The 2012 World's 50 Best Restaurants: Full Rankings and Analysis

Noma is a restaurant on Refshalevej in Copenhagen.

El Celler de Can Roca is a restaurant in Girona, Spain.

Mugaritz is a restaurant in Errenteria in Spain's Basque Country.

D.O.M. is a Brazilian restaurant in São Paulo's Jardins district.

Osteria Francescana is Massimo Bottura's restaurant in Modena, Italy.

Per Se is a Thomas Keller restaurant at Columbus Circle in New York City.

Alinea is Grant Achatz's modernist restaurant in Chicago.

Arzak serves Basque cuisine developed by Juan Mari Arzak and Elena Arzak in San Sebastián.

Dinner by Heston Blumenthal is a restaurant at Mandarin Oriental Hyde Park in London.

Eleven Madison Park is a fine-dining restaurant overlooking Madison Square Park in New York City.

Steirereck im Stadtpark is a Vienna restaurant centered on Austrian hospitality and local products.

L'Atelier Saint Germain De Joël Robuchon is a counter-format French fine dining restaurant in Paris's 7th arrondissement, holding a Michelin Plate and a legacy that placed it in the World's 50 Best top 15. Book four to eight weeks out; demand is consistent and seats are limited. Best suited to pairs or solo diners who want close kitchen engagement rather than a conventional table setup.

The Fat Duck is Heston Blumenthal's restaurant in Bray, Berkshire.

The Ledbury is a restaurant on Ledbury Road in Notting Hill, London.

Le Chateaubriand is the defining address of Paris's bistronomy movement and one of the hardest tables to secure in the 11th arrondissement. Chef Iñaki Aizpitarte's single set menu, sourced from independent producers, has held a World's 50 Best ranking and a current Opinionated About Dining top-500 position. At €€€ per head, the value is clear; if you can get a reservation.

Arpège is Alain Passard's restaurant on Rue de Varenne in Paris.

Pierre Gagnaire is chef Pierre Gagnaire's restaurant on Rue Balzac in Paris.

L'Astrance is a restaurant on Rue de Longchamp in Paris.

Le Bernardin is a seafood restaurant in Midtown Manhattan.

Frantzén is a restaurant on Klara Norra Kyrkogata in Stockholm.

Oud Sluis reached the World's 50 Best top 20 four consecutive years running, and chef Toshihiko Furuta's Japanese-influenced take on Dutch coastal produce still makes the remote Zeeland trip worth planning. Book months ahead; this is Near Impossible to secure at short notice. The tasting menu format demands a full evening and an overnight stay nearby.

Aqua is a restaurant at The Ritz-Carlton in Wolfsburg.

Vendôme is a restaurant at Schloss Bensberg in Bergisch Gladbach.

Mirazur is a restaurant in Menton on the French Riviera.

Daniel is an Upper East Side restaurant for a formal French dinner, with prix-fixe and tasting menus in the main dining room. Its Lalique-designed bar and lounge offer shorter menus and cocktails in a different setting.

Iggy's is a Michelin-starred Modern European room on the third floor of voco Orchard Singapore that has held its position among the city's best fine-dining tables since 2004. With a nine-course Gastronomic menu, a Burgundy-heavy wine list, and strong tasting-menu options at both lunch and dinner, it is a serious choice for a special occasion; but book at least a week out, as tables fill fast.

Narisawa is a restaurant in Minamiaoyama, Tokyo.

Nihonryori RyuGin is Seiji Yamamoto's Japanese restaurant in Tokyo Midtown Hibiya.

Schloss Schauenstein is a restaurant and boutique hotel in Fürstenau, Switzerland.

Asador Etxebarri is a restaurant in Axpe, Bizkaia, centered on cooking over fire.

Le Calandre is an Alajmo restaurant in Sarmeola di Rubano, Italy.

De Librije is a restaurant in Zwolle, Netherlands.

One of Lima's most credentialed Modern Peruvian restaurants, Astrid & Gastón operates from a 17th-century hacienda in San Isidro and delivers a tasting menu built around Peruvian biodiversity. It ranked 9th in South America in 2025 and peaked at #14 in the World's 50 Best. Book three weeks out minimum for dinner; lunch offers a marginally easier window and better light through the courtyard.

Pujol is a restaurant in Mexico City's Polanco neighborhood.

Waku Ghin is a Japanese restaurant at Marina Bay Sands in Singapore.

Quique Dacosta Restaurante presents haute cuisine and art in Dénia, Spain.

Matbaren at the Grand Hôtel Stockholm delivers Nordic and modern cooking from the Mathias Dahlgren kitchen at a €€ price point that significantly undercuts its quality tier. Two consecutive Michelin Bib Gourmand awards (2024 and 2025) and confirm the consistency. Book it for a date, a solo lunch at the counter, or any occasion where the food needs to impress without the full tasting-menu commitment.

Hof van Cleve is Floris Van Der Veken's restaurant in Kruisem, Belgium.

The French Laundry is a restaurant in Yountville, California.

Amber serves modern French cuisine at Mandarin Oriental The Landmark in Hong Kong.

Vila Joya is a restaurant on Estrada da Galé in Albufeira, Algarve.

Il Canto is Siena's most serious fine dining address, with three consecutive World's 50 Best appearances (2010–2012) and confirming it has held its standard. Book months ahead; availability is near impossible; and request counter seating for your best experience. Nothing else in Siena operates at this tier.

Le Suquet is Sébastien Bras' restaurant on the Aubrac plateau near Laguiole.

Manresa holds three Michelin stars and a Relais & Château designation in Los Gatos, with a tasting menu that changes every evening based on daily farm delivery. Book four to six weeks out minimum; this is one of the hardest reservations in Northern California. At three-star pricing, it competes with The French Laundry and Single Thread for serious tasting menu travellers in the region.

Geranium is a restaurant in Copenhagen offering dining, private dining, and conference service.

Nahm is a restaurant at COMO Metropolitan Bangkok.