An annual rundown of the globe’s top restaurants, the World’s 50 Best Awards are collated through the combined experiences of 1,080 international restaurant industry experts. The globally recognised ranking takes into account a number of factors, however, there is no pre-determined checklist of criteria.

In the interest of complete impartiality, the World’s 50 Best Restaurants list and awards are organised and compiled by William Reed, with none of the employees of the organiser, or of any of the sponsors associated with the awards, allowed to partake in the voting Academy. The academy is made up of food writers and critics, chefs, restauranteurs and foodies, with each given 10 votes to hand out. The votes are completely confidential and remain anonymous throughout the process.

For the past decade or so, the World’s Best Restaurants list has been dominated by one name, Noma. One of the globe’s most celebrated culinary establishments, the Rene Redzepi-led venue secured top spot in the rankings in 2010, 2011, 2012, 2014, and 2021, however, this year, there was a change-up. The World’s 50 Best organisation instituted a new rule back in 2019 that prevents restaurants from winning the accolade a second time, which Noma skirted around by moving locations last year. In 2022, however, the famed bistro was officially ineligible to win the category and instead, passed the reins to a fellow Copenhagen favourite.

Helmed by award-winning chef Rasmus Kofoed and co-owner Søren Ledet, Geranium is exactly the kind of avant-garde dining experience you’d expect to see top the list. Located on the eighth floor of Copenhagen’s national football stadium, the restaurant features a locally-inspired, seasonally-changing ‘Universe’ tasting menu that takes place over three hours. The 20-course extravaganza is split evenly across appetisers, savoury dishes and sweets, meaning there is a little something for everyone.

Coming in second place for this year was Central in Lima. Chefs Virgilio Martínez and Pía León’s elevated ode to Peru is a celebration of local produce that has grown steadily in popularity over the past few years. The husband and wife pair first made their presence felt on the list way back in 2013, however, they’ve continued to climb up the rankings. In 2021, the restaurant was named in the top four, however, it’s moved up two places, giving the Danes a run for their money.

In Barcelona, you’ll find the third best restaurant in the world, Disfrutar. A name that translates to ‘enjoy’, Disfrutar is described as a “boundary-pushing gastronomic experience”, and it’s not hard to see why. Chefs Oriol Castro, Mateu Casañas and Eduard Xatruch’s ambitious project blends contemporary techniques with surprising flavour profiles to create something truly unique. From the fluffy bun stuffed with caviar and sour cream to the eel skin with royal sea cucumber, there’s a lot going on here.

Coming in at number four on the World’s Best Restaurants list is Madrid-based eatery DiverXO. The brainchild of culinary whizkid Dabiz Muñoz, the restaurant is renowned for its 12-course tasting menu, which takes diners on a bizarre journey through Asia. Here, you’ll enjoy Cantonese sea noodles with eel stew, hare katsusando with toasted butter brioche, or ‘Galician lobster waking up on the beaches of Goa’. Unsurprisingly, each dish arrives like a work of art.

The top performing North American restaurant this year, Pujol is a rather unexpected entry for the uninitiated. Back in 2000, chef Enrique Olvera turned an architecturally designed home into a stunning sit-down eatery, complete with an incredible urban menu. Now with Jesús Durón on board as Pujol’s chef de cuisine, the venue is going from strength to strength.

While Copenhagen, which is among the most expensive cities in the world, once again claimed top honours in the rankings, the rest of the world’s 50 best restaurants featured some unsurprising names. Italy had the most entries this year with six, including Lido 84, which came in at number eight and Uliassi at number 12. Looking more broadly, the best restaurant in Africa for 2022 was new entry Fyn, from Cape Town in South Africa, which was named at number 37, while the best restaurant in Asia was Den from Tokyo in Japan at 20. For North America, the fifth-placed Pujol in Mexico City was the top performer, with number two, Central in Peru the best in South America.

51. Alcalde, Guadalajara52. Sud 777, Mexico City

53. D.O.M., São Paulo

54. Lyle’s, London

55. Azurmendi, Larrabetzu

56. La Colombe, Cape Town

57. Trèsind Studio, Dubai

58. Alléno Paris au Pavillon Ledoyen, Paris

59. Sazenka, Tokyo

60. Rosetta, Mexico City

61. La Grenouillère, La Madelaine-sous-Montreuil

62. Ernst, Berlin

63. Chef’s Table at Brooklyn Fare, New York

64. Fu He Hui, Shanghai

65. Le Du, Bangkok

66. Sühring, Bangkok

67. Evvai, São Paulo

68. Kjolle, Lima

69. Cosme, New York

70. Zén, Singapore

71. Mingles, Seoul

72. Atelier Crenn, San Francisco

73. Kol, London

74. Blue Hill at Stone Barns, Pocantico Hills

75. Samrub Samrub Thai, Bangkok

76. Neighborhood, Hong Kong

77. Table by Bruno Verjus, Paris

78. Lasai, Rio de Janeiro

79. Estela, New York

80. AM par Alexandre Mazzia, Marseille

81. Brat, London

82. Sézanne, Tokyo

83. El Chato, Bogotá

84. Gimlet at Cavendish House, Melbourne

85. Raan Jay Fai, Bangkok

86. Mikla, Istanbul

87. Orfali Bros Bistro, Dubai

88. Mishiguene, Buenos Aires

89. Máximo Bistrot, Mexico City

90. Wolfgat, Paternoster

91. Oriole, Chicago

92. Indian Accent, New Delhi

93. Hertog Jan at Botanic Sanctuary, Antwerp

94. Burnt Ends, Singapore

95. Meta, Singapore

96. Mani, São Paulo

97. Benu, San Francisco

98. Tantris, Munich

99. Flocons de Sel, Megève

100. Wing, Hong Kong