Worlds Best Restaurant

Our newly crowed Lifetime Achievement Winner, Joël Robuchon has more restaurants in our 1-100 list than anyone else. The L'Atelier  format, meaning "workshop", is a result of his extensive travels in Japan and Spain and a desire to get diners closer to the kitchen. It is no exaggeration to say Joël Robuchon has revolutionised the fine dining scene with the L'Atelier format. According to ES Magazine, "as a food worshipper, you haven't really entered culinary heaven until you've been to a Joël Robuchon restaurant."5-7 rue de Montalembert, 75007 Paris, France+33 (0)1 4222 5656http://www.joel-robuchon.com/...

Tetsuya moved to Sydney aged just 22, and under Tony Bilson he learnt the skills in just 18 months that enabled him to open his own restaurant. Today Tetsuya's speciality is fish and his menu has an abundance of Pacific Ocean gems in it's 13 course degustation menu. Signature dishes include a confit of Petuna Ocean Trout with Konbu, Daikon and Fennel. Tetsuya's is the best restaurant in Australia, a worthy title in a country with such a burgeoning restaurant scene. 529 Kent Street, Sydney NSW 2000, Australia+61 2 9267 2900 http://www.tetsuyas.com/...

Philippe Rochat pays strict adherence to seasonality, peerless ingredients and a conviction that three flavours on a plate are enough. That however barely begins to describe the exquisite reality and painterly presentation of Philippe Rachats' contemporary French dishes. If you crave the finest Perigord truffles, Normandy Scallops or Sicilian tomatoes, this is the place for you. L'Hôtel de Ville, Rue d'Yverdon 1, 1023 Crissier (VD), Switzerland+41 21 634 0505http://www.philippe-rochat.ch/...

American GQ recently described Le Bernadin as "the most influential seafood restaurant in America" and that's testament to Chef Eric Ripert's unflinching attitude to quality. With influences from Japan, Korea, Italy, Spain and the US, Ripert combines this with a mind boggling selection of seafood from around the world. From Scottish salmon to Black bass - but you'll never find an endangered species, Rippert is immovable on his policy of never using them.155 West 51st Street, The Equitable Building, New York City, NY 10019, USA++1 212 554 1515http://www.le-bernardin.com/...

St John has become a temple to British cooking, and has played a monumental part in it's direction in the last 15 years. St John is also a regular on the World's 50 Best Restaurants List. Fergus Henderson and his business partner Trevor Gulliver have been delighting ardent fans from around the world for 15 years with classics such as Roast Bone Marrow & Parsley Salad, or how about a stonking lemon sorbet with a slug of Polish vodka.... this is affordable, adventurous, damn good eating.26 St John Street, London EC1M 4AY, England+44 (0)20 7251 0848http://www.stjohnrestaurant.co.uk/...

Thomas Keller is a culinary colossus, and The French Laundry a regular in the top end of The World's 50 Best Restaurants since it's inception.  The French Laundry successfully marries French influence with Thomas Keller's American roots. The New York Times has described part of its appeal is the "intricate preparations which are often finished table side". The French Laundry remains a once in a lifetime experience for food lovers everywhere. 6640 Washington Street, Yountville, CA 94599, USA+1 707 944 2380 http://www.frenchlaundry.com/...

Osteria Francescana just missed out in making the World's 50 Best Restaurants last year, so being 13thmust be particularly sweet for Massimo Bottura. This is the most cutting edge food in Italy. Buttura is a master of colour, texture and geometry, the results are quite superb looking dishes. Osteria Francescana's walls are adorned with some of the best contemporary art in the world, and Buttura matches them on the plate with his artistic skill. Take his interpretation of a New York skyline, a dish of Italian meats gently cooked sous vide, standing in for buildings and parsley foam depicting foliage.....Massimo is a welcome addition to The...