The latest ranking according to RESTAURANT magazine

The 50 Best Restaurants In The World

CATERING industry magazine Restaurant recently announced this year’s 50 Best Restaurants in the World at an exclusive ceremony held at the Royal Exchange in London.

London restaurants dominated this year’s list. Entrants included classic fine-dining restaurants such as Le Gavroche and The Square, fashionable haunts with comfort food such as The Ivy and The Wolseley, winner of the Editors Choice award, and quirky modern classics such as cult eaterie St John. The latter won the Most Improved Restaurant on the list award and is famed for its signature dishes of roasted bone marrow and squirrel with offal on toast.

RESTAURANT MAGAZINE - 50 BEST RESTAURANTS IN THE WORLD 2004

1. French Laundry, Yountville, California
2. The Fat Duck, Bray, UK
3. El Bulli, Spain
4. L’Atelier de Joel Robuchon, Paris
5. Pierre Gagnaire, Paris
6. Guy Savoy, Paris
7. Nobu, London
8. Restaurant Gordon Ramsay, London
9. Michel Bras, Laguiole, France
10. Louis XV, Monaco
11.Gramercy Tavern, New York
12. Daniel, New York
13. Tetsuya’s, Sydney
14. Hakkasan, London
15. The Waterside Inn, Bray, UK
16. St John, London
17. L’Ami Louis, Paris
18. Jean Georges, New York
19. Le Gavroche, London
20. Flower Drum, Melbourne
21. The Merchant House, Ludlow, UK
22. Arzak, San Sebastian, Spain
23. Dal Pescatore, Canneto sull’Oglio, Italy
24. The Ivy, London
25. L’Arpege, Paris
26. El Raco de Can Fabes, San Celoni, Spain
27. Schwarzwaldstube, Baiersbronn, Germany
28. The Cliff, Barbados
29. Rockpool, Sydney
30. Le Manoir Aux Quat’ Saisons, Oxford, UK
31. Al Mahara, Burj Al Arab, Dubai
32. Charlie Trotter’s, Chicago
33. Le Jardin des Sens, Montpellier
34. The Square, London
35. Spago, Los Angeles
36. Bukhara, India
37. Chez Panisse, California
38. Le Meurice, Paris
39. Trois Gros, Roanne, France
40. Balthazar, New York
41. River Cafe, London
42. La Tupina, Bordeaux
43. Auberge d’Ill, Illhauseern-Alsace
44. Craft, New York
45. Le Tour d’Argent, Paris
46. La Maison de Marc Veyrat, Annecy, France
47. Felix, Peninsula Hotel, Hong Kong
48. De Karmeliet, Bruges
49. The Wolseley, London
50. Gambero Rosso, San Vincenzo, Italy

I almost protested coz I thought Tour d'Argent didnt make it to the list, but then it's on No. 45

The list is obviously very biased towards UK restaurants, but nevertheless they got the top spot (French Laundry Restaurant) right. It's arguable the best restaurant in the world, claimed by just about all the top chefs.

Other restaurants that should've made it to this list :

MASA, New York
Tru, Chicago
Taivellant, Paris, France
Lucas Carton, Paris, France
Alain Ducasse, Paris, France

They need to throw in some of the best Asian food in Japan, and the the haute cuisine of Chinese food such as Fook Lam Moon, Hong Kong.

Next year, the list probably will almost definitely change, with Chef Thomas Keller from The French Laundry recent move to new Time Warner building, New York, with his new more daring and innovative fine dining restaurant, I think PER SE RESTAURANT will make it into the number #1 spot.