World’s 50 Best Restaurants 2016: Osteria Francescana takes the top spot

By Sophie Witts

- Last updated on GMT

Massimo Bottura's Modena restaurant Osteria Francescana has made the top of the World's 50 Best Restaurants list for the first time
Massimo Bottura's Modena restaurant Osteria Francescana has made the top of the World's 50 Best Restaurants list for the first time
Osteria Francescana in Modena, Italy has taken the title of World's Best Restaurant for the first time.

Chef-owner Massimo Bottura was presented with the award at a star-studded ceremony in New York last night (13 June). 

The restaurant – famous for its avant-garde take on classical Italian dishes – knocked the Roca brothers of El Celler de Can Roca​ in Spain off the top spot in to second place after being beaten in 2015.

Danish restaurant Noma​, a four-time winner which dominated the list in 2010-14, slipped to fifth behind New York’s Eleven Madison Park​ (3rd) and Peruvian restaurant Central (4th).

It was a mixed night for the UK, with the number of London restaurants on the list increasing from two to three. 

Shoreditch’s The Clove Club​ was the highest new entry at 26th while Notting Hill’s The Ledbury​ rose to 14th, but Dinner​ by Heston Blumenthal in Knightsbridge fell from seventh to 45th place.

The awards also recognised some of the individuals behind the world’s top restaurants.

Joan Roca, of El Celler de Can Roca, received the Chef’s Choice award, while ‘Picasso of pastry’ Pierre Herme won the World’s Best Pastry Chef.

Dominique Crenn of San Francisco’s Atelier Crenn was named the World’s Best Female Chef, while Alain Passard - whose Paris restaurant L'Arpège was ranked 19th in the list - received the Lifetime Achievement Award.

William Drew, group editor of The World’s 50 Best Restaurants, said: “It has been a hugely exciting year with the launch of the global tour and our first awards event in New York. It is fantastic to have such a variety of culinary talent celebrated here tonight. As the appetite for reaching new gastronomic heights continues to grow we feel privileged to play a part in this journey of discovery and are proud to bring together this unique community of extraordinary visionaries within the industry.”  

The World’s 50 Best list is voted for by almost 1,000 leading chefs, restaurateurs, food writers and critics across the world based on their restaurant experiences over the last 18 months.

Next year’s awards are set to take place in Australia for the first time. Just one restaurant Down Under features in this year’s top 50 list - Attica in Melbourne at 33.

The full list of The World’s 50 Best Restaurants 2016:

1

Osteria Francescana

Modena

Italy

2

El Celler de Can Roca

Girona

Spain

3

Eleven Madison Park

New York

USA

4

Central

Lima

Peru

5

Noma

Copenhagen

Denmark

6

Mirazur

Menton

France

7

Mugaritz

San Sebastian

Spain

8

Narisawa

Tokyo

Japan

9

Steirereck

Vienna

Austria

10

Asador Etxebarri

Axpe

Spain

11

D.O.M.

São Paulo

Brazil

12

Quintonil

Mexico City

Mexico

13

Maido

Lima

Peru

14

The Ledbury

London

UK

15

Alinea

Chicago

USA

16

Azurmendi

Larrabetzu

Spain

17

Piazza Duomo

Alba

Italy

18

White Rabbit

Moscow

Russia

19

L'Arpège

Paris

France

20

Amber

Hong Kong

Hong Kong

21

Arzak

San Sebastian

Spain

22

The Test Kitchen

Cape Town

South Africa

23

Gaggan

Bangkok

Thailand

24

Le Bernardin

New York

USA

25

Pujol

Mexico City

Mexico

26

The Clove Club

London

UK

27

Saison

San Francisco

USA

28

Geranium

Copenhagen

Denmark

29

Tickets

Barcelona

Spain

30

Astrid y Gastón

Lima

Peru

31

Nihonryori RyuGin

Tokyo

Japan

32

Restaurant André

Singapore

Singapore

33

Attica

Melbourne

Australia

34

Tim Raue

Berlin

Germany

35

Vendôme

Bergisch Gladbach

Germany

36

Boragó

Santiago

Chile

37

Nahm

Bangkok

Thailand

38

De Librije

Zwolle

Netherlands

39

Le Calandre

Rubano

Italy

40

Relae

Copenhagen

Denmark

41

Fäviken

Jarpen

Sweden

42

Ultraviolet by Paul Pairet

Shanghai

China

43

Biko

Mexico City 

Mexico

44

Estela

New York

USA

45

Dinner by Heston Blumenthal

London

UK

46

Combal Zero

Rivoli

Italy

47

Schloss Schauenstein

Fürstenau

Switzerland

48

Blue Hill at Stone Barns

New York

USA

49

Quique Dacosta  

Denia

Spain

50

Septime

Paris

France

To view this year’s 51-100 list click here​.

For 2015’s Top 50 list click here​.

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