Best Restaurants in the World

I'm a few days behind on this, I did see it when it came out earlier this week but I suppose it's no longer "breaking news". However, I still wanted to mention it. Restaurant Magazine (a British publication) put out it's annual "S. Pellegrino World's 50 Best Restaurants" list for 2010 just a few days ago. Without further adieu, here's a taste of the list - the top 10:

1. Noma (Copenhagen, Denmark)
2. El Bulli (Roses, Spain)
3. The Fat Duck (Berkshire, UK)
4. El Celler de Can Roca (Girona, Spain)
5. Mugaritz (Errenteria, Spain)
6. Osteria Francescana (Modena, Italy)
7. Alinea (Chicago) *yeah Chicago!!*
8. Daniel (New York)
9. Arzak (San Sebastian, Spain)
10. Per Se (New York)

These restaurants are without a doubt, the best of the best. I'm sure I'll never see the inside of 99% of them. I remember hearing about how crazy it is to get a reservation at El Bulli, something about writing handwritten letters a year in advance...I don't even know. Thomas Keller's The French Laundry fell to #32, and there are entire websites dedicated to explaining the best methods for securing reservations there. Even if I had the money to buy meals at these places, I don't think I could get in.

Big news of the year was that Noma knocked El Bulli down to #2, after four years atop the list. This list is a bit different in that unlike Michelin stars, there are no criteria the restaurants have to meet. There is simply an international voting panel that makes the decisions.

Here is a tasting menu from Alinea's website. I would LOVE to go. Maybe someday...