World’s 50 Best Restaurants 2024: Spain’s Disfrutar is No. 1, Singapore’s Odette at 24
Avant-garde Barcelona powerhouse Disfrutar has finally ascended to No. 1 on the World’s 50 Best Restaurants List 2024! The restaurant edged out Basque country’s Asador Etxebarri in a tension-filled final revelation to take the top honour. This is a moment that Distrufar’s trio of El Bulli alums: Oriol Castro, Mateu Casañas, and Eduard Xatruch, have been awaiting for since their debut at No. 18 on the list in 2018.
This year, the collective votes of over 1,000 academy members from 27 regions across the globe created the list of 1 to 100 of the World’s Best Restaurants. The notably 50/50 gender-balanced consortium comprises panellists selected for the breadth of their dining experience, as well as industry experts including chefs, restaurateurs, food writers and restaurant critics. The annual award, along with its regional equivalent Asia’s 50 Best Restaurants, is sponsored by S.Pellegrino & Acqua Panna.
No.9 Gaggan - Bangkok | No.20 Wing – Hong Kong | No.23 Sühring - Bangkok
Asia Shines - World’s 50 Best Restaurants 2024
Asia’s representation this year was just as impressive; even as Singapore’s favourite Odette slid to 24th place from its ranking of No. 14 in 2023. Thailand’s Bangkok is now the region’s Best Restaurant destination – Gaggan at No. 9 is the Best Restaurant in Asia, while Sühring (No. 23), Sorn (No. 38) and Le Du (No. 40) bring even more shine to the land of smiles.
Just as remarkable is the list’s Highest New Entry - Hong Kong’s WING by Chef Vincent Cheng, which grew out of an invite-only private dining space in Wellington Street, Central. Coming in at No. 20, WING leapfrogs the city’s favourite The Chairman at No. 26 which also took home the Highest Climber Award, rising from its debut at No.50 just last year!
Looking for more highlights from gastronomy’s biggest night out held at Wynn Las Vegas on 5 June 2024? Check out this full list of restaurants that have earned their coveted scarlet sashes at the World’s 50 Best Restaurants award this year!
No.1 Disfrutar - Barcelona | No.2 Asador Etxebarri - Atxondo
Disfrutar, Barcelona - World’s 50 Best Restaurants No.1
Behind a modest tapas joint façade in Barcelona, Disfrutar unveils a world where dining is an art. This experiential eatery takes you through a four-hour culinary odyssey in a vibrant, instrument-clad space where chefs craft a menu that redefines fine dining with far-reaching techniques and groundbreaking flavours.
Seasonal menus feature whimsy like the 'Panchino'—a caviar and cream cheese-filled doughnut—and a prawn dish veiled in dry ice. Ascending to No. 1 on The World's 50 Best Restaurants list this year, Disfrutar is a gallery of gastronomic masterpieces, a trophy-laden testament to culinary innovation.
Asador Etxebarri, Atxondo - World’s 50 Best Restaurants No.2
Nestled in a Basque village, Asador Etxebarri offers an unparalleled barbecue experience by chef Victor Arguinzoniz. His mastery of fire breathes life into simple ingredients, transforming them into culinary masterpieces. In his grill-adorned kitchen, every dish celebrates the ingredient's pure flavour, from the grilled Palamós prawn to mozzarella on fresh tomato slices.
The tasting menu—14 courses of the region's finest, including homemade chorizo and seasonal treats like baby eels—is best enjoyed in the dining room with views of the village square. The grand finale, a succulent beef chop, exemplifies Arguinzoniz's mastery of the wood-fire’s elemental nature.
No.3 Table by Bruno Verjus - Paris | No.4 Diverxo - Paris | No.5 Maido - Lima
Table by Bruno Verjus: Paris’ Culinary Wonder is No.3
Led by self-taught chef, Bruno Verjus who, at 64 years is still bubbling with culinary fervour, Table by Bruno Verjus is both warm and accessible. The restaurant's layout, featuring a wave-designed counter and an open kitchen, offers an intimate dining experience to discover culinary magic as Chef Bruno serves up delights like green asparagus poached with seaweed and indulgent chocolate-caviar tartlets.
Diverxo, Madrid - No. 4 on the World’s 50 Best Restaurants List
Chef Dabiz Muñoz is the Spanish culinary virtuoso who has turned dining into an immersive spectacle. Diverxo’s tasting menu includes anything from pigeon and sherry to multi-flavoured mochi, Asian influences such as Pyrenean-matured nigiri and roasted caviar with vindaloo curry. Diners at Diverxo know to expect the unexpected.
This canvas for Chef Dabiz’s unrestrained creativity has earned the chef accolades from every major award. Ranking at No. 4 this year, Diverxo debuted at No.20 in 2021 on The World’s 50 Best Restaurants list. At the age of 33, Chef Dabiz earned his three Michelin stars, making him the second-youngest person in the world to achieve this feat at the time.
Maido: From Japan to Peru with Nikkei Cuisine, South America’s Best Restaurant is No. 5
Maido, crowned as the Best Restaurant in South America 2024, offers a tantalising fusion of Japanese and Peruvian flavours in the heart of Lima. Lima-born Chef Mitsuharu ‘Micha’ Tsumura whose parents immigrated from Japan, masterfully blends his cultural heritage with that of his home country. The dining experience at Maido is beyond the ordinary, with dishes The Triple, a combination of avocado, eggs, tomato and chashu (braised pork belly); caracoles al sillao (soy sauce), sea snails, with yellow chilli foam and Nikkei sauce; squid ramen with Amazonian chorizo, duck dumpling, nigiri and more. Complemented by a stellar wine list curated by award-winning sommelier Florencia Rey, Maido believes in captivating diners with innovative dishes and warm hospitality.
Gaggan: Bangkok’s Rockstar Chef Gaggan Anand Leads the Best Restaurant in Asia 2024 to No.9
Kolkata-born rebel chef, Gaggan Anand, promises a sensory culinary adventure that will tease your palate with Indian, French, Thai, and Japanese influences. Formerly a professional musician, Chef Gaggan’s culinary journey led him from El Bulli in Spain to the inception of Gaggan in Bangkok in 2010. Ever the disruptor, Chef Gaggan gets his thrills from delighting diners with his progressive dishes and out-of-the-box presentation. Amidst vibrant neon lights and a rustic design, Chef Gaggan challenges his guests to experience his concept of fine dining…reinvented.
Trèsind Studio: Dubai’s Remple of Indian Cuisine is No. 13
Crowned The Best Restaurant in the Middle East 2024, Trèsind Studio pays homage to India's vibrant culinary tapestry. Under Chef Himanshu Saini's guidance, the restaurant evolved from a humble space to a globally acclaimed Indian dining destination within a decade. Departing from conventional approaches, Chef Saini curates a nuanced 17-dish journey, unravelling India's cultural, agricultural, and religious narrative.
With a theatrical kitchen as its centrepiece, the restaurant crafts edible art using natural elements like flowers and shells. Segmented into four acts, diners traverse India's diverse regions through dishes meticulously explained by Saini, fostering a profound exploration of authentic Indian flavours.
Wing: Highest New Entry 2024 is from Hong Kong!
Wing’s stunning debut at No. 20 on the World’s 50 Best Restaurants list is proof that the award still keeps pundits at the edge of their seats - even after 21 years! Recipient of the Highest New Entry Award 2024, this restaurant by Hong Kong Chef Vicky Cheng trailed behind The Chairman (also from Hong Kong) in the recently announced Asia’s 50 Best Restaurants 2024. In this world listing, Wing has rocketed past The Chairman (No.26).
Through the restaurant’s extensive 80-dish menu, diners embark on a gastronomic adventure exploring the uncharted depths of Chinese cuisine. This reflects Chef Vicky’s unexpected journey back to Hong Kong after working around the world, along with his deep-rooted pride in Chinese culinary legacy.
No.26 The Chairman - Hong Kong | No.24 Odette - Singapore
Odette: Singapore’s Beacon of Fine Dining is No. 24 on the World’s 50 Best Restaurants List
Continuing to fly the Singapore flag high, Odette by Chef Julien Royer is the country’s only restaurant in the top 50 list. Having won the Chef’s Choice accolade at the 2023 awards, Chef Julien’s meticulous expression of French cuisine accented by touches of seasonal produce from Asia and the world beyond is arguably, unparalleled in Singapore. The restaurant’s Pastry Chef Louisa Lim, crowned Asia's Best Pastry Chef 2023, also ensures each meal concludes on a high note with desserts that are an elegant celebration of beauty and flavour.
The Chairman: Hong Kong Favourite Rises to No. 26, Bags Highest Climber Award 2024
The sophistication of Cantonese culinary traditions comes to the fore at The Chairman, renowned as Hong Kong’s best restaurant in recent years. Rising fast from No.50 in 2023 to No. 26 this year, The Chairman has also garnered the Highest Climber Award 2024.
This recognition is a nod to the restaurant’s straightforward philosophy of “food first, fanfare second”. Forgoing theatrics for taste, The Chairman has reinvented Cantonese cuisine with new recipes that honour long-held traditions, complemented by head chef Kwok Keung Tun’s earnest approach to cooking. With dishes like flowery crab and oxtail stew, crispy aged eel and salted pork belly with claypot rice, you are sure to find comfort in the restaurant's relaxed, homely vibes.
How many of these 50 top restaurants are you planning to visit in the coming year? For options closer to home, and without 12-month wait lists, check out our guide to the Best Restaurants in Singapore.
About The World’s 50 Best Restaurants List
This annual award celebrates culinary excellence by recognising The World's 50 Best Restaurants. Published by William Reed and sponsored by S.Pellegrino & Acqua Panna, the list is curated with votes by over 1,000 international experts, including chefs, food critics, and gastronomes. The rankings highlight the most exceptional dining experiences worldwide, setting the tone for the culinary industry. The award ceremony is held in a different city each year, celebrating innovation, creativity, and diversity in gastronomy.
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