For gourmands and foodies, The World’s 50 Best Restaurants 2024 is what the Oscars are like for movie fans. Following intensive voting and scrutiny, the world of gastronomy has a new list of restaurants to put on their list. Sitting at the very top of the list is Barcelona’s Disfrutar, which now has bragging rights to being the top dog in The World’s 50 Best Restaurants 2024.

Best In The World

Disfrutar, run by the skilled chef trio of Oriol Castro, Eduard Xatruch and Mateu Casañas has claimed the honour of The World’s Best Restaurant. Ranked at No.2 in 2023, the restaurant is famed for modern techniques and beautiful ingredients, resulting in an experience that subverts traditional fine dining in a refreshing way. The tasting menu showcases a Mediterranean identity with avant-garde flavours to deliver daring contemporary food that is both thought-provoking and fun.

By Gourmands For Gourmands

At the awards ceremony, hosted at Wynn Las Vegas, The World’s 50 Best Restaurants 2024 also honoured the very best gastronomic talent from 26 territories across five continents. Disfrutar is followed in the ranking by Asador Etxebarri (No.2) in Atxondo and Table by Bruno Verjus (No.3) in Paris.

“It is with great excitement that we announce the list of The World’s 50 Best Restaurants 2024, sponsored by S.Pellegrino & Acqua Panna, and honour the iconoclastic Disfrutar as The World’s Best Restaurant,” said William Drew, Director of Content for The World’s 50 Best Restaurants. “The team has shown extraordinary dedication to its craft, amazing and delighting diners with every dish on its extensive menu.”

Honouring Culinary Talent

Mitsuharu ‘Micha’ Tsumura, chef-owner of Maido in Lima, was awarded the Estrella Damm Chefs’ Choice Award 2024, the only award to be voted for by his peers. Australian chef and restaurateur Neil Perry has enjoyed a career spanning more than four decades and is rewarded with the Woodford Reserve Icon Award. Paris-based Nina Métayer, whose work is inspiring a new generation of pâtissiers, is named The World’s Best Pastry Chef 2024, sponsored by Sosa.

Based in Hong Kong, chef Vicky Cheng’s Wing (No.20) is recognised with the Highest New Entry Award 2024, and The Chairman (No.26) – also in Hong Kong – bags the Highest Climber Award 2024, sponsored by Highstreet World. Other new entries include Mingles (No.44) in Seoul and La Colombe (No.49) in Cape Town.

The Beronia World’s Best Sommelier Award is presented to Pablo Rivero, sommelier and owner of Don Julio, Buenos Aires, while Berlin’s Nobelhart & Schmutzig (No.43) is announced as the winner of the Sustainable Restaurant Award.

Bangkok Moves Up

Interestingly, The World’s Best Restaurants 2024 saw 11 restaurants in Asia occupying the list. Bangkok has emerged as a prominent culinary powerhouse with four restaurants on the list. Gaggan was the highest ranked Asian restaurant on the list with an impressive No.9 placing.

The other three other Bangkok spots featuring on the list include Suhring (No.23), Sorn (No.38) and Le Du (No.40). Singapore was represented by Odette at No.24. In case some of you are wondering where Kuala Lumpur featured on the world’s best restaurants, we sadly report that none made the cut.

(Images: 50 World’s Best)