World's Most Famous Restaurants
As the world’s 9 most famous restaurants remind us, there’s fine dining, and then there are dining events. Travel to any of these restaurants on the following list to see why a stopover is like winning the gastronomical lottery. Just their names alone evoke an air of status: Alinea. Noma, The French Laundry… each of these internationally-known restaurants tell a story with their exquisite platings and impeccable ambience. They also put different regions and cuisines on the proverbial map – can anyone think, for example, of California cuisine without thinking of Wolfgang Puck? Check out his signature venue on the following list of the world’s most famous restaurants – and nine other great places to eat.
Beverly Hills, California
This flagship restaurant by Wolfgang Puck helped fuel the growth of fusion cooking, combining Mediterranean and California cuisines. Along with his inventive, wood-fired pizzas and seasonal dishes, Puck soon shot to stardom, as did his original restaurant. Remodeled in 2012, Spago’s interior and menu kept with the times.
Tokyo, Japan
After Jiro Dreams of Sushi came out, reservations at this popular spot (already near impossible to get a seat at) became even more challenging. And it’s simply because Jiro Ono’s sushi is just exquisite. And you will dream about his sushi long after you taste it.
Copenhagen, Denmark
Noma not only redefined Scandinavian cuisine, but it also gets diners involved with the food prep. When you order the signature “hen and egg” dish, you’ll be asked to crack the fresh duck egg into a hot skillet on a bed of straw, cooking it with thyme butter and foraged greens. Noma 2.0 reopened in early 2018 in an abandoned military warehouse aside two lakes. The new location, which has a greenhouse and a garden, allows chef Rene Redzepi and his crew to continue to dazzle diners.
London, England
With three Michelin stars, the best restaurant in the world status and in the U.K. status, chef Heston Blumenthal’s 42-seat restaurant employs 42 chefs so there’s always a one-to-one ratio of chefs to diners. With dishes like bacon ice cream made with liquid nitrogen and a 14-course tasting menu that will turn your head, it’s easy to see why The Fat Duck is so famous.
Yountville, California
When Thomas Keller opened up his iconic restaurant in 1994, he was looking to do fine French cuisine in the Napa Valley. Since then, the eatery has become so popular that getting a reservation here still remains difficult. But when you do, don’t play it safe. Order a tasting (or vegetable tasting) menu, and you won’t see a single ingredient twice.
Paris, France
Pierre Gagnaire was voted best chef in the world by the revered Le Chef magazine. As befits such a master, this restaurant boasts the coveted three stars from Michelin. Gagnaire serves up what is perhaps the best French modernist cuisine anywhere in the world.
Chicago, Illinois
Chef Grant Achatz frowns upon the term “molecular gastronomy,” but what do you call dishes that are made using brioche that’s been turned into a foam or green apples that have been turned into a balloon? His 12- to 18-course tasting menus are elaborate theater, with gorgeous orbs, foams, swirls and sculptures of tastes featured throughout. Earlier this year, Alinea was remodeled and reinvented, with new delights to surprise diners.
Barcelona, Spain
When El Bulli closed in 2011, it was the most famous restaurant in the world. Its spiritual successor is Enigma, which is run by half of the Adria brothers, Albert (who worked with Ferran at El Bulli). He claims Enigma is what El Bulli would be in 2017. But whereas El Bulli reimagined food in spheres, foams, and dust, Enigma focuses on ingredients and tastes – plus cocktails and snacks.
New York, New York
The restaurant reopened in March with an entirely plant-based menu after being closed because of the pandemic, but expect the same, out-of-the-ordinary touches that made Eleven Madison Park so star-studded. Chef Daniel Humm once sent restaurant-goers home with bags of homemade granola…and his staff stalked restaurant-goers on Google before they came so they could wow them even more knowing their likes and dislikes.
Cheat Sheet
● Luxe – Top Michelin Star Restaurants Around the World
● Food & Wine – World’s Best Restaurants