Congratulations to Rene Redzepi and team at NOMA in Copenhagen, Denmark which claimed the coveted repeat spot at Number 1 for S. Pellegrino's World's Best Restaurants. If you were surprised to see El Bulli omitted from this year's list, it's due to the scheduled closing of the famed restaurant in future months for a rebirth into a foundation. Even sans a 2011 award, El Bulli will remain a top restaurant in the hearts and appetites of the many who were fortunate enough to have dined there.
Here are S. Pellegrino's World's 50 Best Restaurants for 2011:
1) Noma (Copenhagen, Denmark)
2) El Celler de Can Roca (Girona, Spain)
3) Mugaritz (Errenteria, Spain)
4) Osteria Francescana (Modena, Italy)
5) The Fat Duck (Bray, England)
6) Alinea (Chicago, Illinois)
7) D.O.M. (São Paulo, Brazil)
8) Arzak (San Sebastián, Spain)
9) Le Chateaubriand (Paris, France)
10) Per Se (New York)
11) Daniel (New York)
12) Les Créations de Narisawa (Tokyo, Japan)
13) L'Astrance (Paris, France)
14) L'Atelier de Joël Robuchon (Paris, France)
15) Hof Van Cleve (Kruishoutem, Belgium)
16) Pierre Gagnaire (Paris, France)
17) Oud Sluis (Sluis, Netherlands)
18) Le Bernardin (New York)
19) L'Arpege (Paris, France)
20) Nihonryori RyuGin (Tokyo, Japan)
21) Vendôme (Bergisch Gladbach, Germany)
22) Steirereck (Vienna, Austria)
23) Schloss Schauenstein (Fürstenau, Switzerland)
24) Eleven Madison Park (New York)
25) Aqua (Wolfsburg, Germany)
26) Quay Restaurant (Sydney, Australia)
27) Iggy's (Singapore)
28) Combal Zero (Rivoli, Italy)
29) Martín Berasategui (Lasarte-Oria, Spain)
30) Bras (Laguiole, France)
31) Biko (Mexico City, Mexico)
32) Le Calandre (Rubano, Italy)
33) Il Ristorante Cracco (Milan, Italy)
34) The Ledbury (London, England)
35) Chez Dominique (Helsinki, Finland)
36) Le Quartier Français (Franschhoek, South Africa)
37) Amber (Hong Kong, China)
38) Dal Pescatore (Mantova, Italy)
39) Il Canto (Siena, Italy)
40) Momofuku Ssäm Bar (New York)
41) St. John (London, England)
42) Astrid y Gastón (Lima, Perú)
43) Hibiscus (London, England)
44) La Maison Troisgros (Roanne, France)
45) Alain Ducasse Au Plaza Athénée (Paris, France)
46) De Librije (Zwolle, Netherlands)
47) Restaurant de l'Hôtel de Ville (Crissier, Switzerland)
48) Varvary (Moscow, Russia)
49) Pujol (Mexico City, Mexico)
50) Asador Etxebarri (Atxondo-Bizkaia, Spain)
—–