Rob Horgan
SPAIN is definitively the best country in the world to grab a bite to eat.
With El Celler de Can Roca in Girona claiming the top prize, Spain was the only country to feature twice in the top 10 at the World’s 50 Best Restaurant awards in London.
In total, seven Spanish restaurants feature in the top 50.
Run by brothers Joan, Jordi, and Josep Roca, El Celler de Can Roca moved up one place to knock last year’s Danish winner Noma off top spot.
To see what publisher Jon Clarke made of the world’s best restaurant when he visited, click here.
Meanwhile, Mugaritz in San Sebastian retained the sixth place award it received last year.
However it wasn’t all good, as Arzak in San Sebastian slipped down the rankings, moving from eighth to 17th.
Top 10
1. El Celler de Can Roca (Spain)
2. Osteria Francescana (Italy)
3. Noma (Denmark)
4. Central (Peru)
5. Eleven Madison Park (United States)
6. Mugaritz (Spain)
7. Dinner by Heston Blumenthal (United Kingdom)
8. Narisawa (Japan)
9. D.O.M (Brazil)
10. Gaggan (Thailand)
Other Spanish restaurants in top 50:
13. Asador Etxebarri
17. Arzak
19. Azurmendi
39. Quique Dacosta
42. Tickets
Sheer tosh. According to the NY Times and other media the voting system is on par with FIFA Ha ha.
It must be the best if TripAdvisor said so lol.
@Fred, I think your posting is misleading. Tripadvisor never said it was the best restaurant but paid a visit to the best restaurant the same as Jon Clarke had made a visit.
I think I would be inclined to accept Jon Clarke’s version regarding the quality of the said restaurant then that of Tripadvisor. lol.
Hmm, when someone has their own review website I tend to take reviews like my meals, i.e. with a pinch of salt. Truth is, there are no “best” restaurants. As for TripAdvisor, well indeed, it’s total fakery.
It seems when voting for the worlds best restaurants there is no requirement to prove you have visited it. All those Countries Ha ha. Bit like the El Bulli which was soo good it closed down!
Spain often has restaurants at the top in restaurant surveys. But they are nearly always restaurants from the north of the country, and not in areas you’re likely to find many British tourists or expats. Ignorance perhaps explains the jibe of “tosh”. It’s like someone who goes to London and claims the food is rubbish there, because they only visited fried chicken shops in south London…
Can I say much as I found some faults with Cellar de Can Roca the food was still amazing and puts most restaurants around the world to shame inc Heston Blumenthal in the UK also in the top 10 – being honest though I’ve found amazing places to eat all round Spain – even the backwaters of Andalucía – if you can just find where… It’s why I wrote my book Dining Secrets of Andalucia five years ago as quite frankly Michelin was not up to the job! But my top pick is Diverxo in Madrid also btw in the top 100…
Ah, Jon yes, Blumenthal, where at one time clients suffered from food poisoning and almost blew his own kitchen up.
Personally it’s not a case of which is classed as the best restaurant that others state but a restaurant where you have enjoyed a good meal at a reasonable price and not at the ridicules prices these so high classed restaurants charge. Seems strange that Blumenthal would be visiting Cellar de Can Roca and not the other way round.
Jon, never a truer word spoken about eating places around Spain or even the second rated country Italy.
Well Fred, it’s not a case of one having their own website it’s a case that anyone posting here can be taken with a pinch of salt. lol