To celebrate its third anniversary, La Liste unveiled its top 1,000 restaurants for 2018 at a glitzy award ceremony on December 4 which revealed Guy Savoy topping the list for a second year.
The top 1,000 are ranked annually based on the compilation of hundreds of guidebooks and millions of online reviews, with this year’s selection featuring an impressive set of 16,000 top-rated establishments in 165 countries. Last year Gordon Ramsay remained the highest rated restaurant from Britain in the acclaimed guide but how did Britain fair in this year’s selection?
For 2018, Gordon Ramsay’s eponymous restaurant on Royal Hospital Road remains the highest British restaurant to feature on the list coming in at number 67 but dropping 23 places from last year. Elsewhere, Heston Blumenthal’s three Michelin starred, The Fat Duck slips from being Britain’s second top rated restaurant on the list as it falls 70 places to number 70 while L’Enclume replaces it in the number two position as it climbs to number 118. Alain Ducasse at the Dorchester follows closely behind at number 119.
The 2018 list once again celebrates Japanese cuisine whose 134 restaurants make it the most represented in the global ranking. China was close behind with 123 restaurants, including Hong Kong, Taiwan and Macao while France featured 118 restaurants.
Europe also stands out among the gastronomy elite with Spain (67), Italy, (55) Germany (52) and England (39) leading the way. Switzerland qualifies a high number of elite restaurants (38) when compared to the size of the country.
The integration of more than 150 new international sources offering a better geographic representation and a more precise culinary panorama resulted in various countries strengthening their position, such as Australia (27), Mexico (20), Austria (18), Russia (17), Canada (14), Morocco (12) and South Africa (12).
La Liste 2018 is divided into 3 distinct categories compromising of World Top 1000 - the world’s best restaurants selected annually based on globally renowned food guides, publications and critics; Outstanding cuisine - an exceptional restaurant handpicked as one of the best in the country for its culinary standards; and Food Gems - an authentic gem that locals would recommend for a great casual food experience at a more moderate price.
This year’s selection was announced live at an awards ceremony held at Quai d’Orsay which was marked by a Presidential reception with Mr Emmanuel Macron to celebrate cultural diversity and eco-sustainable practices such as food waste and carbon footprint reduction.
What do you make of this year's La Liste? Should there be more than one British restaurant in the top 100? Let us know in the comments below or head over to our Facebook page or Twitter to keep the conversation going.
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