The Best Eats

The 50 Best has published its annual top-50 list of restaurants, which features spots in 28 territories around the globe.

COMPILED BY Gina Dionisio PHOTOS Supplied

The gastronomic world gathered in Lima, Peru, for the unveiling of The 50 Best Restaurants 2026 list. Hosted at the Teatro Municipal de Lima, the ceremony honoured global culinary talent across 28 territories and six continents, with 14 new entries earning their place in the ranking. Asador Etxebarri in Atxondo was named The World’s Best Restaurant 2026, succeeding 2025 winner Maido in Lima, which now takes its place among the Best of the Best. Closer to home, Cape Town’s La Colombe claimed No. 35 – and the title of Best Restaurant in Africa – marking a triumphant return for one of South Africa’s most celebrated dining destinations.

THE TOP THREE

№1: Asador Etxebarri, Atxondo

Nestled in the peaceful Basque village of Axpe, chef-owner Victor Arguinzoniz’s restaurant Asador Etxebarri is a showcase for the art of Basque wood-fired cooking. Across an unforgettable 14-course tasting menu, the kitchen creates elegant dishes that allow high-quality ingredients to take centre stage, elevating simple produce into extraordinary masterpieces through the mastery of the grill. | @asadoretxebarrioficial

№2: Gaggan, Bangkok

At Gaggan, Gaggan Anand – one of Asia’s most decorated chefs – has disrupted the traditional fine-dining experience with a space and menu that turn dining into pure theatre. The space is vibrant yet intimate – neon-lit walls, blue chairs and soaring ceilings – divided between G’s Spot, a 14-seat chef’s counter, and Arena G, a more open dining area arranged around the kitchen. Here, music, colour and creativity converge in a menu anchored in progressive Indian cuisine, with French, Thai and Japanese influences. | @gaggan_anand

№3: Alchemist, Copenhagen

Refshaleøen, a relatively remote part of Copenhagen known for its industrial buildings and a famous former shipyard, is home to Alchemist – a restaurant defined by its genre-bending gastronomy. Alchemist’s dome-shaped roof – onto which various scenes are projected over the course of your meal – is matched in creative splendour by Rasmus Munk’s cuisine. There are no courses, only ‘impressions’ – 50 of them, in fact – divided into several ‘acts’ that take guests through different locations, types of art and extraordinary craftsmanship over a multi-hour, multi-sensory odyssey. | @restaurantalchemist

THE TOP 25

For the full list, visit the50best.com

Don’t forget to sign up to our weekly newsletter for the latest architecture and design news.