While excitement builds among enthusiasts for The World’s 50 Best Restaurants – the ranking of the top 50 restaurants in the world – the list of the second 50 has been released, covering places ranked from 51 to 100. As usual, this lower part of the ranking is announced a few days ahead of the main awards ceremony, a glamorous event full of culinary sparkle which this year, for the first time since its inception, takes place in Italy, on 19 June, in a Turin that promises events and initiatives throughout the week. The unveiling of the secondary list is not just a taster that raises anticipation, but can also offer some clues about what to expect on the night of the culinary Oscars.
The only Italian in the ranking
Scanning the list, it’s immediately apparent that positions 51 and 52 have changed: where last year the Alajmo brothers with Le Calandre and Norbert Niederkofler with Atelier Moessmer appeared, today we see L’Alcalde (which was number 67 last year) and Schloss Schauenstein by Andreas Caminada in Switzerland, which has slipped down from number 47. The only Italian presence is Jessica Rosval of Al Gatto Verde, who celebrates her entry into the ranking. Many were expecting it, not only due to the talent of the Canadian chef but also thanks to the Bottura effect – the chef who topped the rankings in 2016 and 2018 and remains a beloved and influential name. Al Gatto Verde is part of Casa Maria Luigia, the guest house of the Francescana Family just outside Modena, often visited by potential voters (even if their identities are or should be secret). The entry is at position number 92, but we are ready to bet on a rise up the list as early as next year.
Italy has thus gone from two restaurants to one, but this might not be bad news – quite the opposite: the drop out from the lower ranks could mean entry into the top half, covering positions one to fifty, where last year there were four Italian restaurants, none of which appear in the list just announced. Even though this list is famously unpredictable, with restaurants jumping dozens of places up or down over the years, we remain hopeful for a stronger Italian showing than in 2024, when Lido 84 by Riccardo Camanini ranked number 12, Reale by Niko Romito was at 19, Piazza Duomo by Enrico Crippa at 39, and Mauro Uliassi at 50. Much will depend on how many visits they received over the past months.
The World’s 50 Best Restaurants
As explained by William Drew, Director of Content for the 50 (pictured), the ranking is compiled based on the votes of 1,120 voters around the world, who must select their 10 favourite restaurants visited in the past 18 months. The system does not impose specific criteria nor guarantees that all venues receive an equal number of visits (and therefore potential votes). This opens the door to a game of invitations and large-scale investments, with international PR firms playing a key role. It’s a true game of strategy that also involves tourist boards, given the ranking’s impact, which can exponentially increase the presence of international clientele – making the 50 Best Restaurants, forgive the expression, a state affair.
The opportunity presented by hosting the awards ceremony should not be underestimated: next week, over 200 journalists from around the world will be in attendance, not to mention chefs, sommeliers, and more – all potential voters who will find it easier to travel around Italy and visit our restaurants. If they do, there may well be a rise in the 2026 ranking. We’ll see whether Italy has managed to capitalise on this opportunity by putting effective strategies in place; in the meantime, let’s carefully read through this second part of the ranking, keeping an eye out for new entries or dropouts.
The World’s 50 Best Restaurants 51–100
- 51 Alcalde Guadalajara
- 52 Schloss Schauenstein Fürstenau
- 53 Den Tokyo
- 54 El Chato Bogotá
- 55 La Colombe Cape Town
- 56 Jordnær Copenhagen
- 57 Onjium Seoul
- 58 Restaurant Tim Raue Berlino
- 59 Nobelhart & Schmutzig Berlino
- 60 Pujol Mexico City
- 61 Nuema Quito
- 62 Willem Hiele Oudenburg
- 63 Bozar Bruxelles
- 64 Fu He Hui Shanghai
- 65 Quique Dacosta Dénia
- 66 Saint Peter Sydney
- 67 Arca Tulum
- 68 Masque Mumbai
- 69 Hiša Franko Kobarid
- 70 Tuju San Paolo
- 71 Sazenka Tokyo
- 72 Chef Tam’s Seasons Macau
- 73 Tantris Monaco
- 74 Mountain Londra
- 75 Mil Cusco
- 76 Leo Bogotá
- 77 Le Doyenné Saint-Vrain
- 78 Cocina Hermanos Torres Barcellona
- 79 Coda Berlino
- 80 SingleThread Healdsburg
- 81 Oteque Rio de Janeiro
- 82 Fyn Cape Town
- 83 A Casa do Porco San Paolo
- 84 Aponiente El Puerto de Santa María
- 85 Txispa Atxondo
- 86 The Clove Club Londra
- 87 Mugaritz San Sebastian
- 88 Salsify at the Roundhouse Cape Town
- 89 Huniik Mérida
- 90 Le Bernardin New York
- 91 Koan Copenhagen
- 92 Al Gatto Verde Modena
- 93 Burnt Ends Singapore
- 94 Meet the Bund Shanghai
- 95 Evvai San Paolo
- 96 Atelier Crenn San Francisco
- 97 Labyrinth Singapore
- 98 César New York
- 99 Amisfield Restaurant Queenstown
- 100 Neolokal Istanbul
From Pimonte to Rome: The Mediterranean and Contemporary Style of Alfonso D’Auria, Executive Chef at Follie
The best rosé wines from Etna tasted by Gambero Rosso
The magic of the 19th-Century market in the heart of Catania
Giacomo Bartolommei is the new President of Brunello di Montalcino: the youngest in the Consortium’s history
The Syracuse restaurant that has become one of Sicily’s most coveted gourmet destinations
