World’s 50 best restaurants revealed including 3 in UK - full list includes London’s Kol

The best 50 restaurants in the world have been revealed with three UK restaurants making the list. Considered the Oscars of global fine dining, the awards, announced on Tuesday (June 20) in Valencia, give recognition to 50 restaurants from 24 territories on five continents, with 12 new restaurants entering the list.

One of the newcomers to the list, taking the 23rd spot is the London-based restaurant Kol. The restaurant, which has one Michelin star, is an establishment that chef Santiago Lastra has recreated using British ingredients.

Meanwhile, London-based restaurant Ikoyi was ranked at 35. The eatery won the American Express One To Watch Award at The World’s 50 Best Restaurants in 2021, the restaurant operates out of a hidden corner of London’s St James neighbourhood and uses herbs, spices and techniques that are scoured from across the world, with tropes from Africa, Asia and Europe.

The third London restaurant that made it to the list and took the 38th spot is The Clove Club, which is set within the historic Shoreditch Town Hall. The restaurant, which is an interpretation of ‘modern British’ is said to be “refreshing and full of surprises”, with fresh produce from all over the UK reinvented to create the menu.

Taking the crown for first place is Central, a fine dining restaurant in Lima, and the first South American restaurant to earn the “World’s Best”. Led by Virgilio Martinez and Pia Leon, the restaurant has been delivering fine dining featuring Peruvian ingredients \sand techniques for 15 years. Peru has a total of five restaurants that also made the list.

Meanwhile, the host country Spain also performed well in this year’s awards with six entries, including the world’s no 2 restaurant, Disfrutar in Barcelona. Spain also scooped up No 3 and No 4 with Diverxo in Madrid and Asador Etxebarri in Atxondo in the Basque region.

Italy and France also performed well in Europe, with five restaurants in Italy and four in France placing in the top 50. In Asia, the city to watch is Bangkok, where two restaurants appeared on the list for the first time, both cracking into the top 20: Le Du at No 15 and Gaggan Anand at No 17.

The world’s 50 best restaurants 2023 - full list

1. Central - Lima, Peru
2. Disfrutar - Barcelona, Spain
3. Diverxo - Madrid Spain
4. Asador Etxebarri - Atxondo, Spain
5. Alchemist - Copenhagen, Denmark
6. Maido - Lima, Peru
7. Lido 84 - Gardone Riviera, Italy
8. Atomix - New York City
9. Quintonil - Mexico City, Mexico
10. Table by Bruno Verjus - Paris, France
11. Tresind Studio - Dubai, UAE
12. A Casa do Porco - São Paulo, Brazil
13. Pujol - Mexico City, Mexico
14. Odette - Singapore
15. Le Du - Bangkok, Thailand
16. Reale - Castel di Sangro, Italy
17. Gaggan Anand - Bangkok, Thailand
18. Steirereck - Vienna, Austria
19. Don Julio - Buenos Aires, Argentina
20. Quique Dacosta - Denia, Spain
21. Den - Tokyo, Japan
22. Elkano - Getaria, Spain
23. Kol - London, England
24. Septime - Paris, France
25. Belcanto - Lisbon, Portugal
26. Schloss Schauenstein - Furstenau, Switzerland
27. Florilege - Tokyo, Japan
28. Kjolle - Lima, Peru
29. Barago - Santiago, Chile
30. Frantzen - Stockholm, Sweden
31. Mugaritz - San Sebastian, Spain
32. Hisa Franko - Kobarid, Slovenia
33. El Chato - Bogotá, Colombia
34. Uliassi - Senigallia, Italy
35. Ikoyi - London, England
36. Plenitude - Paris, France
37. Sezanne - Tokyo, Japan 
38. The Clove Club - London, England
39. The Jane - Antwerp, Belgium
40. Restaurant Tim Taue - Berlin, Germany
41. Le Calandre - Rubano, Italy
42. Piazza Duomo - Alba, Italy
43. Leo - Bogota, Columbia
44. Le Bernardin - New York City
45. Nobelhart & Schmutzig - Berlin, Germany
46. Orfali Bros - Dubai, UAE
47. Mayta - Lima, Peru
48. La Grenouillère - La Madelaine-sous-Montreuil, France
49. Rosetta - Mexico City
50. The Chairman - Hong Kong