The World's 50 Best Restaurants 2015: Winners List

The World's 50 Best Restaurants, released

The winners of The World's 50 Best Restaurants, the fine dining world's school yearbook, were announced yesterday afternoon. The list is the result of 972 leading gourmands around the world, equipped with seven votes to cast on any restaurants of their choosing. The only rules are that at least three must be outside the voter's home region, and the voter has to have actually dined there.

Thus, like any list based solely on voter opinion (and 972 sets of taste buds), The World's 50 Best is completely subjective. This fact hasn't gone unnoticed, with this year's heightened controversy regarding arbitrary voting procedures and potential corruption paired with limited global outreach. But the show must go on, and on it went in London yesterday, complete with selfies of Grant Achatz, power lunches and copious amounts of Champagne.

Unsurprisingly, El Celler de Can Roca, Osteria Francescana and Noma led the night like homecoming-dance royalty, with El Celler taking the crown. But everyone graduates at some point (so long, Daniel), and the new class of freshmen are inducted—Moscow's White Rabbit was the highest new entry at No. 23, with China's Ultraviolet by Paul Pairet right behind. There were sophomore surprises and sophomore slumps (Thailand's Gaggan jumped into the top 10; The Ledbury knocked from it), but overall, there weren't any huge shockers.

There were some notable omissions (i.e., females and essentially all of Africa), but gripe though we may, it's still fun to care. Because no matter what, you still want the class president to sign your yearbook. See the full list below and HAGS, food lovers.

1. El Celler de Can Roca, Girona, Spain

2. Osteria Francescana, Modena, Italy

3. Noma, Copenhagen, Denmark

4. Central, Lima, Peru

5. Eleven Madison Park, New York, USA

6. Mugaritz, San Sebastián, Spain

7. Dinner by Heston Blumenthal, London, UK

8. Narisawa, Tokyo, Japan

9. D.O.M., São Paulo, Brazil

10. Gaggan, Bangkok, Thailand

11. Mirazur, Menton, France

12. L'Arpège, Paris, France

13. Asador Etxebarri, Atxondo, Spain

14. Astrid y Gastón, Lima, Peru

15. Steirereck, Vienna, Austria

16. Pujol, Mexico City, Mexico

17. Arzak, San Sebastián, Spain

18. Le Bernardin, New York, USA

Let the Le Bernardin sommelier school you in wine shopping.

19. Azurmendi, Larrabetzu, Spain

20. The Ledbury, London, UK

21. Le Chateaubriand, Paris, France

22. Nahm, Bangkok, Thailand

23. White Rabbit, Moscow, Russia

24. Ultraviolet by Paul Pairet, Shanghai, China

25. Fäviken, Järpen, Sweden

26. Alinea, Chicago, USA

27. Piazza Duomo, Alba, Italy

28. The Test Kitchen, Cape Town, South Africa

29. Nihonryori RyuGin, Tokyo, Japan

30. Restaurant Vendôme, Bergisch Gladbach, Germany

31. Restaurant Frantzén, Stockholm, Sweden

32. Attica, Melbourne, Australia

Learn about modern Australian cuisine.

33. Aqua, Wolfsburg, Germany

34. Le Calandre, Sarmeola di Rubano, Italy

35. Quintonil, Mexico City, Mexico

36. L'Astrance, Paris, France

37. Biko, Mexico City, Mexico

38. Amber, Hong Kong, China

39. Quique Dacosta, Dénia, Spain

40. Per Se, New York, USA

41. Maní, São Paulo, Brazil

42. Boragó, Santiago, Chile

42 (tie). Tickets, Barcelona, Spain

44. Maido, Lima, Peru

45. Relæ, Copenhagen, Denmark

Get in on Christian Puglisi's favorite breakfast.

46. Restaurant André, Singapore

47. Alain Ducasse au Plaza Athénée, Paris, France

48. Schloss Schauenstein, Fürstenau, Switzerland

49. Blue Hill at Stone Barns, Pocantico Hills, USA

Turn your food waste into vegetable chips like chef Dan Barber.

50. The French Laundry, Yountville, USA