France’s Mirazur Crowned World’s Best Restaurant 2019, Noma #2 And Bangkok’s Gaggan #4

Argentine-born, France-based chef Mauro Colagreco tearily exclaimed in halting English: “No words can describe this feeling. I am waiting to fall from the sky [back to earth]”. Interestingly, he adds, “It’s the first time a French restaurant has won #1 on the list”. He’s right — past winners were from Italy (Osteria Francescana), Spain (El Celler De Can Roca, El Bulli), England (The Fat Duck) and America (The French Laundry, Eleven Madison Park) and Denmark (Noma). The 50 Best Restaurants official website describes Mirazur as having a “panoramic view overlooking the Mediterranean Sea, in an idyllic palm tree-studded cove perched upon a hillside mere steps from the Italian border, provides reason enough to drive an hour from Nice."

Photo: Mauro Colagreco - Restaurant Mirazur, Facebook

"Here, chef Mauro Colagreco (pictured with his wife who also works at his restaurant) assembles modern, delicately flavoured dishes imbued with the essence of the Côte d'Azur via local French and Italian ingredients.” The eatery also boasts three Michelin stars. Well, the restaurant is 13 years old, and chef seems like a sweet, humble kinda guy who's well-liked by his peers.

Photo: Alvin Teo

Taking the second spot on the World’s Best Restaurants list is the beloved Copenhagen restaurant Noma.

Chef René Redzepi closed the first Noma in 2016 and re-opened it in 2018 in a new location as Noma 2.0 with a refreshed menu that mimics the seasons. His iconic modern Scandinavian restaurant was a favourite to take the top spot in 2019’s competition since the first iteration of Noma was a four-time winner of the #1 spot. Is that why Chef René is absent at the ceremony in Singapore (he says he’s busy launching a new menu)? Instead, he sent a restaurant rep over to accept the award on his behalf.

Photo: @nomacph, Facebook

There were whispers in the industry that “progressive” Indian fine-diner Gaggan in Bangkok, owned by the gregarious chef Gaggan Anand might be crowned World’s Best Restaurant tonight. The restaurant was #1 for four consecutive years on the Asian iteration of the list, but fell to #2 in 2018 (Singapore’s Odette displaced it). It placed #5 on the international list last year. Alas, it was not to be. It climbed one spot to #4 this year, its last chance to participate in the list. Because...

​​​​​​​Photo: Alvin Teo

Chef Anand created shockwaves in 2016 when he announced his decision to close Gaggan in 2020, on the tenth year of its anniversary. Why shut down a super successful restaurant? “I hate to be predictable, so I need to take this break,” Anand told Eater. Instead, he’ll be opening a new restaurant in Fukuoka, Japan, called GohGan in 2021 with Japanese chef Takeshi Fukuyama of La Maison de la Nature Goh (pictured).

Photo: The World's 50 Best

Meanwhile, representing Singapore is Julien Royer’s contemporary French fine-diner Odette. It’s #18, ten places up from #28 last year (and current #1 on the Asian edition of the list). “I don’t hope for anything. The higher the number [Odette is] the better of course, but I’m just happy to be here,” said Julien when we spoke to him just before the results were announced. 'Grats, chef.

In a controversial new ruling this year, no chefs whose restaurants have previously taken the top spot on the list are allowed to enter the list. Instead, they’ll be moved to a collection called ‘The Best of the Best’. So that meant 2018’s #1, Osteria Francescana in Italy (by chef Massimo Bottura, pictured), as well as six other top restaurants like two-time #1 winner El Celler de Can Roca from Spain and one-time winner The Fat Duck were out of the running. A rather odd decision, despite the 50 Best committee saying that this change was implemented so other contestants too can have a chance at winning.

After all, the voting system itself, made up of a team of jurors comprising chefs and journalists, is controversial — voters do not have quotas when it comes to those who they vote for, nor are they required to pay for their own meals (meaning they can be hosted by more ambitious restaurants with deep pockets).

But that's another story. Here’re the top 50 restaurants this year.

1. Mirazur (Menton, France)

Last year's rank: #3

2. Noma (Copenhagen, Denmark)

Last year's rank: Nil

3. Asador Etxebarri (Atxondo, Spain)

Last year's rank: #10

4. Gaggan (Bangkok, Thailand)

Last year's rank: #5

5. Geranium (Copenhagen, Denmark)

Last year's rank: #19

6. Central (Lima, Peru)

7. Mugaritz (San Sebastian, Spain)

8. Arpège (Paris, France)

9. Disfrutar (Barcelona, Spain)

10. Maido (Lima, Peru)

11. Den (Tokyo, Japan)

12. Pujol (Mexico City, Mexico)

13. White Rabbit (Moscow, Russia)

14. Azurmendi (Larrabetzu, Spain)

15. Septime (Paris, France)

16. Alain Ducasse au Plaza Athénée (Paris, France)

17. Steirereck (Vienna, Austria)

18. Odette (Singapore)

19. Twins Garden (Moscow, Russia)

20. Tickets (Barcelon, Spain)

21. Frantzén (Stockholm, Sweden)

22. Narisawa (Tokyo, Japan)

23. Cosme (New York, USA)

24. Quintonil (Mexico City, Mexico)

25. Alléno Paris Au Pavillon Ledoyen (Paris, France)

26. Boragó (Santiago, Chile)

27. The Clove Club (London, UK)

28. Blue Hill At Stone Barns (USA)

29. Piazza Duomo (Alba, Italy)

30. Elkano (Getaria, Spain)

31. Le Calandre (Rubano, Italy)

32. Nerua (Bilbao, Spain)

33. Lyle’s (London, UK)

34. Don Julio (Bueno Aires, Argentina)

35. Atelier Crenn (San Francisco, USA)

36. Le Bernardin (New York, USA)

37. Alinea (Chicago, USA)

38. Hiša Franko (Kobarid, Slovenia)

39. A Casa do Porco (São Paulo, Brazil)

40. Restaurant Tim Raue (Berlin, Germany)

41. The Chairman (Hong Kong, China)

42. Belcanto (Lisbon, Portugal)

43. Hof van Cleve (Kruishoutem, Belgium)

44. The Test Kitchen (Cape Town, South Africa)

45. Sühring (Bangkok, Thailand)

46. De Librije (Zwolle, Netherlands)

47. Benu (San Francisco, USA)

48. Ultraviolet By Paul Pairet (Shanghai, China)

49. Leo (Bogotá, Colombia)

50. Schloss Schauenstein (Fürstenau, Switzerland)

51. REALE, Italy (above)

52. MIKLA, Turkey

53. ARZAK, Spain

54. D.O.M., Brazil

55. MAEEMO, Norway

56. RELAE, Denmark

57. NOBELHART & SCHMUTZIG, Germany

58. SUD 777, Mexico

Photo: Barbara Santoro for Niko Romito

59. BURNT ENDS, Singapore (#61 in 2018)

60. INDIAN ACCENT, India

61. ULIASSI, Italy

62. NIHONRYORI RYUGIN, Japan

63. FLORILÈGE, Japan

64. THE LEDBURY, UK

65. SELFIE, Russia

66. CORE BY CLARE SMYTH, UK

67. ASTRID Y GASTÓN, Peru

68. FÄVIKEN, Sweden

69. NAHM, Thailand

70. SAISON, USA

71. SINGLETHREAD, USA

72. AQUA, Germany

73. MANÍ, Brazil

74. LASAI, Brazil

75. DIVERXO, Spain

76. MOMOFUKU KO, USA

77. CHEF’S TABLE AT BROOKLYN FARE, USA

78. LIDO 84, Italy

79. MINGLES, Korea

80. ESTELA, USA

81. QUIQUE DACOSTA, Spain

82. ENIGMA, Spain

83. DINNER BY HESTON BLUMENTHAL, UK

84. ATTICA, Australia

85. AMASS, Denmark

86. TEGUI, Argentina

87. MARTIN BERASATEGUI, Spain

88. LUNG KING HEEN, China

89. 108, Denmark

90. ALO, Canada

91. SUSHI SAITO, Japan

92. HARVEST, Russia

93. LA CIME, Japan

94. APONIENTE, Spain

95. GAA, Thailand

96. BELON, China

97. VENDÔME, Germany

98. ANNE-SOPHIE PIC, France

99. THE JANE, Belgium

100. OTEQUE, Brazil

101. BRAE, Australia

102. AMBER, China

103. JADE DRAGON, China

104. COCOCO, Russia

105. KADEAU, Denmark

106. RESTAURANT DAVID TOUTAIN, France

107. IL RISTORANTE LUCA FANTIN, Japan

108. L’ASTRANCE, France

109. ALCALDE, Mexico

110. NEOLOKAL, Turkey

111. CHAMBRE SÉPARÉE, Belgium

112. ST JOHN, UK

113. VEA, China

114. LA COLOMBE, South Africa

115. PER SE, USA

116. ST. HUBERTUS, Italy

117. EPICURE, France

118. ERNST, Germany

119. ATOMIX, USA

120. SUGALABO, Japan

Photos: Alvin Teo, Burnt Ends