s going to be incredibly difficult to book a table at any of these top 50 restaurants, but here is the complete list for you to dream about:

The World’s 50 Best Restaurants

1. Mirazur (Menton, France)

2. Noma (Copenhagen, Denmark) *This is the highest new entry ever!

3. Asador Etxebarri (Axpe, Spain)

4. Gaggan (Bangkok) *The best restaurant in Asia

5. Geranium (Copenhagen, Denmark)

6. Central (Lima, Peru) *The best restaurant in South America

7. Mugaritz (San Sebastian, Spain)

8. Arpege (Paris, France) Alain Passard’s place

9. Disfrutar (Barcelona, Spain) *Last year’s highest new entry

10. Maido (Lima, Peru)

11. Den (Tokyo, Japan) *Art of Hospitality Award

12. Pujol (Mexico City, Mexico) *The Best Restaurant in North America

13. White Rabbit (Moscow, Russia)

14. Azurmendi (Larrabetzu, Spain) *Highest Climber Award

15. Septime (Paris, France)

16. Alain Ducasse au Plaza Athénée (Paris, France)

17. Steirereck (Vienna, Austria)

18. Odette (Singapore)

19. Twins Garden (Moscow, Russia) *New entry

20. Tickets (Barcelona, Spain)

21. Frantzén (Stockholm, Sweden)

22. Narisawa (Tokyo, Japan)

23. Cosme (New York City)

24. Quintonil (Mexico City, Mexico)

25. Alléno Paris au Pavillon Ledoyen (Paris, France)

26. Boragó (Santiago, Chile)

27. The Clove Club (London, UK)

28. Blue Hill at Stone Barns (Pocantico Hills, New York)

29. Piazza Duomo (Alba, Italy)

30. Elkano (Getaria, Spain)

31. Le Calandre (Rubano, Italy)

32. Nerua (Bilbao, Spain)

33. Lyle’s (London, UK)

34. Don Julio (Buenos Aires, Argentina)

35. Atelier Crenn (San Francisco)

36. Le Bernardin (New York City)

37. Alinea (Chicago)

38. Hiša Franko (Kobarid, Slovenia)

39. A Casa do Porco (São Paulo, Brazil)

40. Restaurant Tim Raue (Berlin, Germany)

41. The Chairman (Hong Kong, China)

42. Belcanto (Lisbon, Portugal)

43. Hof van Cleve (Kruishoutem, Belgium)

44. Test Kitchen (Cape Town, South Africa) *The best restaurant in Africa

45. Sühring (Bangkok, Thailand)

46. De Librije (Zwolle, Netherlands)

47. Benu (San Francisco)

48. Ultraviolet (Shanghai, China)

49. Leo (Bogotá, Colombia)

50. Schloss Schauenstein (Fürstenau, Switzerland)