World’s 50 Best Restaurants 2022: Plant-Based Geranium Flourish

The World’s Best Restaurants 2022 recently held at historical Old Billingsgate in London celebrates its 20th year anniversary with the coming together of the crème de la crème of the culinary world from across the globe, with Geranium in Copenhagen placing first. Here was what we thought.

“We are delighted to announce the list of The World’s 50 Best Restaurants 2022 and to celebrate Geranium as the new No.1. Rasmus Kofoed, Søren Ledet and their team have created an unforgettable dining experience, taking seasonal cooking to superlative heights and delivering precise, beautiful and elegant food that combines art and flavour alongside a ground-breaking drinks programme. Geranium has cemented its status as a global culinary destination and a much-deserved winner of the coveted title, The World’s Best Restaurant 2022, sponsored by S.Pellegrino & Acqua Panna. It is also very exciting to recognise this diverse list of restaurants spread across five continents and to see this vibrant culinary community coming together to celebrate in London. — William Drew, Director of Content for The World’s 50 Best Restaurants.

Plant-Based Geranium Rises To The Top

Plant- based Geranium lead by Rasmus Kofoed and Søren Ledet takes the top spot showing that not only that Nordic cuisine is still greatly in demand, but that a plant-based restaurant can take the top spot. The iconic restaurant has been one of the most sought-after destination restaurants and this comes as no surprise.

Hispanic-Latino Domination

The top 10 on the list this year has been dominated by Spanish and Latin American restaurants, with 3 Spanish restaurants and 4 Latino restaurants, taking 7 out of the 10 spots. What this list is really saying is that we should turn our attention to that side of the globe with its increasingly known cuisine and approach.

21 Asian Restaurants in the top 100

Den in Tokyo comes in at No.20 making it the highest restaurant from Asia on the list, with a total 7 in the top 50. Other restaurants in Asia that made the top 50 include The Chairman in Hong Kong (No. 24), Florilège in Tokyo (No. 30), Odette in Singapore (No. 36), Sorn in Bangkok (no. 39), La Cime in Osaka (No. 41) and Narisawa in Tokyo (No. 45). With only 21 restaurants from Asia represented on the list, we really hope to see more placements in the future.

Sorn Debuts As First Thai Cuisine Restaurant

Sorn in Bangkok is led by Supaksorn ‘Ice’ Jongsiri, which serves contemporary Southern Thai fine dining, making it the first Thai cuisine restaurant to place in the list. With ingredients and produced used from the south of Thailand, the No. 2 restaurant on Asia’s 50 Best Restaurant 2022 deserves all the accolades its been given.

“I only realised on event itself when I was told “you do realise you’re the first Thai restaurant that made it to the World’s list” and I was so excited. How I feel now is that Thai food usually uses Thai ingredients, but actually at Sorn, we only use southern Thai ingredients. We are so happy that it paid off, so its proof that Thai food, cooking and ingredients are worth world recognition.” — Supaksorn ‘Ice’ Jongsiri, Sorn, Bangkok, Thailand

For our feature interview with chef Supaksorn ‘Ice’ Jongsiri, see World’s 50 Best Restaurants 2022: Chef Ice Speaks About Sorn Debuts As The First Thai Cuisine Restaurant On The World’s List.

Final Thoughts: Finding A Seat At The Table

With the top 10 being mainly Hispanic and Latino centric cuisines, we predict the next years winner should be Central from Lima or Disfrutar from Barcelona, but as with these things, you can never really tell, especially with travel becoming more frequent. We also predict there will be a rise of Middle East and African restaurants, with the 50 Best Middle East and North Africa highlighting more and more restaurants from that region.

For the complete list and awards, see below.

World’s 50 Best Restaurants 2022

1. Geranium, Copenhagen, Denmark
2. Central, Lima, Peru
3. Disfrutar, Barcelona, Spain
4. Diverxo, Madrid, Spain
5. Pujol, Mexico City, Mexico
6. Asador Etxebarri, Atxondo, Spain
7. A Casa do Porco, São Paulo, Brazil
8. Lido 84, Gardone Riviera, Italy
9. Quintonil, Mexico City, Mexico
10. Le Calandre, Rubano, Italy
11. Maido, Lima, Peru
12. Uliassi, Senigallia, Italy
13. Steirereck, Vienna, Austria
14. Don Julio, Buenos Aires, Argentina
15. Reale, Castel di Sangro, Italy
16. Elkano, Getaria, Spain
17. Nobelhart & Schmutzig, Berlin, Germany
18. Alchemist, Copenhagen, Denmark
19. Piazza Duomo, Alba, Italy
20. Den, Tokyo, Japan
21. Mugaritz, San Sebastian, Spain
22. Septime, Paris, France
23. The Jane, Antwerp, Belgium
24. The Chairman, Hong Kong, China
25. Frantzén, Stockholm, Sweden
26. Restaurant Tim Raue, Berlin, Germany
27. Hof Van Cleve, Kruishoutem, Belgium
28. Le Clarence, Paris, France
29. Hubertus, San Cassiano, Italy
30. Florilège, Tokyo, Japan
31. Arpège, Paris, France
32. Mayta, Lima, Peru
33. Atomix, New York, USA
34. Hiša Franko, Kobarid, Slovenia
35. The Clove Club, London, UK
36. Odette, Singapore
37. Fyn, Cape Town, South Africa
38. Jordnær, Copenhagen, Denmark
39. Sorn, Bangkok, Thailand
40. Schloss Schauenstein, Fürstenau, Germany
41. La Cime, Osaka, Japan
42. Quique Dacosta, Denia, Spain
43. Boragó, Santiago, Chile
44. Le Bernardin, New York, USA
45. Narisawa, Tokyo, Japan
46. Belcanto, Lisbon, Portugal
47. Oteque, Rio de Janeiro, Brazil
48. Leo, Bogotá, Colombia
49. Ikoyi, London, UK
50. SingleThread, Healdsburg, USA
51. Alcalde, Guadalajara, Mexico
52. Sud 777, Mexico City, Mexico
53. O.M., São Paulo, Brazil
54. Lyle’s, London, UK
55. Azurmendi, Larrabetzu, Spain
56. La Colombe, Cape Town, South Africa
57. Trèsind Studio, Dubai, UAE
58. Alléno Paris au Pavillon Ledoyen, Paris, France
59. Sazenka, Tokyo, Japan
60. Rosetta, Mexico City, Mexico
61. La Grenouillère, La Madelaine-sous-Montreuil, France
62. Ernst, Berlin, Germany
63. Chef’s Table at Brooklyn Fare, New York, USA
64. Fu He Hui, Shanghai, China
65. Le Du, Bangkok, Thailand
66. Sühring, Bangkok, Thailand
67. Evvai, São Paulo,Brazil
68. Kjolle, Lima, Peru
69. Cosme, New York, USA
70. Zén, Singapore
71. Mingles, Seoul, Korea
72. Atelier Crenn, San Francisco, USA
73. Kol, London, UK
74. Blue Hill at Stone Barns, Pocantico Hills, USA
75. Samrub Samrub Thai, Bangkok, Thailand
76. Neighborhood, Hong Kong, China
77. Table by Bruno Verjus, Paris, France
78. Lasai, Rio de Janeiro, Brazil
79. Estela, New York, USA
80. AM par Alexandre Mazzia, Marseille, France
81. Brat, London, UK
82. Sézanne, Tokyo, Japan
83. El Chato, Bogotá, Colombia
84. Gimlet at Cavendish House, Melbourne, Australia
85. Raan Jay Fai, Bangkok, Thailand
86. Mikla, Istanbul, Turkey
87. Orfali Bros Bistro, Dubai, UAE
88. Mishiguene, Buenos Aires, Argentina
89. Máximo Bistrot, Mexico City, Mexico
90. Wolfgat, Paternoster, South Africa
91. Oriole, Chicago, USA
92. Indian Accent, New Delhi, India
93. Hertog Jan at Botanic Sanctuary, Antwerp, Belgium
94. Burnt Ends, Singapore
95. Meta, Singapore
96. Maní, São Paulo, Brazil
97. Benu, San Francisco, USA
98. Tantris, Munich, Germany
99. Flocons de Sel, Megève, France
100. Wing, Hong Kong, China

Best Restaurant in the World: Geranium, Copenhagen, Denmark
Best Restaurant in Europe: Geranium, Copenhagen, Denmark
Best Restaurant in North America: Pujol, Mexico City, Mexico
Best Restaurant in South America: Central, Lima, Peru
Best Restaurant in Asia: Den, Tokyo, Japan
Best Restaurant in Africa: Fyn, Cape Town, South Africa

World’s Best Pastry Chef Award: René Frank of Coda
Gin Mare Art of Hospitality Award: Atomix, New York, USA
Beronia World’s Best Sommelier Awards: Josep Roca of El Celler de Can Roca, Girona, Spain
Aspire Lifestyles Highest New Entry Award: Uliassi, Senigallia, Italy
Villa Massa Highest Climber Award: Nobelhart & Schmutzig, Berlin, Germany
Estrella Damm Chefs’ Choice Award: Jorge Vallejo of Quintonil, Mexico City, Mexico
Flor de Caña Sustainable Restaurant Award: Aponiente, Cádiz, Spain
American Express One To Watch Award: AM par Alexandre Mazzia, Marseille, France
Icon Award: Wawira Njiru of Food For Education
Nude Glass World’s Best Female Chef Award: Leonor Espinosa of Leo Cocina y Cava, Bogotá, Colombia
Champions Of Change Award: Dieuveil Malonga, Koh Seng Choon and duo Olia Hercules and Alissa Timoshkina

Best Of The Best

• El Bulli (2002, 2006-2009)
• The French Laundry (2003-2004)
• The Fat Duck (2005)
• Noma – original location (2010-2012, 2014)
• El Celler de Can Roca (2013, 2015)
• Osteria Francescana (2016, 2018)
• Eleven Madison Park (2017)
• Mirazur (2019)
• Noma – current location (2021)

For our thoughts on Asia’s 50 Best Restaurants, see Asia’s 50 Best Restaurants.
For our thoughts on The World’s 50 Best Restaurants, see The World’s 50 Best Restaurants.
For all 50 Best related content, see 50 Best.