The world's best restaurant of 2013 is El Celler De Can Roca in Gerona, Spain, Restaurant Magazine announced on Monday in its annual World's 50 Best Restaurants ranking.
The Spanish restaurant, run by Roca brothers Joan, Josep and Jordi, displaced Copenhagen's Noma, which has held the title of world's best restaurant for the past three years. Noma dropped to No. 2
Trading places, El Celler De Can Roca had spent the last two years in the second spot.
"Head chef Joan is alone a cook of the very highest order: he helped pioneer the widespread use of sous-vide cooking in the ’90s via his Roner machine, and is a technical maestro," the U.K. magazine said on its website. "Josep is the head sommelier who runs the supremely smooth front-of-house operation: understated but passionate. Jordi is the rule-breaking pastry chef whose creations blow the imagination." The site said the restaurant's standout dish is its charcoal-grilled king prawn with king-prawn sand, ink rocks, fried legs, head juice and king prawn essence.
There were no Canadian restaurants among the top 50. American restaurants on the list included Eleven Madison Park, Per Se and Alinea among others.
San Pellegrino's 20 Best Restaurants In The World 2013
The awards are chosen by an academy of more than 900 members. According to the U.K. magazine, each member is selected for his or her expert opinion of the international restaurant scene and 26 geographical regions.
Launched in 2002, the World's 50 Best Restaurants list has become a huge industry trendsetter, stealing some of the influence of the Michelin Guide, though it's had its fair share of criticism.
The award for the most sustainable restaurant went to Japan's Narisawa, also No. 20 on the list. The prize for best female chef in the world was given to Italian chef Nadia Santini.
The 2013 S.Pellegrino World's 50 Best Restaurants:
1. El Celler de Can Roca (Spain)
2. Noma (Denmark)
3. Osteria Francescana (Italy)
4. Mugaritz (Spain)
5. Eleven Madison Park (USA)
6. DOM (Brazil)
7. Dinner by Heston Blumenthal (England)
8. Arzak (Spain)
9. Steirereck (Austria)
10. Vendôme (Germany)
11. Per Se (USA)
12. Frantzen / Lindeberg (Sweden)
13. The Ledbury (England)
14. Astrid y Gastón (Peru)
15. Alinea (USA)
16. L'Arpege (France)
17. Pujol (Mexico)
18. Le Chateaubriand (France)
19. Le Bernardin (USA)
20. Narisawa (Japan)
21. Attica (Australia)
22. Nihonryori Ryugin (Japan)
23. L'Astrance (France)
24. Saint-Germain L'Atelier de Joël Robuchon (France)
25. Hof Van Cleve (Belgium)
26. Quique Dacosta (Spain)
27. Le Calandre (Italy)
28. Mirazur (France)
29. Daniel (USA)
30. Aqua (Germany)
31. Biko (Mexico)
32. Nahm (Thailand)
33. The Fat Duck (England)
34. Faviken (Sweden)
35. Oud Sluis (Netherlands)
36. Amber (China)
37. Vila Joya (Portugal)
38. Restaurant Andre (Singapore)
39. 8 1/2 Otto E Mezzo Bombana (China)
40. Combal.Zero (Italy)
41. Piazza Duomo (Italy)
42. Schloss Schauenstein (Switzerland)
43. Mr & Mrs Bund (China)
44. Asador Etxebarri (Spain)
45. Geranium (Denmark)
46. Maní (Brazil)
47. The French Laundry (USA)
48. Quay (Australia)
49. Septime (France)
50. Central (Peru)