The 2016 World's 50 Best Restaurants: Complete Rankings
Prestigious 2016 global ranking of the world's top restaurants.
Venues on this list
Osteria Francescana
Modena, Italy
Osteria Francescana is Massimo Bottura's restaurant in Modena, Italy.
El Celler de Can Roca
Girona, Spain
El Celler de Can Roca is a restaurant in Girona, Spain.
Eleven Madison Park
New York City, United States
Eleven Madison Park is a fine-dining restaurant overlooking Madison Square Park in New York City.
Central Restaurante
Lima, Peru
Central is a restaurant on Avenida Pedro de Osma in Barranco, Lima.
Noma
Copenhagen, Denmark
Noma is a restaurant on Refshalevej in Copenhagen.
Mirazur
Menton, France
Mirazur is a restaurant in Menton on the French Riviera.
Mugaritz
Errenteria, Spain
Mugaritz is a restaurant in Errenteria in Spain's Basque Country.
Narisawa
Tokyo, Japan
Narisawa is a restaurant in Minamiaoyama, Tokyo.
Steirereck im Stadtpark
Vienna, Austria
Steirereck im Stadtpark is a Vienna restaurant centered on Austrian hospitality and local products.
Asador Etxebarri
Atxondo, Spain
Asador Etxebarri is a restaurant in Axpe, Bizkaia, centered on cooking over fire.
D.O.M.
São Paulo, Brazil
D.O.M. is a Brazilian restaurant in São Paulo's Jardins district.
Quintonil
Mexico City, Mexico
Quintonil presents Mexican ingredients through the culinary perspective of Alejandra Flores and Jorge Vallejo.
Maido
Lima, Peru
Maido is a restaurant in Lima's Miraflores district.
The Ledbury
London, United Kingdom
The Ledbury is a restaurant on Ledbury Road in Notting Hill, London.
Alinea
Chicago, United States
Alinea is Grant Achatz's modernist restaurant in Chicago.
Azurmendi
Larrabetzu, Spain
Azurmendi is Eneko Atxa's restaurant in Larrabetzu, outside Bilbao.
Piazza Duomo
Alba, Italy
Piazza Duomo is a restaurant in Alba, Italy.
Arpège
Paris, France
Arpège is Alain Passard's restaurant on Rue de Varenne in Paris.
Amber
Hong Kong, Hong Kong
Amber serves modern French cuisine at Mandarin Oriental The Landmark in Hong Kong.
Arzak
San Sebastián, Spain
Arzak serves Basque cuisine developed by Juan Mari Arzak and Elena Arzak in San Sebastián.
The Test Kitchen
Cape Town, South Africa
The Test Kitchen reached #22 on the World's 50 Best Restaurants in 2016 and. It is one of the hardest reservations in South Africa, so plan two to three months ahead at minimum. Verify current operating status before booking, as chef and hours data require confirmation.
Nahm
Bangkok, Thailand
Nahm is a restaurant at COMO Metropolitan Bangkok.
Gaggan Anand
Bangkok, Thailand
Gaggan Anand is a restaurant on Sukhumvit 31 in Bangkok.
White Rabbit
Moscow, Russia
White Rabbit is a Moscow restaurant that held a World's 50 Best Top 25 placement and an 88.5-point La Liste score. Chef Vladimir Mukhin's tasting menu moves through historic Russian ingredients; sea buckthorn, Borodinsky bread, swan liver; in a glass dome above the city. Book four to six weeks out minimum; demand is consistent and walk-ins are not realistic.
Le Bernardin
New York City, United States
Le Bernardin is a seafood restaurant in Midtown Manhattan.
Pujol
Mexico City, Mexico
Pujol is a restaurant in Mexico City's Polanco neighborhood.
The Clove Club
London, United Kingdom
The Clove Club is Isaac McHale's restaurant at Shoreditch Town Hall in London.
Saison
San Francisco, United States
Saison is a restaurant at 178 Townsend Street in San Francisco.
Geranium
Copenhagen, Denmark
Geranium is a restaurant in Copenhagen offering dining, private dining, and conference service.
Astrid & Gastón
Lima, Peru
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.
RyuGin
Tokyo, Japan
Nihonryori RyuGin is Seiji Yamamoto's Japanese restaurant in Tokyo Midtown Hibiya.
Attica
Melbourne, Australia
Attica is Melbourne's hardest reservation and its most decorated tasting menu restaurant, scoring 96 points on La Liste 2025 and reaching #20 on the World's 50 Best in 2018. Ben Shewry's kitchen builds multi-course sequences around native Australian ingredients with technical precision that has no direct peer in the city. Book months in advance and go with a clear evening free.
Restaurant Tim Raue
Berlin, Germany
Restaurant Tim Raue is an Asian-influenced restaurant near Checkpoint Charlie in Berlin.
Vendôme
Bergisch Gladbach, Germany
Vendôme is a restaurant at Schloss Bensberg in Bergisch Gladbach.
Boragó
Santiago, Chile
Boragó is a restaurant in Vitacura, Santiago.
De Librije
Zwolle, Netherlands
De Librije is a restaurant in Zwolle, Netherlands.
Le Calandre
Rubano, Italy
Le Calandre is an Alajmo restaurant in Sarmeola di Rubano, Italy.
Ultraviolet by Paul Pairet
Shanghai, China
Ultraviolet by Paul Pairet is the hardest restaurant reservation in Shanghai and one of the most awarded in Asia, ranked #1 in Opinionated About Dining's Top Restaurants in Asia (2023) and a World's 50 Best fixture for seven years. Ten seats, a secret address, a fixed multi-course tasting menu, and a fully controlled sensory environment make this the right booking only if you are specifically after immersive format dining at the top of the market.
Estela
New York City, United States
Ranked #57 on Opinionated About Dining's 2025 Casual North America list and holder of a Star Wine List #1 ranking in New York, Estela earns its $$$$ price tier through ingredient-led Mediterranean cooking and a 795-bottle wine list overseen by a dedicated Wine Director. Book three to four weeks out for weekend dinner; walk-ins are not a reliable strategy here.
Dinner by Heston Blumenthal
London, United Kingdom
Dinner by Heston Blumenthal is a restaurant at Mandarin Oriental Hyde Park in London.
Combal Zero
Rivoli, Italy
Combal Zero was a progressive Italian restaurant inside the Castello di Rivoli, run by chef Davide Scabin. The kitchen applied modern technique to Piedmontese ingredients in a setting that few dining rooms in Italy can match for architectural drama.
Schloss Schauenstein
Fürstenau, Switzerland
Schloss Schauenstein is a restaurant and boutique hotel in Fürstenau, Switzerland.
Blue Hill at Stone Barns
Tarrytown, United States
Blue Hill at Stone Barns is a restaurant at Stone Barns Center in Tarrytown, New York.
Quique Dacosta
Dénia, Spain
Quique Dacosta Restaurante presents haute cuisine and art in Dénia, Spain.
Septime
Paris, France
Septime is a restaurant on Rue de Charonne in Paris.
Overview
The 2016 World's 50 Best Restaurants recognized 50 establishments across 23 countries and 37 cities. Osteria Francescana in Modena, Italy claimed the top position, followed by El Celler de Can Roca and Eleven Madison Park. Europe dominated the top 10 with seven restaurants, while Spain alone placed three venues in the upper tier.
This edition showcased restaurants from 23 countries spanning Europe, the Americas, Asia, and beyond. The top 10 drew from seven countries: Italy, Spain, the United States, Peru, Denmark, France, and Japan each contributed at least one restaurant. Spain performed particularly well with three restaurants in the top 10; El Celler de Can Roca at #2, Mugaritz at #7, and Asador Etxebarri at #10. The list represented 37 different cities, indicating geographic diversity beyond traditional culinary capitals. European restaurants claimed the majority of top positions, though Central in Lima and Narisawa in Tokyo demonstrated strong representation from South America and Asia respectively.
Osteria Francescana in Modena, Italy led the 2016 World's 50 Best Restaurants, marking a shift to Italian fine dining at the top. Massimo Bottura's restaurant edged out Spain's El Celler de Can Roca and New York's Eleven Madison Park for the number one position. The list spanned 23 countries and 37 cities, with Europe claiming seven of the top 10 spots. Spain placed three restaurants in the upper tier, while Denmark's Noma; often a frontrunner in previous years; landed at #5. The edition showcased geographic range from Peru's Central at #4 to Japan's Narisawa at #8.
Quick Facts
- Top Restaurant
- Osteria Francescana (Modena, Italy)
- Total Restaurants
- 50
- Countries Represented
- 23
- Cities Represented
- 37
- Spain's Top 10 Count
- 3 restaurants
- European Top 10 Count
- 7 of 10
- Highest-Ranked US Restaurant
- Eleven Madison Park (#3)
- Highest-Ranked Asian Restaurant
- Narisawa, Tokyo (#8)
About This Edition
The 2016 edition brought together 50 restaurants from 23 countries, distributed across 37 cities worldwide. The top 10 reflected European dominance, with seven restaurants from the continent, though Lima's Central at #4 and Tokyo's Narisawa at #8 represented strong showings from South America and Asia. Spain stood out with three top-10 placements: El Celler de Can Roca in Girona (#2), Mugaritz in Errenteria (#7), and Asador Etxebarri in Atxondo (#10). The geographic spread indicated the list's scope beyond a handful of culinary centers. With 37 cities represented among 50 restaurants, the selection reached beyond capitals and major metros to include smaller cities like Modena, Menton, and Atxondo. This edition drew from Europe, North and South America, Asia, and other regions, though European restaurants maintained a strong presence in upper rankings. France, Denmark, Austria, and Japan each contributed one restaurant to the top 10, while Italy and the United States secured one apiece at the #1 and #3 positions respectively.
Frequently Asked Questions
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